Distinguishing characteristics of Condo Furniture
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Multi Functional
Why not have an ottoman which can also serve as a coffee table, and which may even have storage, or even a sofa which has built in storage under the seats?
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Storage
A premium commodity in smaller spaces, storage can be created by having a bed with built-in drawers, or an armoire made to fit tight spaces.
Compact
In order to maximize floor space, condo furniture is often not as deep as regular furniture, for example our Boxwood Condo E.T. unit is 5” shallower than our full size. If you are using a flat screen or plasma TV, and if none of the electronic components to your home theatre system exceed 12″, then why bother filling your space with extra cabinetry?
Clean Lines
Visually, it “fills” the same space, it feels clean and light, not busy and fussy.
For example you have the choice of:
a) An ornate traditional oak Buffet and Hutchb) A clean lined contemporary styled maple Server
Both take up the same space. However the maple server will seem not as heavy as the oak piece, since it has a less fussy design, and a tighter finer grain which will appear less visually ‘heavy’.
Lower
In most Condos which typically have smaller rooms and ceilings of 8’, having furniture reaching to the ceiling is not the desired aim. A full size Buffet and Hutch, or large surround entertainment unit may look great in a house with large rooms and high ceilings, however in smaller spaces they can create a claustrophobic feel. Keeping most of your furniture below a 5 ft height line will help to make your room feel lighter and more spacious. Additionally, with wall space frequently limited in a condo and natural light at a premium, blocking windows is not desirable.
How we “Do Condo”
We have our own In-House designed lines of furniture – Boxwood, Tangent, Chesterman & Muse.
Contemporary with clean lines and simplicity of design, they lend themselves perfectly to serve as Condo Furniture. As they are “Our” lines, we can do any size you want.
- We carry many other transitional and contemporary lines for all areas of your home.
- We do substantial Custom Work.
- We work in a variety of woods, but Maple lends itself best to a cleaner look due to their more uniform grain. A wide variety of stain options is available.
- Our furniture has sensibly designed storage, for instance:
- In addition to locally made solid wood furniture we carry a Canadian made steel line which can be all metal, or incorporated with glass or solid wood. It’s lighter feel is perfect for condos.
- Large selection of Steel & Glass Tables – 30”, 36” and 42” heights with seating to match.
- Selection of Sofa lines, focusing on Condo Sizes.
- Not so wide leaving more wall space
- Lower back sofas and chairs, so as not to obscure sight lines and preserve a feeling of openness
- Clean, contemporary designs (not your old Chesterfield)
The objective of ‘condo’ furniture is to have impact with smaller scale, and to do it with style. The goal is to maximize your square footage and functionality, not to make things look like a “miniature” version of house sized furniture. We can help you to find pieces that will meet your needs, just bring in your floor plan, descriptions or samples of your flooring and other furniture, or even just a photo of your space.
What To Look For
When Buying a Sofa
There is no shortage of selection when it comes to buying a sofa. Quality and therefore the potential lifespan of the sofa is difficult to identify when a piece is fully upholstered. It is important to be able to ask where the sofa is actually constructed and to find out how it is put together.
In our experience we have found that North American made sofas generally are better made with materials that meet stricter environmental guidelines, they also tend to have better stitching than an import sofa.
Here we discuss some of the things to look for and to ask about when shopping for upholstered pieces:
Frame
Is the frame made of solid wood?
Some frames are made of particle board which will deteriorate with use. Frames made of solid wood will last much longer, also make sure that the wood is kiln dried so there won’t be any warping or splitting which is something that can happen with green wood.
The construction may also include stapling and gluing; corner blocked frames will ensure that the frame will be solid.
Legs
How are they attached and what are they made of? Legs should be screwed into or onto the frame, and preferably made of either solid wood or metal. Plastic legs can easily crack with use.
Material
Most fabrics used for sofas have a Double Rub Count denoted.
Double Rub Count is a measurement of the durability of the material, the way that the count is determined is by utilizing a mechanized arm to move a piece of heavy cotton cloth across the material. Each back and forth movement is a double rub, this is repeated until there is significant wear, thus the rub count is a great indicator as to the general wear of the fabric. Heavy duty for home use, is anything with a 15,000 or higher double rub count, over 30,000 is considered a great fabric for commercial use.
If your sofa is going to be young children or pets, we will often recommend a fabric with a built in stain protection or a microfiber for easier spot cleaning.
The ‘Sit’
How comfortable a sofa is for you is going to depend on many different factors: seat height and depth, and seat fill. A higher seat, whether due to higher legs or a higher seat deck will generally feel a little firmer and more formal. Generally your weight will be distributed more through the thigh area, creating a more upright sit. A lower seat height is ideal for a more relaxed, lounging position and will give a cushier impression as the weight is more centred through the hips.
There are also many different types of foam and often companies will have a range of choices available from their regular standard foam, to a firmer foam or even options of a foam/feather blend or a feather wrapped foam. For foam inserts, a Dacron wrap will help to ensure that the fabric does not slip over the insert. Foam/feather blends are probably the cushiest, but they can become compressed, and regularly need to be shaken to regain the form. Feather wrapped foam is the best of both worlds, the soft feeling of the feathers, but the low maintenance of the foam as it will not compress.
The Style
This is completely down to personal preference, and we could not even attempt to say that one style is better than another. We can say that there are millions of styles to choose from and the most important factors are that they are well made and comfortable for you!
The Size
When in a store or showroom, most of which may be bigger than your space at home, it is easy to lose perspective on a sofa’s scale. It is important to know the room’s dimensions, what other furniture may be in it, and what other functionality the room may serve. If you need to fit in a couple of occasional chairs or a dining nook, then that will dramatically impact the size of the sofa that will fit.
Other factors that may impact are access into the space, such as where are the doorways, or is there a sliding door, and what will the ‘traffic flow’ be? A sofa that is significantly higher than the window sill may impede your lovely view, or a chaise on a sectional right near a doorway may make it awkward to enter the room. It can be quite helpful to bring a rough sketch of the room’s floorplan and dimensions while shopping along with a photo or two.
Lastly, can the sofa you’ve chosen actually access into the space? By this we mean, does it have to go through a tight corridor with a slight jog? Does it have to go into an elevator or be carried up a stairwell and around a landing or through a narrow doorway? It is important to measure the path of the sofa from the curb to the final spot, especially if the sofa is made to order as it is made specifically for you and is most likely a final sale. Save yourself any unpleasant surprises and double check your access points.
We hope that these ‘pointers’ will help you in your search for the perfect sofa!
Home Planner
You’ve purchased your new home, and now comes the exciting part of moving in and making it yours. Whether you need to refurnish your whole place, or just need a piece or two to complete your décor, these pages are designed to help you identify your needs and to simplify the shopping process. Our team at the Coquitlam and Vancouver stores are also more than happy to assist you in choosing colours, styles or dimensions for your new space.
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Planning your Space
Physical Restrictions
E.g. window above, doorways or alcoves which may dictate size of furniture pieces, traffic flow will also play a factor in what you can fit in your space.
Scale
Relation to the rest of the room and the other existing pieces is important in creating a well put together space. If you aren’t sure what will fit, take measurements, make a template from newspaper, and place on the floor. This will often help you to decide on the maximum size pieces that your room will absorb without overcrowding or impeding traffic.
Colour Scheme
- Floor, Walls, Art and Accessories either current or future will all play a role in bringing together your décor.
- Will you be changing mantles/trim/transitions?
- It is always helpful to have swatches or flooring samples when choosing your furniture.
Lighting
Is the lighting natural or dependant on lighting fixtures?
Ceiling height and accessibility
E.g. does your condo have an 11 ft ceiling height but furniture needs to be brought in via a 7 ft high elevator?
Defining your Style
- Do you prefer Traditional, Transitional, Modern, or Eclectic?
- What is the current space like?
- Are you looking to emphasize or to change what is already there?
- Creating a ‘sample’ or ‘story’ board of looks and colour schemes and textures or materials that you like, are often a great way to define what it is that you want to create.
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Identifying your Lifestyle
Function
- Does it need to be multi functional, e.g. server/bar, ottoman/coffee table, sofa/hide-a-bed?
- Will you be downsizing in the future or do you have a growing family?
Durability
Do you have children, pets, or will this be used mainly just by you?
Green/Eco friendly
- Is it important for you to keep your carbon footprint small, and therefore prefer locally made products?
- Are you wary of toxins, and thus prefer furniture made with low VOC stains and lacquers and natural fabrics?
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Deciding on your Budget
Longevity
- Will this be an item which you are planning to get long term use from?
- Is this a piece that will fill a temporary need, e.g. children’s furniture, and therefore will need to be lower cost?
Quality
Is workmanship and quality important to you in regards to this item?
Custom
Are you looking for something unique to fit a very specific space, or is there something that you’ve always envisioned, but have never been able to find? We can help you to design a piece to fit your space perfectly.
Use this tool to help identify your needs: shopping checklist ‘cheat sheet’
Included are:
- Key things to keep in mind when planning out your new space
- A shopping checklist ‘cheat sheet’