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I gave away my couch on freecycle.org today. I'm loving having all this empty space in my living room which has made me start to question if I need to replace my couch or just go couch-less. I'm thinking of just getting 1-2 comfy chairs, possibly an ottoman and several floor pillows. Does anyone out there have a couch-less living room or thinking about it? I know some cultures sit on mats/pillows on the floor and I've always loved the simplicity of that.
I haven't had a couch in at least 10 years, probably closer to 15. I do miss it on rare occasions, and have even thought about trying to make one in the style of a Morris Chair. The reason I don't have one is simple, when I bought my house and moved in, I had almost no help. I expect that as the normal for my life, so whatever I buy, I need to know I can move it myself and couches are no easy task that way. (a Morris couch I might be able to disassemble)
Currently living in one those cultures that hangs out on mats/pillows on the floor and I've realized I can't completely relax like that.
Various legs & arms fall asleep when I'm trying to relax on the tatami mats so I'm constantly changing positions.
A simple bean bag chair would be more comfortable to me than an ottoman. Although I'm sure most guests would feel more comfortable
with the ottoman :)
I haven't had a couch since 1990. I have instead always had several comfortable upholstered chairs and they've always worked just fine. I'm with TooMuchStuff, if I can't move it solo, I pretty much just don't own it.
It never occurred to me not to have a couch until I read a post on Miss Minimalist about it. Then I started to realize that I was kind of tired of having some big piece of furniture in which I had less options to arrange furniture. That led me to create a pinterest of living rooms with no couch and I'm really am starting to enjoy the esthetics of couch-less living rooms. http://pinterest.com/blissfulmindy/m...-living-rooms/
Dhiana - I would think it would be a little tough getting used to another culture's sitting/sleeping ways if it is something so different that what you grew up with. I would have concern for guests, especially older ones who wouldn't be comfortable sitting on the floor. I'm really starting to lean towards two fluffy chairs, an ottoman and then perhaps some floor pillows...seems simple and blissful to me!
I love couches! :)
Me too! I'm a lounger, and so is my DH. We have two couches in our living room. I briefly entertained the idea of replacing the one couch with a couple of chairs, but then I thought about those winter nights when DD and I pile on the quilts and snuggle together and read a book. That's harder to do on a chair as she gets bigger and I didn't want to give that up.Quote:
Originally Posted by CathyA
I understand about living alone though and not wanting to have something that requires help to move. I thought the same way, hence my wicker chairs and futon bed. I also didn't buy anything that wouldn't fit in the hatchback of my car.
I like your plan; it's pretty much what I have in mind for my next place. I have a couch I never use. In fact, I never use my living room. Or dining room, for that matter. My SO has nothing in his living room but a bookshelf, making "living room" a frank misnomer.
No couch? What do you nap on?
I have a pallet on the floor made of two twin size memory foams. I have an actual bed in a bedroom but I prefer sleeping on the floor in the living room.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lainey
Our LR couch is an armless click sofa, sleek, modern, and comfy. Converts to a double bed. The couch in our office/movie room is a futon sofa, moderately comfy, converts to a quite comfy double bed (and was free). I had a bigger armed couch, which I miss, but not much!
Given the habit of dogs here to pee on the sofa, I'd be better off with none. Current rescue dog had peed on it twice. Fortunately I have it covered in towels since I do not trust any of them.
I didn't have a sofa in my last apartment. Three years without one. I had two overstuffed chairs with ottoman's and one straight back chair. I missed the couch for naps. When I napped I would have to go to my bed. I liked the looks of the room without a couch. Doubt I will have one in the future. I will live in small places. A couch never holds more than two people really. Also concerned if I was sick that I couldn't lay on the couch. Never seem to get that sick so far.
A day bed or sofa bed would seem more practical than a couch.
We didn't have a couch when growing up, My mother didn't like them, so we didn't have them. We had a bunch of chairs.
We had a big Victorian house with a double parlor, and I'm guessing, can't really remember, that she thought couches were not period. Or whatever. Later we moved to a small 60's ranch house and STILL didn't have a couch, she had a tiny uncomfortable hard loveseat and two chairs.
Right now I've got a brand new couch in that 60's style that's popular right now. This, after the past 20 years of retrieving old used couches from the alleyways. Once we pulled in a fabulous 60's style sectional in orange and brown. Yes, it was grimy, but it also was so cool, and it was good enough for all of the dogs that sat on it!
The last couch I pulled from the alley was the most comfortable one I have eve had in my life. Wow. I mean I could sleep on that thing, just loved it. It was dumped to go to its forever home in a landfill after having years of dog damage done to it.
I no longer pull furniture from the alley due to bed bug scares. And besides, I like the new modern styles, they are streamlined. The old furniture style of 15 - 10 years ago with gigantic arms and ginormous seats were made as though for ginormous people. They were just too-too.
IKEA Ektorp upholstered armchairs. They have the versatility of various slipcovers, which are washable, and you can mix and match. I have one and I love it. The only time my couch gets used is the odd time when I have a guest over.
It's my "comfy chair" (shades of Monty Python).
I sleep on a couch! Have been for about 15 years, because of my fibromyalgia. So when I go looking for a couch, it has to be long, wide, and as comfy as a bed would be.
I just can't imagine a living room without a couch. I guess I do alot of laying down! I have had to sleep in an easy chair for awhile too, and it just doesn't lead to very good sleep.
I also think that 3 cushion couches sit better than 2 cushions, and I like the cushions that go under the back cushions.......they stay put better than the loose ones.
But I guess this isn't the right thread to sing the praises of couches in! :)
Why am I always the contrarian?
My living room contains 2 (!!!!) couches and a table. That is all.
The couches are used for languid readers, can (and have) seated my family of four and two guests comfortably. (For extra people, like the improve troupe, we bring in the dining room chairs.) They have slept family overnight (the 80 year old matriarch and the 53 year old runner up and the 20+ heir apparent.) Plus when the kids were young, they made forts with the cushions.
If I had a studio apartment, I would have a long and comfortable couch FIRST, small table second and a gas stove. Those are my priorities.
So far I have not bought any couch or chairs. I got rid of my coffee table too so my living room is practically empty - which is kind of nice in a weird way. I have a couple curio cabinets by the windows but mainly so the kitties can do some bird and nature watching.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tradd
After thinking about it...I think I will get a couch eventually or at least a couple comfy chairs. Tradd - I do like the Ecktorp couch and chairs from Ikea...that's what I have my eye on. Glad to hear you think it's so comfy.
It was interesting to hear everyone's thoughts about couches! Thanks all!
We live in a 500 sq. ft. studio - haven't had a couch (sofa, whathaveyou) for a few years now. Our cat's need to pee on everything in sight has destroyed two of them so far, and I guess we've just given up. We have a bed in the main room, which can be used as a sofa during the day. She's also urinated on that, so we want to replace the top mattress and get a whole bunch of new pillows to make it a comfy place to relax.
Our studio apt. has a wonderful kitchen and fab bathroom with acres of countertop space, and a washing machine and dryer, which we haven't had until now, so we're ecstatic about that. But we have no storage for clothes.
When we met we were living in separate historic buildings, which were small in terms of floor space, but we both had insanely high ceilings and built-in storage. When we moved in together, I still had enough room in my relatively spacious studio (circa 1925) to store all of his stuff and mine, and we had a clear living space in the main area with plenty of room for bookcases, a sofa, etc. It was beautiful.
So we never bought dressers. Fast forward to the present - our car is unreliable, so we live in this tiny studio close to both our jobs. We also rent an office space for my art stuff and his projects, so we're able to keep our living space pared down to the essentials.
But we haven't solved the problem of where to put our clothes. Now that I have a washing machine our clothes are always clean, but they're still on the floor. Bed Bath and Beyond here we come. I hate plastic storage chests (I mean I'd really love an English four-drawer chest in cherry with an inlaid plank top and brass hardware) but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
But your question was about the sofa. We have two double-deep retail racks on wheels for our clothes, his and hers. They take up the burden of about half our clothes, and since they're double racks, there's no room for anything else. Our space is basically a dressing room. We would like to store 3/4's of our clothes, and make enough room to have a small two-seater sofa (loveseat or whatever). At that point we might actually be able to invite somebody in!
Until then, though, no way...
Kitten,
I think it is very uncommon for cats not to want to use a litter box. Sometimes not using the litter box is a symptom of something more serious. Have you talked to your vet about your cat issue? Also, I found this link that may help with your cat issue.
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/9563/ina...blems-answered
Oh....and I love those historic buildings with insanely high ceilings!
Thanks for the link, Minz! Yes, we took her to the vet - they said her food was causing bladder crystals. She hates the vet and was too aggressive, apparently, for them to complete the therapy they were going to do (whatever it was), although they did insert an IV with some fluid and the hydration did her good. After that, and with a regimen of mostly wet food, her crystals have cleared up - no more yowling during urination. But she doesn't want to pee in the box. Number 2 is okay (thank goodness). We're thinking we should get two boxes - someone on this forum recommended that.
I hate when the vets act like our cat is defective because she doesn't enjoy rough handling. It's their fault, the jerks! Next time I'm going to insist that they sedate her immediately. Otherwise it's just way too traumatic for her.
Sorry for the hijack ;)
Aww...poor kitty for being traumatized at the vet's office!! Perhaps a calming pill or something like that before the next vet visit...or maybe different vet who is more caring and understanding. Poor kitty! Hmmm...yes, perhaps getting a second litter box would be a good solution! No problem about the hijack. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by kitten
Cat psychiatrist is needed.
Back in the 1970's I had a wonderful couch - and it was movable! It was actually 3 separate pieces that could be all together for a couch, all set apart for 3 chairs, or 2 together for a love seat and then 1 for a chair, etc. Loved it! There were no arms so the pieces all fitted together smoothly, the cushions snapped off (for cleaning I guess), and I still think about how that was the most practical piece of furniture! I have never seen any like it since then. It was also comfortable and looked good. And, ToomuchStuff, very easy to move even for one person.Quote:
Originally Posted by ToomuchStuff
I have 2 big couches and I could go with one, but I wont give one up, if I don't have to.
We have a pretty big livingroom and as we moved in in 2005, our old couch just looked lost. Since the couches in Germany are all kind of small and uncumpfy, we went to "sofa an seats" and found those american big cumpfy couches. We took a normel big one, like a single bed and one in L form. I just love them, also because I was able to effort them from the money I got when my dad past.
Those couches were the reason why we did not move to England, because the doors were to small and the couches wouldn't have fit through the door :doh:. As long as we live in the current apartment and the couches are still good, I don't see why I should give them up.
But I think I will always have a couch, the IKEA one also looks cumpfy.
So get the hopes up, then dash them eh? Any idea of a brand or name associated with it?Quote:
Originally Posted by Sad Eyed Lady
we have a bed for DS in the lounge, and then two chairs that were gifted to us, and a bench. The two chairs and bench are the same era/style, so it's cool (mid-mod). I would be happy without the chairs/bench, but I'm also happy with them.