Disclaimer: I received a discount from Article on our couch in exchange for this post and posts on my Instagram. However, the content below is an honest review. The article was originally posted on my blog OurFiftiesFixerUpper.com in April 2018 and was updated November 2018.
We have loved our updated living room, but we were missing one thing: comfortable couches. We had purchased a set of couches back when we rented our first apartment together, but since we didn’t have much money to spend at the time, they weren’t exactly high quality. Within a year or two of owning them, the cushions were squished down and you could even feel the frame if you sat in a certain position for awhile. We knew we needed an upgrade badly… but didn’t know what we liked.
Enter Instagram…. thanks to that lovely world of endless design inspo, I discovered Article through some of my favorite ‘grammers and bloggers. I browsed their site one day and immediately fell in love with their Timber Sofa in Charme tan leather. I still remember sitting on our (uncomfortable) couch with Josh and showing him the photo on our computer. It was one of those “babe, look at thiiiiisss….. maybe somedayyyy….” type of conversations where you bring something up to put the bug in your husband’s ear but deep down you know you’re going to do everything you can to make it happen.
Well, I’m proud to say I did make it happen, even if it took a few months to get there. Josh agreed that we desperately needed a new couch and ended up approving of the Timber Sofa after my very convincing “sales pitch.” I showed him all of the pictures from the website, read a few of the many positive reviews, described the high quality, buttery soft leather and down-filled cushions, midcentury modern style, discussed the quality and price when compared to similar styles from other retailers, and told him about low-interest financing options. I told him it would be an “investment item” that we’ll have for years- which I know is true!
After quite a few double shifts at work (one of the benefits of being a nurse- if you want extra money, just put in a few more hours!), we agreed we were in a good spot to order the couch. It came within 2 weeks of ordering, which was impressive to me. Delivery to our door was cheap, at $49. I brought it into the house and assembled it myself which took about an hour. I could’ve paid an extra $100 to have it delivered inside (see more info here), but if you’ve learned anything about me by now you know that I’m all about saving money, and it was easy enough for me to move inside by myself.
The couch is truly as beautiful in person as it is in the photos on their website! It’s low-maintenance (no need for oiling!) and designed to have a worn-in, comfortable, welcoming look. A concern I had when doing research was whether or not it would be pet-friendly since we have a dog and a cat. I emailed the company and the representative was very helpful and assured me that this sofa was one of their most pet-friendly options, due to the high quality of the leather and the overall worn-in look. Sure enough, it has lived up to that. The cushions are removable so they’re able to be rotated so they don’t get squashed down over time when Dexter lays in the same spot and looks out the window. It’s also easy to take them out to get in and clean out the pet hair or popcorn kernels or whatever else falls between the cushions! Percy, our cat, doesn’t claw at the leather, unlike our fabric furniture we own. Dexter jumps on and off the couch often and his claws haven’t damaged it at all.
The other major pro is it’s size- Josh is 6’3″ and is able to fully lay down and stretch out, which he hasn’t been able to do before! It’s also deep enough for both of us to lay on and snuggle at the same time, which is something we’ve never been able to do either. Not to mention, it’s so incredibly comfortable- it’s absolutely perfect for a long Netflix binge!
I’d highly recommend an Article item- whether it’s our couch or a different one, you can’t go wrong with your investment. It has been the finishing touch on our living room that we desperately needed and we couldn’t be happier! Do yourselves a favor and shop our couch or others on their website!
Update November 2018 (8 months into owning): I am often asked how our sofa has held up since we purchased it last spring. I would still definitely recommend it, but it’s not for everyone. It is definitely true to it’s description in that it has a “lived in look.” The leather is soft and does scratch easily- Dexter has put quite a few scratches in the seats and back cushions. However, they’re not penetrating scratches and only affect the overall coloring. The leather is very sturdy and comfortable. We have not run into any stains with it where it needed to be cleaned. I love that I’m able to fully remove the cushions to clean them and rotate them. The back cushions do get “squashed” by Dexter and Percy sitting on them, but they fluff up nicely as they’re part down feathers. The comfort is incredible- the leather is warm and soft and the cushions are supple and welcoming. The sofa still looks great and photographs well, and the midcentury modern style is timeless! The photos with the lighter rug as seen above were taken most recently, so you can see directly how it’s held up! We still love it and have zero regrets!
Update October 2020: After owning this sofa for a couple of years, I have to say that my post back in November 2018 still holds pretty true! Honestly, our dog Dexter uses it more than we do, just due to our living room configuration. The cushions are definitely worn, but do clean up quite nicely with some leather conditioner. (Here’s what I use.) The couch is still very comfortable and has a relaxed, lived-in look. Again, if you are not into the look of relaxed leather, or if you have children or large dogs, this might not be the couch for you. If you’re looking for an affordable midcentury leather sofa and you can deal with a few scratches and/or stains, and some slouchy cushions (that do fluff up nicely), this couch IS for you. The photos below are what it currently looks like- I haven’t conditioned the leather in a couple of months, but should definitely add it to my to-do list. Up close, it’s in rough shape, but still looks pretty good from a distance! So the big question is… would I buy it again? This question is a little hard to answer, because my style has changed… I am leaning less midcentury and more traditional with my style these days. I would specify this sofa for a client project as long as I knew my client would approve of the lived-in look. For our own home, I would certainly consider other pieces of furniture with this leather, such as an ottoman or chair!
