You can accessorize solids with any kind of fluff you want -- pillows and throws. But printed upholstered pieces tend not to show the dirt as much.

I have dogs and have two solid pieces in a deep tomato red with a fabric that's easy to clean and one tapestry piece in my LR. If I started all over today I'd get furniture that could be slip-covered (mine can't).

Have you looked at the Living Room thread and the Cottage Decor threads in our Gallery for inspiration? You can save out the pictures you like to your computer and then ask for our input and/or your family's input, and take a little time to ruminate on what it is you like best about them... then incorporate that into your own design.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gallery

If you get a large flowered couch you may get tired of it. If you don't like solids, consider a very tiny print. One that looks solid from a distance. The style of the piece will influence it also. Don't just rely on the color or pattern selection to give you the "look" you want.

I've read in countless articles that large flowering prints are best suited for window treatments and smaller prints are best suited for sofa's and chairs. Personally I think sofa's should be solid, chairs with prints or florals. Then throws and throw pilows to pull it all together.

You have more flexibility with a solid or very small print upholstery on a couch.

Good luck

Thank you, Oceanna! I didn't know those existed!! Someone mentioned the cottage thread to me once but I didn't know how to find it.

Is this how to find it -- at the bottom of the home decorating forum click on conversations, then write cottage, or living rooms, into the search box...? That's how I did it. Is there a more direct way? I'm wondering how you all discovered this!

I didn't even know cottage style is what you call this! The Cottage Chic store has exactly the kind of feel I want.

Thank you again!

brutuses. you're probably right about this. I have a block against two solid fabric-covered couches in front of the fireplace because our current floral fabric is so nice. It cheers me every time I see it, and I"m afraid with two solid colors there it'll be boring. But I can't find fabric like that anywhere anymore. For once I should probably take the advice of people who know what they're talking about! Solid on couches does seem to be the collective wisdom, from every picture I see. I'm also afraid of staining being more obvious on solids....

You're welcome Egg!

No... just close this thread and look at the list of all the threads. Look at the top of the list on the right. There's a Gallery link there and a Conversations link.

Did you view the over 300 pics in the Cottage Decor Gallery thread? You can find a lot of inspiration there! There are also a few other threads that might interest you, like Living Rooms, Dining Rooms, and so on. The color threads are also super for if you're picking out paint colors.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cottage Decor

Its really a personal choice but I tend to like patterns on smaller pieces like accent chairs and very plain neutral fabrics on large pieces like couches.

I just bought a set of these as end pieces for my dining room

Another bonus to pattern is that its often better at hiding the odd stain or damage.

I think the combo of a plain couch with a coordinating pattern chair can be very sharp and you get the best of both worlds.

May I slip in here to say AGAIN...beautiful pics, and beautiful spirit who takes the time to sort these and put them here for us to enjoy. Thank you again, Oceanna. Your 'eye candy'posts are always such a treat!

I picked out fabric that was a stripe from sample, and it was the most horrible thing I did, the stripe was too overpowering and was just a mess. I could not find anything that would go. So after buying the couch and a chair to match, we scrapped the whole thing starting on.
I brough a solid color couch that had a herringbone pattern to it, then a chair that that had some flecks of color in it. This way a could really go with any type of oriental rug and floral drapes and accent pillows.
I think after the original mess I would really not pick anything from a sample fabric, but that also because I dont have any decorating skills !!

Leahcate, aw shucks. (blush) Thanks.

I'm a print mixer and I like it. I've had a pink/gold plaid sofa and two chairs upholstered in a rose-ish Indian stripe. I like the interplay of colors. However, I wandered around with the sofa fabric swatch in my purse for at least a year before I found the right fabric at the right price to cover the chairs.

Now I'm drawn to the Jobs Handtryck fabrics to re-cover the chairs to go with my new-to-me MCM white shantung sofa. I have a lot of wood furniture, and a big brown/beige sofa and chair set doesn't appeal to me. I'm not neutral about neutrals.

Here is a link that might be useful: Jobs Handtryck

Definitly solid color upholstery on big ticket items. Use prints on pillows and such that are as costly.

Oceana,
Thanks for reposting your thread. Had looked at it before but doing so again I realized how many of your photos fit small spaces. Style/size of furniture, colors that work so well. Gads, I had fun all over again looking at those pics. And spring is a great time to think freely in creating some of the ideas.

Am heading over to the Smaller Homes and make sure your post is seen.

Thanks, everyone. Until yesterday I assumed I was going to use a floral print on the sofas. But the combination of your advice and magazine pictures I looked at made me realize how tricky this would be. I guess I will stick with prints for pillows and chairs. You might have saved me from a big disappointment!

If you are afraid of solid fabrics showing more wear or stains from everyday use, look for fabrics that read as a solid color but that have a variegated texture or slight pattern to them. I think this helps a lot. We had a beige twill (flat, solid fabric) armchair and it was an example of what not to pick!

I highly recommend purchasing slipcovered pieces. I say this over and over, but it was one of the best decorating decisions I made. My sofa (by Lee Industries) is slipcovered in a gorgeous berry red. When it gets spills or stains, I just treat the covers and throw them in the wash.
The best thing is, I'm going to have some new slipcovers made locally (cheaper than purchasing through Lee), so I can change it out to suit my mood. I plan on still doing solids for the time being.
I had slipcovers made for my upholstered chairs in a cream matelasse. I may eventually do a pretty floral on them. (would like to have new covers made every 4 years or so if I can afford to)

Below is a link to my living room pictures, where you can see pics of my sofa and chairs. Good luck with your decision. Please post photos!

Here is a link that might be useful: My Living Room

I decided to go with a solid color on the sofas and a large floral print on the two chairs. The store I'm going to provides complimentary consultations with a decorator. I met with her today and we picked out a few fabrics that work beautifully together. I'm still a little worried about the solid fabric. It's a nice "oat" kind of color and texture, but it seems a little thin. And I'm just a little nervous about having two big blobs of neutral furniture in so central a spot. But this is what everyone seems to do, so I'm trying to have faith!

Would you all give me your honest opinions on the style of the sofa I've linked below? It's different from any I've seen before. On its own, I see it as having a cute personality, but again, I have trouble seeing things in context. Does anyone see a potential downside to its style? None of the dealers seem to have it on display, so I'd have to order it based on this photo. I know the dimensions are comfortable, but I wish I could see it in person first.

Beausoleil, I love the color of your couch!! Is it rayina raspberry, by any chance? It looks like it has a great texture, too. We're probably going to get Lee furniture, too: two slipcovered sofas (apartment sized) and two chairs.

Here's a link to the styles I'm considering: Lee sofa 123-11 and: Lee chair

I like prints also. I just realized I've never had a solid sofa! I've never done a floral or a very large print.

I'll probably buy a new sofa in the next year or so, have been pondering it a bit and I may go with a solid. I LOVE pillows and fabrics, with a solid sofa I think I will go with print drapes, pillows, etc. Not to mention it will be easy to change out. I also love a same color design on the fabric such as damask.

tina

Emagineer, you're so welcome -- and you're so right that many of those designs are great for smaller spaces, though there are large spaces in there too. I tried to put in something for everyone. I tried to also not just post countless pictures of what can be done by throwing a lot of money at something. I'm personally much more impressed by what can be done by throwing a lot of imagination and an artistic eye at something... and that goes for if you do or dont have big bucks. I'm glad you're sharing the Gallery threads with another board. That's thoughtful of you.

Egg, I'd buy what could be slip covered and I'd start off by slip covering it. And the only way I'd do white/off-white would be in a slip cover. Beausoliel is smart! I wish slipcovers had been "in style" when I was raising my kids. And I wish I could use them now, but I can't. If I were you, I'd invest in a good pattern and learn to sew my own so I could have any color/pattern I wanted at any time and could change the look at my whim. Believe me, when you see what kids and dogs can do to your beautiful upholstered pieces -- or even a careless or tipsy guest -- you'll fall down and worship at the alter of slipcovers. :)

Egg, I have that exact sofa! (In the smaller loveseat size.) I've had it for maybe 4-5 years, and recently ordered a second slipcover from Lee because my dogs had done a job on the old one. I will warn you that additional slipcovers cost about as much as a new sofa -- if you get them from Lee. But I can tell you that the sofa is extremely comfortable and structurally is still in perfect condition.

I really like the choices you made for your furniture. I needed an apartment size sofa for my space too. I wanted one with exposed turned legs, but when I got mine, they didn't have those styles available with slipcovers.
Love love love the chair style you chose. I think my sofa is slipcovered in Pico Rose.

Sueb is right regarding the cost of new slipcovers (through Lee). I found a lady locally that will be charging me $250 labor to do my sofa. So unbelievably reasonable!

I can't wait to see how they look in your room. Hope you post photos when you are done!!

Here is a link that might be useful: My Home

When the furniture comes I'll learn how to post pictures. I have such hopes pinned on this -- my LR has never been nice. I'm afraid when it comes somehow it won't be what I imagine in my mind!

sueb20, ohh, you have the loveseat? I LOVE those, but don't think I have a place to put one. Is this like yours? loveseat
Could you possibly post a picture of it? If not, don't worry about it.

Beausoleil -- I love your house, inside and out. Especially the den with its green walls and paintings! What's your connection to France? My mother was French and spent a lot of her childhood there. By the time I came along she hadn't been able to afford to go back in years. I always loved hearing her talk about her life there. When I was 14 we finally went as a family and got to visit the house where she spent her youth. Rural France in 1970 was very different from Long Island, where I grew up! It was a real eye opener. Two summers ago I tracked down the house, and the grandchildren of the original people remembered stories of the "American" who used to own their house. They invited us to visit, so I took my family (my daughter was also 14!) It was really wonderful.

Thank you for the compliments on my home. I really love living here. Would like a bit more space, but the economy won't allow for that just now.
I don't have any ties to France, really. (I am very much a Francophile as well as an Anglophile, though) My Dad is French Canadian. They spoke French at home and at 74, he can still speak it fluently despite rarely using it.
Your mother was so fortunate to spend her childhood in France...dare to dream!! How wonderful that you got to go and see where she spent her childhood.

DH and I went to the French Riviera and Menorca, Spain for our honeymoon. We met such lovely people there. My son and daughter have already told me they want to go to Paris. We shall see, LOL. If we can afford it, I'd love to take them someday.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Home

I love my solid sofa and loveseat.

They are upholstered in wool and I'm finding it easy to live with. The cat scratched a couple of places and both times I was able to completely smoothe the wool upholstery out by rubbing and picking. I plan on having a set of slipcovers made in the near future. I love the slipcover look . . . and they are so practical.

Good luck with your new Lee. Is it the eco friendly line? I had considered Lee but then I went with a company out of Vancouver, CA called Upholstery Arts because I found they were more eco friendly.

p.s. I'll hang the art up someday soon : )