It's IKEA, the VIMLE modular sectional. Totally customizable. Washable heavy duty covers. Navy blue to help hide black dog fur and kid dirt smudges. Storage ottoman attached to the side for blankets and pillows. Super comfortable, the cushions are very thick with just the right amount of firmness. Great for naps.
Enough seating for our whole family + Morgan.
The size is juuuust right for our living room and one of the smallest sectionals we could find. Every inch counts in our space. The ottoman attached to the end gives us an extra seat without feeling closed off - you can walk into the house through the front door without walking right into a couch arm. It helps with the flow while making the sectional as large as possible.
We love it. We all fight over the corner seat. It's awesome.
The only issue is that we've never had such a big couch in our awkwardly laid out living room. When every inch counts we ran into a few issues. The TV stand (which was destroyed by our kids already) was too deep and stuck out too much, narrowing the walkway between the L part of the couch and the TV into the kitchen. The storage ottoman we used as a coffee table was too long and too narrow (and it was chewed on the corners and legs by the puppy). And it was too dark on that side of the room.
So we replaced the TV stand with this inexpensive one from IKEA (and it was on sale for IKEA family members + a holiday weekend sale coupon!) and swapped out the drawer storage for some cloth baskets. Our old one was 24" deep and this one is 14" - the difference in the space feels massive for 10 inches. This one lines up with the wall/doorway so the space suddenly feels so much more open. And honestly it looks really good in person and is very sturdy!
The baskets are Pudda from IKEA. They hide all the kids video games, controllers and all that jazz. These baskets are SO soft and thick, they feel very luxurious and almost too nice! They hold their shape well and I love the button detailing. I wanted fabric baskets because I knew this would be a "high traffic" area and regular woven baskets would scratch the shelving - making it look worn too fast. This way the kids can be themselves without scratch marks.
Behind the couch in the console table are sets of baskets that hold homework supplies, paper, coloring supplies and coloring books. The kids still have their little table and chair set - I've been moving it around since we got the new couch, I'm still trying to find the right spot for it. This couch sits further back than the old ones and every inch counts in this space!
We replaced the storage ottoman with the old coffee table that has been stored in the basement since Oliver was a baby. It's the perfect size - just long enough and wide enough to fill the space. However... I'm nervous because I love this coffee table (it's Crate and Barrel) and I am scared the kids will destroy it. They are old enough now that the corners of the table are less of a threat than they used to be... but it's not soft. And it's real wood - it needs coasters, not sticky melted popsicles and spilled milk. Right now we are using the tray as a little bit of protection, but I think if it's going to stay here, I'm going to have to get plexiglass cut for the top of it as a layer of added protection. And get a couple more fabric baskets (vs. woven) to keep the bottom shelf in better shape. It will probably still get beaten to a pulp... but I'd rather use what we have than buy something new, especially when it's the ideal size for the space.
I still need to get new pillows. I have my eye on an inexpensive set from Amazon that I think will look great in here, I just need to pull the trigger and order them.
Lastly - lighting. We're working on it. Once we added the sectional, we realized how dark the TV side of the room was (once half the seating was no longer next to a lamp and under the ceiling light). I got a very slim LED floor lamp from IKEA that will work virtually anywhere - it's flexible and cool to the touch. Right now we have it next to the couch as a reading light. And we have a small gray table lamp next to the armchair. But I'm still moving things around - it's still too dark. Maybe the reading light should go next to the chair, or even the TV. And then do two slim sconces behind the couch. Or maybe something else entirely. I also really want Mike to finish the stairwell pendant lighting we've been meaning to do for years because I think that will also make a big difference in here. But one thing at a time.
This room is really shaping up. It feels so good to have this space so close to where we want it. Especially the part with seating for the whole family. This has always been SUCH a hard room to work with - all the doorways, walkways, two radiators, the stairs... short of drastic changes that require major construction, I don't think we're going to get any better than this.
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