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Another vote for the darker tweed. As a single person, I always had white or very light colored furniture and never had problems with dirt or staining. But then I got married. And then I got a dog. We don't even have kids, but the dog alone has made me wish for a darker sofa, or at least a leather one that is easier to clean.

Microfiber is really easy to clean, so if you choose that one it won't be an issue!

Personally I love the microfiber sofa...and it costs less!! :)

I have a pale beige micro seude couch, and yes, it is very easy to clean, and everything comes off it.

But it doesn't clean itself, and every mark shows up.

With the couch on the right, then either (a) your couch will look dirty most of the time with a few marks on it or (b) you will need to clean random marks off it every couple of days.

Either will be fine if you treat them with a stain resistant spray. Although its gorgeous, I would think the button tufting detail will be a trap for crumbs, dirt, stains etc and more difficult to clean.

I really prefer the look of tweed, it's gorgeous. But consider they type of use it will get. Looking good in a magazine vs. looking good after 5 years of use and kids is a different story. Microfiber is basically indestructable.

those are very pretty sofas! i prefer the darker one solely on looks...it's a sexy sexy piece of seating! :)

Bobby - Most furniture makers will let you order your sofa in whatever fabric you want. You should never have to "settle" for what a sofa "comes in". Almost any reputable maker these days gives you tons of choices.

That said, personally I like the button tufted style on the rught (the lighter one). I think it's more of a classic and will be less dated with time.

Don't worry about button tufting being hard to clean - it only takes a few extra seconds when you vaccuum the sofa.

There are great stain prevention treatments out there. The store will coat the sofa for you if you ask, for a small fee.

If you want the ultimate in easy care though, consider leather. Since you're already considering an $1800 sofa, you can get a well made leather sofa in around that range - and I've seen nice leather sofas just like those at Gus Modern that you like.

If you do consider leather, avoid Natuzzi like the plague. They use rubber bands for suspensions and I've never seen a Natuzzi look good for more than 5 years. Also avoid "bi-cast" leather like the plague. It looks terrible after a couple of years because the coating cracks - the coating also keeps the leather from breathing and it'd miserable to sit on, more like plastic. Also, bicast is made from inferior grades of leather, called "splits", not true top-grain.

I love leather since all you have to do is wipe it with a damp cloth and any dirt just comes right up (there are stain prevention products for leather too). Since leather breathes it's always comfortable - temperature wise, and adjusts to your body temperature in seconds - there's an old myth that leather is cold in winter or hot in summer, that isn't true with good leather. Leather is a "poor person's" upholstery because it lasts virtually forever if you take care of it.

If Gus Modern won't let you customize the sofa, I'd go somewhere else. There are lots of great sofa makers out there.

These come close :

http://www.americanleather.com/Products/SofasAndLoveseats/Velero.asp

http://www.classic-leather.com/Pages/Print%20Pages/11333.htm


One last thing - for that money, you should be getting 8-way hand-tied coil suspensions. Ask them, since their web site doesn't say. Sinous springs aren't nearly as comfortable as good old hand tied coil springs.

As a personaly preference, I'd go for the tweed. It's more classic. I hate the way microfibres show every touch or movement (I'm not sure how to word that... if you've sat on a microfibre sofa, you'll know what I mean).

That first sofa was the subject of a very similar Good Question last month; you may want to read those responses as well:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/good-questions/good-questions-light-or-dark-fabric-on-this-sofa-020489

boomer--

The jury is really out on 8-way versus sinuous these days. The thinking is changing. Especially since you can have a crappy hand-ti-er... and once a tied spring "goes", it's gone...

And Gus does offer a variety of fabrics, if I'm not mistaken. It just may add to cost or turnaround (as it also does if you go "off menu" anywhere else.)

And re: "for that money"... what do you consider a deal on a sofa? Cuz that ain't bad, to me.

Bobby--

If you are in NYC, don't forget to mention AT when you buy... they are running a 10% off offer for AT readers from their NY location. But the offer expires mid-May.

Oh we are back to the classic micofiber vs fabric debate! I'm with Arza on this one. I hope you go with the sophisticated tweed! I just don't understand the popularity of microfiber. No matter how durable it always looks so odd to me.

Personally, I feel that mircofiber will look dated very soon. And from what I hear, manufacturers are starting to move away from it. If I had my choice, i'd take the sofa on the right, in a tweed (if possible). It reminds me of the orginal Florence Knoll sofa. Can't go wrong with a design that hasn't changed in over 50 years and is still being sold today!

I'll add my two cents. I have a microfiber sofa and almost got a tweed one. I think either sofa will be great durability and cleaning wise. I chose the microfiber one only cuz it was cheaper and it went better with my decor. So with quality and ease of cleaning aside, I'd say choose the one that looks the best in your room!

I completely agree with arza. I have a microsuede sofa in white and I kind of regret it. It shows shadows of where the pile has been moved around. I know that sounds weird. But anyone with microsuede knows what I am talking about. Go with the tweed on the Jane if you like that style best.

Patrick -

There's really no debate. I should have said it's personal preference. Sinous springs are very firm, there's no give to them.

Reputable companies with good warranties (like the links I provided and most others) don't employ "crappy" hand tie-ers.

Coil springs can easily be retied. Ask an expert upholsterer. I use the best upholsterer in the Portland (OR) area, they specialize in antiques, and he said he's never seen a bad coil spring except in the case where a piece was badly stored and the springs just rusted.

I have a collection of classic antiques, one of which is an 18th century Duncan Phyfe sofa, with coil springs and they're all in great shape.

Personally I think 8-way hand tied is the ultimate in luxury seating. But you should buy what feels best to you.

But don't fall for the myth that coil springs are somehow more likely to fail, it's just not true, and I have a nice collection of furniture to back that up.

I didn't imply that the sofa was over the top expensive or cheap. It's a good price for a well made sofa (I paid $2400 for a custom one). I was simply saying that for roughly the same money, the $1800 range that those sofas are in, that Bobby could easily get a good quality sofa in leather. That's all.

Here's a great example of the various methods. Use your own judgment about which is best. I prefer 8-way hand tied but to each their own. If you like a very firm seat with no give, then you'll like sinous springs and high density foam cushions.

http://www.leatherfurniturecompany.com/constr.htm

Okay don't laugh, but whenever I see sofa #2 up there I see the Michelin Man.

I would go for sofa #1, in tweed, the darker option. Lighten it up with a few bright throw pillows. It's not that dark anyway, but the lighter option may become one of those items that you sit on, but you're never really comfortable on because you fear ruining it somehow.

Just my two cents.

Holly

Oh and I am with a few of the others on this one, I don't like microfiber either simply because it feels icky on my skin, especially in the summer when it's hot outside (I don't have central A/C).

I like the tweed better; I think it will wear better, and to me, as expensive an item as a couch just really, really needs to wear well AND be comfortable. I like the feel of tweed, and I like the fact that it won't show dirt as badly.

You don't say where you live, but I think that if you live in the city, there WILL be soot in the air, and that, unless you manage to maintain operating room conditions in your apartment there is going to be some dulling of that white, and if you're lucky, it will only turn slightly grey and evenly at that, but I wouldn't even bet on that.

If you get the tweed, you'll at least avoid some of that.

Or, get what you like and put a washable throw over the couch when something bad is likely to happen. I made one from the 80-inch wide canvas that Pearl Paint sells. This has saved our couch from all kinds of mishaps.

I prefer Microfiber because it is easier to take care of and easier to clean. It also has a very rich look to it. Check out the online store www.ILikeFurniture.com. They have some nice sofas too, and great color choices.

I won't fall for the "coils will fail" (which I did not say, btw) argument, if you don't preach that sinuous springs are inferior, automatically.

It is a matter of preference, yes, but respectable manufacturers like Mitchell Gold don't always go the hand-tied route these days. The thinking *is* shifting.

And I, too, would trust an antique's construction... but perhaps more than those same coils in a brand-new piece.

As the parent of two preschoolers, avoid the microfiber or any fabric that does not have some pattern or texture to it. Setting aside which may be easier to clean, the tweed will hide crumbs, stains, spills, etc. far better until you get around to vacuuming, cleaning, etc. I think a tweed would be great for hiding the inevitable kid-mess (and anything else). The microfiber, while maybe easier to clean, will likely highlight every spill, drop and ink stain, no matter what color it is.