by Furnishly | Jan 13, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
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We love hunting for budget-friendly furniture here at Apartment Therapy, especially sofas and furniture for small spaces. One piece that does this both? Loveseats. They provide seating in even the tiniest of apartments and are generally much less expensive than their full-size counterparts. In the past, loveseats were mainly thought of as part of furniture sets, but nowadays they are an increasingly popular option on their own. So we did what we do best and scoured the internet for the best loveseats under $500, and were pleasantly surprised at all these attractive options. Check out 10 of our favorite finds below — you’ll be amazed at the style and quality you can get on a budget.
Nicole Lund and Sarah M. Vazquez also contributed to reporting.
by Furnishly | Jan 12, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
Total comfort is dominating interior design right now, likely because of how much time people are still spending at home. So anytime you can up the cozy factor of your space and add smile-inducing decorative punch, it’s a win-win, particularly if your style is more maximalist than minimalist. That’s why when I saw the San Francisco condo of TikToker Taylor BeepBoop (@taybeepboop on TikTok), I took notice of her unique way of marrying mood-boosting elements with just plain practical design decisions. “The goal for my home has always been to make it feel like the most fun place you’ve ever been in, and I want every room to have a surprise in it once you enter,” says Taylor of her space. “Like you’ll have no idea what you’ll get.”
That above design sensibility’s on full display in her living room, which she’s affectionately dubbed “The Orange Room” for obvious reasons: the tangerine color of the sofa and carpeting border. There, she and her partner, Andrew Stewart, fashioned a DIY sofa back for their Mario Bellini sofa — found on Craigslist, no less! — from a headboard, and the project is brilliant for a couple of key reasons.
First, anyone who has sat on a low-slung sofa like this knows that, while extremely comfy for fully reclining, ground-level sofas tend to have lower profile backrests, which aren’t totally supportive for sitting upright, particularly if you’re on the taller side. Bringing in a headboard not only adds extra comfort for things like reading or working, but it also introduces another cool, curved shape to a room that’s pretty much a series of contrast colors and sharp angles, from the rectangular rug and the square floor cushions to the decorative vertical slat wall and vintage Eames chair.
You’ve probably seen a pool noodle Deco-inspired headboard DIY like this before. Photographer Margaret Wright created something very similar — down to the color of the velvet — in her home’s guest bedroom, which Apartment Therapy published last year. In lieu of pool noodles, Taylor actually used pipe insulation tubes along with pegboard backing, a two-inch foam mattress topper, adhesive spray, and a glue gun with discounted fabric to pull her particular piece together. In fact, she actually prefers insulation tubes to pool noodles because they’re cheaper, and they feature a pre-cut notch, which helps anchor the fabric around the tube as you’re covering it.
Once installed in a living room, this DIY headboard turned sofa back hack certainly feels extra unexpected, but the best part is how versatile it can be later down the road. Should you change out your sofa and no longer need this piece for extra support — or move to a new place and want to redecorate entirely — you could always use it as a headboard again. Now, that’s DIY with longevity!
Danielle Blundell
Home Editor
Danielle Blundell is AT’s Home Director and covers decorating and design. She loves homes, heels, the history of art, and hockey—but not necessarily always in that order.
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by Furnishly | Aug 27, 2021 | Design Inspiration
A sofa is one of the most expensive household purchases you can make, and most of us keep them for many years, so it’s well worth putting some thought into buying the right thing. We’ve put together our guide to what to look for before buying your new sofa.
Holburn two-seater sofa in taupe, £819 from MY Furniture.
Buy the best you can
Good sofas are expensive for a reason. They’re built onto a solid frame, expertly upholstered and covered in high grade material, which all pushes the cost up. Your new sofa should be solid, sturdy and sit squarely. If it wobbles a bit when you sit down, it probably won’t be durable and could quickly become uncomfortable. Cushions will be filled with either foam, feathers or a combination of the two. The foam should be dense and good quality, and the cushions should feel like they’ve got a bit of weight to them when you lift them up. Feathers tend to be more expensive and make a very comfortable cushion but can be more work – they require a lot of fluffing up!
Large Cloud Sundae corner sofas, from £2989 from Snug.
Choose your size
The first thing to think about is how big a sofa you want. Obviously you need to decide how many people it needs to seat, but also think about how you’ll get it into the room. There’s nothing worse than having a new piece of furniture delivered and discovering you’ve got to remove a window to get it in! Sofas are big pieces of furniture and can dominate a room, which is fine if you’re happy to make them the focal point. If you’d like something more low key, go for a low back or even something without arms.
Choose your style
These days, there is a vast range of options out there to suit every possible decor. More traditional styles tend to have rolled arms and possibly a shaped back. Contemporary styles are cleaner and more geometric.
Bagsie sofa (above and main image), from £1795 from Loaf.
Think about upholstery
The first thing most of us notice about a sofa is its colour. Choosing a bright colour can really make a room pop, but there’s always the danger that you may tire of it. Choosing a neutral is safer and you can always change the focus and colour scheme by adding different scatter cushions. If you have young children, probably best to avoid too light a colour! If you have pets, take that into account as well – white cat hair looks very obvious on a dark grey sofa.
Fabric such as velvet and brocade are difficult to clean, so best avoided if the sofa will be used regularly. Synthetic fabrics tend to wear better and be easier to spot-clean if necessary. Some sofas sport removable covers which makes cleaning easier, although some may be too heavy to go in a domestic machine and will require specialist attention. Leather sofas are durable and age well.
Helsinki three-seat sofa, from £899 from Pash Classics.
Make it comfortable
As well as a wide range of styles, sofas also come in a wide range of sizes. If it’s too low, anyone with reduced mobility may find it difficult to stand up. If it’s too deep, shorter guests may have to shuffle to the front before they can free themselves! When you’re shopping for a new sofa, try to visit a showroom with lots of different models in stock so that you can get a feel for what you find comfortable.
Brighton saffron two-seater sofa, £899 from Oak Furnitureland.
Finally, enjoy your new sofa – hopefully you’ll be together a while!
Main image shows the Bagsie sofa from Loaf.
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