My current sofa has a padded rolled arm, an upholstered leg, and a tight, crescent shaped back. I've had it for many years. It's easy to vacuum under (hardwood floors) and I never have to worry about the back cushions looking uneven or being used as floor cushions. But it's time for an update.
What I REALLY want in a sofa, but can't find all in one sofa:
- Tight Back or boxed back cushions.
- Square seat cushions (not T-shaped) with welting
- Tapered wood legs. Tall enough to vacuum under the sofa with a canister vac, but not tall enough to look like mid-century modern legs.
- Welting on the front part of the sofa between the seat cushion and the leg, rather than just a plain panel.
- Simple track or rolled arms.
After looking at hundreds of sofas from multiple companies, I think I've narrowed it down to 4 different sofas, none of which have everything I want.
They are: Smith Brothers 5000 series, Flexsteel That's My Style Custom line, and Ethan Allen Bennett and Kendall models. Does anyone have opinions on these brands/models?
The Kendall is the only sofa with a tight back, but it's very plain, almost too urban-looking for my taste. The only reason it made my list is because of the tight back. The track arm is wider than I would like and the legs are very low - I wouldn't be able to vacuum under it.
The Smith Bros and Ethan Allen Bennett can either have loose back cushions or be semi-attached. The Flexsteel only comes with loose back cushions, but it has a built-in cushion ledge to keep them from sliding down. The Ethan Allen website says the Bennett has a tight back option, but the designer didn't know anything about it and is checking on it for me. One friend says she will only get loose back cushions because she only sits on one side of the sofa and she can turn around and switch the cushion with the other side. Others say get semi-attached so they stay put. Any opinions on the advantages or disadvantages of each?
I really liked the look of the Flexsteel sofa and was almost ready to buy it. I finally realized what I didn't like about it was the T-cushions. I really wish it had an option for square cushions like the Smith Bros and Bennett sofas. I'd even give up having a tight back if it did.
The Smith Bros, Flexsteel, and the Bennett all have the extra welting along the front. The Kendall doesn't.
I'm leaning toward a track arm, simply because I think it's time for something different. The first 3 offer a choice between rolled and track arms. I do like the rolled arm styles on all of the sofas - they don't have the extra roll of padding my current sofa does. I don't like the Kendall track arm as much as the others because it's a lot wider. Which do you think will stay in style longer - track arms or rolled arms?
Is there some other sofa I should be looking it?
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Vicki Bergelt Interior Design