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Since I first moved to New York City nearly a decade ago, I’ve been through a lot of couches. From questionable, cash-only Facebook Marketplace pickups to what was dubbed “the cheapest couch IKEA has ever made,” I’ve seen pretty much everything Big Sofa has to offer to a young, fresh-outta-college guy with roommates. And, for years, those janky couches and their lumps, bumps, and “stains we don’t talk about” worked for me and my two roommates who were equally apathetic about the thing we sat on while we drank beer and watched “The Departed” for the fifteenth time. However, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked I moved in with my lovely girlfriend, who (rightfully) wanted a sofa that was new, comfortable, easy to assemble, complemented our (small) space, looked modern, and wouldn’t disintegrate after one lease renewal. What she wanted was a sofa that we’d have for years — one that we loved so much, we’d actually want to establish and enforce a “no eating on the couch” rule. What she wanted was the Owen Chaise Sectional from Castlery.
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The Owen is a gorgeous, sleek sectional that’s as nice to lounge on as it is to look at. It comes in two colors, Pearl Beige and Olive Gold, and features a walnut-stained base that matches practically any aesthetic. It has a deep seat, padded armrests, and adjustable legs to make sure you never have to shove a matchbook underneath your sofa to stop it from wobbling. And, because it’s elevated, there’s some room for under-couch storage. You can also choose which side you’d like the chaise to face, which is a huge bonus if you’re working with a small space. They also throw in two pillows, which I’ve found to be dangerously comfortable when working on the couch.
The thing I love most about the Owen is that it feels big. Like, really big, especially compared to the tiny IKEA couches we’re used to. (In fact, my girlfriend and I often joke around and say, “how’s it going over there?” since we feel so far away on opposite ends of the sofa.) However, it’s actually pretty compact for a sectional, and it doesn’t take up our entire living room. And, I’m not the only one that feels this way. “My husband and I spent a lot of time looking for a sectional that’s not too large or small and this one is the perfect size for literally any home or apartment,” one reviewer writes. “It’s beautiful, the cushions velcro down to the base, and feels really durable. This sectional is incredibly comfortable and we can stretch out with no problem.”
In terms of delivery, you can either have the sofa delivered to your front door, or pay extra to have it brought into the room of your choosing, with the additional option of having the couch set up for you. I had the couch brought directly into my living room, where I put together the couch by myself. Setup was a breeze: You just take the couch out of the packaging, screw on the feet with the included Allen key, secure the chaise to the main sofa with the built-in alligator attachment, and pop on the cushions. It took my girlfriend and I about 20 minutes from start to finish, and the hardest part was lugging the cardboard down the two flights of stairs in my walk-up apartment.
I really can’t recommend this piece enough: The look, feel, and size of the sectional are a massive upgrade from my past couches. So, if you’ve been struggling to find a sectional that checks off all of your boxes, do yourself a favor and snag the Owen Chaise Sectional from Castlery while it’s on sale. Trust me — it’s a lot better than the seventh page of Wayfair search results or getting lost in an IKEA showroom (again).
Sarah is a staff writer at Apartment Therapy. She completed her MA in journalism at the University of Missouri and has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Belmont University. Past writing and editing stops include HGTV Magazine, Nashville Arts Magazine, and several outlets local to her hometown, Columbia, Missouri.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
You don’t have to settle for second-choice furniture just because your dream look is out of budget. In fact, you can still snag just the right thing for your space if you know where to look. Thrift stores, garage sales, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace are all treasure troves — you just might need to give whatever you find a little TLC to help it reach its full potential.
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Online browsing is what led Kim Holbrook to the ideal sideboard for her family room. “I was looking for storage for a smaller alcove/media area,” she says, and found this one on Facebook Marketplace.
While this piece fit the hard-to-size area perfectly, it was stained a butterscotch color and had old hardware that made the whole thing look dated — especially considering Kim was targeting a more contemporary-looking piece for her family room. The piece, as Kim put it, “screamed for a makeover.”
To modernize the unit and highlight its beautiful detailing, Kim first removed the cabinet doors and hardware. Then, she stripped off all of the old stain and varnish — a process made very challenging and time-consuming by all of the lattice work on the cabinet doors.
After sanding the entire piece, Kim applied a pale gray stain that gave the look of weathered driftwood, then topped it with a matte sealer. The entire process took about a week. In the meantime, she ordered sleek new drawer pulls in a contemporary gold finish.
While the project required plenty of patience and sweat equity, it wasn’t budget-breaking. Kim spent $250 for the sideboard and an additional $60 in supplies, but the result of her work is a custom piece that looks like it could be sold in a high-end furniture store.
“It was a fun project, and I’m very happy with how it turned out,” says Kim. Her only advice to anyone following in her furniture makeover footsteps? “Be prepared for [the project] to require more time than you imagine.” A wise and always relevant bit of DIY advice, indeed!
Whether or not you know what it is, you’re probably surrounded by particle board right now — in some furniture, under your flooring, in nearby speakers, and maybe even in the ceiling or on the roof of your home.
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Even though particle board, an amalgamation of types of wood and wood products, can be found in many different places and products, Robert Haymaker, a General Contractor from Virginia Beach, Virginia, explains that particle board can be used in certain applications, but by no means can it be used for everything. Here’s what you need to know about particle board, including the pros and cons of using it in your home.
Also known as Low Density Fiberboard (LDL), particle board is a building material that is manufactured from lumber scraps such as wood shavings, wood chips, sawdust, and other by-products from lumber mill operations. These materials are glued together and then compressed into boards that can be cut to size and used for a variety of projects.
“Particle board is made from scraps and wood chips that are glued together, says Haymaker. “It’s cheap because it’s abundant. Because it is a cost effective material, it is used for a variety of different applications.”
Where is particle board used?
Particle board is a versatile material, but its abilities do come with limits. “Particle board can be used in roofing and flooring, but it shouldn’t be counted on for its structural value but rather as a support material,” says Haymaker.
Particle board vs. plywood
Particle board is made with different wood scraps compressed together to form a sheet. Plywood, on the other hand, is made when thin sheets of wood are stacked on top of one another, with each layer rotated to form a cross-grain pattern, and glued together to form a single plywood board.
Plywood is typically more expensive than particle board, but it’s stronger and can be stained to enhance the wood grain of the top layer. Particle board is much more absorbent so it is difficult, but not impossible, to finish it with a stain.
Ultimately, choosing to use particle board depends on your budget, lifestyle, and general aesthetic taste. But if you’re looking for something budget-friendly and versatile, then it may be just the right material for you.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
What better way to kick off the new year than to refresh your home with great new furniture pieces at discounted prices? The sales at the end of the year have officially rolled out, so whether you’re looking to save on specific furniture pieces or just browsing around, you’ll find something that suits your fancy. Pottery Barn certainly has a few finds that deserve to be added to the cart. Today only, you can shop their Warehouse Sale and save up to 70 percent on tons of furniture and home decor finds, including a few that our own editors have tested and loved. Now is the time to start envisioning your upgraded space. Whether you’re looking to dress up a living room with new curtains or looking to replace your old run-down rug with a new one, we’ve rounded up the most worthy items you’ll want to add to your shopping list ASAP. Happy home shopping!
Sarah writes about all things shopping for Apartment Therapy, The Kitchn, and Cubby helping you find the best deals and the best products for you and your home. A Brooklyn-born Jersey Girl, she loves a good playlist, a good bagel, and her family (but not necessarily in that order).
