Valentina, I’ve bought multiple sofas. The single most important conditions for a sofa is seat pitch and depth. A sofa that does not pitch back enough is uncomfortable. Next is cushion comfort and resilience. Next is fabric resilience. And then the frame quality. Way too many sofas fail on seat pitch, depth and cushion comfort and quality.
I immediately get tired of sitting on my soft because my feet are in the air like a kid If I sit all the way back. Unfortunately I didn’t pay attention to this in the first place. Lesson learned !
When I'm hesitating between strait 3-sester or straight 4-sester I just take some dining chairs locating them to space at sofa measurements and dropping some king size flat sheet over to have better way to see how much space it would take and if I will be able to squeeze in the rest of the side tables, lamps, console tables...Working better then anything else, I'm recommending.
I definitely went through many months of sofa searching! I finally just purchased 2 outdoor 76" Porto sofas from West Elm to use in my primary living area. It's an open kitchen/living area, just 15 x 27 total square feet for the two areas, with the living area may be being about 15 x 12, so it might be tight but I didn't want a bulky sleep sofa. I'll arrange them in an L and I can push these two sofas together and create a sleeping area. The fabrics will be easily clean b/c they're outdoor fabric but I may have custom cushions made that are more indoor friendly; outdoor fabrics tend to be rougher. And since there isn't any fabric in the frame of the sofas my cat won't use it as a scratching post. And I'm pretty excited about reimaging outdoor furniture for indoor living.
Love it. I frequently thought of that but dog hair would stick to wicker like velcro. I have a micro fiber love seat and a chair and a half (both washable) and my beloved lazy boy recliner.
Hi Valentina, Can you give some recommendations on sofas for small homes? I live in an old florida home where living rooms are quite small. Thank you always for the great insight
Mistake #1 x 2, 🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️, I wish now that I’d measured our tv room space before purchasing our sectional because it’s too big for the room and wasn’t as comfortable as I thought when we went in store to purchase it, plus it cost a fortune, then I went out and purchased another one that had a recliner on each side for my bad back, Another Fail, I’ve now put the sectional back in the tv room and after sitting on it for awhile it’s made the cushions more comfortable for me but it’s still too big for the room, maybe one day I’ll sell it on marketplace and purchase one from what I’ve learnt from You and I’ll definitely be measuring the space before I purchase another one, I just have to wait till this one wears out a bit but will take awhile because it’s a good quality product and will probably last me a lifetime Lol 😂, Thanks V for all your advice and styling tips, I wish I’d found your channel earlier when I was redecorating our home. Cheers from Queensland Australia 🇦🇺♥️♥️♥️
You are such an elegant lady, it's why your home is so elegant as well. They say a home reflects what you feel about yourself and who you are. Thank you for sharing your design expertise.
Hi! I've been watching your videos and been feeling like there is too much fluff and it's hard to get through a 20 minute plus video and not get much real advice BUT not this one! This one was packed with EXCELLENT tips the entire video, thank you!
Such great tips! I think a video on how to choose the right throw pillow color and fabric ideas would be great. It took me forever to choose what pillows to go with and finally decided to go with the boucle ones you feature from Amazon and love them. Your videos are so well made and the links are really helpful. Thanks Valentina!
I think what people don't consider enough is that too soft sofas can cause back pain. I bought a firm foam sofa and just love it. I also think feather sofas look always messy but the worst is how those poor birds suffer. In Asian countries where those feathers come from from farms where the birds actually get plugged while alive.
Love these vlogs (actually mini design courses by an expert)! I love them! We are so fortunate that you provide these wonderful ideas, tips/tricks, so we can...understand our own style, and can apply your design ideas in our own home!
I love these tips! Whenever we have people over, the first comment is how our couch is the perfect size for our living room. It truly makes a difference ❤️
When we moved from Pennsylvania to Arizona upon retirement, I too a chance and ordered my first fabric sofa. I’ve always bought leather, but decided I wanted a change to go along with a complete change in house style.
Literally brought home my new sofa 4 days ago and feeling proud because I followed your rules. Now, can we have a guide to buying a recliner that my husband and I will both love (comfort+style) ❣️❣️❣️
@@dhrtiwalter8670 there are many sleek, beautiful recliners on the market now that you would NEVER know are recliners. You are probably looking at the wrong manufacturers.
Great simple information Valentina as usual. Measure out the ground space of furniture with newspaper sheets to the measurements of the couches etc.,and you will be amazed at how it gives a better idea. Thank you for your great tips and great videos. Have a great weekend. 💚
Loved this video! You look beautiful and I love your dress. You gave excellent tips! I have purchased Ethan Allen sofas and they never actually wear out.
Oh so good, thank you! I’m not a designer but I’m very visual and can eyeball issues in a room pretty quickly. Can’t change them bc they’re not my room but when friends/family let me get my hands on anything, I’m in! 😀💃
I really like the country maybe cottage style, I live in a 14x60 trailer. I have just done the kitchen which is right next to the living room. There is absolutely no room for large furniture. I spend a fortune on a pottery barn chair which is huge but baby it is so comfy. I have always bought my furniture from Pottery Barn BUT they are big pieces, now that I have downsized, I have learned a lot from your channel. Give me some hints if you would please on a cottage look for an 840 square foot size house.
We finally invested in West Elm’s Dekalb leather sofa and love it. We are rough on it with having younger kids, a dog, and lots of guest and it looks great!
I am looking at buying new accent chairs for my living so was curious about the sofa recommendations. My dad use to be the president of the American Furniture Association. So, I grew up with nice furniture because we got it at wholesale prices. McKinley does custom furniture and has a the best quality leather I have felt in person. My parents couch looks like the day it was delivered...even after dogs and kids. I feel like all the pottery barn leather wears terribly (cracks and loses its form). After seeing how furniture can and should be made its hard to shop at these mass produced box stores. I save up for the investment pieces and pick classic styles that work with my transitional style...but boy does it hurt when the bill comes.
After my husband and kids blew through our 4th sofa in 11 years, I knew the 5th one was going to be inexpensive, washable and needed a sturdy frame. We have had our Ikea Kivik for going on 7 years and aside changing the cover (bike chain grease explosion), It's holding up fairly well in spite of the abuse it's enduring. Now if only I can convince these hooligans that the living room is not for mountain bike maintenance.
Valentina did kind of address this at the beginning of the video, citing how many people buy cheaper but end up spending more in the long run if the cheaper version doesn’t wear well. I did this with my first “couch” - a sleek vegan “leather” futon from Walmart. Thank goodness I bought it used because it didn’t last beyond three years! There’s tricks to timing your PB purchases for the best sales, but West Elm doesn’t seem to be as generous with their discounts (I’ve been stalking one of their beds for almost two years now). I may eventually start a sinking fund for a forever couch, but for now I have other priorities and I’m happy with the ones I found elsewhere (one was NWT at a consignment store that was going out of business!).
I promise you are not missing a thing! Pottery Barn is horrible. They don’t stand behind their products at all. When we bought our sofa from them, it was a big splurge for us. But then the slipcovers that shipped with it didn’t fit. So small they wouldn’t fit over the sofa. PB would not replace the slipcovers or refund our money because they said they do not offer refunds on custom fabric.
May I offer a compromise suggestion? Lots of antique stores and thrift stores have great sofa frames made of original wood. The fabric is tatty and the cushions might be gnarly… but those can all be replaced. Perhaps if your goal is “higher end look while still keeping both kidneys”, you might get a sofa you already own (or one you find antiquing) reupholstered in a “luxury” fabric. I know that Crate&Barrel sells their fabric by the yard, so I’m sure other retailers would as well. Purchase the bourgie fabric, and then reupholster what you’ve got!
Thanks Valentina! Very helpful. I'm wondering if you can suggest sofas/sectionals (between 80 and 94" wide) for a small space ...let's say like a NYC apartment.
I have an Article sofa in a cream color. I spilled a bowl of chili on it right after I got it. You are right! It does clean up well and you can't tell where I spilled it! Love Article!
Worse mistake I ever made was getting rid of a Chesterfield for a sectional. The sectional was more expensive and so so so cheaply made and uncomfortable. That Chesterfield was comfortable and durable.
I'm building out my first space. Thanks for the tips. Almost done fixing up things. Getting to the point of starting to add furnishings, dressing windows and eventually decorating. Any tips for first timers? Thanks
Dear Valentina Such a gr8 video. That dress & colour looks good on you. I live in uk and We bought a semi detached Georgian house few yrs ago which had been really played with from previous owners and took away all its features trying to do it modern but still I felt it has potential I felt we could go so much with it. It had nice airy windows … here mostly the rooms are not that huge unless you are a billionaire which iam not right now 😂 I love this style of sofa & interior design but iam struggling to put it together specifically to find the right size as positioning of sofa in a rectangular room with only having one wall and to glass doors one entrance and other to the other patio. It’s neither a modern nor a traditional house I am a woman’s with taste & eye But this time this house has really got me. Totally stressed and drained rather enjoying our lives which we get once to live. Do you do online consultations? Best wishes Py 💖🌠💖
Hi Valerie! You’re a wealth of information! We have a new sofa and it has rolled arms. I chose complimentary side accessory pillows for it which now I’m not loving. I removed them and quite frankly, I like the sofa without the pillows! Every decorated room I see on line has accessory pillows, but I think with the side rolled arms and comfy back sofa cushions, there is no need for the extras. Have you had clients who also decided to go without?
Have you found a new place for your brown rustic vase/piece of art that was on top of your fireplace? I LOVE that thing. Your dough bowl is beautiful as well, I was looking at them on Amazon after your last video.
Hi Valentina! I would love to see a video where you discuss the pros and cons of a poly filling vs down blend filling for soft furnishings. I have only had down blend as I feel it is a more luxurious feel, but I hate the feathers coming out sometimes and they can be quite prickly! So sometimes I wonder if a poly from Pottery Barn or West Elm is as lush without the feather issue?
I definitely made the mistake of not considering fabric, just what "looks good". In less than 2 months, my couch looked like it was 2 years old. On top of that, my cat loved tearing it up. For my next couch, I would also consider whether the back cushions are removable. The ones I have are not and with wear, the filler has sagged to the bottom. Not a good look at all. Thanks for all the tips!
Totally unrelated to design question- but where did you purchase your dress? I love the color and style so much! And your videos are always some of my favorites!!
I bought a sectional that is so firm I dislike a lot! It’s also dark. I ordered a gray and received a charcoal gray. I would have returned it but hubby felt it was better because of our three dogs and their hair wouldn’t show as much. I really dislike it but I think he’s probably right. It’s next to impossible to keep them off. I’m also not used to sectionals. I’ve always had love seats. So bottom line is I have a very firm, dark sectional that I really don’t like. So...I’ve been trying to lighten things up with light wall colors and adding other accents to take my attention off of it. Also my living room is very large (more of a great room) and so I took the sectional and divided it up into three sections. It works ,but it’s not cozy,everyone is far from each other. Last but not least,hubby still has his ugly recliner. I’ve tried to find at least a better slimmer looking one, but he is a tall guy,and needs height,and wants roomy. Ugh. The love seats I had previously were amazing.I had them for over 25years. I wanted to reupholster them instead,and get new cushions (these had foam and duck feathers) but they were rounded backs and arms and I felt it was time for something a bit more modern. I am more of a mix with a little modern,some traditional and farm fresh. Help!
Would you do a video with chair recommendations. I have a medium size sofa in a medium size living room. I would like to place two chairs across from the sofa. Everything I see is either two small; short legs or two large. I feel like Goldilocks of chairs. Thank you.
Great suggestions! I agree. You need to match the sofa with the scale of the room... Great selection of sofas... Picking out the right sofa is so important as it is where many families congregate together...
Love getting nice ideas on our investment on long lasting pieces are less expensive then having to replace them every few year quality style never goes out of style
I’m so excited, I’m on trend and I didn’t know it. I remodeled with brown tile floor and dark kitchen cabinets and dark wood furniture!! I’m going to look at beige for an accent wall for primary bedroom! Thanks…love your channel. 💕🏡…going for Paint samples now. 😉
Valentina, I'm wondering which link is for the large cream velvet pillow next to you on the sofa? Also, I'm looking for the video where you showed the light beige velvet curtains you bought - I believe they were from Amazon, but your Amazon curtains page shows various velvet curtains...I'm confused which you showed still in the package and ugh! I cannot find which video that was! 😫 And it may have been in a video more recent than this. I hope this was clear and as always - Thank you :)
I purchased a sectional over the summer and it was delivered on Friday. It overpowers my townhome open floor plan🥺. I’m hoping it gets better once I get the rest of my furniture in place.
VALENTINA I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR VIDEOS 😂🎉 you are an inspiration , I would love to know what colour is your hall with the back fire place ? 🫣 your house is gorgeous , also how about one video about the artificial plants ? I love them and will be lovely to know where to get it the best quality and so on , I’m in UK ☺️
Love your channel!! Don’t know if you will see my comment but my daughter’s name is Valentina and my husband is Greek! 🙈❤️ Anyway, I love how joyful you are when you talk about Decor!! ❤️❤️
Thank you for this video. I really needed this. I recently bought a bilevel home and I don’t know what sofa configuration/style would look best. Any recommendations?
Most furniture shops believe we all live in warehouses and have loads of space. The sofas tend to be massive, even with open-plan living houses in the UK are not necessarily huge and are not suited to what's on offer. We tend to go for leather options as these tend to be in proportion to UK room sizes.
@@razamughal4582 We will be once some investments finish. We had a lovely Italian leather sofa but the dog flee treatment caused a reaction with the surface leather when he jumped up and rested his neck against the arm.
Hi Valentina, I really like your style and I would love to make something similar in my Small two bedroom flat. How do I make a spacious clean line design if I have to squeeze a sofa, dining table, tv, some storage and my kitchen cupboards are coming out to the living room from a120 cm x 300 cm kitchen?.
I absolutely love your style! But could you please show some furniture for short people. I'm 5'2" and most sofas are too deep for me. (My legs dangle like a child's.) I don't like to put cushions behind my back and would love for my feet to touch the ground. If anyone can find fabulously stylish sofas for height challenged individuals, it's you! Thank you.
We bought the Pottery Barn Cameron sofa and loveseats. They are more compact and not so deep. You can custom order in a wide range of fabrics including performance
I like 2 styles that are completely different. Is this common ? I love classy and Victorian and I also like bohemian - country style. Is possible to mix styles ? These 2 I mentioned looks impossible to combine !
It's all well and good things looking good in regards design but if the sofas are just uncomfortable to sit in I'd rather have a sofa chair that does support you properly which you can sit up in comfortably to have a cup of coffee as opposed to having to add extra cushions the prop yourself up
I just sold my marin sectional. I didn't find it that comfortable. The back was too low and didn't like the pillows needed constant fluffing. I didn't like you couldn't lean your neck back on it and had no upper should support (also I'm 5'10). I replaced it with interior define sofa in Skylar. It has been soo much more comfortable with a down alternative seat and high back. The down alternative also requires minimal fluffing. The marin was too high maintenance in my opinion and I would not recommend it.
O would like you talk about family rooms, kitchen, dinner and living room in one area together . Generally average homes are like this. And would it be innovative to try to decorate in smaller spaces, would it be possible for you to make a block talking about those spaces? 😃
Buying the wrong scale.... Sometimes is not about aesthetics but more about functionality. As in needing the seating. Tiny living room but 5 teens and 2 adults - yeah.... Sectional literally touches the wall on both ends but what other option is there?
my husband and I have different style on certain items. Originally I was more into the victorian style furniture like he is but now I want more of a modern style, especially for my bed. How do you work around this scenario?
Valentina, what would you advise for a couple who have two very different styles? I’m minimal and clean lines, my husband is country cottage style. Can you do a video on marrying two styles for different personalities, so they both love their space. Challenge set 🥰 I love your home
I love this video , I just bought a ivory grey sofa, and now am looking for a good accent chairs but still confortable , I have kids I really want to get something light color but good quality to last,please mak a video on this subject
Thank you for a great video! i clicked the link you provided for your sofas and it took me to the right sofa from Articles, however the fabric is not performance, I called them to double check, they said they don't carry any sofas with performance fabrics. Please advise as I love these sofas.
Valentina, can you tell me where you found that great coffee table at 1:30 on this video...... I am in LOVE! Or even place them in the show notes please.
Valentina, I’ve bought multiple sofas. The single most important conditions for a sofa is seat pitch and depth. A sofa that does not pitch back enough is uncomfortable. Next is cushion comfort and resilience. Next is fabric resilience. And then the frame quality. Way too many sofas fail on seat pitch, depth and cushion comfort and quality.
Do you have a favorite brand or good recommendation?
I immediately get tired of sitting on my soft because my feet are in the air like a kid If I sit all the way back. Unfortunately I didn’t pay attention to this in the first place. Lesson learned !
@@cosmic_cosmos1I put a sofa pillow behind my back to fix that problem.
When I'm hesitating between strait 3-sester or straight 4-sester I just take some dining chairs locating them to space at sofa measurements and dropping some king size flat sheet over to have better way to see how much space it would take and if I will be able to squeeze in the rest of the side tables, lamps, console tables...Working better then anything else, I'm recommending.
I definitely went through many months of sofa searching! I finally just purchased 2 outdoor 76" Porto sofas from West Elm to use in my primary living area. It's an open kitchen/living area, just 15 x 27 total square feet for the two areas, with the living area may be being about 15 x 12, so it might be tight but I didn't want a bulky sleep sofa. I'll arrange them in an L and I can push these two sofas together and create a sleeping area. The fabrics will be easily clean b/c they're outdoor fabric but I may have custom cushions made that are more indoor friendly; outdoor fabrics tend to be rougher. And since there isn't any fabric in the frame of the sofas my cat won't use it as a scratching post. And I'm pretty excited about reimaging outdoor furniture for indoor living.
Love it. I frequently thought of that but dog hair would stick to wicker like velcro. I have a micro fiber love seat and a chair and a half (both washable) and my beloved lazy boy recliner.
Hi Valentina, Can you give some recommendations on sofas for small homes? I live in an old florida home where living rooms are quite small. Thank you always for the great insight
What I like about her is that she is truly honest and her tips are on point, the best ever
Have you done a video on color palette for sofas and chairs in the living room? Would love that.
Am I the only one that immediately likes the video when it just started? They’re always good!
Nope you're not alone and it helps the channel as well. Valentina never disappoints!
Thank you so much, that’s so sweet!
Nope Valentina is always awesome 👌!
I am with you
Same here ❤️
Mistake #1 x 2, 🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️, I wish now that I’d measured our tv room space before purchasing our sectional because it’s too big for the room and wasn’t as comfortable as I thought when we went in store to purchase it, plus it cost a fortune, then I went out and purchased another one that had a recliner on each side for my bad back, Another Fail, I’ve now put the sectional back in the tv room and after sitting on it for awhile it’s made the cushions more comfortable for me but it’s still too big for the room, maybe one day I’ll sell it on marketplace and purchase one from what I’ve learnt from You and I’ll definitely be measuring the space before I purchase another one, I just have to wait till this one wears out a bit but will take awhile because it’s a good quality product and will probably last me a lifetime Lol 😂, Thanks V for all your advice and styling tips, I wish I’d found your channel earlier when I was redecorating our home. Cheers from Queensland Australia 🇦🇺♥️♥️♥️
You are such an elegant lady, it's why your home is so elegant as well. They say a home reflects what you feel about yourself and who you are. Thank you for sharing your design expertise.
Hi! I've been watching your videos and been feeling like there is too much fluff and it's hard to get through a 20 minute plus video and not get much real advice BUT not this one! This one was packed with EXCELLENT tips the entire video, thank you!
Too much giggling…
I purchased a Pottery Barn sofa (Cameron rolled arm) a little over 10 years ago. Still love it.
Such great tips! I think a video on how to choose the right throw pillow color and fabric ideas would be great. It took me forever to choose what pillows to go with and finally decided to go with the boucle ones you feature from Amazon and love them. Your videos are so well made and the links are really helpful. Thanks Valentina!
Amazon sells sofa pillow covers. I have 3 sets.
I think what people don't consider enough is that too soft sofas can cause back pain. I bought a firm foam sofa and just love it. I also think feather sofas look always messy but the worst is how those poor birds suffer. In Asian countries where those feathers come from from farms where the birds actually get plugged while alive.
Love these vlogs (actually mini design courses by an expert)! I love them! We are so fortunate that you provide these wonderful ideas, tips/tricks, so we can...understand our own style, and can apply your design ideas in our own home!
Love her Style!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love these tips! Whenever we have people over, the first comment is how our couch is the perfect size for our living room. It truly makes a difference ❤️
When we moved from Pennsylvania to Arizona upon retirement, I too a chance and ordered my first fabric sofa. I’ve always bought leather, but decided I wanted a change to go along with a complete change in house style.
How do you like your fabric sofa? Do you miss leather?
Literally brought home my new sofa 4 days ago and feeling proud because I followed your rules. Now, can we have a guide to buying a recliner that my husband and I will both love (comfort+style) ❣️❣️❣️
@@dhrtiwalter8670 there are many sleek, beautiful recliners on the market now that you would NEVER know are recliners. You are probably looking at the wrong manufacturers.
Great simple information Valentina as usual. Measure out the ground space of furniture with newspaper sheets to the measurements of the couches etc.,and you will be amazed at how it gives a better idea. Thank you for your great tips and great videos. Have a great weekend. 💚
Loved this video! You look beautiful and I love your dress. You gave excellent tips! I have purchased Ethan Allen sofas and they never actually wear out.
My requirement for my new sectional sofa is reversible cushions! I am in the market for a new one this Summer.
Really would like to see more about re-doing the sofa you already own to make it more modern.
Oh so good, thank you! I’m not a designer but I’m very visual and can eyeball issues in a room pretty quickly. Can’t change them bc they’re not my room but when friends/family let me get my hands on anything, I’m in! 😀💃
I really like the country maybe cottage style, I live in a 14x60 trailer. I have just done the kitchen which is right next to the living room. There is absolutely no room for large furniture. I spend a fortune on a pottery barn chair which is huge but baby it is so comfy. I have always bought my furniture from Pottery Barn BUT they are big pieces, now that I have downsized, I have learned a lot from your channel. Give me some hints if you would please on a cottage look for an 840 square foot size house.
We finally invested in West Elm’s Dekalb leather sofa and love it. We are rough on it with having younger kids, a dog, and lots of guest and it looks great!
I am looking at buying new accent chairs for my living so was curious about the sofa recommendations. My dad use to be the president of the American Furniture Association. So, I grew up with nice furniture because we got it at wholesale prices. McKinley does custom furniture and has a the best quality leather I have felt in person. My parents couch looks like the day it was delivered...even after dogs and kids. I feel like all the pottery barn leather wears terribly (cracks and loses its form). After seeing how furniture can and should be made its hard to shop at these mass produced box stores. I save up for the investment pieces and pick classic styles that work with my transitional style...but boy does it hurt when the bill comes.
same here
Great subject. perfect timing ! What are your suggestion for recovering an existing sofa that has good bones.
I recently purchased RH leather sofa but color is too dark so I will order those Amazon pillows to lighten them up. Thx u V for all ur fantastic tips!
I was thinking the same but then I spilled beetroot salad. You will be grateful!
After my husband and kids blew through our 4th sofa in 11 years, I knew the 5th one was going to be inexpensive, washable and needed a sturdy frame. We have had our Ikea Kivik for going on 7 years and aside changing the cover (bike chain grease explosion), It's holding up fairly well in spite of the abuse it's enduring. Now if only I can convince these hooligans that the living room is not for mountain bike maintenance.
One of my neighbors parks his dirt motor bikes in his living room.
😂😂😂😂
Unfortunately, Pottery Barn and West Elm is still out of my price range. But, great guidance and ideas. 💕
Out of my price range too... 😔 Out of most Americans price range...
Valentina did kind of address this at the beginning of the video, citing how many people buy cheaper but end up spending more in the long run if the cheaper version doesn’t wear well. I did this with my first “couch” - a sleek vegan “leather” futon from Walmart. Thank goodness I bought it used because it didn’t last beyond three years!
There’s tricks to timing your PB purchases for the best sales, but West Elm doesn’t seem to be as generous with their discounts (I’ve been stalking one of their beds for almost two years now). I may eventually start a sinking fund for a forever couch, but for now I have other priorities and I’m happy with the ones I found elsewhere (one was NWT at a consignment store that was going out of business!).
I promise you are not missing a thing! Pottery Barn is horrible. They don’t stand behind their products at all. When we bought our sofa from them, it was a big splurge for us. But then the slipcovers that shipped with it didn’t fit. So small they wouldn’t fit over the sofa. PB would not replace the slipcovers or refund our money because they said they do not offer refunds on custom fabric.
May I offer a compromise suggestion? Lots of antique stores and thrift stores have great sofa frames made of original wood. The fabric is tatty and the cushions might be gnarly… but those can all be replaced.
Perhaps if your goal is “higher end look while still keeping both kidneys”, you might get a sofa you already own (or one you find antiquing) reupholstered in a “luxury” fabric.
I know that Crate&Barrel sells their fabric by the yard, so I’m sure other retailers would as well.
Purchase the bourgie fabric, and then reupholster what you’ve got!
Does anyone know where that rug is from?
A designer room is for show. Normal working class rooms are for living everyday.
Amen 🙏
Green looks great on you! Thanks for the tips!
Thanks Valentina! Very helpful. I'm wondering if you can suggest sofas/sectionals (between 80 and 94" wide) for a small space ...let's say like a NYC apartment.
This is perfect timing since my husband and I just bought a home, and are on the lookout for a new couch/sofa!
Me too. So excited
What seat depth do you recommend for your main seating room (same as family TV room).
I have an Article sofa in a cream color. I spilled a bowl of chili on it right after I got it. You are right! It does clean up well and you can't tell where I spilled it! Love Article!
Great video. Im a fan of roll arms. It’s just something about that look that I love
Worse mistake I ever made was getting rid of a Chesterfield for a sectional. The sectional was more expensive and so so so cheaply made and uncomfortable. That Chesterfield was comfortable and durable.
I'm building out my first space. Thanks for the tips. Almost done fixing up things. Getting to the point of starting to add furnishings, dressing windows and eventually decorating. Any tips for first timers? Thanks
Dear Valentina
Such a gr8 video. That dress & colour looks good on you.
I live in uk and We bought a semi detached Georgian house few yrs ago which had been really played with from previous owners and took away all its features trying to do it modern but still I felt it has potential I felt we could go so much with it. It had nice airy windows … here mostly the rooms are not that huge unless you are a billionaire which iam not right now 😂
I love this style of sofa & interior design but iam struggling to put it together specifically to find the right size as positioning of sofa in a rectangular room with only having one wall and to glass doors one entrance and other to the other patio.
It’s neither a modern nor a traditional house
I am a woman’s with taste & eye
But this time this house has really got me. Totally stressed and drained rather enjoying our lives which we get once to live.
Do you do online consultations?
Best wishes
Py
💖🌠💖
Hi Valerie! You’re a wealth of information! We have a new sofa and it has rolled arms. I chose complimentary side accessory pillows for it which now I’m not loving. I removed them and quite frankly, I like the sofa without the pillows! Every decorated room I see on line has accessory pillows, but I think with the side rolled arms and comfy back sofa cushions, there is no need for the extras. Have you had clients who also decided to go without?
Have you found a new place for your brown rustic vase/piece of art that was on top of your fireplace? I LOVE that thing. Your dough bowl is beautiful as well, I was looking at them on Amazon after your last video.
Thank you, I was just asked to help decorate my neighbors home. I'll have to check yhe links. Thank-you Valentina!
What is your recommendation for a couch with micro- fiber? It seems to hold up with a dog and kids.
Hi Valentina! I would love to see a video where you discuss the pros and cons of a poly filling vs down blend filling for soft furnishings. I have only had down blend as I feel it is a more luxurious feel, but I hate the feathers coming out sometimes and they can be quite prickly! So sometimes I wonder if a poly from Pottery Barn or West Elm is as lush without the feather issue?
I definitely made the mistake of not considering fabric, just what "looks good". In less than 2 months, my couch looked like it was 2 years old. On top of that, my cat loved tearing it up. For my next couch, I would also consider whether the back cushions are removable. The ones I have are not and with wear, the filler has sagged to the bottom. Not a good look at all. Thanks for all the tips!
Totally unrelated to design question- but where did you purchase your dress? I love the color and style so much!
And your videos are always some of my favorites!!
I bought a sectional that is so firm I dislike a lot! It’s also dark. I ordered a gray and received a charcoal gray. I would have returned it but hubby felt it was better because of our three dogs and their hair wouldn’t show as much. I really dislike it but I think he’s probably right. It’s next to impossible to keep them off. I’m also not used to sectionals. I’ve always had love seats. So bottom line is I have a very firm, dark sectional that I really don’t like. So...I’ve been trying to lighten things up with light wall colors and adding other accents to take my attention off of it. Also my living room is very large (more of a great room) and so I took the sectional and divided it up into three sections. It works ,but it’s not cozy,everyone is far from each other. Last but not least,hubby still has his ugly recliner. I’ve tried to find at least a better slimmer looking one, but he is a tall guy,and needs height,and wants roomy. Ugh. The love seats I had previously were amazing.I had them for over 25years. I wanted to reupholster them instead,and get new cushions (these had foam and duck feathers) but they were rounded backs and arms and I felt it was time for something a bit more modern. I am more of a mix with a little modern,some traditional and farm fresh. Help!
Love all your videos! Can you make one about choosing the right size/style/color of chandeliers for our home? Thank you!
Valentina , I have cats. Which fabric do you recommend! Thanks !!
Would you do a video with chair recommendations. I have a medium size sofa in a medium size living room. I would like to place two chairs across from the sofa. Everything I see is either two small; short legs or two large. I feel like Goldilocks of chairs. Thank you.
Great suggestions! I agree. You need to match the sofa with the scale of the room... Great selection of sofas... Picking out the right sofa is so important as it is where many families congregate together...
I love the rug. Where did you purchase it?
Love getting nice ideas on our investment on long lasting pieces are less expensive then having to replace them every few year quality style never goes out of style
I’m so excited, I’m on trend and I didn’t know it. I remodeled with brown tile floor and dark kitchen cabinets and dark wood furniture!! I’m going to look at beige for an accent wall for primary bedroom! Thanks…love your channel. 💕🏡…going for Paint samples now. 😉
Please share the link for the center table you have. I love it ❤ Thank you
In the market for a new sofa so 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 from the UK. Love, love , love your channel and I am so inspired by you and your style.
Thank you for all the valuable information....what about the sofa that you were sitting on????
Loved this video and learned about rub count!
I love this.. perfect timing. Looking to purchase a new sofa.
Valentina, I'm wondering which link is for the large cream velvet pillow next to you on the sofa? Also, I'm looking for the video where you showed the light beige velvet curtains you bought - I believe they were from Amazon, but your Amazon curtains page shows various velvet curtains...I'm confused which you showed still in the package and ugh! I cannot find which video that was! 😫 And it may have been in a video more recent than this. I hope this was clear and as always - Thank you :)
What sofa do you recommend from RH? For a modern look
Very nice short video packed with good info. Thanks Valentina! ❤
I purchased a sectional over the summer and it was delivered on Friday. It overpowers my townhome open floor plan🥺. I’m hoping it gets better once I get the rest of my furniture in place.
I love your work and would love for you to present your top picks for sleeper sofas. Any suggestions or recommendations.??
VALENTINA I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR VIDEOS 😂🎉 you are an inspiration , I would love to know what colour is your hall with the back fire place ? 🫣 your house is gorgeous , also how about one video about the artificial plants ? I love them and will be lovely to know where to get it the best quality and so on , I’m in UK ☺️
Great info as always, I feel like you’re a great friend to have!!
Thanks Tina!
By the way, i love that your nails are always on point.
Love your channel!! Don’t know if you will see my comment but my daughter’s name is Valentina and my husband is Greek! 🙈❤️ Anyway, I love how joyful you are when you talk about Decor!! ❤️❤️
Do you mind sharing a link for your beautiful coffee tables behind you in the video ? Thank you :)
Thank you for this video. I really needed this. I recently bought a bilevel home and I don’t know what sofa configuration/style would look best. Any recommendations?
Most furniture shops believe we all live in warehouses and have loads of space. The sofas tend to be massive, even with open-plan living houses in the UK are not necessarily huge and are not suited to what's on offer. We tend to go for leather options as these tend to be in proportion to UK room sizes.
Have you been looking anywhere for sofas?
@@razamughal4582 We will be once some investments finish. We had a lovely Italian leather sofa but the dog flee treatment caused a reaction with the surface leather when he jumped up and rested his neck against the arm.
Good advice! I am in the market for a sofa and it’s overwhelming the styles and choices have my head spinning.
Hi Valentina, I really like your style and I would love to make something similar in my Small two bedroom flat. How do I make a spacious clean line design if I have to squeeze a sofa, dining table, tv, some storage and my kitchen cupboards are coming out to the living room from a120 cm x 300 cm kitchen?.
My house came with beautiful sofas. They’re too big, but way too expensive to ditch.
thanks, this very useful for me to choose the right sofa
I absolutely love your style! But could you please show some furniture for short people. I'm 5'2" and most sofas are too deep for me. (My legs dangle like a child's.) I don't like to put cushions behind my back and would love for my feet to touch the ground.
If anyone can find fabulously stylish sofas for height challenged individuals, it's you! Thank you.
We bought the Pottery Barn Cameron sofa and loveseats. They are more compact and not so deep. You can custom order in a wide range of fabrics including performance
What if you added large cushions, so the seating area is more to the front, and your legs closer to the edge of the seat? Might be really comfy, too!
I always love to arrange my furnitures the way i wanted and convenient to my movements theres no wrong or right.
I love that big pillow you have on the couch! Where did you get that one? Not the smaller one that’s linked on Amazon… thank you!
Loved the video but the Amazon pillow link isn’t working. Is there a alternate link?
I love your black fireplace
I love and always look forward to your videos! You’re home is beautiful! Our taste is the same which is awesome for me!
From a thankful heart! 😍
Hi, can you do a video on banquette seating? Should it be with a round table or a square table?
I like 2 styles that are completely different. Is this common ? I love classy and Victorian and I also like bohemian - country style. Is possible to mix styles ? These 2 I mentioned looks impossible to combine !
I love your sofa guide Valentina. So crazy shipping for many items is like 3-5 months out!!!
It would be impossible for me to overstate how much I love that green. 😋🤩
I wish she recommended at least one brown sofa… I’m looking for one right now and having such a hard time deciding
Which brands did you look at?
It's all well and good things looking good in regards design but if the sofas are just uncomfortable to sit in I'd rather have a sofa chair that does support you properly which you can sit up in comfortably to have a cup of coffee as opposed to having to add extra cushions the prop yourself up
I just sold my marin sectional. I didn't find it that comfortable. The back was too low and didn't like the pillows needed constant fluffing. I didn't like you couldn't lean your neck back on it and had no upper should support (also I'm 5'10). I replaced it with interior define sofa in Skylar. It has been soo much more comfortable with a down alternative seat and high back. The down alternative also requires minimal fluffing. The marin was too high maintenance in my opinion and I would not recommend it.
O would like you talk about family rooms, kitchen, dinner and living room in one area together . Generally average homes are like this. And would it be innovative to try to decorate in smaller spaces, would it be possible for you to make a block talking about those spaces? 😃
First time watching your videos… love your tips.
Buying the wrong scale.... Sometimes is not about aesthetics but more about functionality. As in needing the seating. Tiny living room but 5 teens and 2 adults - yeah.... Sectional literally touches the wall on both ends but what other option is there?
my husband and I have different style on certain items. Originally I was more into the victorian style furniture like he is but now I want more of a modern style, especially for my bed. How do you work around this scenario?
Beautiful tips and tricks! Love it. Thank you Valentina 🤗😁
Valentina, what would you advise for a couple who have two very different styles? I’m minimal and clean lines, my husband is country cottage style. Can you do a video on marrying two styles for different personalities, so they both love their space. Challenge set 🥰 I love your home
I love this video , I just bought a ivory grey sofa, and now am looking for a good accent chairs but still confortable , I have kids I really want to get something light color but good quality to last,please mak a video on this subject
Thank you for a great video! i clicked the link you provided for your sofas and it took me to the right sofa from Articles, however the fabric is not performance, I called them to double check, they said they don't carry any sofas with performance fabrics. Please advise as I love these sofas.
4:14 Measure twice, cut your sofa once 😄 just teasing you... Great video, lots of great information!
You look great in that green dress. Thanks for the sofa advice.
Valentina, can you tell me where you found that great coffee table at 1:30 on this video...... I am in LOVE! Or even place them in the show notes please.
What do you think of lazy boy sofas? I got a big sectional with a microsuede fabric?