couch ideas and the cushion debate

I did my taxes the other night and hello housing credit!  Okay, so I knew I was getting that $8k (and I actually won't get it for several months, but it's still nice to know it'll be here eventually), but then I also bought a car and then there are the normal house deductions.  It was a good night.  And it got me thinking about a new couch.  Or sofa.  I vary which word I use depending on my mood.

I had researched this last summer when I was all gaga about my new house and the Louisa from Mitchell & Gold seemed like the best option.  Pretty, went with my feminine-yet-formal style, M&G has a very good reputation both for quality and price.  I kept saying to myself that I needed to get over to the store on 14th St but then I actually bought the house and my savings quickly went down.  Not to nothing, but enough of a dent that I wasn't as gung-ho about making any large purchases.

I'm gung-ho again.

And am back on the Mitchell & Gold website.  I've narrowed it down to three options.

1) The Louisa

Again, it's pretty.  I like the lines, I like the high back.  It's not as long as my current couch, but that's okay.  The low arms mean that I can prop a pillow up on them and still be able to stretch out - or if I have someone taller who wants to lie down, the arms are also low enough for legs to fit over.

Originally my only concern about this couch was that it had two cushions.  I don't really like two-cushioned couches.   When I'm by myself, I tend to sit in the middle of the couch.  My throw pillows are off to the sides and I like being centered.  I thought a bench cushion would be the answer and I bought a long piece of foam to update my current couch.  It's very pretty when the slipcover is pulled taut, but since I sit in the middle, it floats up on the sides.  Not so pretty. 

My next preference would be for three cushions.  All the experts say that there's almost never more than two people on a couch, but they haven't been to one of my parties.  And then what about the singleton who likes to be centered?  But then when I'm at my sister's and sitting on her loveseats, I don't have a problem sticking to one side.  And at a party, you're not looking for comfort so if three people want to sit on the same couch, it's not such a big deal for one to sit on the crack.  Therefore, the Louisa is back in the running.

2) The Chester

I loooove Chesterfield sofas.  They're just so formal and all the tufts!  I love a good tuft.  I also love how all of the legs are turned on this model.

But I have a tiny house.  Will the rolled arms and back take up too much space?  I do love how the arms are as high as the back.  My current couch is the same way and if I am ever sitting on one side, I prop my arm up on the arm of the couch.  It's very comfortable.  And I agree with Dorothy Draper that end tables should be exactly the same height as couch arms - and my end table currently is within a half of an inch of this goal.

This couch also has a bench seat, but since it's all one piece with the sides and the back, I imagine I wouldn't have the issue of the edges flying up, would I?  But then would it be comfortable?  I spend a lot of time on my couch and like to take naps there.

3) The Belle

Ohmygoodness, how pretty is she?  And then all the features I love!  Camelback, elegant arms, skirted base (to hide the dust bunnies!), bench seat.  It also at least looks like the cushion is attached in such a way that the edges won't fly up, but not as clearly as with the Chester. 

Think it's time for me to actually get over to 14th St during the day (I'm already always over there at night for the restaurants and bars!) and check out my options.