apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

room and board options...

http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/dept.do?dept=RB183&page=all

or, you could go the sectional route there, but just don't add any other pieces... this is really comfy--

http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/prod.do?pfid=481631&grp=RB2169-1&grpType=0&collid=RB2169&collname=Dawson%20in%20Bison&dept=RB103

-kellen

Comfy small couches are so hard to find. 6 months ago I got the one armed loveseat NEO from DWR.http://www.dwr.com/productdetail.cfm?id=5734 Perfect:73 inches, loungable, hansome.

Then my cats decided to shreded it. I have since learned that the only fabric's impervious to cats nails are ultrasuade (not a fan) and velvet. I wish I had scavengered a cheap old couch and reupolstered it in a greyish/blusish/geenish velvet. Hope my $$$ mistake helps!

Maxwell, I guess you are throwing this question straight to the masses... And it just so happens I've had this on my mind ever since moving into the pivoting perfection. Not only is my space small like Janet's, but the doorway into my building is really tight also.

A potential solution is to build a unit very much like you might find in an Andrew Geller beach house, something that might do double duty as a sofa but also include storage either underneath or behind... the Wegner Daybed is a perfect example. Including cable management behind is also a key consideration.

Comfort is always the question... These systems are often nothing more than padded benches, which are not really sofas, are they?

By the way, there is a restaurant on 22nd Street... Kitchen 23. Great padded benches with LED lighting incorporated into the back... Sorry I have no pic, but it could be good inspiration.

Please let us know what you decide to go with!

Maybe look for a chaise longue or a day bed instead of a traditional sofa or futon couch. A deep bench next to a wall (could use some sort of low shelving unit for dual-purpose) covered with comfy pillows could also be a good small space subsitute for seating.

I have something similar to this twin sofa sleeper that I bought at a local modern furniture store for about $600:

http://snipurl.com/tejg

I'm sure that you can find something similar much cheaper than the R&B version. I bought mine when I lived in a tiny apartment. It was great having a spare bed, and I loved it as a couch. The only advice I'd give is to 1) avoid a pillowback sofa -- the pillows break down with everyday use -- and 2) flip the cushions regularly so the seat doesn't wear out.

Good luck!

Your bike is the 500 pound Gorilla. How about getting a folding bike like the Brompton (folds the smallest) or the Swift Folder (maybe the best performer)? In contrast to earlier generations of folders, both are great rides and store easily. Both are available at various places in NYC. For example, Bfold carries both (as well as Bike Friday and other candidates). I have the Swift, which sits unobtrusively in the corner of my "office", next to my desk.

Once the bike is tucked away, you'll have a lot more seating options.

I live in a vintage house (in CT) full of windows I don't want to block with furniture and small rooms. The sofa I found that fit, absolutely inadvertently, was a piece of a sectional. It's smaller than a loveseat or apartment couch. The only caveat is that one end has to butt up to a piece of furniture (table, chest) that is higher than the seat level of the sofa since one end of the sofa won't have an arm. I lined mine up with a square table and rested an extra pillow against the table.

Check out CB2 - Crate and Barrel's version of Ikea (and better quality, in my opinion).

http://www.cb2.com

This may sound lame, but Pier 1 always has compact two seaters, and more often than not they fold out (or roll out) into a full bed for overnight guests. The last one I saw was a dark navy blue denim (a material I've had and that is fairly durable) and was about $600. They're usually under 800, like the Alli apartment sofa, which is actually quite lovely. I hope this helps Janet!

I got a green velvet love seat at Ikea that comes in several parts and I was able to carry it home and put it together to fit into my narrow row house. The inside is made of some kind of sturdy foam plastic. I really like it because it has comfy rounded arms -- it is 63 inches but low and doesn't take up much visual space. A 30" cot mattress/daybed on low (8") legs or a platform is what I would suggest, otherwise.

I meant to add -- I got it to replace that horrible wooden futon frame. No one ever sat on the futon because it was too uncomfortable.

Check Apt at apt-ny.com.

I think futons work well with cats: You can replace the cover if you need to, and the expense won't set you back an arm and a leg. What do you want to use the seating for? For guests? For yourself? Depending on usage, chairs might be a better solution. I do like the idea of a twin-size futon on a platform attached to eight-inch legs, a sort of chaise/cot thingy.

Before buying any furniture, I would seriously straighten and declutter. By moving, storing and/or getting rid of things, you might have room for serious seating. I think your space could use some color. I think the table size is fine, but I think the surface could be cleared (at least a little) and I'm not thrilled about the tablecloth.

Is all of your overhead lighting flourescent? If so, I would try to avoid using the overhead lighting as much as possible. It's nice to be able to turn on a lamp when you walk in the front door. I'd put a small lamp on the kitchen table. I think the end table stuffed in the corner with the tiny lamp could be used more effectively elsewhere.

For sofas -- visit the Housing Works Thrift Shop on 23rd St near Lex. That's where I scooped up a good-as-new Mitchell Gold "Ava" style couch for $275 last spring. It was only one of many pretty decent-looking couch choices.

Okay -- sorry to interject a slightly off-topic question, but I've been scouring the site to find reference to the bike storage bar like the one in the first photo -- but I can't find the discussion on AT that I'm sure I remember from a few months back (or am I fabricating the memory? yikes!) Anyway, what's the name of that system (it's a pressure bar, yes? or is it screwed into ceiling and floor?) and who makes it?

I too am looking for inexpensive seating/sleeping options. Here's the cheaper, "dorm-living" option from Target:
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_2/601-8136723-1455334?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000F3DI7Y

And another from Dania (outta Seattle, but cool for inspiration):
http://www.daniafurniture.com/?page=shop/flypage&page_back=shop/browse&offset=0&keyword=kiel&product_id=1318&category_id=7a7b7fd56cdb0ace8aa2d568aa79c202

If you squint real hard it looks more expensive :0)

dont fault me for this, the design is thoughtful.
the material execution...love it, leave it or rebuild it.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4979028

I have an Ikea beddinge frame available for 50 bucks if you are interested. You can get a matress and cover from Ikea. The covers are great and can be washed (despite the instructions) in cold water and no heat in the dryer.

-check out the sofabed from Select Comfort..no bar and it features a queen size mattress which you can customize with your sleep number.

http://www.selectcomfort.com/sofa_beds/sofa_beds.cfm

Rose

Since you're just getting started decor-wise and don't have to work around a lot of beloved furniture, why not try something a bit different? I'd get a couple of twin mattresses and put them directly on the floor, with tons of pillows. Think Matisse in North Africa. You can cover the mattresses with flat sheets and drape them with ikat, Mexican rugs, or whatever textiles you find that look cool but aren't too precious for the kitties. You can also get an inexpensive low table at Pier 1 (maybe even trunks with storage inside) and replace the largish dining table you have now.

If you like the seraglio look, you can also hang some fabric panels to block off unsightly gear. Fabrics go a long way to making a simple room look furnished.

I originally saw this set at Tiny Living in the East Village, and today I found it at Target:

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-1/qid=1153201104/ref=sr_1_1/602-8006681-3796628?%5Fencoding=UTF8&asin=B000EX2DR6

It's also available in red and in green.