Weekend Design & Wellness Project

Photo by: Inside Hughes @insidehuges

Sofa shopping! Shopping for furniture can be fun and stressful at the same time considering all that is necessary in making choices instead of just what you find attractive. Measurements end up being a deciding factor when dealing with a small space so compromises are needed. The fun part is testing the comfortability of beds, chairs and sofas, WEEEE. This weekend, whether you’re in the market for a new sofa or not, go polish your sofa judging skills. Casually doing comfort tests with furniture that you’ve only admired from magazines or your screens will help narrow down the choices for when you’re actually on the hunt for new pieces. It’s a much more enjoyable process when you’re not under the pressure of making a potentially pricey decision on the spot. Simply inform the salesperson you’re in the early stages of testing out the sofas and you will not be making a purchase today.

My recommendation is to try the Cloud Sofa from Restoration Hardware (be sure to leave all credit cards at home). The Cloud Sofa is so far the most comfortable and expensive sofa I have tried and yes, I was hypnotized by its magnificence that I briefly considered selling my soul and ruining my credit score. Thankfully, it was too large for my space at the time or I would still be paying that bad boy off today. Practice self-control and move in the research mode to enjoy the testing only process!

Mid-Century Sofas

Mid-century sofas are long, lean, symmetrical and sturdy. The structure of a mid-century sofa has proven its longevity through the decades with many of them having multiple facade upgrades over time.

Photo by: Phillip Goldsberry @phillipgold

Choosing a mid-century sofa can be cost effective if you shop at the right thrift or second hand vendors. Of course this process with take time and patience and a really good upholsterer.

First, measure your space to see if it can accommodate a long and sometimes deeper mid-century sofa. Have an idea of the type of upholstery fabric and color would be fitting for the overall look of the room in case the sofa appears and needs a fabric face lift. If going through this process seems daunting, there are plenty of retailers like All Modern sell mid-century inspired sofas. Good luck and don’t forget to enjoy and even document your process. It’s a great way to look back and feel a sense of accomplishment even if you purchase a newer version of a classic piece.

Spalted Maple

Photo by: tina natalini

Spalting is the aftermath of fungus that has “attacked” wood. The marbled patterns are unique and resemble an inked sketch. Birch and beech wood can also can become spalted. Here is a piece of spalted maple found at Dueling Maples in Willow Grove, Pa. After searching through each piece of wood for spalted maple, this was one of two pieces with this being the largest at 1’ 2” x 3’ 10.”