Here's the sofa

Here is a link that might be useful: Camden sofa

try 2

Here is a link that might be useful: camden sofa

I think context is the key. Where will this sofa live? Can you put it in a room that you call The Library, paint it a deep, rich color, go whole hog with the RL look? I know that's not generally your style, so maybe that won't work.

Will DH look at magazines with you? I am sure you can find some very masculine rooms with similar fabrics.

Is the sofa comfortable? Maybe if he sleeps on it, he'll change his mind. Or better yet, get him a quote for how much it would cost to reupholster. In mohair velvet! That should quiet him down long enough to get used to it. :-)

That doesnt look old ladyish to me...paisley ties? Men's Brooks Brothers paisley scarves?

I love that sofa, ESPECIALLY the paisley. I'll trade you my like new leather sofa for it. But, I love the RL rich and deep colors. Go to the Ralph Lauren website and look at all the beautiful rooms to get a feel for how to decorate around it.

I'm so sorry the sofa isn't working out with your dh. I think the fabric is gorgeous! When I look at it, I think, "warm, rich, masculine, elegant." It doesn't look dated, either, it looks classic! The whole RL sensibility is about timeless, classic style.

But the guy likes what he likes; I don't know how to convince him otherwise. I don't know if a couple of solid pillows will change his mind, but the leather & velvet sound sumptuous & fabulous.

I agree wholeheartedly with Amy when she recommends a deep, rich wall color as a backdrop. No white walls with this sofa!

Good luck, Bella! I think you've got yourself one beautiful sofa, & it makes me sad to think of it sitting in your garage!

I love it; it could be the start of a bohemian chic look, RL mixes prints like crazy with a paisley like that; the velvet is a good start for cushions, a small leopard print also, both fringed in gold.

My husband sometimes starts off with a negative vibe but changes his mind later when he sees the whole room, he has no overall vision.

actually technically that is NOT a paisley, it is a jacobean print, i have a similar print on my chair and throw pillows in my living room and on the bedspread in my guest room, they are always in style, they have been for about 4,000 years.

And they always will be..they are timeless.

however, if he hates it he hates it.

to decorate my entire house i took colors from the jacobean print and used different colors for different features through out my entire house..

you won't change his mind, if he hates it..he'll hate it forever..but if you LOVE the print..then by all means use it and throw some pillows on it with a thin stripe or plain background with texture on it with the background colors and paint the walls in the room one of the colors of the print that you love..compare the paint chips with the fabric..to make sure you have a good coordinating plan

Tell him to go hit the links.

I think your sofa looks much better in a pattern than without. Stinky described it perfectly.

But then...I AM an old lady. :)

Renovate the garage; turn it into the ne plus ultra of a chic man's retreat. Then banish DH to it. Okay, just kidding. I have some RL pieces and my DH is the one who picked them out. Go figure!

Fool around with it for a while. Buy a velvet pillow or two. You can always use them later and maybe you can test run the velvet for upholstering the sofa. Live with it. Either he will come around or maybe you will decide it's too much for you too. Or you will hate it and he will like it. Wait. That would be bad.
I love the lines of the sofa. I love paisley. but I'm not sure about this combo.

Red

Oh Parma - I LOVE that fabric!!!

tina

Paisley is traditional in style. Is DH more of a contemporary? I also am not big on prints in my furniture or my clothes.

Love the print, love the sofa. Think British colonial. Very masculine.

The great thing about this kind of print, you should remind your husband, is that it hides almost ANY kind of stain. You could spill buckets of red wine on it and no one will notice--not so with a beige couch. Also, it is very easy to coordinate a room off it because there are so many colors.

I like the print. But then my sofa and loveseat is rather paisley.. :)

{{!gwi}}

Keep the sofa dump the dh!! LOL I really like the timeless style and fabric on the sofa.

Paisley is one of my favorite prints, and I'm not THAT old...lower 50s...! You might have seen the fall/winter WTs that I recently made for my office/sewing room. To me the fabric is 'drool worthy'...I hope that hubby can be convinced by perhaps a throw and some pillows in a solid.

You say this is new - did you buy it intending to change the fabric on a new sofa, or is it 'new to you'? If new to you and you got a bargain on this RL sofa with pristine upholstery, can hubby be swayed by all that, and how much YOU love it? I love pattern on pattern...if hubs can be swayed by this pheasant print, tell him I'll make you some pillows from it!

My3dogs- what a nice offer!
Diane

I always think of Paisley as being very manly when decorating with it. I love it myself, ok, I'm 52 but I liked it when I was 20 too!

Show your husband this room:

Jim

Wow Chijim! That's hot!

Yep, and I sure could use those WTs.

Chijim: that's beautiful! I don't think my house can ever look like that :-(

my3dogs: Thank You!! That's such a nice offer - I love how you combine different fabric.

In fact, the hardest thing for me is to combine different prints to make a room looking rich & layered. It's so much easier to have a plain sofa because anything look good w/ it -- really a no brainer.

I'm just really glad that you all don't think that I'm having a senile moment :-) I must admit I wasn't sure a/b it myself since every magazine has shown beige beige & more beige sofas! I always love paisley (& Indian print & British Colonial style). Dark wood & white linen & paisley chairs -- that's hot. DH is stuck on the California MCM style --- not so much that it's what he loves as it is what he's exposed to everyday. I'm sure he can be convinced otw. And if some velvet & leather pillows can change his mind, maybe its time to bring out the velvet bustier and the leather whip LOL :->

cooperbailey: can't get rid of him yet since I still need him to carry the sofa in for me.

I got a pix of the room where it's supposed to go into. Originally it was supposed to be reuphosltered in velvet & go to our family room but if it stays paisley, it would have to go to our LR where I read & keep my books. The leather sofa would go to the family room instead. Our LR is very bare at the moment -- I haven't gotten that far yet. It needs darker wall but I can't muster the confidence to scale that 20' wall! :->

{{!gwi}}

Here's a shot of the sofa in exile :-D

{{!gwi}}

Do you still think it would work as is?

Amy: I have an upholsterer who would do it for 350. So it isn't expensive to redo it -- the fabric may cost a lot all depending on what I choose.

sheesharee: I love you paisley -- what kind of throw pillows do you put w/ it?

kitchendetective: banish DH to the garage -- that is his dream :-D In fact, he's been trying to kick me & my stuff out of his garage.

Btw, this is not new. I bought it for 250 (too much?) -- It's done by Henredon for RL so at least the frame is well built. The seat cushion is all down wrapped & in perfect condition (not even out of shape).

I'll be back w/ pics of the sofa in its place. :->

$250???

That was a steal!!

Bella, that sofa would look AMAZING in that space. I'd try to persuade DH to release the paisley sofa from its exile and move it into the LR and live with it for a few weeks (maybe the velvet bustier should be his reward for moving furniture?)...

And a (one-colored, take a color out of that gorgeous sofa) mohair throw... and some plain pillows... let the sofa be the star.

Bella, fabulous find! clearly it was meant to be yours!

Bella - Thanks. I love patterend stuff but figured it was already too busy so I went with solids.
{{!gwi}}

$250 is a great price for that! Can't wait to see your pics.

It's GORGEOUS! I thought I lucked out getting a Hancock and Moore leather sofa from my CL for $1,000, but this is just wonderful.

You may want to bring some of the sofa colors over on to the chairs via pillows. Because I am a lamp lover, where are they in your room? :-) I'm wondering how you see to read in the evening.

Are you kidding me? $250? that is a major major steal! That is why we keep surfing CL, just for the hopes of a similar payday!! Great sofa and the fabric is super. I think it would be great in your LR.
chijim that is an awesome room and if I squinch my eyes thats the same fabric as Bellas sofa correct? What a rich looking room.

my3dogs: there's no lamp because I normally don't buy the accessories until I'm sure what to do w/ the room. I don't know what finish to get (shiny chrome or ORB). The LR is next to the formal DR where I read & study at night.

Here's the view to the formal DR (which need draperies) :-D

{{!gwi}}