Comfy Reclining Collection...

Sofa Outlet also has an entire collection of ultra-comfortable reclining sofas, loveseats, chairs and sectionals. Many are available with a power option and are offered in hundreds of beautiful leathers and fabrics in a wide variety of colors. Here are a few examples:

 

 

www.sofaoutlet.com & www.bayareacustomsofas.com

 

 

 

Baby, Do We Have You Covered!

 

For all the soon-to-be parents out there, we are here to say that you don’t have to compromise style for functionality when designing that new nursery or kids room. From shabby chic copycat rockers to our large selection of affordable cribs (and organic crib mattresses too!), Sofa Outlet should be your one stop shop for all things baby. 

Check out some design ideas below and come visit us soon!

 

Silver Animal Accent Pieces

 

Artwork

 

 Boy/Girl Nautical Accents

 

 Convertible Cribs with Matching Dressers/Changing Tables

 

 

Swivel/Rocking Chair

Fun Area Rugs

 

www.sofaoutlet.com & www.bayareacustomsofas.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Totally Cubular, Dude!

The cube ottoman is a very versatile piece of furniture. Cubes are small enough to fit into almost any space. They can be grouped together, and yet in an instant can be separated for use in all sorts of ways: storage, seating, footrest, table. The humble cube can be as simple or as extravagant as your imagination. Cubes, in general, are economical. Of course, there are exceptions, but it's very easy to find a cube for under a hundred dollars that will work for you.

Very basic neutral.

Another basic with a hinged top for hassle free storage.

Flip top versatility: Storage, tray top, and additional seating. What more could you ask for?

More colors, YAY!

Dressed up with a nailhead motif!

Covered in Italian leather.

Whimsy...

Hair on hide..

Or... custom made in our fabric or yours. We have 1000's of choices, but if you have something else in mind, feel free to supply your own material. Two yards of 54" fabric will usually do the trick, but it's best to double check fabric requirements for the model that you choose.

Sectionally speaking....

So, you're in the furniture store and you're thinking that you might want a sectional. You're not quite sure, though. Is a sectional appropriate for the space? Do you have enough room for a sectional? Right arm facing... left arm facing... curve, wedge, corner, chaise... What does it all mean?
First of all, understand that at Sofa Outlet we are here to assist. We are happily able to assess your floor plan, and to give our honest opinion about what would work best in your space. If no matter what we say, you still insist on a sectional, we'll make it work for you. As with all of our sofa pieces, we are able to shave off inches in order to fit your space.
More of a DYI kind of person? Great!! Here's a little tutorial on sectional basics.

Components:

One arm sofa, loveseat, chair, etc... Right arm facing, left arm facing
Sofa, loveseat, chair, etc. (with return)
One arm chaise
Square Corner
Square Corner Wedge
Round Corner Wedge

Mechanics:

One arm pieces are exactly as they sound, a return means an extension of the back around the side, . Chaises attach to a one armed pieces, one armed pieces attach to wedges and corners.  Right arm facing means that as you look at the sofa, the arm is on the right. Left arm facing? As you face the sofa, the arm will be on the left. One arms with returns, attach to one arms.

Confused yet? Are you ready to get started? The knee bone's connected to the thigh bone....

Standard configurations include L-Shape and U-Shape. Within those categories, there are variables. For instance, to create a symmetrical L-Shape sectional, a one arm  sofa with return and a one arm loveseat are commonly joined together.  You can also connect a right arm facing sofa to a corner wedge to a left arm facing loveseat. Another way to create a symmetrical L-Shape is to add a left arm sofa to a corner to a right arm sofa. To create a U-shape sectional, you could connect a left arm sofa with return, and armless sofa , and a right arm sofa with return. Another type of U-Shape could be created with a right arm chaise, an armless sofa, and a left arm chaise. Another U -Shape could be created with a left hand sofa with return, an armless sofa, and a left arm chaise, or, two chaises connected to an armless sofa.

When creating a U -Shape, it's important to make sure that the center piece is long enough to leave adequate room to maneuver or to place a coffee table or ottoman. The minimum length we suggest is 50".

And, speaking of measurements, be sure before you buy! Take a good measurement of your space, and bring them when you when you come down. Sectionals have a sneaky way of looking much smaller than they are when sitting pretty in out 7000 foot showroom.

Wow! Maybe a picture is worth a thousand words. To help you visualize,  here are a few schematics to help you get started:

 

Bring your measurements and come on down to Sofa Outlet this weekend and let us help you design the sectional of your dreams.

Winging it

The wing chair is an enduring furniture design that dates back to late 1600s England. Wings first started appearing on settees in public houses as a way to block cold drafts generated from opening doors. Not long after, wings made their appearance on upholstered high backed chairs in home parlors, and were quite common by the 1720's. Wings served in homes in variety of ways, blocking drafts, holding in warmth, and protection from very hot hearth fires. But wingchairs, even with the advent of modern heating and insulation, remain a standard fixture in modern decorating schemes. Their unique design provides interest and their imposing height takes the room from one flat plane to varied levels.
Wing chairs can lend an old world elegance, or a mid century vibe, dependent only on your style esthetic. 

An early model of the wing chair looks more like punishment than comfort!

 Tufted club chair with wings, understated elegance great for sipping cognac!

Delicate curves with a feminine flair, great for the dressing room.

Absolutely beautiful, linen and wood.

Plantation Style

White leatherette, classic styling, nail heads, all at a great price!

Similar styling, but available in thousands of fabrics!

Choose your fabric again on this contemporary wing chair.

Ooh la la! Madmen Madness!

High Gloss Brings High Glamour

 Lacquer finish, with it's high intensity shine, adds a touch of drama to any room. Brightly colored pieces, as well as those in stark white, add interest to any decorating scheme. The smooth and glossy texture of lacquer is nice relief amid a sea of natural fibers and homier textures. Look at some of the beautiful pieces we now have available.

What to expect when you're expecting leather.

We've all heard the old saw, "If it's sounds too good to be true, it probably is." Such is the case when buying leather furniture.

At Sofa Outlet, we believe that when you set out to purchase leather furniture, that's what you should get. There are a lot of posers out there in leatherland, often with catchy leather sounding names designed to mislead: Leatherette, Bi-Cast Leather, Bonded leather.

Once upon a time, my brother in law convinced his daughter, my niece, that the Naugahyde bench in the dentist's office came from an animal called the Nauga. Most of us aren't as gullible as a five year old hanging on the word of the father they adore. For instance, we already know that leatherette, like Naugahyde, has absolutely nothing to do with leather. It's a fake.

However,  as we wade deeper into leatherland, the demarcation between what's true and what's made up becomes a bit blurred. Bi-cast leather, for instance, is sometimes billed simply as leather, but there is more to the story. Bi-cast is made by slicing inferior cowhides, which would normally be useless as leather, into thin veneers. These slices are then coated with pigmented PVC and embossed to resemble the texture of leather.  The upside of bi-cast leather is it's affordability. The down side is that it is more PVC than leather, it is prone to cracking and peeling, and does not offer the soft supple hand of a true top grain leather. It can be easily identified by the strong chemical odor that it emits. (This can dissipate over time, so be sure to look for other clues of leather authenticity.)

Next, enter Bonded Leather. This product was designed with one goal in mind, and that is to mislead. Bonded leather is created by taking a thin, filmy carrier fabric and coating it with Polyurethane that is made to resemble leather. On the flip side, an adhesive is applied to which leather shavings are bonded. Hence, bonded leather, and the opportunity to associate the word leather to a product which is little else than plastic coated fabric.

Ok, so you've eliminated the fakes, now what? It's just leather right? Sorry... Wrong! All leathers are not created equally. There are still a couple of ways that we can be duped into paying leather prices for not quite leather. One of those ways is a fairly common industry practice in which leather is applied to all the "touch surfaces", and leatherette or some variation of faux leather is applied around the backs and sides of the furniture. This practice is known as leather match or leather mate. Again, this practice does help to lower the cost, but who wants a half leather sofa?

Split leather is another way to reduce cost to the consumer, but split leather is a practice in which inferior hides are shaved into veneers much like in the production of bi-cast leather.  To give the appearance of full grain leather, it is then painted and embossed. Unfortunately, it does not have the same durability a full grain hide, nor does it afford the luxurious look and feel of a true top grain leather.

Now that you know, you have decided to move on with a leather purchase. What should you look for? That depends upon what sort of utility you seek. Italian hides are generally acknowledged to be the industry gold standard. Top grain Italian leathers are graded according to their quality. Quality, however, should not be equated with durability. Top grain leather is the most durable of all upholstery coverings. It can last a lifetime and longer.

Leather is graded by the condition of the hides in their natural state. Higher grades (and hence, more expensive grades) originate from animals whose life was on the calm side. There will be less evidence of scarring from barbed wire and fighting, less bug bites. This type of leather is either left in it's natural color or aniline dyed. Aniline dying is a process in which the  hide is completely submerged and the dye is allowed to fully penetrate. Left as is, without additional emollients, the color is subdued and translucent, allowing the natural beauty of the leather to shine through. As a result, these hides, while beautiful, can be a bit challenging to care for. We recommend that these higher grade leathers are utilized in living rooms, for side chairs, and other furniture pieces that take less of a day to day beating.

While it  may seem counterintuitive, the lower grades of leather are more resilient and better for high use living, great for use in recliners, family room sofas, and ottomans. Because these hides are "corrected" you have the advantage of choosing from a larger color selection.

At Sofa Outlet we carry the full line of Omnia Leather. All Omnia hides are hand selected from herds raised in Northern Italy. The advantage of using hides from a colder climate is that they are thicker and therefore better insulated. Better insulated hides means more comfortable leather. They hold the room temperature and are easily brought to body temperature in just a few minutes of sitting.

Omnia sofas are California made. The turn around time is 6 to 8 weeks, and the quality of the product is unsurpassed.  The engineering that goes into each and every Omnia piece is phenomenal. This attention to detail affords a comfortable sit for every item of furniture that they manufacture. They feature kiln dried hardwood frames and are supported with a sinuous spring system. They carry a lifetime warranty. We are proud to carry Omnia Leather, and welcome you to come down and give them a sit.

www.sofaoutlet.com  www.bayareacustomsofas.com