apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time


CHI Good Questions: What Goes with "The Monster"?

2008_07_15-CouchQuestion02.jpgAnn sent us a good question: Dear AT Chicago, I have a question about putting a living room together around my vintage sofa. This sofa walks a very delicate line between ugly and gorgeous. It's old, incredibly well-made, and is covered in slightly nubby green fabric. My fiance loves it but still calls it the "green monster."

(Note: Include a pic of your problem and your question gets posted first.
Email questions and pics
with QUESTIONS in subject line to:
chicago(at)apartmenttherapy(dot)com)

 
 

2008_07_15-CouchQuestion.jpg

The photo above is of the sofa in my old apartment. We want to keep it in our new house, and reupholstering is not in the budget right now. But our taste runs to the more clean- lined and modern, and so we're curious what kind of furniture pieces you would pair with our big, comfy monster to keep the vintage yet modern vibe from getting too crazy.

We have classic Lane Acclaim sofa, coffee, and end tables, and we want to buy a loveseat and chair or chaise for the living room. What colors and styles would you recommend? We're keeping the green and gold palette, with some grey and lavender (sounds weird, but I know it will work!).

bianco071508.jpg

We like the monster! We think the addition of some lavender and grey into the green and gold palette sounds beautiful. We'd recommend going with a pair of chairs to round out the seating area, perhaps something like the Room & Board Bianco (shown here), which has a similar vintage feel, curvy lines and a warm wood accent (the legs). It injects just a bit of a more clean updated feel without battling against the sofa...and it comes in a gorgeous plum (called Night) or deep grey (called Charcoal) velour both of which would be a nice complement to the green and gold. Finally, it has the added fun of being swivel-y and a reasonable price tag of $599.

AT Readers, what suggestions do you have for Ann for some pieces to accompany her vintage sofa?

Tags

Good Questions

Related Links

Share

Comments (13)

Matches(?)

posted by hdtex on 2008-07-15 20:59:28
view hdtex's profile

I love this couch and it sounds like you know your color palettes.. Ilse Crawford knows how to mix modern and vintage. Check out this link:
http://www.remodelista.com/2008/03/27/design-voyeur-ilse-crawfords-das-kranbach/

posted by greenlight on 2008-07-15 21:07:49
view greenlight's profile

I love your couch and palette, too! Maybe a couple Wegner chairs, with its beautiful lines and warm wood tones?

posted by Caroline K on 2008-07-15 22:07:00
view Caroline K's profile

that is a great couch! The drapes and pillows with it seem 70's to me (green, gold, brown), I would freshen it up with cream/white neutral curtains and some pillows that were more vibrant....white/creme background with a whimsical pattern.

posted by DlW on 2008-07-15 22:23:20
view DlW's profile

There are numerous modern wallpapers that have been featured here on AT and there are also several other vintage-inspired versions of wall treatments, etc., that have variations of a damask look which will kind of echo those lines of your sofa. Many of those will be black or white, and I think I'd steer clear of those, but I think that several of them are variations on the newest flavors of apple green, which might work with that couch.

By the way, I kind of love the couch, myself.

One idea might be... if you're really trying to make your look go toward the more graphic -- and this is ONLY if you have a very steady hand with a paint brush! -- you might paint the wood of your couch black, but I would leave that last little bump of the profile that's smack up against the upholstery brown wood, as-is. That's just a thought.

Back to the wall... if you end up creating or using some kind of stencil, you could work some kind of pattern in a subtle way by just varying the sheen of the paint. In other words, stencil a slightly shinier finish of the same color as the background, which you might do in a flat finish.

Another thing to consider, chair-wise, might be to get a pair of those chairs that you sometimes see where each of the pair is assymetrical, but if you have them side-by-side, the overall look is symmetrical. Know what I mean? Those tend to have kind of a curve thing going on in a semi-spiral-ish thing. That would be great facing that couch.

posted by Curtis on 2008-07-15 22:51:53
view Curtis's profile

there are just so many modernist pieces that will work fine with your couch!

i think the key is to look for pieces with wood frames or curves - like your couch. stay away from angles. alot of scandinavian design will do.

consider the work of ole wanscher:

http://www.1stdibs.com/furniture_item_detail.php?id=179925
http://www.1stdibs.com/furniture_item_detail.php?id=179925
http://www.1stdibs.com/furniture_item_detail.php?id=184622
http://cgi.ebay.com/OLE-WANSCHER-SENATOR-DANISH-MODERN-EASY-CHAIRS-JUHL_W0QQitemZ270255532321QQihZ017QQcategoryZ156311QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

or arne jacobson's swan. or some of the more affordable finn juhl designs - the japan chair or the diplomat:

http://cgi.ebay.com/EAMES-ERA-DANISH-5-FINN-JUHL-DIPLOMAT-SLIPPER-CHAIRS-NR_W0QQitemZ140249434923QQihZ004QQcategoryZ156311QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

from the usa, milo baughman's swivel, which was even tufted at times. a baughman scoop chaise might be nice too.

all can be found at ebay, craigslist, or auction if you're not in a rush.

posted by healthyhome on 2008-07-15 23:54:03
view healthyhome's profile

I have your sofa's cousin! The lines are very similar, but mine has exposed wood on the front face and entirely different upholstery - I still remember scratching my thighs on the itchy horsehair upholstery it had when I was a kid. Then my mom covered it in deep Navy velvet, which is fine. I'm mixing it with modern and old family pieces - Danish sidechairs and a tall Federal setee. Also has a set of 1920s club chairs that I'm hoping to recover in a punchy fabric that will pick up the sofa's navy. Oddly, navy is not a big color in fabric patterns right now.
It's not the most comfortable couch in the world, but I love it.
Did you see one of Quincy Jones' daughters had a couch a little like this that Domino covered in white
http://www.dominomag.com/galleries/2008/04/rashida_jones?slide=3. (I think Navy velvet suits my black cat better.)
Enjoy your monster. I love how heavy they are.

posted by VeronicaLodge on 2008-07-16 00:25:18
view VeronicaLodge's profile

I have your monster's sister! Same colors and everything, just different design on the fabric. It came with our 102 year old house and is a family heirloom. We purchased a barrister bookcase that has clean lines and goes very well with the sofa, that would work if you incorporated some more modern things. If you can believe it, I am going for a more tropical look to our living room, lost of plants, and comfortable seating, colors are sand/gold, greens, and browns. I actually really like the sofa a lot. Good Luck!

posted by Latinqueen on 2008-07-16 07:18:13
view Latinqueen's profile

Wing chairs are very comfortable. They're a traditional shape (much like your couch), and can look neat with a "modern" style upholstery fabric. Not very mod, but if you've already got a piece you love because it's so comfortable, it's worth checking out. Some types of wing chairs are very "wood heavy", and that would suit this couch.

If the rest of the living room pieces are curvy and wooden, it won't matter if the design is "modern" or "traditional... the combination of good wood and comfortable seating will look good and be an inviting place to stay.

posted by Torrilin on 2008-07-16 08:03:19
view Torrilin's profile

I have a similar sofa, which I had reupholstered in a crazy orange ultrasuede. I have a small wing chair that I had reupholstered in a complementary print. I have Danish modern in storage, and I think that will work well one day, as the woods have a similar reddish tone to my sofa.

I am also stuck about additional seating (in my case I'll need an additional "comfy" couch that works style-wise), but I don't have room right now. I'm thinking finding something that is cushy but has similar lines, something like the Samantha or Chastity sofa from Calico Corners, which brings me to my suggestion: is there a Calico Corners in your area? They sell their own line of furniture that they upholster (I don't imagine you are limited to their fabrics). There is really a lot of variety.
http://www.calicocorners.com

posted by ValHalla on 2008-07-16 10:12:20
view ValHalla's profile

I LOVE your monster! Like Curtis, I was thinking you could paint the wood, but I'm thinking white rather than black. But if you don't want to do that just leave it as is and follow some of the other advice about mixing more modern side chairs with it. I am all about mixing periods and the upholstery on your lovely, lovely monster will blend very well with other more clean-lined pieces.

Good luck and please post "after" pics when you get it all together!

posted by Monica on 2008-07-16 10:41:29
view Monica's profile

I love the bianco chair so much it hurts... that is all.

posted by DahliaCactus on 2008-07-16 11:31:22
view DahliaCactus's profile

I have this EXACT same sofa. Insane!

posted by angxannette on 2008-07-16 14:07:04
view angxannette's profile