Living Room Sofas & Couches A six-foot sofa with a seat and back divided into three separate cushions, upholstered in a stripe or wide striped velour is better than a sofa plainly upholstered, since the cushions can be redone easily and the division makes a more attractive piece. Tufted furniture is no longer in good taste, mainly for the reason that the tufting holds the dust - happily we live in a sanitary age! Chesterfield sofas of Colonial design, showing the wood-work, are scarcely heavy enough for the fireplace sofa in the living-room. If a sofa is heavy but ugly, with varnished woodwork exposed, it can be readily re-upholstered by putting flat pads of hair over the woodwork and then covering it as an all-over upholstered piece. The same can be done with a heavy, semi-upholstered armchair. When it is finished we have, at least, a simple, comfortable chair in place of the gawdy yellow oak or violet mahogany atrocity of a previous generation. Wicker divans are a good living-room mainstay. They should be stained dark and upholstered in a warm tone velour or rich vari-colored linen. Wicker is too conspicuous to treat in light tones. It is often the case that one will have a flat couch without back and wishes to use it before the fireplace and to place behind it the usual long table. Here the problem is to give it a back so that it will be comfortable. The best plan is to get four stiff pillows of hair made large enough to come above the height of the table. They can rest against it and be firmly sewed on to the welt at the back of the cover of the divan, which, of course, should fit tight. This will form a fairly secure back. A strip of wood could be nailed horizontally onto the table legs to support the cushions further. For comfort, soft cushions may be added. Apropos of this example, it is well to remember that there is usually a way to adapt the furniture we have, and yet afford comfort and good appearance. Next Page: Tables for Living Room. |
