The Look for Less: Traditional Home Visits Designer Joseph Abboud Part 3

Here's the gorgeous room I fell in love with from the September 2013 print edition of Traditional Home magazine (here, online).

Today I'm looking for a sofa similar to the one featured above.  It is the Belgian Roll Arm Slipcovered Sofa from RH (Restoration Hardware) in Natural Linen.  The 6 foot sofa (72") is $2,195 to $3,455, on special now for $1,865 to $2,935.  The 7 foot sofa (84") is normally $2,450 to $3,925, on special for $2,080 to $3,335.  The 8 foot sofa (96") is regularly $2,750 to $4,250, on special for $2,235 to $3,610.  There are longer sofas as well (up to 10 feet).

What I love about this sofa is that bench seat!  They are so comfortable, and you never have to worry about anyone sitting on the dreaded crack!  Hard to tell exactly, but at the RH website, it looks like the 6 foot sofa comes with two loose back cushions, while the 7 foot and longer sofas come with three (or more) loose back cushions.  I could not find a country of origin for this sofa.

Okay, so where do I look for something similar, and can I find it for a lower price?  Hmmm, I have my doubts, but let's proceed...

I went first to Pottery Barn online, where my eyes fell upon the Windsor Slipcovered Sofa:

The arms and back construction of the Windsor look similar to the RH sofa, as well as the styling of the slipcover; but no bench seat - the dreaded crack makes an appearance!  There are also only two back cushions, although if one ordered a smaller RH sofa, that would also be the case.  Depending upon the material chosen for the slipcover, this sofa, which is 80" in length, runs $1,599 for twill to $2,199 for textured basket weave, plus $100 for delivery.  In oatmeal linen, pictured above, the price is $1,999 plus delivery.  This sofa also comes in the "grand" size, which is 105" long, prices ranging from $1,899 to $2,499 plus $100 shipping.  The Windsor sofa is made in the USA. 

I didn't find a similar looking sofa at Crate and Barrel, but I did find a Chesterfield style sofa at a good price with that longed-for bench seat; no slipcover but lots of loose back cushions:

This is the Tailor Sofa, 86" long, in Raffia, which is the lightest upholstery option offered.  The price is $1,699 plus shipping, made in South Carolina, USA. 

Okay, that's not so "similar" to the RH sofa, but I sure do like it and it has its pluses, including the nailhead trim :)  While I like the Raffia color (above), it looks toward a grey, not a cream or light creamy beige.  I would prefer this type of upholstery, though, (poly blend) to linen!  However would one keep a linen slipcover from wrinkling???

You may be wondering why I'm not showing you the Ektorp slipcovered sofa from Ikea or similar sofas, which are high on comfort and modest in price.  It's because styling wise, they aren't as similar as it might appear at first glance:  the arms are not rolled narrowly at the back to flare out at the front, the size of the round arms at the front appear much larger than on the RH sofa, the slipcovers are more loosely fitted and there are two or three seat cushions.  I prefer three seat cushions to two; at least that way the third person to sit on the sofa doesn't sit on a crack between two seat cushions.  Style-wise, most of these sofas are quite a bit different in tone and formality than the RH sofa, being more cottage-y or casual. 

I stopped by Home Decorators but did not see anything I thought was similar to the RH sofa.  I stopped by at Wayfair and didn't find anything similar.  I checked out Bauhaus and Broyhill - nothing.

Checked out Mitchell Gold/Bob Williams.  MGBW has a slipcovered bench seat sofa, the Morgan, that offers three back cushions that look attached (?).  It's 90" long with a bench seat (lovely!) and a nicely tailored slipcover, but the arms are not tapered and rolled and the fit of the slipcover on the Morgan's uber-thin arms, at least in the photo at the website, doesn't look good!  Don't know the price or the upholstery offerings from the MGBW website.  Isn't it a general rule that if the price isn't listed, you can't afford it...  However, it is made in the USA.

I checked local furniture stores that I know carry a wide selection of manufacturers offered through special offer (Steinhafel's, Colder's, Ashley, American) - and came up with nothing. 

I can find bench seat sofas, although they are not as plentiful as two-cushion sofas, but they aren't slipcovered; they're usually tuxedo style or Chesterfield style (like the Crate and Barrel sofa I offered above).  That leaves custom-made and that means cha-ching!!!

Baker and Henredon make sofas similar in appearance to the RH sofa (see, for instance, the Baker Soiree Skirted Sofa), but you KNOW how much those would be (back into the "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" zone.)

Since I do not like two-cushions sofa at all (I learned that lesson the hard way), I would rather change the style in this Look for Less and go with a tuxedo or Chesterfield style sofa with a bench seat and loose back cushions than go with a two or three cushion sofa, either with slipcover or skirt.  Hmmm, and that settles that, I guess, because a few posts or so ago I was thinking about new sofas and found some lovely ones, but wasn't really madly in love with ANY of them.  Now I realize why -- because I want a bench seat sofa! 

Check out this Bassett beauty, on sale for $1,799 and up, depending on options selected:

This is the Belmont tuxedo style sofa with loose back cushions in contrasting patterns and colors, with a boxed, buttoned and welted bench seat.  It's 81" long and comes with such options as multiple finishes on the legs and without or with nailhead trim (doesn't really show up too well in this photo) in antique brass or nickel.  A woven linen upholstery in ivory would cost $2,099; a woven natural upholstery in ivory would cost $1,999.  This is not the Bassett furniture of the 1970's.  The new reimaged and rebranded Bassett has teamed up with HGTV Design Studio.  I have to say, this sofa is gorgeous!  However, I could not determine from the link page where this sofa is manufactured.  By the time all the options are added up, it would be less expensive to buy the RH sofa on special right now...

But -- what is this -- at Ballard Designs! The Lenore Sofa:

The Lenoir is 82" long and a nice deep 37" so there is room for pillows across the back.  This is slipcovered, believe it or not -- a very fitted slipcover sans skirt.  The slipcover comes in three colors: a grey, a khaki (either in a linen-like poly-cotton blend), and a twill off-white.  The 82" costs $929 and the slipcover, which must be purchased separately, costs $545 for the poly-cotton blend and $470 for the off-white twill.  Made in the USA.  The Lenore is also available in a 72" version and a 92" version.  The 92" Lenore costs $949 and $600 for the slipcover.  In home delivery service is $100. 

Enough for now, tomorrow is another day!