when we first moved into #farmhousedialfano nearly four years ago, we brought with us the sectional that we had purchased four years before that. it was way too big for the room and i still have no idea how the movers got it in nor how we eventually got it out when we got our current sectional {it involved a snowstorm and permanent dents in the walls and door frames}.
our old sectional. super comfy but a total beast in an 1830’s living room.
we swapped out the white corner sectional for our current sectional {below} a few years ago. we got a sofa bed because we knew that once we had a baby, we’d be losing our guest room. and while we’re glad we’ve had it the past few years, ultimately we knew that it would need to be replaced because at the end of the day, even the best sofa beds {and we do have a good one} are just not going to be that comfortable to sit on every day.
so our plan was to ditch the pull out {we will invest in a memory foam floor mattress for occasional guests} and get something that better fits our current needs and wants. enter interior define. they had been popping up in my social media more and more, and my friend jess recently received her sloan sectional which looks awesome. well…i’m super excited to be partnering with them on this exciting update to the living room!
our current sofa bed sectional, photographed by joyelle west for glitter guide .
after extensively reviewing the various designs interior define offers, i kept coming back to one. and get this, it’s called the MAXWELL, and was designed by maxwell ryan, the founder of apartment therapy. {ps. they also have a rose, designed by the editors of the everygirl so if we were to ever move into a bigger house, we could also get a rose and our daughter’s name will be fully covered.} what makes a couch most comfortable beyond the fabric and filling in my opinion is its depth and having one or two cushions {vs. three which is what we have now}. besides the obvious logistical needs, the maxwell covers both of these things.
so here’s the deal with interior define. simply put, they offer custom made furniture at fantastic prices, with 365-day returns, and white glove delivery. additionally, you can download their app to see the piece you’re eyeing in your actual space, check out their comfort guide, and take advantage of more services {like a concierge} to help make your final decision an informed one. headquartered in chicago, interior define also has guideshop locations in chicago, LA, new york + austin where you can sit, touch, and even bring your dogs to test out durability. and ps. new locations are on the horizon! not near a guideshop? you can order free fabric samples. they only let you order five at a time but you can place multiple orders, which is what i did as i also wanted them on hand for my interior styling clients.
speaking of fabrics, they have a wide-ranging selection, including kid and pet-friendly options. choosing the right fabric was especially difficult for us! too dark? dog hair. too light? um, a two year old. but ultimately, i wanted something lighter than what we have now. our living room is a tight, narrow space and i want to brighten things up a bit. plus, while the blue color of our current sectional is fairly neutral, i’m looking forward to letting the accessories really shine. i’m a firm believer in changing out pillows and blankets on a regular basis to keep things looking fresh! our final fabric choice? pebble weave in the linen color. yes it’s “light” but it also has depth and texture to it {it’s hard to capture it in a photo…in real life, the subtle color variations are more, well, subtle.} i LOVE it. and we will scotchgard it for extra protection. speaking of, does anyone know of a more organic scotchgard equivalent? i heard about vectra?
there are several customization options interior define offers for this sectional…right or left hand chaise, style and color of legs, length of sofa, and number of seat cushions {those lumbar pillows are removable}. in addition to the whole comfort thing, toddlers and sofa beds don’t really mix as it’s difficult to clean under it. our original sectional was a slipcover style so for this one, we’re showing off those custom legs. it’s a look i’ve wanted in our living room for awhile and the bonus is it will make cleaning so much easier.
below is a rendering of our actual selection…left chaise and natural oak tapered wood legs. we went with a 110″ length which is a few inches shorter than our current sectional and will fit the space a little better. i briefly considered doing one cushion because i love that look but ultimately decided it was a bit too modern for our humble farmhouse. the rendering is a little misleading as the fabric color is definitely lighter than it is here but from what i understand, it’s fairly accurate overall.
because everything is built just for you, it usually takes 8-12 weeks for your piece to arrive. so as i’m anxiously counting down the days, i wanted to share some initial ideas i have for coffee table, pillow and blanket upgrades! i love the look and versatility of our coffee table and hope it still works but with the deeper sectional and not much walking room to begin with, not sure if it will be too big. if the size and shape does work though, i’m considering sanding out the black color and keeping it more neutral vs. such a bold black. if we need a new table, there are a few things to consider…should it match the leg color of the sectional? completely contrast? similar color but different shade? one thing i’m sure of is that round or oval is still the best bet for this phase of max’s life, and having some type of storage is ideal.
can’t wait to show off the sectional when it arrives! we’re due for a new rug anyways and there are some additional updates needed/wanted in the living room {lighting, perhaps painting a built-in} so i’ll be sharing those ideas too!
