Teresa Karbum, I am responding to your below question. It will be a long reply, but I am hoping it may help you out regarding what we tried to fix the issue, or just to let you know, you are not alone! Teresa Karbum, last year “Just bought the Big Sur Sectional and it has a chemical smell it’s been 2 weeks will that smell go away? Anyone experience this too?” Answer: Yes, Teresa, we have encountered the same issue with our Big Sur Sectional and we had it covered with the Sunbrella Interior Fabric. We purchased new furniture from Pottery Barn back in January of this year – 2025. Both my husband and I have asthma and odd smells in particular bring on terrible coughing fits for me, and I have to reach for my inhalers. I couldn't believe that a new sofa would give off VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), or as some refer to it as “off-gassing” or “out-gassing.” Think along the lines of fresh paint or that "new car smell." And sometimes even vinyl toys have this issue. Was it due to the fabric, or possible glue used in the manufacturing of this sofa? ** We may never know, and it doesn’t mean that every Big Sur Sectional Sofa will have the bad luck to have these smells. But sadly, like you, ours did! When I gave a sniff, I realized the pillows from the sofa was giving off these fumes, I removed the back pillows off the sofa for around 2 weeks or so, and ran 2 air purifiers, two fans to blow out the fumes, and kept our French doors open. Thought that did the trick. Sadly, I was mistaken. A couple weeks later I realized my sense of smell wasn’t playing tricks on me, and that the sofa was still out-gassing! Curious, I lifted up one of the sofa cushions and WHAM! - that smell was present and strong! I went online and did research. I had read that sunlight could help remove the chemical smells. I had a plan! Carefully removing all the cushions and pillows, I leaned them up against one another over to stay upright over laid-out bed linen in our patio. This way, the cushions and pillows never touched the patio floor. And unzipping what I could manage of the cushions and pillows, I let the sunlight (this was back in late March) do its thing and air out the odors. My husband helped me move one of the long bench cushions in and out of the house, and this was repeated for around 9 days. The remainder I could handle myself: Take the cushions and the sofa’s pillows out in the morning as soon as the sun came out and returned inside the house hours later, to stack against more bed linen spread out on our floor. No formula on a time table, just an educated guess. I DID NOT put them back onto the sofa itself for nine days! As the sofa itself, had that smell that needed airing out too! But because the sofa sectional itself was impossible to carry outside, I left our French doors wide open, ran the 2 air purifiers directly aimed at the sofa and changed daily to direct the purifiers to a different location on the sofa – top – front and back. I also ran fans to blow out the VOC’s and had placed very small plates of white vinegar and water directly under the sofa, where some of the odor was seeping from. I was careful not to spill any of the vinegar solution onto the sofa directly. But it probably wouldn't have hurt it! Now, from what I read online, leaving a sofa outdoors (protected, and long as the sunlight does not bleach out the fabric) could help vanquish the VOCs, and because the sofa itself was much too heavy to try this - with just my husband any myself, I did the next best thing, put the cushions and pillows outside to allow the warmth of the sun to do its magic. After reading all the hints to rid the chemical smells, I even tried good ‘ol Arm & Hammer Baking Soda sprinkled directly over the sofa itself and the cushions and pillows. I vacuumed everything a day or two later. The smells seemed good as gone! Around day 9, I put the cushions and pillows back onto the sofa. I removed the plates of white vinegar and water, closed the fans and put them away. I had no intention of doing this beyond 2 weeks, and I had no idea how long it might take to remove the smells? So, when I sniffed the sofa (the front, back and the underside) and the pillows and cushions smelled clean, I was pleased that the VOCs were finally gone! Yippie!! Final prognosis? The chemical smell returned! CRAP!! I know I am not imaging it. Good news: It is not as potent as when the sofa was first delivered, but still present. My husband stated that even if the smell returns, what I have done on 2 separate occasions should put a dent in the odor. Presently, I have both air purifiers running, and I leave the French doors open (Weather permitting) to get as much fresh air inside as possible and let any bad odors out. And when I Googled, "New sofas containing VOC’s", this is what I read: “It can take a sofa several weeks to a few months to fully remove VOCs, though the initial strong odor may dissipate within a few days. The duration depends on factors like the type of materials used, ventilation, and temperature. Factors Affecting VOC Removal Time: Material: Natural materials generally off-gas less than synthetic materials. Ventilation: Proper ventilation, such as opening windows and using fans, speeds up the process. Temperature: Higher temperatures can increase the rate of off-gassing. Humidity: Higher humidity can also impact the rate of off-gassing. Recommendations for Removing VOCs from a Sofa: Ventilation: Immediately unpack the sofa and place it in a well-ventilated area, like a garage or porch, for several days or even a week or two. Air Out: Open windows and use fans to circulate air and help remove the odors. Consider Sunlight: Sunlight can help speed up the off-gassing process, but be cautious of sun discoloration. Professional Assistance: For significant off-gassing, consider contacting a home expert for professional assistance. Air Purifier: Using an air purifier can help reduce VOCs in the air. Testing: You can use air quality test kits or contact professionals to test the air for VOC levels.” And another site suggested: Some pieces of furniture will be fully off-gassed within a year. Others may take as long as five years. Some may never quite finish off-gassing. End

Thank you! It’s a very big island as its our main seating. 60 x 120….We also have standard ceilings. 8 or 9 feet? Do you mind sending me a picture of the island looking straight on? Do you like and can you see the brass? I like the mix of brass and black / darker cord, but if it’s not really visible…

I hate my PB Carmel ”performance fabric” sofa. The warm white twill fabric is horrible. It tore and shrunk on gentle cold wash and the frame is yellowish/dingy. The manufacturer tag on frame states to not wash and not remove covers even though they have zippers. So yeah they lied in the store and marketed them as washable/easy clean was the main selling point. Had a professional cleaner come and still yellow. No kids and i never sit on it never spilled anything on it. Just naturally yellowed over time at the 6month mark. $3500 down the drain and zero customer service. Which explains why they dont allow customer reviews. I regret selling my ikea sofas they out preformed this trash at a fraction of the cost. Year 2 and still hate them. Placed on marketplace and no action smh

Forget the chair. The quality will be no better than a Wayfair, no better than something you haul out of Home Sense.. that applies to both construction, and fabric. Get a chair with a performance velvet, or a Crypoton, or a leather. We can't advise as no idea where it is going, and what may already be in the room. Post pictures of the space, all angles