If you know me and have followed me for awhile, you know that I am a major Article fan. I have several pieces from them and have loved each and every one. Not to mention, I’ve sourced dozens of chairs, sofas, tables, you name it, for clients and have never had a complaint. So, it’s no surprise that I have yet another piece from them, right?! This time around I’m talking all about another lovely leather sofa – the Article Cigar sofa.
Ok, so right off the bat, you might be wondering, but what about the Sven?! Rest assured, I still LOVE our Sven and think it’s the best leather sofa currently on the market for comfort, style and affordability. I love it so much that I essentially thought another leather option for a different area in our house would be a great option for our family. So why the Cigar?
I saw the Mello sectional in Chris Loves Julia’s cabin, which has a very similar look, and thought it looked perfect. Relaxed style, beautiful soft leather and what appeared to be a nice deep seat. So I thought I would give the Cigar a try because I wanted to achieve the same vibe in a standard sofa, not sectional. Truthfully, I didn’t know how we would feel about the lower back or chunkier feel but I’d never been disappointed in the past, so I took the plunge!
It arrived, like usual, crazy fast and the delivery was smooth sailing – the guys unloaded it, unpacked it and hauled the boxes away lickety split! Seriously, you can’t beat that. Ryan was home at the time and called me, saying how much he already loved it. You see, he was already sprawled out on it, fitting from head to toe…and he is 6’2 people. So right off the hop, I knew that part was going to be great for us. Naps and cuddles will actually be possible for the tallest member of our household. But what about the rest…
General comfort – it’s cozy! Yes the back cushion is quite a bit lower than anything we’ve owned but it only means we lean more with our feet up when sitting in it, slouching down a bit more. It’s not something I would necessarily put in a “movie watching” room but in general, I think this sofa is really quite comfortable. The seats are nice and deep and my gosh, this rawhide leather is beyond soft. Like butter people!
Function – you know what I love the best about this sofa and having a young family…no back cushions. Might seem weird but Jack has taken to making a mess of our sofas and I always found like I was fixing, cleaning and rearranging them. I love that this couch has a nice stable frame that is really practical for kids. Add a couple of throw cushions and it’s perfect. The low profile also makes it easy for him to get up and down and when baby number 2 comes, I think it will be really practical for laying with her etc.
(Also side note – how beautiful does my new Uusi green Henry pillow look on the caramel leather?!?! I’m in love!)
Style – while I tend to prefer more mid century styled furniture (and why I love the Sven) I’m surprised by how much I love this more relaxed vibe alongside our fireplace. It makes our front room more inviting and intimate feeling and I welcome the fact I don’t have to clean underneath it since there are no legs lifting it off the floor. The exposed seams are beautiful and make it feel really deconstructed and casual. And again, the low profile helps make our space feel bigger.
Finally – care! This is a big one and I know leather can feel intimidating for a lot of people. Spills, stains and scratches are a part of life, especially when you have two big dogs, one very busy toddler and a baby on the way. But for me, those things just make the leather looked lived in and the aging patina can be very pretty. You need to be ok with that look because leather is definitely harder to maintain in a pristine condition. And if it’s still something you’re worried about, Article even wrote a guide on how to care for leather furniture that’s filled with great tips.One thing I am doing with this sofa is just having more throws on and around it, so if Jack wants to cuddle up on it with his water bottle, I’m not stressing as much…because truthfully, water stains are always our biggest nemesis with a toddler.
I love how our front living room is finally coming together…it’s been a room in constant transition with pieces coming and going. When I found my vintage bookshelf, I knew I was on the right track. Adding in the rich caramel leather of the Cigar took it one step further. Last thing on my list is to find a better coffee table solution, though at the moment, a couple of poufs is serving us just fine. Jack loves the open play area and so do the dogs! So for the time being, I am happy to take a break in here and focus my design energy elsewhere!
What do you think?! Does the Article Cigar sofa suit the space? If you’re curious about the quality or style of Article’s other leather sofas, shop them all here
* Shop the rest of the room (and home) here! *