Sucking in my paunch, the unfortunate result of all those IPAs I enjoyed over the 4th of July, I squeezed between the back of the sectional and the wall to get a better view of the sofa our customer wanted to consign.
“Yes,” the woman sighed. “This sectional was a big mistake.”
During the pandemic, when everyone was stuck at home, she’d hatched the idea that her family needed a bigger sectional in the family room. She envisioned the whole family snuggling up for movie night or spending a cozy afternoon together playing games. She found a sectional large enough to accommodate the family, the dogs, and even a couple of stray kids from the neighborhood.
Her custom-made sectional cost thousands of dollars. She waited nearly a year for delivery. The problem was apparent as soon as the sectional was assembled in her family room. It was huge, covering every square inch of the room. One piece had to be separated and wedged in a corner. Walking around the gargantuan sectional took so long that the kids had taken to vaulting over it to get to the stairs.
Family rooms became a major hub of daily life during the pandemic when entire families were quarantined at home. Faced with the prospect of months or years of confinement, many homeowners made the same mistake as our customer. They bought lots of furniture – so much, in fact, that rooms were over-stuffed with upholstery.
At FCG, we’re seeing the flip side of this frantic furnishing. Now, many are seeking to sell the behemoths they bought impulsively. As a result, FCG is getting a major influx of gorgeous, barely used sectionals to fit every room and style.
How do you know how to choose the right sectional so you don’t make the same mistakes? Here are four tips:
- Think about how you use your family room. Because it is so large, a sectional dictates the flow of traffic within the room and possibly even the first floor of your home. A sprawling sectional can be invitingly comfortable or it can dominate the room and create an obstacle to movement. Remember: size and scale are critical concepts in designing a room.
- Is tidiness important to you? Some sectionals come with lots of cushions. Kids love cushions. Leave them alone for a few minutes with a sectional and they’ll create a fortress from cushions. You’ll need hours to find them beneath the heap and even longer to reassemble your sectional. Do you really want to do that every night after putting the tykes to bed? Consider what’s called a tight back sectional. That means there are no unattached cushions.
- Keep it simple. Yes, technically, you could buy a sectional loaded with power reclining seats, extra padding and even cupholders. Fancy options aren’t always a smart idea. Start by keeping the corner of the sectional in the corner of the room. Then, decide where you want the chaise. Should it face the television or the fireplace? Be aware also that some rooms simply can’t accommodate a sectional. That means you should stick with a traditional sofa and some swivel chairs that offer you more flexibility. FCG has lots of options in our showrooms.
- Feeling anxious about such a big decision? Bring a sketch of your room with dimensions to our helpful staffers at Furniture Consignment Gallery. Bring along some photos, too. Our talented staffers will help you decide what sectional would be most appropriate. Best of all, you won’t have to wait months for a custom piece. Choose what’s right for you and your family and our delivery team will promptly place it in your home.