More Lee Love March 29, 2010

I posted about Lee Industries because I thought it was cool that they were down with the eco-friendly thing, but I’d never actually sat on their furniture.  Now that I have sat, I believe. In fact, I want to do their freaking commercials. I want to melt into this couch. It belongs in the living room of a woman (my husband’s cousin, actually) who I want to be when I grow up. She’s adorable, she cooks, she bakes beautiful cakes, she decorated her whole new house herself to look like something out of Architectural Digest, but livable and cozy. When I plopped down on this sofa, I told her I might never get up. Turns out it’s a Lee Industries piece. She’d always wanted an all-white living room, she said, but has dogs and a kid. She was attracted to the company because of its slip-covered options. She doesn’t sweat it when coffee is spilled or dogs shed or her husband forgets to take off his shoes, because she can strip the entire cover and send it to the cleaners. The sofa itself is low and deep – perfect for lounging and napping; it’s soooo comfortable.

Going Green on St. Patty’s Day March 17, 2010

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! A friend told me about Lee Industries, and although I’ve not seen their furniture in person, it looks comfy and functional. They have a large selection of sofas, chairs, upholstery fabric and even outdoor furniture. I especially like their green approach. Their website says they use recycled filling for pillows, water based stains, and offer many organic and natural fabrics. They also say they reuse or recycle approximately 95% of all the materials that enter their production stream. Sounds better than green beer, doesn’t it?

My Mom’s Sofa part II March 16, 2010

This daybed also belongs to my mother, and she found this one through the want ads, too. It’s nice and petite and sits in her sewing room. I think the size is great – it could live pretty much anywhere. It’s made of walnut and collapses into three parts so it’s easy to move. It came from St. Mary’s Hospital in Jefferson City, Mo.  Supposedly, pregnant women rested on it before they were admitted.

My Mom’s sofa March 15, 2010

This Amish-country style beauty is my Mom’s, and she’s had it forever and ever. So long in fact, that it’s been recovered three times. It has a lovely pine back and rolled arms. She bought it for $200 sometime in the 70s from Terrace Hill, the Governor’s mansion in Des Moines, Iowa. She found the sofa through an ad in the paper (back then, Terrace Hill was a private home). When she and her first husband went to pick it up, they learned that the caretaker, who was selling the sofa, was recently widowed and moving out the mansion. They scored not only the sofa, but also the newly available caretaker job, and got to live in the mansion’s basement, which must have been cool  for two twenty-somethings. When she married my dad, he encouraged her to write a book about the mansion, and she did, along with his help. So there you go – a sofa that led to a mansion-apartment and a book deal. Nice!

Art in Bloom March 15, 2010

This isn’t about sofas, but I had to share this photo my Mom sent from Art In Bloom, a exhibit in my hometown of Columbia, Mo., where florists create arrangements based on art that inspires them. Isn’t is wonderful? This hydrangea arrangement looks just like the painting. And wouldn’t you love to have it sitting by your sofa? I would!

Before and After March 11, 2010

One of my favorite blogs – Design*Sponge – has a great before and after sofa today. The before was a whole lotta cheetah print (An aside: my friend B made a pact with her husband before they married that she would never, ever bring a piece of animal print furniture into their home. She broke the rules once – because she firmly believes in the power of a well-placed animal print – with a fabulous leopard chair, and her mans said no way. She later had it recovered in a quieter fabric that made them both happy. Remember with animal prints, a little can go a very long way, but done right, they can look great). But the after, a soft gray with crisp white cording, is charming and sophisticated.

Round Up: 15 Sofas Under $1500 March 10, 2010

My friend J is moving into a new NYC apt soon (her very own!). She buying a sofa for her new living room and she’s starting here: Apartment Therapy’s round up of 15 sofas under $1500. Most are sleek and modern looking and would work with almost any style. I love the 60s look of Crate & Barrel’s Petrie Apartment Sofa – it’s retro, but not over the top. I also personally like when sofas have legs you can see – it lessens the bulk of a big piece of furniture. The Petrie is more on the petite side, so it would work nicely in a NYC apt (they’re small!). But it may not be comfy enough for overnight guests, so selfishly I’m hoping J picks a bigger one for when I go to visit her.