Can you remove the horizontal stretchers or are they structural? .

I ask, because if that sofa wasn't my own personal ab-so-lute fave, then those broom-blocking and vacuum-smacking barriers to cleaning would require euther:

a) a full-time maid, or

b) the person who insisted on that sofa doing the cleaning around and underneath it.

I'm not kidding, I'd be under there with a furniture-makers' fine-toothed saw and wood chisel in a NY minute.

L.

Thanks everyone. I actually like the sofa just not what I envisioned. I will decorate the library for me. It will be more expensive than my original game plan but I will then have my own sitting room.

I do have another room that is mine and that's my home office. I will be keeping the office furniture that I have there but I may change wall colors and do new window treatments.

This is getting expensive.

Ohmygosh, too funny, Liriodendron. Hopefully that Holly-Kay didn't stop it fast means they have a housekeeper. I'm my own housekeeper and have been traumatized by housework so badly that even most beautiful, glamorous rooms cause me to slam the laptop closed if something triggers the bad memories.

Holly-Kay, that is a truly gorgeous sofa, but someone who wanted Audrey Hepburn now has a serious scale issue. It has that heavy Englishish look, and almost everything in the room is going to have to get much heavier to go with that. On the plus side, what a start to a wonderful room of that sort.

If you can't come up with a vision worth all that investment, though, I'm with those who suggest library if at all possible. Isn't it supposed to be true that every small room needs a large piece? Here it is.

Too funny Lirio and Rosie. Yes I do have a cleaning lady and I sure hope this isn't an issue for her. If it is she can clobber DH for that goof up!

This is the recliner that is going in the corner and the scale is large. It will look good with the sofa. This room will definitely have a masculine feel so I am going to have to claim the library for my own!

So if I claim the library I already have the chairs ordered and I will find an H&M sofa that is smaller in scale. The Sanctuary is perfect for the chairs but may be too large for the library. The Harper is a bit smaller so I may have to rethink the sofa.

Here is a link that might be useful: recliner

This is the Harper sofa that may work in the library with my pretty Audrey Hepburn chairs!

Here is a link that might be useful: Harper sofa

I find it hard to mix leathers, and even if they matched, it may be too much leather unless it's like a ski house or a lakehouse.

I would try tone down the leather thing by picking chairs in a pattern, ie the Ralph direction. You can at least skew it more "old world" instead of "man cave".

Holly-Kay, I know how frustrating it is when you had your heart set on one thing and life gives you another...a real Tim Gunn "make it work" moment. I think you can work it out with the new sofa which is less graceful, but still handsome. There is little point in buying a sofa that is uncomfortable no matter how lovely.

Actually, it sounds like you've fallen in manure and come up smelling like a rose as you now get to do 2 rooms over!

I think once you find an inspiration fabric to work with the color of the new sofa, you'll be much happier. I don't mind masculine as I like the warmth and coziness of it. And if you think Ralph Lauren, you will be a-ok. Years ago there used to be a good program on called "Designing for the Sexes" where Michael Payne blended the masc with the fem really well to come up with some really spectacular rooms. So it can be done.

Mtn, I agree. The wing chairs from the library that will now reside in the living room have a strong pattern to them as does the rug that I will also confiscate for the room.

I can see on the holidays that the men will take over the living room and the ladies will congregate in the library. I am also going to have to do some large pillows for texture and to add some color to the sofa. If it really is too much leather I can banish it to the downstairs family room. I may actually, at some point, have both the sofa and the recliner banished to his actual man cave. Hmmmmmmmm.... now you have the wheels turning.

Oh Annie, can you come live with us for awhile? I know you would rise to the occasion but I am feeling at a loss. I am glad that the sofa is handsome and it is growing on me but I just don't know how to pull it off. I spent hours on Houzz last night looking at rooms with leather sofas but found no inspirations at all.

Hang tough, HK, you'll get there. You need some time to get over the loss before you can embrace the new, but you'll get there.

Think richer, deeper with the color scheme...maybe start with a nice oriental rug to inspire the design. Also think of textures other than leather to add warmth to the space. If you want to stick with the navy in the palette, you certainly can do that...add in some burgundy or some gold. Very classic colors...very rich color scheme...makes me think of paisley too.

This was one of the rooms that helped inspire my bookcase design in my library...happened to be there on business.

I loved Designing for the Sexes Annie. That's back when HGTV was still worth watching.

Maybe this will help...

Here is a link that might be useful: decorating with leather

***LIKE*** Justgotabme's comment on HGTV. It is basically worthless and full of narcissism.

Holly Kay - I feel your pain. My living area has not morphed into what we planned. DH and I are both drawn to dark, rich colors thus our LR is very warm and enveloping. Everyone loves it, but I see lots of missed opportunity. Good luck with your project.

Annie,thank you for the pic and also for the link. I think the pillows will add a lot of warmth to the room. I also think the walls need to be a more golden color. The cream would be perfect for my other furniture but this sofa definitely calls for deeper and richer.

I can't feel tooo sorry for her. Just imagine that room as they head into the chilly season. Holly-Kay, for the Harper sofa in the library, how out a pale velvety chenille for cuddling up? I so see why it was your choice.

I actually wasn't really crazy about Designing for the Sexes. You can definitely overdo compromise. It often seemed as if both parties usually had to do that so much that they ended up with designer's choices neither was offended by but neither really loved either, even if they made all the right noises for the filming. And it was often easy to see why--for me the middle ground between burnt orange Pueblo and metal urban industrial would never be found in Thomasville transitional.

Rosie, a velvety chenille sounds great!

I have been wondering if you had gotten to Duane's and then saw your post on his forum. The library now has to be your room. Nothing wrong with the Teton, but it is big and masculine and in a burnished leather I don't see it with your beautiful new chairs at all. Plus a large recliner in the same room? May I ask which burnished leather he selected?? The whole western feel of burnished is not what you were looking for nor does it fit with 'your' chairs, so that settles it. No way you could have nixed the burnished?

If the Sanctuary is too large for the library I think the Harper will be great with the chairs. You will have your dream room, don't worry. So, how was Duane?

Patti, He was great and a pleasure to deal with. His store is really awesome and I was impressed with his inventory of H&M pieces. He knows so much about leather and of course it is his material of choice. I really hope you and your DH will get a chance to go there.

I have never seen DH so enthralled with anything. I always have the final say in furnishings up until now. I could have put my foot down and said "no way" but he loved the piece. We actually didn't choose the leather it was a floor model and is covered in Pullman Burnished Brick. I can't find it on their website so must be a discontinued leather. If it had to be ordered I would have gone with a different leather but I swear DH would have carried that thing on his back if he had to. I like the burnished look but as you said not with my "pretty" chairs.

With the help of GW members I hope to have the room pull together.

Annie, would a fabric like this work as pillows for the sofa?

Here is a link that might be useful: Fabric

I like the sofa holly, but then again, after years of demanding "no leather couches!" I have been run down by the husband and the dog fur. It does have a masculine look, but isn't one of those marshmellow leather sofas, so I still find it to have a certain elegance (albeit a mannly elegance).

I love how you are making lemonade out of lemons by claiming your own room!I must have missed the previous thread with your choice for chairs. Can you share?

Gorgeous warm palette...that fabric will look terrific!

Kellie, here is a pic of the chair. I will post a pic of the fabric separately.

Here is a link that might be useful: My chairs

Here is a pic of the fabric.

Beverly, I forgot to thank you for posting those great rooms. Thank you so much. They are way more inspiring than anything I found on houzz.

If it helps, this appears to be your sofa in your color? The Teton in Pullman Brick Burnished Leather.

H&M has some gorgeous new navy and blue leathers that just came out that would look fabulous with your chairs on the Sanctuary or Harper in your library.

Yes!!!! That is our exact sofa. I think that the buffalo nails were one of the things that so attracted my DH to it. We bought it from Duane and he is just an awesome person! We had such a fun trip down though I have to admit I was heartsick on the way back because my vision for the room changed.

I first learned of the Keeping Room by reading some of Duane's posts on this forum. I would highly recommend anyone who is within a few hours of his shop to go there if you are considering H&M for a sofa. Actually all of his furniture is quite lovely and reasonably priced for the quality furniture that he carries.

I have had to revamp my whole decorating scheme but I have to say that every time I walk into our lr I like it more. As a matter of fact when I walked in today I thought "Wow, I love that sofa".

Duane is correct in that the sofa when sitting upright is not terribly comfy but it is a wonderful reading, and lounging sofa. I also get migraines from time to time and there is no better sofa than one where the arm and back are the same height. I just hope I don't have to try this one out for that reason. DH is always on the sofa. I have my favorite chair to sit in but have found myself curling up on the sofa with iPad in hand.

I am already planning how to make the room work and I will be able to pull it off, I just needed time to change gears. I found a fabric for pillows. Two large square pillows in a print and then a long rectangular pillow between them. Additional bolster pillow and a throw for the recliner. I will have to have the room repainted again as the Jersey Cream that was perfect for my other chairs is not deep enough for my new vision.

My game plan for lamps changed a bit because the styles I was considering won't work with the room. This is actually getting to be fun now that I have reassured myself that I will still have "my room" by redoing the library as well. So this means more business for Duane because he has become my furniture store of choice.

Mooonshadow, thanks for googling it and finding the pic as my iPad just doesn't capture the handsomeness of the piece.

Thanks Patty! I may decide to do something other than leather but I want to buy whatever I decide on from Duane. I will definitely keep an open mind though as to what I will ultimately do.

You can also try to stay closer to your original vision with a more feminine print such as this one that includes the red.

Or you can go with one that retains the dark blue...

Equestrian may be too much for you, but for an accent pillow and as a "design seed" for your other colors....certainly that classic old english look.

All of the above from calico corners...I just find their site easy to search.

Just wanted to say that I REALLY like your sofa. I can see why your husband HAD to have it. I'm sure you will figure out how to arrange everything to make the both of you happy.

That sofa is wonderful. I am NOT showing photo to DH, however, as we do not need another sofa, and he would "want to find a place for it." Didn't another thread show this sofa in a red fabric somewhere in a list of examples of rooms for some reason or other? Anyone recall? Maybe Beverly27?

I am not sure what your original vision for the room was, but I wanted to just post a couple of pictures to give you some inspiration. These are rooms with a masculine leather sofa, but that feel lighter and more feminine.

These are much bolder in color, but look past that and see the mix of materials and fabrics.

{{!gwi}}

[Traditional Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2107) by Charleston Interior Designers & Decorators Melissa Lenox Design

This post was edited by geokid on Thu, Sep 26, 13 at 9:46

Thanks Geo! Love the inspiration pics. keep them coming please!

Annie, I love the fabrics that you posted. I love Calico Corners but so much of their fabric is not available on-line. They do have an outlet that is about 40 minutes away from us but I avoid outlet centers like the plague.

The library chairs are moss green, rust, gold and a bit of navy for good measure and the wool rug echoes the vining print that is on the chairs. All options are open at this point and I am excited about the project.

Please all of you keep posting pics. This is helping tremendously. Since I am using my Audrey Hepburn chairs in the library I can now contact our painter and have him come and paint the library in Jersey Cream, and redo the living room.

Does your vision still include bringing in blue? Here's a deeper version. Blue hues with orange hues are longtime favorites for me.

I laughed when you said your husband would have carried it out, he liked it so much. Of course you had to get it! But equal heights for migraines? How does that work?

Or a modern take on something like this for the floor. Some modern rugs bring in a lot of ivory, for a much lighter and more feminine look.

Oh I can completely sympathize with that about face on room design based on a significant other's sudden decor opinion. When we bought our house I absolutely loved the living room space: big room with vaulted ceilings and a big south facing window open to the dining room with another big window and more vaulted ceilings. I had ideas of what furniture could go in there and having multiple room groupings and KAPOW suddenly my significant other explains to me that although he doesn't interfere (or care) much about room design it is incredibly important to him that we put a pool table right in the middle of the room. Smack dab in the middle of the room. Immediately past the front foyer. I felt a weight in my stomach as I saw my room design plans crumbling before my eyes.

Six months later I'm very happy with the room. Yes, there is a pool table right in the middle of the best part of the room. But guess what? Now we actually use the room. And I got to pick out a gorgeous mahogany table with curvy legs. I get to keep all my favorite furniture pieces in the room and now people actually use the room regularly. And with such a lovely and elegant table, it doesn't even feel like the frat house I feared it would.

So hopefully with some time, the sofa choice will grow on you and you'll find some other chairs that you love with the sofa that make the room work really well for you. It sounds like you're already looking at the sofa in a positive light and are half way there. And really, that delicious leather color, tufting, and buffalo nailheads make that sofa an amazing find. I love the Ralph Lauren and other inspirations. I hope you'll share as you continue to put together the room.

Designer Lynette Jennings once had a pool table in the front dining room of her very sophisticated home. For basically the same reason as you. I think she had teens too. In any case, it looked "right' than the typical waxed mahogany table one might find there.

Lovely sofa, even if it was an unexpected addition. I had to lol with the "DH had to have it" part. I have the same problem occasionally and completely understand what that's like!

Looking forward to seeing how you complement the sofa, and also the library now!

Omg. Story of my life. " where am I in this room?" Where's my input. So. I took him to go see my granite b4 I bought it. A beautiful blue/grey quartzite with gold splashes. And he heads over to this thing that I swear looked like a giraffe. He was dead serious. Tell him No Way. "Why do you even ask me". Then he says ok but he wants it in our bathroom. Omg! No. In your man cave only.
(We r building)
So. All new furniture in LR. I really do want him to pick out his own chair but I DREAD it. This post is great!

Rosie, the rug you posted is drop dead gorgeous. Oh how I would love to have that in our room. I do think that navy will worm it's way into the design. In our young married years I did a bathroom in navy and copper penny. I adored the color combo.

Oh Pricklypear I can just bet your heart was sinking. We are survivors though, are we not? And I love how you embraced the beauty of DH's desire for a pool table and chose a lovely curvy legged mahogany one!

TeeBee, lol a giraffe! I do feel your pain. You are probably like me in that I feel I should ask for his input but dread hearing it let alone utilizing it!

I am truly enjoying the sofa for it's one of a kind handsomeness and I am excited to start the process.

Rosie, when I get a headache I can not bear to lay my head down so with this type of sofa I can prop my head in an upright position to relieve some of the pressure.

I told my hubby about this post He still insists the "giraffe" slab was the best looking granite in the yard. Men!

Men indeed. Can't live with them can't live without them.

My DH went with me to the granite yard and he kept me from making a huge mistake. I wanted a more compact design with little to no movement. He pointed out that many of those granites looked like tombstone material or even fake stone. He said if we are paying for granite it should look like stone. I ended up choosing Typhoon Bordeaux and I am so glad I did! Even my DH can hit a homerun once in awhile!

Typhoon Bordeaux- my favorite granite! We have it in our master bath. I wish it was in my kitchen, too, but I hadn't seen it when we renovated the downstairs earlier.

I love our typhoon bordeaux. The first.slab that I fell hard for was a gorgeous Netuno Bordeaux but I am so glad we did the TB.

I loved Typhoon Bordeaux, for me it was in the running for our kitchen granite. It was nixed by my guy for being "too pink". And this is a guy who will wear a pink shirt without hesitation! So you husband isn't all bad, even if if he insisted on John Wayne. However, if he starts talking stuffed moose heads, you have the power of GW behind you!

lol Kellie, DH beat you to the punch line. When we moved into this home going on 17 years ago he said since we have a cathedral ceiling we have the perfect spot for a moose head. Hmmmm.... No, I don't want Bullwinkle in my lr thank you very much.

Annie, I forgot to mention, I love the equestrian vibe. I actually was thinking of using the Ralph Lauren fabric like Kevin is using for a pillow for the center of the sofa and one for the recliner. I really love the navy equestrian print from CC. I saw a very neat horse lamp yesterday while I was browsing a local shop yesterday but I thought that may be over the top.

I love equestrian stuff...goes back to my days of being horse happy as a child. I have a number of horse statues around yet and had an equestrian theme in DH's study at the old house...even had my old helmet and riding crop propped up on the book case. There is something about how the fur on a horse so beautifully shows off its muscles and bone structure that make them such wonderful creatures to look at. Note the Antoine-Louis Barye horse sculpture on the mantel.

Absolutely stunning. I am in good company indeed. I have always loved equestrian inspired decor. Now I think it is something I can work with.

Had to drop off. Typhoon b. love love it!!!!! Will prob go in my master bath. The however many point elk head? Yup. He wanted "big boy" in my den. Had to nix that. He's in the cave as we'll. I can't make this up!