Matt is my amazing boyfriend. He is a hunting, fishing, deal-making, pickup-driving opposite of me if ever there were one. So when I find something that is stylish and also carries Matt’s stamp of approval, I consider it a near-miracle. It is so rare and celebrated an occasion that some of my girlfriends actually consider Matt a litmus test of whether their husbands/boyfriends will like something. “Would Matt like it?” is something I have heard more than once. So with that, I give you the first peek of that oh-so-short list of gender-neutral, man-tested, stylish finds.
Matt Likes: Something men and women often have a very difficult time agreeing on is upholstered furniture, or “couches” as you boys like to call them. I know this because I used to sell furniture and I have witnessed my fair share of arguments. Right there, in the store. You don’t see couples arguing over ice cream flavors at the grocery store. But people have a visceral connection to their vision of what a sofa should be. It is all tied in with the type of house they grew up in and the type of life they envision for themselves.
Lounge: Matt wants what most guys want in a sofa-- (you guessed it) “comfort”. And while I think it would be a nice bonus, it is pretty low on my priority list of qualities to look for in a sofa. Recently while waiting for a table at a restaurant, I dragged him into a few nearby stores to browse and when I was finished purchasing, found him sitting on this comfortable yet fabulous sofa (above).
It is a whopping 46” deep (it’s even named the “Lounge” sofa) and comes stocked with microfiber stain-resistant velvet. Yes, ladies, stain-resistant velvet. My contact at the Walnut Creek Crate and Barrel is Annie. Go see her. She knows her stuff.
And lounge some more: Just as they like to garnish their burgers with a bit of bacon for good measure, many men seem to be inclined to accessorize their lounge sofas with a lounge chair, a.k.a. the recliner. This piece of furniture may be responsible for more in-store furniture fights than any other. If anything can kill the buzz of furniture shopping for the ladies, the recliner is it. Fortunately, Pottery Barn has had the best-kept secret in the business for years and I’m going to share it with you. This chair (above) is actually a recliner. You’d never know it just looking at it. And it’s comfortable. And it’s leather. And it’s only about $2,000, which ain’t bad for quality leather that will age like a beloved baseball glove. Toss a soft, cream throw blanket on it, add a side table with a few candles and you have yourself a wife-approved recliner.
Layer to add interest: Don’t forget the throw pillows! A sofa without throw pillows is like walls without art. Matt likes the big, “euro-style” (26” square) pillows because they are a good size for napping. Make sure you get down-filled inserts for maximum comfort and a higher-end look. Limit fabric choices to machine-washable, soft fabrics. If you are like me and you must have silk, go with machine-washable silk. I find the most luck for throw pillows in the bedding department—bedding throw pillows and even shams are generally fuss-free as they are made of soft, machine-washable materials, and the patterns will usually work on a sofa just fine. I also really like Nate Berkus' line for Linens 'N Things (above) and that of the original macho decorator, Ralph Lauren (see link below), for masculine yet chic textiles.
Decorative Accessories: Focus on containment. Nice-looking containers (no plastic!) for remote controls, paperwork, magazines, etc will lift even the most testosterone-filled home out of bachelor-pad purgatory and into a truly polished living space. Containers can either match or, for confident decorators, coordinate. Check out The Container Store for more options than you can imagine. Containers are the single most effective decorating tool as they truly do minimize mental clutter and de-stress your space, allowing your home to do what it should—make you feel good. And despite what you may have heard, that is what decorating is really all about.
Have a great, comfortable week!
Crate and Barrel's Lounge Sofa: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=931&f=25865
Pottery Barn's Manhattan Recliner: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p1696/index.cfm?pkey=ff002
Pottery Barn (Machine-washable) Silk Shams: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p9043/index.cfm?pkey=cbabqltsol
Nate Berkus for Linens 'N Things: http://www.lnt.com/family/index.jsp?filter=yes&fCat=1901015&categoryId=1901015&view=all&fgender=&fbrandid=98573&fpricesort=priceDescending
Ralph Lauren Home's Cape Lodge Collection: http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/rlhome/collection/sp08_capelodge_explore.asp
The Container Store: www.thecontainerstore.com
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