Save your money! Be willing to try it a few ways, and keep at it until you get what you like. Go with a few rules:

1) Is there a focal point? Ie: a fireplace; a television; conversation?;

2) Don't fall for conventional thinking, i.e.: that sofas must be pushed up against a wall, especially if it's a large room. Then in fact do NOT push it against a wall but pull it all into the room;

3) Ask a friend you think is good at this sort of thing;

4) It's your "living" room; rather than make it an interior designer's showpiece, make it reflect who you are, i.e.: cozy or formal or rustic or modern…

5) Post a pic here of the room!

I love hearing "save your money!" :)

But, right now, we don't really have furniture that fits, so it's hard to visualize. I've attached the floor plan. The kitchen has changed a bit, but is pretty much the same. Also, ignore that table in the dining room. I'm not sure what sort of dining room table I want to put in there. Soooo, all that to say, I'm open!

(I can't remember how to post the pic in the post itself... help!)

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to floorplan

The floor plan link isn't working. Hope you can send one that works, or, better, pics!

Rather than spending money on an interior designer, spend it on furniture that "fits". Highly recommend buying used antique (made better) chairs on, say, Craigslist, and put money into purchasing a well-made sofa; a used sofa is kinda gross, since people sleep, drool…and other stuff, wink, wink, on sofas.

Also look for a used antique table for the dining room. They were well made and come in a ton of different styles, so you'll spend a lot less for something much better! And they were made with real wood, so you can always sand, stain, paint…whatever, to make it what you want.

Hope you can send pics!

Let's see if this works:

It worked! but it's pretty small. I tried using the larger flickr, but it shows up the same size. ***sigh***

Hopefully, this is something enough to start with!

So, I'm looking for furniture help with what's labeled the great room. The fireplace on the left wall is centered and recessed into the wall (so it's flat against the wall). And we're having a bench built in front of it. We're planning to have the bench span the entire wall, but this is flexible.

The sliding glass doors lead out to the big deck and we have great views out there. The views are the main view point of this floor.

Other things that might be useful to know:
- I'm hoping to find a large rectangular dining room table for the dining room. I love this one where you can have two people seated at the head but haven't found anything like that: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/170573904608724075/
- The living room is really a TV room. We expect a fair amount of movement between the TV/living room and the "great room", so we don't want anything that would block that pocket door.
- We entertain a lot (mostly family, nothing formal)
- We have a 17 month old and another one on the way and would like something kid-friendly/low maintenance
- I love reading in front of the fireplace. I imagine I'll park myself on the bench in front of the fireplace.
- We have cathedral ceilings with large exposed beams

Thanksabunch!!!!

The fireplace's location makes the layout very difficult. It is unfortunate that it wasn't centered on that wall.

Presumably that room is open to the kitchen, i.e.: it's an open-floor plan.

Here is what I would do, based the floor plan:

I would put two sofas in an "L" formation, one away from the LR wall where the pocket door begins (closes to the kitchen), the second sofa facing the fireplace with its left arm touching the right arm of the other sofa, and a square table tucked into the corner the two sofas form.

Put a chair, or two, one at a diagonal sort of next to the fireplace and facing the first sofa, and perhaps a second chair between it and the sofa that faces the fireplace.

Wire the television, assuming you want one in the great room, so it is in the far corner down the wall from the fireplace and watchable from both sofas.

The closer you can get the sofa "L" to the fireplace, the better. Don't worry if the pocket door to the living room is blocked. It won't be used much, but leave enough room to be able to walk around the sofas and get to and from the living room.

Get either one HUGE carpet for the entire fireplace/TV area and one for under the dining room table; or get three carpets: one for under the sitting area; one for the area where the TV is, aligned with the wall to the dining area, and one for the dining are which extends out to align with the far end of the TV carpet. If you can afford them, get Oriental carpets, three different patterns. They go with everything, are gorgeous, add real warmth and character and are completely forgiving when it comes to dirt and stains and such. If they ever start to wear, you just fill them in with magic marker. They are the best investment as far as rugs go. That will be gorgeous. They also can increase in value overtime if you don't let animals, or whatever, wreck them.

Good luck!

Thanks so much, Tibbrix!

The fireplace actually is centered on the wall. we convinced our builder to make the change during the construction.

So, then would you still recommend the same layout, except scooted over, so it's centered?

And then would you recommend getting two of the same sofas?

that's good news that the fireplace is centered. Now, I'm just giving you my opinion which is full of my own taste. I think it's important to combine the practical (i.e.: conversation ability, tv watching, etc.) with character. I think maybe your house is one of those new Colonials? Those can be difficult to add character and your own touch to, so be creative!

Since the fireplace is centered, yes, I would still go with the two sofas in the L formation, only I'd reverse it and put the TV in the corner between the LR pocket door and the fireplace. That is my own personal taste, though. I don't like it when a TV is the "star" of a room. on the other hand, you want to be able to watch TV comfortably.

It's a large room, too, so two sofas will be good for the scale of the room. Whether they match or not is obviously a personal preference. Personally, I like eclectic, but they have to work together, so stick with two of the same era, at least, i.e.: two different styles but both being modern, or both being traditional.

Add a big comfy chair on the diagonal but not blocking TV viewing. You really want TV viewing from the sofas since they can't be moved easily to suit a crowd, but a chair can be turned easily to face the TV is, say, you're having a Super Bowl party of something like that.

What I do strongly recommend re: sofas is getting only tightback sofas, tufted or whatever. Cushion-back sofas get quickly horribly out of shape and you're constantly fluffing the pillows, punching them back into shape, they get uncomfortable and ugly. Same with the cushion. I prefer bench cushions on the firmer/denser side. they last longer and are a lot more comfortable, believe it or not. If a sofa looks comfortable, i.e.: squishy and pillowy, it probably is not comfortable at all. If it looks firmer and less comfortable, it is more comfortable. Do trust me on that! It is very hard to get a furniture company to make a good cushion nowadays. I just had an Olivier Tufted Sofa made for me by Hickory Chair. Cost me a fortune! I still cringe when I think about what I paid for it. But it is gorgeous and heavy (it doesn't move when you sit down on it or shift positions), and the tufted back is the most comfortable sofa backI have every leaned on. However, the cushion and issues. I had to put some camping rubber stuff under the cushion to keep it from sinking into the back of the sofa, and just today the 1-in piece of firm foam I ordered arrived. I cut it to size and crammed it into the cushion cover to make the cushion more dense. Now it is perfect!

You have to decide the general style you want. Start by asking if you want modern/contemporary, rustic, traditional, etc. and then start designing around that.

Also, since the fireplace is centered, you will want to get one huge rug for the great room area and a second one for the dining room area. Again, I like eclectic, so I would get different designs but that fit together in the room in a general sense. As one who grew up with them, as I said before, you cannot go wrong with Oriental rugs if you can afford them. They go with virtually every style. I bought one on Craigslist, although it's not an authentic Oriental. If you do go the used/Craigslist route, you'll want to have the seller agree to let you have the rug appraised and looked at by a professional. And do so! Don't get cheap knockoffs of Orientals. They look cheap and terrible. Authentic Orientals MAKE a room, in my opinion, and are totally worth the money if you can afford them.

Only furniture worth buying new are mattresses (SUCH a shady business, so beware! and sofas, since you want those clean. Otherwise, be patient and look for good quality items on Craigslist and eBay, yard sales, estate sales, etc. You can get good Oriental rugs at estate sales, for example.

Then decorate with fun knickknacks which express your personality.

I'm also a believer in having a lot of table space in living areas. Get a huge coffee table, a small table for next to the comfy chair, small tables for each open end of the sofas, and the square table to go in the space the L of the sofas make. You want plenty of places for people to comfortable put drinks and books and food down, etc. Make sure they're protected from water rings.

Also, to fill in the room, put a couple of sofa tables behind each sofa, as long as you can get them, then decorate them with lamps and fun and pretty things. That will give the sitting area around the fireplace very finished and welcoming look.

A bookcase in corner at the other end of the fireplace wall from the LR/TV might be nice to fill in that wall.

Btw, I should add that, if you do go with bench cushions for a sofa or both sofas, you'll want them as dense/firm (as opposed to hard) as possible in order for them to keep their shape.

But ONLY get tightback sofas! You won't regret it.

Tibbrix, you are awesome!!!

So, another wrinkle. We actually won't have a TV in the great room. The TV is in the room labeled "living room". Does that change at all?

Also, now we're thinking the bench in front of the fireplace will only extend a couple of feet beyond the fireplace on each side.

And we have an awesome view out of our great room -- where all the windows are.

So, still recommend the same layout?

And thanks for the sofa recs -- I agree about the cushions but for reasons others than you cited. I just hate sitting on the crack! So, I'm happy to hear that there are more reasons to avoid them.

Any recs for sofa brands that are a good value? We like modern style, have a toddler and a new one on the way. So, something comfy (of course!), durable, but won't give me a heart attack if a kid takes a sharpie to it or walks on it in soccer cleats or something. :)

I'm measuring now so I can start hunting for some oriental carpets! :)

Oh wow, I love that you're not going to have the TV in the great room! That is so smart, IMO. When you need a little break, you can put the kids in the LR with the TV, shut the door but still be close by while enjoying your view, working whatever.

In that case, you might want to create a tight (but scaled to the room) sitting area by the fireplace by having the two sofas facing each other, extending out from the fireplace so that the fireplace is centered between the two, a HUGE coffee table in the center (I am a fan of very large coffee tables both for looks and for practical reasons, esp. in a large room like yours), and put two comfy chairs side by side facing the fireplace with their backs to the opening to the kitchen area, each with its own side table or one between the two. That's pretty standard, but it never fails and always looks good.

I'm also a fan of lamp lighting versus overhead lighting. It's warmer, and more selective. A beautiful lamp on the table between the two comfy chairs and lamps on sofa tables behind the sofas would be beautiful. Don't be afraid to drill holes in the carpet through which to thread any electrical cords (although, it's a toss up with Orientals because that will definitely devalue them. However, if you're investing in the rugs, don't do it. If you're getting the rugs to create a beautiful living space and plan on owning them forever, passing them on to your children, etc., go ahead and drill away) from lamps on table so they are under the carpet going to outlets. Also a lot safer for little kids and people not tripping over cords.

With such young children, you might want to get some museum wax or some other sticky material with which to secure lamps and other loose items on tables. That stuff holds them in place but comes up cleanly when you want it to, and it will keep the kids from pulling anything over on themselves or breaking something out of curiosity you don't want them touching.

Check out Lee Industries sofas. They have a huge selection and are made from hardwood, which you want. With sofas, because they're expensive you don't want to want to replace them every 6 or 10 years or whatever, So I would go conservative so that it "holds its lines" forever and fits as you change your room over the years. Re-upholsering is expensive enough, and hopefully you can limit any updating to that by buying a sofa with a very solid frame which won't look like something from a different era in 10 years.

Also, another thing I strongly recommend is staying away from any glass table tops. They look nice and contemporary, which you seem to want, but they are a nightmare to keep up. The fingerprints are relentless, as is the dust showing on them.

And btw, contemporary furniture looks beautiful on Oriental rugs. Like I said, if they can be afforded, they are so worth it because they always look good and everything goes with them. I would suggest getting with with a smaller, tighter repeat pattern, rather than with huge chunky designs in it. I'm also not a fan of medallion orientals carpets, but that of course is just a matter of taste.

these are an example of what I mean - colors are deep and muted, design not overpowering, but add great depth and warmth to the room:

http://www.newtonorientalrugs.com/rugs.html

For Lee:

http://www.leeindustries.com/ProductShowThumbs.asp?pg=all

(from Home page, click on Upholstery, then Sofas).

Hopefully, by the time your kids are old enough to be wearing cleats, they'll understand you when you shriek at them to stay off the sofas when wearing cleats! Lol.

Also, if you do go with a custom sofa (i.e.: Lee, Hickory Chair, whatever, rather than buying one from a furniture store), you can usually ask if the sofa you like can come with a tight back, bench cushion, two cushion…whatever you want.

Actually, better to cut a flap in the rug for the electrical cord rather than drill. A flap can always be closed up and not at all noticed if the rug is moved and that area exposed.

Re: the Oriental rugs link: It's the first four rug styles I am pointing out.

Thanks, Tibbrix. That furniture layout sounds great to me.

And I like the oriental carpets. But what size would be appropriate? Should I get it to fill the room with a 1-2 ft border of the hardwood flooring?

Finally, I like a lot of the Lee Industry sofas. And when I search for a store near me, a lot of the stores are Crate and Barrel and Room and Board. I thought those places have only their own line of sofas? Or are they re-branded Lee Industry sofas?

Thanks again for all your help!!!!!

Hi Greenihighlighter,

I know that Lee makes furniture for Crate & Barrel. You can contact Lee directly and ask them about other retailers in your area, or deal with them directly and have it shipped from N. Carolina. Ask them directly about customizing a sofa. They also have a large selection of upholstery, and you can have them send you swatches. Definitely look at a swatch in person before deciding. They look, and feel - physically and texturally - completely different in person. Again, with sofas, I recommend staying pretty conservative, going with a "railroad" pattern, and dressing up a sofa via the throw pillows and throws rather than via the fabric of the sofa. Again, it's a lot less expensive to update a room by changing throws and pillows than it is to reupholster a sofa! Also, if you get Oriental rugs, you don't want very busy and large fabric on a sofa too. My personal preference is a solid color fabric that has some kind of pattern which gives it texture so that it's not flat. That is another reason I really like tufted backs, because they give sofas more texture and character w/o being "loud" or stylistically risky (i.e.: go out of style in a few years). With tufted backs, though, you definitely want a railroad pattern fabric rather than a a print.

The rug choice, I think, will depend on how tightly you set up the furniture around the fireplace. If it's a tighter square, you can put two rugs down, one under the seating area which runs the length of the room from the LR to the opposite door, leaving about a foot of space between the rug and the walls/fireplace on all sides, then a second rug to sit parallel to that one just outside the kitchen area, same length, then a third smaller one to go under the dining table.

If you pull the seating area out so that it extends into that area into the area outside the kitchen, I think you'll want one huge rug. That is very hard to say w/o seeing the room in person, though. Again, try to get rugs that allow you a foot of space (definitely no less) between the edge of the carpet and the wall.

And you can totally get away with and eclectic assortment of Oriental rugs. It actually looks better than matching ones because then they look like a set and cheapen the look. Orientals are, by their nature, unique, each one, so it is best to pick two or three you fall in love with. They'll work together so long as they're in the same genre of Oriental. And they will be gorgeous!!!

This is so fun! I love designing rooms. Have fun doing it, and don't feel like it has to be done in a day. Take your time and enjoy it so that you get what you want.

I think I want to keep the sitting area closer to the fireplace, so it sounds like 3 rugs is the way to go. Is there a good primer on oriental rugs? I've been perusing craigslist, and I feel like I need to know more to make such a big investment!

How can I tell if a fabric is railroad? My quick google search doesn't seem to help-- something about the direction of the fabric?

I seem to be drawn to the Apartment sofas:
http://www.leeindustries.com/productdetail.asp?id=229052007077101
http://www.leeindustries.com/productdetail.asp?id=153103208042064

But they look to be smaller than regular sofas. I really think I just want a super simple, comfy sofa -- with a single bottom cushion (bench?) and a tightback (ideally, single top cushion). I love the tufted style, but my husband doesn't.

And thanks for all the ideas about hiding cords, keeping lamps in place, and lamp lighting! I will totally heed your advice!

Oh! And I like the sofa in the picture on this page at the top left:
http://www.leeindustries.com/ProductShowThumbs.asp?pg=all

I have no clue what sofa it is, though.

One thing I've noticed is that some sofas have exposed legs and others don't. Any pros and cons to either?

And you also pointed me to the upholstered furniture vs leather. Why? People keep telling me to get leather b/c of the babies but I do prefer the feel of fabric...

The sofa you like at the top left of that page is slipcovered, so it is one of Lee's sofas with one of their slipcovers on it. You'll notice on their site that they offer both "upholstery" and "slipcover".

Sofas that hide the legs are upholstered or slipcovered with a "skirt". that is completely about personal preference, and you can order any sofa with or without a skirt. I prefer exposed legs; I do think they look better, but they'll also stay okay, style wise, forever. Skirted sofas are more risky that way. But again, it's totally about what you and your husband prefer.

I like the first sofa a lot. The second sofa is cool, but I think it's so unique that it might be one of those that looks outdated pretty quickly, like if you had shag carpeting from the 1970s, that kind of thing. The first sofa you put up is a nice hybrid of traditional, to keep it going for decades, with a contemporary sense to it, a good combination, I think. Satisifies both needs.

Railroad patterns on fabrics are just a repeat pattern. So, for instance, this is a railroad fabric (notice in the description it says "Railroad). From a distance, it looks like on color, but the railroad and weave give it enough texture to make it richer looking and not so flat:

http://www.leeindustries.com/fabricdetail.asp?id=069002166150065047080

Whereas this is NOT railroad:

http://www.leeindustries.com/fabricdetail.asp?id=117141223254032095251

Better off with a not-railroad fabric on the throw pillows to decorate the sofa.

The apartment sofas are simply smaller versions of the same full-size sofa, and I think any sofa Lee has in apartment size also comes in regular size. If you or your husband likes to stretch out on sofas, you'll want the regular size. You also want to consider the scale as it fits with the size of the room.
If you go with bench cushions (my favorite), you'll want them pretty firm so they keep their shape.

I think people should only get fightback sofas! It just drives me nuts when the cushion-back sofas lost their shape and get mushy and messy. And they become very uncomfortable. With tight backs, you never have to worry about that.
If you are serious about pursuing Oriental carpets, seek out a reputable dealer in your area and tell him what you hope to do. He can probably get used carpets for you too, and ask him, if you find any on Craigslist or eBay, will he look at them for you to let you know the authenticity, origin, and value of the rug. Obviously you would pay him for his time, but he or she should be willing to do that. Too many shysters on Craigslist, so you want to be sure about what you are buying. Get a pro to look at it. They will be, by far, the most expensive items you put in that room but the difference they'll make is valueless and they'll hold up forever and never go out of style, are very forgiving when it comes to dirt and stains, etc.

I could not afford an Oriental, so I bought a 9X12 Karastan wool carpet, similar to this only more muted ivory with cranberry and olive, on Craigslist for I think $675.
http://www.karastan.com/rug-search/Capri-Maize/?return=rug-result.aspx::

Re: leather v. fabric: Again, personal preference. I don't like leather sofas at all. They're slippery, hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and they're much more expensive. I see no benefit to them. They scratch easily, i.e.: dogs, kids with toys…I WAY prefer fabric.

If you call Lee, they can possibly tell you which sofa it is in that photo.

Check these out from Hickory Chair (great sofas, but expensive!).

Gorgeous, and I think maybe up your alley? And all will hold their lines over the years:

http://www.hickorychair.com/Furniture/Living-Room-Den-and-Foyer-Furniture/Albert-Sack/i509645-Albert-Sofa.aspx
(I really like this one)

http://www.hickorychair.com/Furniture/Living-Room-Den-and-Foyer-Furniture/Alexa-Hampton/i507761-Curtis-86-Sofa.aspx

http://www.hickorychair.com/Furniture/Living-Room-Den-and-Foyer-Furniture/Mariette-Himes-Gomez/i506083-Elinor-Sofa.aspx

http://www.hickorychair.com/Furniture/Living-Room-Den-and-Foyer-Furniture/Upholstery/i508482-Halden-Sofa.aspx

http://www.hickorychair.com/Furniture/Living-Room-Den-and-Foyer-Furniture/Upholstery/i509640-Jens-Sofa.aspx

http://www.hickorychair.com/Furniture/Living-Room-Den-and-Foyer-Furniture/Suzanne-Kasler/i508451-Monroe-Sofa.aspx (I really like this one)

http://www.hickorychair.com/Furniture/Living-Room-Den-and-Foyer-Furniture/1911-Collection/i507467-Marler-Sofa.aspx

All the fabric, nails, trim colors are options, and you pick that stuff.

Ack! I just noticed that that Lee sofa that we both like has those little tacks. I love those things but my husband hates them.

OK. I'm going to go with the legs versus skirt. Are there any other sofas on there you'd recommend? Classic, simple? They all look so much the same for me -- the only thing I notice is the bench seat and the tightback, but you say those can be custom ordered. And do I just let them know I want the seat cushion to be firm?

My husband is 6'1" and does like to stretch out, so we will go for fullsize.

The Karastan rug you linked looks like an Oriental rug to me!

TIBBRIX! I love that first sofa, too! Now, to figure out color...

Would you recommend the same color for both sofas? Our walls are a light greige with white trim with medium brown strand bamboo floors... no other things to really coordinate with. I like grey, white, and then bright colors (yellow, bright teal, etc.).

And I think I'd rather play it safe and get the same for the two sofas. Having different but coordinating sounds good, but I'm worried that I wouldn't be able to execute it!

No, no! The tacks are optional! You can get the sofa w/o them.

What you, ideally, want in a sofa is that it is made of hardwood (versus particle board, which most are now), is eight-way hand tied, and the corners are blocked. You'll pay for all that, trust me. But you'll also pay for the garbage sofas. My thinking was, I'd rather pay $3,000 (or, in the case of my Hickory Chair Olivier sofa, $6,000 - egads) for a sofa I'll have for the rest of my life than pay $1500 for some cheap POS that falls apart in three years. No matter what you buy, you will overpay ($1500 for particle board sofas with feet that screw in and that come apart is way too much; $6,000 for a heavy, hardwood, well made sofa is a lot, but It's more questionable if one is "overpaying", per se, because the quality is there and the sofa will last.

the most maddening part is getting a good cushion, and that is like buying a car and having trouble getting really good wheels. They seem to put the onus on the customer to be the expert . I took a bath on a CR Laine sofa, hated it so much I sold it on craigslist at a huge loss, then got the Hickory Chair, sofa, which I love. But in both cases, they just couldn't get the cushion right. The CR Laine sofa, they simply outright sold me the wrong sofa base don what I told them I wanted (CR Laine told me the store that sold it sold me the wrong one if I was saying I wanted a firm and resilient sofa). Hickory Chair was a tad better, but as I said earlier, I've had to really you with it, fortify it with foam, etc. I've finally got it right.

Tell them you want a DENSE, resilient cushion which is not HARD but rather firm and which will keep its shape.

The Karastan is not an oriental, but it's a half-way decent "poor man's" substitute! It is wool, though, at least!

Whoa! $6k. Of course I fell in love with it. And if we need two sofas...

New mission: find a sofa just like the Hickory Chair Albert in the $3k price range!!!!! (Now $3k doesn't sound so bad).

And I don't even want to ask what an oriental rug costs. Karastan it is!!!

That is a gorgeous sofa. The one line of tufting across the back (your husband can't object to that, can he?) I think adds a perfect amount of texture and uniqueness and is very pretty.

I think two of those matching and facing each other would be stunning. Really stunning.

Fabric and style and color are all personal preferences, so again, all I can do is give you mine. If the walls are a griege and the trim is white, I would go darker with the sofas, earthy tones. I absolutely LOVE chocolate brown. It goes with everything and is rich and luxurious, and you have so many options when it comes to decorating it up since anything goes with it. It also hides dirt and messes (white and gray, not so sure that is wise, esp. with young children!).

For the sofa, I would go for a railroad monotone fabric, and then use a patterned fabric on the two chairs (stripes, squares - I'm not a fan of floral).

If you go back to the Hickory Chair site and pull up the Albert sofa, you'll see a box to the right that says "Personalizing this piece is easy." Click on that box, and you can start designing the sofa, trying out the different swatches on the body of the sofa, finishes for the wood trim, fabrics for the pillows. Never select a fabric w/o seeing it first, though. Find a retailer in your area and go in and look at the fabrics and the finish blocks. Hold them up together, see what goes, find the fabric for your pillows…

So, let's say you go with a chocolate brown. To con temporize it to suit your style, get a white throw blanket. Beautiful! And you'll care a lot less if the blanket gets dirty or stained than if the sofa does!

Warning again, though: Hickory Chair sofas are great, but they are sooooooooo expensive.

Also keep in mind that the higher the grade of fabric, the more expensive it is. Price of the sofa will go up as the grade of fabric increases. However, the grade of the fabric has nothing to do with how well the fabric wears. For that, look at each swatch, and it will tell you how many rubs it withstood. You also want a fabric that is fairly easy to clean, and it will give you a cleaning code for each fabric as well. I picked some out for my Hickory Chair sofa online, wrote down the numbers, then went to the store to see them in person. Amazing difference.

My guess is that this sofa will run you @ $5,000. That sofa will never, ever go out of style, though, because it's based on classics but it has a contemporary look and feel you're looking for, but not extreme.

The other reason I went with Hickory Chair is because their seat heights, from the floor, are 21 inches. I couldn't find any other with that height. Most are 19 inches, some even lower. Especially for tall people (I'm 5'9") it's like sitting on the floor with your knees in your face. Sofas that have the seat higher off the floor also look better.

Btw, with Hickory Chair, you can also pick your own fabric and give it to them to put on your sofa. Hickory Chair does have great customer service, at least that was my experience, although the cushion thing was maddening, and they don't make arm protection covers any longer. For Six grand, they should make them. I asked if they'd just sew two squares of the fabric for me to drape over the arms to protect them. Jus plain squares, not even fitted. They said they would, for $100! Ridiculous. I passed.

Yep, Hickory Chair ain't cheap. That is for sure.

So, imagine this Karastan (robins egg blue) rug with two chocolate brown sofas on it. Contempory, yet traditional and gorgeous! Wouldn't go with your griege walls, though, so I'd look at rugs in the green/brown or maroon colors. Or, paint the walls a soft grey.

http://www.karastan.com/rug-search/Capri-Robin's%20Egg/?return=rug-result.aspx::xx=1:keyword=1:traditional=1:blue=1:pp=24

Check on the Karstan Web site and check "Traditional/Persian".

Oooh, I like the rug. Here's a picture of the room. The walls are Behr Perfect Taupe:

And here it is in the room (sorry, it's fuzzy and dark but all I have).

We still have to build the mantle, which will be like:
https://www.houzz.com/photos/abstract-landscape-painting-tropical-living-room-miami-phvw-vp~213358

With the bench part extending about 2 feet past the fireplace on each side.

Ah, that's great It's smaller than I thought.

That color is really nice. You actually can do the blue with the chocolate brown. In fact, I found this pic with a chocolate brown sofa, the Behr Perfect Taupe Walls, and with the light blue in the rug and on the ottoman used as a coffee table. The chocolate brown sofa even has the white throw on it like I suggested earlier! Lol. I like how the chocolate of the sofa contrasts with the lighter blue and the taupe wall.

and looking at the pic, I would definitely go with three rugs, one for the fireplace area, one for the under the dining table and one for just beyond the kitchen area.

http://ericapaoli.com/tag/interior-design-2/

Color scheme I'm imagining for your room:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/41457930/pair-of-throw-pillows-16-inch-robin-egg

I like the color scheme!

Would you still recommend 2 sofas even though it's smaller than you thought?

Would you carry the color scheme throughout the top floor? For the great room, I assume so, but what about for the tv room (labeled "living room" on the plans)?

Tibbrix,
I came across this company that makes sofas:
http://www.furnitureenvy.net/category.aspx?l=process

What do you think? The price of their ready-made sofas is in the $1-1.5k range, so I'm thinking their custom sofas wouldn't be too far off.

How does the quality sound? It sounds like they use hardwood frames. I'm just not sure that 2 $5k sofas is in our budget... :(

Well, it sounds like you're a young couple, just starting your family, so you can build on the room slowly and by doing so allow yourself higher quality items.

So, for instance, if you really love that Hickory Chair sofa, start with one of those for now and put two comfy chairs opposite the sofa to create your seating area. In the future, if you want the second sofa and can afford it, you can always add it.

Color scheme is entirely up to you. The blueprint indicates that there are pocket doors that separate the LR from the GR. Is that true? You can carry the same scheme into that room, or you can shake it up a little bit by doing the same color scheme but in lighter or darker shades - or opposite - light blue walls, taupe carpet..that sort of thing. You'll have to spend some time in there to get the feel you want, and that will tell you what to do.

That's a great idea. But I still have to sell the $5k sofa idea to my husband...

I was reading reviews of the custom furniture place and someone mentioned a navy sofa. I kinda like that idea too. What do you think of navy? I'm just not sure what else would go with it...

Is there a website where you can see a bunch of color schemes? I wish I could input my wall color and then see some color schemes with it!

Check out this coffee table! Beautiful, and perfect for your simple but elegant contemporary theme. Doesn't say where it's from. Probably costs a fortune.

http://justdecoration.com/interiordesigns/getting-the-right-furniture

Love it! Now, to find something like it on craigslist...

The reviews of Furniture Envy seem to be really great.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/furniture-envy-san-francisco

Might want to take a pick of the Hickory Chair Albert sofa in there and see if they can replicate it and how much it would cost. I like that they use the heavier foam and seem to be conscious of the importance of the cushion. That, to me, is a very good sign.One thing to be leery of are legs that are screwed on. Ask them if the legs are part of the frame or if they're screwed on. Screwed on legs do not last.

As far as the navy goes, I can't answer that! That is entirely a matter of your taste. The Perfect Taupe wall color is very neutral and I think you can put anything you want in that room and it will be fine. Wall color is less important than whether the color is cool or warm or neutral. If it's a cool color, you want cool-based (blue) fabrics for your furniture; if it's warm, you want warm-based (yellow) fabrics. The Behr Taupe looks very neutral to me and can handle both cool and warm. I don't think you'd have a problem with navy at all. Be careful with blues. They can be very tough. i.e.: if you go with a navy sofa, don't put it on a rug with any blue in it, get a blue-free rug. A friend of mine just redid her living room and changed the color scheme to a soft blue and tan color scheme, a la Cape Cod; sort of sand and water. It's a beautiful color combo.

Personally, I prefer earth tones for sofas, greens, browns, just because the piece is so big, and finding color in smaller items. But that's all personal preference. I do think you'd be happier, though, with darker fabric for your sofa, esp. with young kids. The contrast against the lighter walls will be nice too.

Yeah, that coffee table would be perfect, huh?

I've gotten some amazing stuff on Craigslist. Be patient. Most is junk, and there are a lot of scoundrels out there.

Tibbrix - can I hire you??

Yes!

Lol.

No, no. I love this stuff. I bought my first house on Cape Cod 2.5 years ago, and it's become a passion. So much fun finding stuff for it, painting, etc. I have had people who've seen my house ask if they can hire me to come and look at their homes, so that's kind of cool.

What I really want to do is buy that coffee table for you! Wish I were a bazillionaire, 'cuz I would. I think it would be so perfect.

Your hubby hates me, though, huh?

You're in San Fran? My sister lives in Sausalito.

Btw, so funny you asked (tongue-in-cheek, I know!) if you can hire me, since this whole thing began with me telling you to save your money and NOT hire a designer! Lol. Put your money into nice, well-made furniture instead and create a room you LOVE sitting in. A bedroom you love waking up in, etc.

Speaking of which, I'm off to dreamland. Thank YOU! This has been so much fun. I love spending other people's money!

Lol.

Sausalito is lovely. We were just there on Sunday.

I called the custom shop, and they had me email the sofa. They said they could create it -- it'd be $2k each if I ordered 2. I asked how much one would be.

I also emailed a couple shops to see how much the Hickory Chair one would be. One just got back to me saying it'd be "sale priced in the starting fabric at 3486.00". I'm not sure if this is a fabric I'd want, but that doesn't seem so bad??

Not bad at all. I have no idea how to compare the Hickory Chair with the FurnitureEnvy, though, in terms of how they're made. You'd basically be paying twice as much for each sofa, I guess, if you go with the Hickory Chair. I really don't know what to tell you w/r/t that. what I do know is that the Hickory Chair frame will last. What I would do is ask each place HOW they make the frame. What you want to hear (and I know some of this is repeated), hardwood frame; block corners; eight-way hand-tied; legs are part of the frame, NOT screwed in. I would also ask Hickory Chair what wood they use, tell them the other place uses alder and can they explain the difference for you. Maybe HC even uses alder; I don't know. Basically what you want to find out is, is the difference in price a matter of quality of just paying for a name, i.e.: "Hickory Chair". I would try hard to get to the bottom of that, because, over the course of 50 years, $4,000 is not that much if you are getting a much better quality sofa. However, if you are paying a premium for something of similar quality, it's too much.

Also keep in mind that the price of the sofa goes up dramatically depending on the fabric you pick. It can go up by as much as $1,000, so a starting fabric making the sofa cost $3486…you're likely going to add @ $700 to that.

What did FurnitureEnvy say about the fabric for the sofa? Do you pick it? Is that included in the $2,000? For $4,000, you can get two sofas that look like the Hickory Chair. IF they wear out after a few years, at that point, maybe you can afford the HCs? Another way of thinking about it. You're very young!

I shouldn't say this, because I don't know you at all, but I suspect that, if you do do the hybrid of contemporary with some traditional, i.e.: the Karastan Persian rug, you will love it.

I believe the coffee table is one from Bolier.
http://bolierco.com/products/occasionals/domicile-arch-coffee-table-dark-63001.php

Hey, kick, that is it! How did you find it? I tried and tried with no luck.

Only problem with it for green highlighter (aside from the probably high price tag) is that it is only 15 inches high, and the sofa she is looking at is 21 inches high (seat). Coffee tables really should be level with knees, no? Too bad, because as contemporary coffee tables go, that is a nice one.

Thanks, kjck! And, Tibbrix, I wouldn't have even thought about the height.

I'm going to stop by Furniture Envy this Sunday and check things out. I'll report back.

Also, I had another store email me to say that base price for the Hickory Chair Albert Sofa is $2.9k...

I just remember seeing the table in a show room a couple years back. Contemporary and modernist coffee tables tend to be on the lower side, some are under a foot high, but yes with a traditional seat height of 21 a table around 18 is probably more inline with what you would be looking at.

$2.9K huh? Not bad. There's your $3K. But, it'll be more, since you'll likely buck a higher grade fabric. I think you're definitely in the range of wanting to try to find out the difference between the HC and a facsimile made by FE. If the HC is substantially better made, it is worth the extra $. Get to the bottom of the differences, and then you'll know what to do.

Hi Greenhighlighter.

I check back periodically for updates from you. Let me know what you've decided ,re: sofas and layout, when you do. I hope you're having a great time with it.