BrittanyMakes

Hey friends! Guess. What. I got a FREE sofa! And not just any sofa, a pretty French sofa! It's actually amazingly ugly, and has all the potential in the world to be gorgeous.  I can't believe I got it for free!  Here she is…

 

 

She's so awesome, right? FREE! I have to thank my Gram, she is the only reason I could make this happen. 

The first time I spotted the couch was this last Saturday. I was on the last leg of my run, passing my neighbor's house just down the street from our house.  I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the couch on my neighbor's front lawn.  Obviously they're getting rid of it, I must see how much they're selling it for.  There was a piece of paper pinned to the cushion, flipped upside down from the breeze.  I flipped it over hoping for something like $75.  I think I could talk my BF into $75.  FREE!?! No. Freakin. Way.

I stood there for about 10 minutes and guarded the couch from any potential thieves.  I sent a picture to my BF, called him and told him all about it.  His reply? "We have no room."  :(  This, I already knew.  We have absolutely no place to store it, no place at all.  I'm pushing my limits already by storing a few pieces in our shared living spaces.  There's zero room in the garage, my roommate parks his car there.  We cannot leave it out in the back or front yard, I cannot afford a storage unit… I thought to myself, 'what am I going to do?! I MUST have this couch!' Sad, depressed, and unmotivated to finish my run, I moped back to our house. 

I thought about the couch ALL day and night.  I wished and wished that no one would take it.  I wished my BF would magically find some place for us to store it. The next day, I went to visit my family in Sonoma and told them all about the free couch.  Then, from the graces of the universe, my Gram casually said "you can store it here!" I couldn't believe it! I immediately called my BF, who was home alone, and told him the good news and begged him to rescue the couch from our neighbor's yard.  He called me an hour later and said, "no one was home to help me!" He had walked down to our neighbors, heaved the couch on his back, and marched all the way back to our house all by himself.  He carried a 6 foot couch on his back, and not just across the street, but down an entire block.  I would have loved to see that in person. 

He's my hero.

OK, let's get looking at the details…

Gah! I can't begin to tell you how much I hate diamond tufting.  I'm not even sure why I hate it so much.  Maybe it's because it's SO gothic, and the fact it's usually paired with floral or girlie prints like this.  Complete opposites, if you ask me.  This detail will have to go.

 

 

The cushions are removable, with zippers on the back.  Which means, this couch isn't ancient, and also means the fabric has been washed so much the already light print has faded to near white.  The cushions are so clean it ends up highlighting the filthy back.

 

 

The wood is in pretty good condition, despite the ugly speckles and streaks of something dark.  Was that a trend at some point? Speckled wood? I plan to sand and paint or stain the crap out of it, so I wont have to ponder speckled wood for too long.

 

 

I've been particularly giddy since Sunday.  I've been all over the internet, searching high and low for inspiration on how to remodel my free couch.  You can actually follow my Pinterest pinboard and see all the looks I find inspirational.  Here are a few of my favorites:

 

I like the natural look of this piece, upholstered in a stiff canvas-y burlap, or even a softer linen.  I'm also a fan of the nail head trim.  It adds a modern and slightly masculine flair to the piece, which I think my BF would agree to.  Consider this the modern option.

 

 

I am seriously considering a dark upholstery, like this grey-ish brown color.  If I decide to keep the couch, versus selling it, I have to think practically.  My dogs love to jump on the furniture when we're not looking, and with my luck, they'll do it on a rainy day with muddy feet. Also, I love the single seat cushion.  In my opinion, 3 cushions make this type of couch look too lumpy.  A single cushion is much more attractive.  So, let's call this is the practical and sleek option.

 

 

Every blogger I follow is head over heels for Annie Sloans Chalk Paint.  Apparently only the cool peeps know it as ASCP.  Really? We're abbreviating it? Thanks.  This makes all the newbies, like me, feel dumb when they have to look it up, only to find a Pharmacist society.  Anyway, this is the chalk paint trim option.  Not sure if I could commit to blue, but definitely a beige or old white.

 

 

I love the color contrast on this guy.  Dark stained trim and crisp white upholstery, this is my BF's favorite.  I LOVE the smooth back.  I will for sure get rid of the diamond trim and smooth the back out like this piece.  Is the white upholstery practical? No siree.  This is the classic option.

Drum roll please…..

 

 

So far, this is my number 1 choice.  A dark, sandy, sorta dusty rose colored burlap upholstery over an old white chalk paint trim, I love it.  It may be difficult to picture this on my couch, but I think its perfect.  Thank you Miss Mustard Seed, you're so inspirational!

I would love to hear what you think! Do you hate diamond tufting as much as I do? Should I paint the trim, or stain it? Should I choose more traditional upholstery, or completely modernize the piece with a bold pattern?