A CHANCE FOR YOU TO WIN BIG IN MY BLOG COMMENTING CONTEST: $200 Prize!!

Would you like an extra $200 in your pocket?  I'm offering a fantastic contest and wanted you all to have an opportunity to win!

THE RULES OF THE GAME:

The Prize:  $200 Visa Gift Card (value = $200 USD)

Entry Requirements:  Leave a minimum of 5 unique (can not be the same on each posting) comments on 5 different blog posts, listed  and linked to at the bottom of this note. Additional details about commenting are marked with an * below.

Start/End Date:   10.23.10 thru 10.29.10 at 8PM (Eastern Standard Time)

Qualifications: Entrants must be in the United States or Canada. We are unable to include entrants from other countries.

Winner: The winner will be selected using an electronic random generator, however, I have also included a special caveat.  Please note that I will select one comment that I consider to be the "best" and that persons name will be entered 5 additional times, thereby increasing their odds at winning.

How to Play:

1. Read some of the posts from the list below.
2. Comment on a minimum of 5 different posts, individually.
3. Complete by October 29th. All who have commented on atleast 5 of the blog posts listed below, between NOW and Friday at 8PM, will have their name entered in to the drawing.
4. *Comments MUST relate to the post, be more than a few words, and at the very least a sentence. Comments should obviously be reflective of the content of the post, show value, offer varying viewpoints and/or simply speak to what was of interest to the reader*
5. To emphasize point #4 even further, I will be selecting a "best" comment and the author of that comment will have their name entered an additional 5 times. ("Best" does not necessarily translate to flattery.  To be considered "best" I will be looking for comments that offer additional value and viewpoint to the topic).
6. Winner will be chosen and announced by 5PM on Halloween.   [Please see very bottom for the not-so-fun legal notice pertaining to this contest]

Everyone can find something fun to do with a $200 Visa Gift Card! Enter the contest today and start thinking about the ways you will spend that money!! Be sure to leave your email address (it is not published) that is best to reach you at so that if you are the WINNING NAME I can notify you on Halloween!!

Thank you and good luck!! ~ Sarah

LIST AND LINKS TO BLOG POSTS
Organizing Inspirations: The First Step in Designing Mama's Home (Guest Post)

log Bites: Have You Noticed the Turquoise Trail?

Tuesday's Tips: Party Planning

Blog Bites: Autumn Tablescapes

Interior Inspirations from My Web Favs: Material Girls

Making the Bed: A Guide to the Basics of a Comfortable Rest

Your Guide to Decorating without Color: All-White, Done Right!

Bringing Harmony Into Your Home

Shed-tastic! Your Great Escape is ...where?

Let's Talk: Cash or Credit?

Get In Gear...Or At Least Get It Organized

Interior Inspirations from My Web Favs: Apartment Therapy

Entertaining Alfresco, Part II: Functional Elements

Dining Alfresco in Your Own Backyard

Interior Inspirations from My Web Favs, Part 1: Houzz

The Essential Elements of Spa-tacular Bathrooms

Designer Nurseries Shift Into High Gear by Going Neutral

Finding Your Perfect Mate Part 2: The Styles of Sofas

Chairity: Give them a Second-Chance!

Pride in your Picasso: Decorating with Kids’ Art

Finding Your Perfect Mate Part 1: The Sofa Basics

Add Wow To Your Walls: A Guide to Art Work and Photographs

The Secret To Getting What You Want: A Guide to Buying Carpet

Too Many Toys? Tips for Getting Your Child's Play Space Under Control

Six Ways to Feng Shui in the Kitchen

Make Your Entryway Inviting

Feng Shui in the Bedroom: A Room to Restore You

Go Green with Fabrics!

Slipping into Slipcovers

Refresh, Revitalize, Renew: Upholstery

Sitting Pretty- Outdoors!

Adding Playfulness to Your Room Design

What Does it Mean to be Green?

Jackie Blue Home

LEGAL NOTICE:
Winner will be notified on October 30th, 2010 and has until November 7, 2010 to claim their prize. If winner does not claim prize, a new winner will be selected on November 8, 2010.

We reserve the right to pull comments that we feel are inappropriate, malicious, contain profanities, deemed as spam or are meant in any way to cause harm to the sponsor.

By submitting an entry or accepting a prize, here permitted by law, each winner grants Storibook Designs, and those acting pursuant to the authority of Storibook Designs, the irrevocable right to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use, in any media the entry and winner’s name as news, publicity or information and for trade, advertising, public relations and promotional purposes.

Finding Your Perfect Mate Part 2: The Styles of Sofas

In our previous post, "Finding the Perfect Mate", we brushed up on the basics of sofa construction - ins and outs of what to look for and know before buying.  As a review of those points, I found a perfect illustration from C.R. Laine, detailing the anatomy of what goes into a fine quality piece of furniture:

Photo: C.R. Laine

But I know, what you really want to do now is start shopping!! You know what you need to look for structurally, now your challenge will be to decide on the style that will look and function best for you and your home.

Things you need to think about: back cushions, arm height and size, seat styles and base.... do you want a skirt? Decorative legs? These elements, along with fabric selection, alter the "feel" of a piece, taking it from a contemporary, edgy piece to one that may be more traditional or tailored.

Variations in the shape of the back of the sofa change both the style appeal as well as comfort.

• A tight back is an upholstered back without removable cushions. It can provide an elegant, tailored or formal look to the sofa. It is often used for modern and contemporary pieces.
• Pillow-back sofas have cushions that are detached or semi-attached, creating a soft, casual look. This type of back is comfortable and great for areas of high-use and relaxed entertaining.
• A tufted back offers added elegance, giving much more luxurious and formal appeal.  I often think of a tufted sofa as a timeless classic, perfect for a library or office. Upholstering it in a bright turquoise with raspberry accents changes that theory though!

 Photo: Couch

The seat of the sofa has similar composition and terminology to the back.

• A tight seat has no individual cushions. It most often is more tailored and sleek and less ideal for lounging or relaxing.  Although, as seen above, there are always exceptions!.
• A loose seat is the most comfortable type of seat and the most common seen in rooms where comfort is the primary concern. A word of caution when purchasing leather: a quality sofa will have leather on both sides of the cushion.  I have seen instances where a heavy-weight muslin is used on the underside - it reduces cost/price.  The problem with this is that you will never be able to flip the cushions. You want to be able to flip your cushions!
• A single cushion allows a look close to that of a tight seat but with the comfort of a cushion. The drawbacks to this style are that the fabric can sometimes buckle in the middle the cushion can pop up on one side when you sit on the other if it is not dense enough. It is much easier to provide stability to smaller cushions than one large one. If you decide to buy a single cushion, I recommend a firm density for the insert to allow the cushion to maintain its shape.

Photo: HGTV

A change in the arm styling creates a completely different silhouette to a sofa.  Though sometimes not seen as obvious a consideration as the back and seat of a sofa, the arms are an essential part in creating the "look" as well as the amount of space the pieces takes up in a room.  Some squared and rolled arms, for example, can create a heavier look, both in appearance and actual measures.

Photo Capture: Sherrill Furniture

The skirt or lack thereof is also an important element of style.

• A skirt can give a sofa a traditional appearance, yet within the category of skirts, we can have everything from a tailored conservative skirt to one that is much more feminine. Kick pleats, box pleats, and dressmaker skirts all create different looks.

 Photo: Duralee Fine Furniture

• Exposed legs can also run the gamut of styles. Squared wooden or metal legs can appear contemporary, modern and clean-lined, while carved wood and casters can cross lines of traditional to retro.

Photo: House to Home

Six of the basic sofa styles most often seen on showroom floors include the English, Tuxedo, Camel-back, Chesterfield, Lawson and Mid-century Modern.  

• English Sofa: The English sofa typically has a tight back and loose seat cushion, with a roll to the arm and a back that has a slight curve away from the front. When you sit in an English sofa, you will notice that you sit back in it. Though you can certainly have an English sofa made with a skirt, traditionally only casters are seen.

Photo: House Beautiful
• Tuxedo Sofa: If you are in the market for a contemporary sofa with lasting appeal, the Tuxedo could be the perfect fit. The Tuxedo’s arm seem to blend into the back as they all come to the same height. With extremely clean lines and a modern yet timeless feel, the Tuxedo sofa is a sophisticated choice.

 

Photo: Storibook Designs

• Camel-back Sofa: One of the most traditional sofa styles, the Camel-back, also referred to as a Chippendale, dates back to 18th Century London and the furniture maker Thomas Chippendale. The serpentine curve on its tight back is its distinguishing feature.

 Photo: Martin Tharp

• Chesterfield Sofa: For your office or library, an iconic choice would be the Chesterfield upholstered in leather. Tufting throughout the back, and sometimes seat, the Chesterfield is the quintessential masculine sofa.

Photo: Apartment Therapy  
• Lawson Sofa: The Lawson has a low squared off back, with lower square or rolled arms. Usually seen in loose seat and loose back, the Lawson sofa is a comfortable choice for a family room and is seen with or without skirts.

 Photo: Baer's

• Mid-Century Modern Sofa: This sofa looks like it would be at home in a space with retro appeal. The clean, square lines seem to float on thin legs giving it a sophisticated and streamlined, yet fun, look.

 

Photo: Spacify

I could continue this already very long post, however I think I've covered a lot of ground! You see the point:  no matter what your taste, style, or needs, there is sure to be a combination of back, seat, arms, and skirt that will look fabulous in your room!

I hope you have a better idea of what to look for in a quality piece and this has helped you to hone in more closely on what you like.  Happy shopping!