By now you know what a nut I am about my dog, Winnie. She has been our best friend for almost a year and a half now, and I can’t imagine our life without her. The cliche is so true it is painful.
Here’s another cliche that is true: Things have certainly changed since got Winnie. We’ve had to adjust schedules (goodbye extra long happy hours) to make sure one of us is home to walk her and let her out at night. We are no longer completely self-centered. Turns out dogs require a budget for dog necessities– especially when your dog will chew through a $10 toy in 20 minutes and then sulk from boredom an hour later. Countertops and tabletops are now a strict “no open food or really delicate items without constant supervision” zones. No more trinkets on the coffee tables. Fireplaces, once safe, are now built into the wall. Even blankets aren’t immune to the destruction of Winnie. Of course, it is all worth it she’s just the best cuddler in the world.
These days when purchasing anything new, we have a list that needs to be checked each and every time:
- Does Kate like it?
- Does Joe like it?
- Can we afford it?
- Does it “go” with the stuff we already have?
- Do we have room? (admittedly, this is getting tougher to check off the list)
- Is it Winnie-proof?
We’ve been in the market for a new couch for the last couple of years. The previous one followed us from our old apartment, and while it photographed beautifully, Joe hated it. He couldn’t extend his legs and there wasn’t a nice spot to rest your head. It also had a nice big tear on the top that we covered with blankets and throws. from moving it so often. It was also a dog hair magnet. So when we started the “great couch search of 2014” (yes, 2014. It took us that long), both Joe and I wanted to be able to wear black again, so the criteria included the additional “ability to easily remove pet hair”. We almost put down a TON of cash for a Restoration Hardware sofa, but I could never get myself to pull the trigger.
The couch was the Sven from Bryght. It’s big enough (34″H x 88″W x 38″D!) to fit all three of us comfortably and fit in our narrow living room, and the lovely tan color brings a really nice warmth. We both agreed up on the couch quickly and unanimously. I was really pleased with the quality of the sofa, considering it is a fraction of the cost similar styles were running at other retail stores. We’ve only had the couch for about a week, but we already have a rousing endorsement from Winnie, she refused to move off it all weekend long. Happy dog, happy couple.
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Images: 2nd Truth Photography
Ed. note: Wit & Delight received the Sven couch from Bryght in exchange for a product review on Wit & Delight. While product was received in exchange for coverage, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting our partners!
Ed. note: Bryght has now changed to Article. Same quality product, new name.
Please note each hide used for upholstery is as unique as a fingerprint. Natural color variations, wrinkles, and creases are part of the unique characteristics of genuine leather. As such, the leather on each Article Sven Charme Tan sofa will differ slightly.
Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and is forever testing the boundaries of her creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.
BY Kate Arends - January 25, 2016
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Thank you for being here. For being open to enjoying life’s simple pleasures and looking inward to understand yourself, your neighbors, and your fellow humans! I’m looking forward to chatting with you.
Hi, I'm Kate. Welcome to my happy place.
Your new couch is so lovely! We’re looking for a new one as well and I thought I wanted another grey couch, but you’re quickly having me consider tan.
Was *just* ogling your new sofa this weekend! I have two kitties, with claws (husband adamant on that) though we keep them trimmed, so I have always been wary of leather because I’m nervous they’ll just puncture it. How has Winnie been with that? Any fears that she’ll scratch holes in it?
Hi Courtney! The leather is already distressed, so her little claw marks just look like added character. I would be much more worried if the style we decided on what smooth and flawless 🙂
When I saw that sofa, honestly I thought, “Wow, that’s really nice. It’s probably super expensive. Good for her, but I wouldn’t be able to afford it.” So I go to the Bryght site and OMG, I can totally afford these gorgeous sofas! Just made my day because we’ve been looking for a quality, yet reasonable sofa for a really long time. Thanks!
Amanda– so glad to hear it! That was exactly what I thought when I learned about them as well. 🙂
I’ve been considering a couple different Bryght couches. The #1 thing holding me back is how it compares comfort-wise to other couches. I can’t find any honest reviews that say they make great lounging, lazy Saturday watching tv couches. The price is great and they look great, but in the end, if my butt doesn’t like it, it’s a no-go. Anyone have any feedback about comfort?
Hey Teresa! Yes– they’re pretty new. I can 100% honestly say that the Sven style is incredibly comfortable. There is no “break in period” My husband is super picky about sofa comfort and immediately commented that it was a napping couch. And, the leather is already soft. The only thing that would keep me from recommending it for lazy saturdays is the length. If you’re sharing with a partner and want to stretch out, you may be a little cramped. Hope this helps!
Oh my, you found my dream couch!
Now I have 2 options:
– paint my living room white
– move to a new place
I need to convince my landlord to let me repaint those eggshell walls or I’m gonna go crazy. Maybe I’ll use your post as an inspiration to convince her.
Thank you so much for all the constant inspiration!
I love this couch!! I’ve ogled it on Bryght forever!!!
I’m delighted to discover this line.The scale, lines, and color of the Sven couch are practically perfect.
What a lovely new couch!!! Winnie is so so cute. My boyfriend and I are considering getting a dog soon, they are so much work but it all seems so worth any of the troubles that come along with having one!
xx Chelsea
http://www.organizedmessblog.com
That’s a great sofa..and as far as a dog goes, your Winnie reminds me of my dear Ruby, our yellow lab who passed at 17 years. These days we have Chippy, a doodle mix who loves our: Ethan Allen sofa in the living room, the Ikea Ektorp love seat in the sun room and the Ektorp sofa in the downstairs family room. All three are hues of white and have removable slip covers. My rule of thumb for a sofa: Plopability–the ability to just plop down in total comfort–as if being cocooned by a giant cloud or marshmallow. AND has… Read more »
Totally a fan of this couch! I agree- restoration hardware is fantastic, but painfully pricy! You made a great call here. It’s a beautiful couch, but also deep and comfortable looking. Congrats! That’s exciting!!
Xoxo
Caylie | https://soulpaletteblog.wordpress.com
Winnie = Love. What a cutie!
The couch looks amazing and nice and firm to sit on. We’re also due for a change… Hopefully it would take us less than 2 years to get one!
In love with the photos of Winnie! My guy and I got a yellow lab puppy just before Christmas and looks so much like yours. I totally understand the rearranging of the home decor because of the pup! The couch you chose is beautiful!
Beautiful couch! And even beautiful-er dog!
Aimee
http://www.intherightplaces.com
I am sitting on that same couch as I type. I absolutely love it. My boyfriend (6’2″) can completely lay down on it. It is so comfy and nice looking for a good price.
It’s amazing how much pets affect your decor! I spent a small fortune on high design furnishings for my first flat and then I got a cat. And THEN I got a dog. Needless to say, my furniture has been heavily damaged! But I don’t regret it. It’s worth having pet friendly furniture because no soda will ever compare to the love and joy you get from your pets.
Soda=sofa. Darn autocorrect.
Hi! Love your blog and your home! I’ve ordered the Sven to use as a banquet in my breakfast area. Once we remodel, I’ll have a banquet built in and move Sven to the game room. Anyway, I was wondering how soft the seat is. I’m a little concerned it might sink so much when you sit on it that suddenly the table is too high. The measurements for the seat height are fine when it’s not being sat on, do you know the seat height when your booty is on it? Thanks for your help with my question!!
Hi Kristin! It may be a little soft for a banquet area. We love how comfortable ours is for napping but would have gone with a different sofa if we needed to be sitting upright often. Hope this helps!
Great stuff here… could you please say a little more about the color of the leather and how it has worn/changed? Many thanks!
I’m considering this couch as well, I’m hesitant because most reviews are done right after people received them. I only found one review that was done 8 months later and they said the couch had become saggy and out of shape, have you had this experience?
Hi Mike! We’ve had ours for about 3 months and it hasn’t lost it’s shape. Our dog spends most of her time on it as well. We are still really happy with the product and will update you guys if that changes!
Would love to know if it’s still holding up. We just received ours, and I love it. But I’m worried about it’s longevity. Also wondering about protecting it: have you used anything? Customer service from Article recommended Otter Wax. They say they’ve used it on the sofas for photos. I haven’t done it yet, but I expect it will darken the color a bit–this might explain some of the color difference people are seeing.
Just discovered this couch yesterday online and think that we might be ordering it today:) Has it held up alright, are you still happy with the quality of it? Oh and I have to ask what the name of the white you used for your walls??????? We are about to whitewash our whole place and are having a hard time finding the prefect white paint, you wouldn’t think it would be hard to choose a white paint, white is white right……. Not so much so many are slightly grey or yellow etc Would love it if you could tell me… Read more »
Hi Stephanie!! We used Benjamin Moore White Dove in the living room. It is much creamier than a true white… if you want a real true white I would go with Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee. We used this in our bedroom and love it! Hope this helps and enjoy your couch! We have been very happy with the quality of it, especially given the price. Expect it to break in a bit and become soft!
K
Hi there, my boyfriend and I loved seeing the couch up on your blog, so we bought it. It arrived this past Saturday, but it is absolutely not the same color as shown on their website and in your picture. It’s peach rather than cognac. It’s definitely comfortable, but doesn’t have the look we were going for. I’m not sure how you ordered yours… but we ordered it through Bryght/Article as advertised on your blog. I can PM you a picture, but I thought you should know.
Hi Shiree! Thanks so much for letting me know. From what I’ve read, each hide is different, so there is some variation…but this sounds extreme. Mine does look like the color on the website, and I would be super disappointed had it looked differently upon arrival. We’ll let our contact at Article (formerly Bryght)know about your experience. Feel free to email me directly with a photo!! kate@witanddelight.com
Hi Shiree – I’m wondering if customer service was able to resolve the issue with the mis-colored couch. Are you a happy customer in the end? As a potential customer, appreciate your feedback and experience!
I looked at this sofa a ton of times on your blog (I love this site!) and finally ordered the sofa–and it arrived this week. The design is adorable and comfortable, but I’d echo Shiree–it is a totally different color and not distressed at all (not even a little, really), which is so weird. I contacted Article about it and they said I should email them some pictures. Just thought I’d report back…I would love it to look a little closer to yours (which is basically my favorite couch ever).
Thank your for a great post. Now that you’ve used the couch for a few months, curiois how well the cushions have kept their shape? And how has the couch taken dog scratches? We have a 3 year old shepherd mix and are thinking of getting this couch. Thank you!!
Hi there!
Just as an update, Article graciously replaced our couch with a new version that looks more similar to the picture that you posted. We are now very happy with the purchase and plan to keep this baby for many years to come! Thank you for your help in sorting it all out!
Hi Shiree! So glad to hear this. thank you so much for following up and letting us know! Enjoy the couch 🙂
Hello there!
Quick question: Are the cushions attached or are they loose?
If they’re loose, so they move a lot? (Pet peeve!)
Hi Erica! Yes, they are loose. It bothers me more than it does Joe 😉
Hi I’m so in love with this couch and have been contemplating for weeks now . My only concern is with staining … Are stains (such as spilled juice or food particles – I have a 2 year old !) easily wipe able ? In your experience Do stains settle into the leather at all and distort the color ?
Thanks so much !
Hi Naomi, The leather isn’t coated so yes, you can get stains on the couch. It’s pretty easy to wipe but you would want to do it quickly 🙂
Do you know the maximum weight the sofa can withstand? I’m in love with the Oxford blue and my best friend is a 6’6″ guy who’s not little anywhere, lol
Hi There
We’ve been researching Bryght / Article for some time now, and still on the fence about pulling the trigger.
Just curious how the couch has performed 8 months later.
Can you provide a quick update?
Thanks!
Hi Kate,
I have also been ogling this sofa for a long time, and nearly made a final decision last night until I looked at the instagram pics at the bottom of Article’s page…..every picture of this sofa looked really wrinkly! Is that how a leather sofa breaks in? Is this happening to yours?
Thanks!
Thanks so much for this review! My husband and I have been eyeing this sofa for months now but were worried about doggie paws on the leather. Your post is super helpful!
Article.com (formerly BRYGHT) is great — until something goes wrong. I purchased the Charme Tan Sectional, which is an amazing piece, but one of the cushions faded terribly. I contacted customer service, who proclaimed “It is a natural material designed to develop a patina.” I’ve owned lots of leather furniture and clothing items and none have faded like the one cushion. I’m terribly disappointed. Even though my sofa “comes with a one year warranty” and “customer service team will work with the manufacturer to replace or repair the defect” it’s a lie. All it would have taken for me to… Read more »
white leather sofa is very nice looking .It made our home too beautiful .I love it too much.
Thanks so much for this review. I’ve been ogling the Sven for months now, and especially since getting our new puppy WINNIE two weeks ago. I had the couch in the shopping cart and was about to hit “purchase” but then decided to scan the web for reviews. Once I found yours – along with your Winnie – I knew it was fate! Thank you!!
Hi, I’ve been eyeing this sofa for a while. How is it holding up after a year? I am a believer in that you get what you pay for so do you think this one will last a while?
Hi, Looking to buy this couch soon and wanted to check in with you now that you’ve had it for a year. Does it still hold up, are you still in love with it.
I’m with the other recent comments: How has it fared after a year of use?
Love the look of the couch. Is it a firm seat or soft? I prefer a firm sofa that I don’t slouch into because my back is bad enough without slinking into bad posture.
The pictures are beautiful, and I am considering purchasing the same couch. Curios out the couch has held up over time? Is it something that will hold up with 4 children?
You will certainly see a capture login screen. For city and also state will automatically pack based on the identity of the network you utilize to access the website.
For those looking for an update (as I was), I found this: https://witanddelight.com/2017/06/article-making-case-affordable-couch/ 🙂
We offer refund alternative to the customers who have not pleased with the application usage. They can get the refund.
I would have put on a cover on this beautiful sofa))) It’s a pity if the dog spoils it) My parrot ate a padded chair)))
You will certainly see a capture login screen. For city and also state will automatically pack based on the identity of the network you utilize to access the website.
I have been looking at this couch for a while. May I ask how it is holding up?
Hi!,
So funny my husband and I are eye balling this couch and are literally minutes away from ordering. Curious how you feel about it 4 years later. We are concerned about it being comfortable. We are looking are the Sven with the chaise. We have two daughters, 5 & 7 and comfort is needed!! Would love to hear your honest response.
Hi Geri! We parted with this sofa after several years (not because of any issues with it…we were just looking for something different!). I can honestly say that I haven’t had a truly bad experience with any Article couch. They’re very comfortable and are easy to clean, and the Sven held up great even with Winnie sleeping on it. My brother has the Sven too and loves it. With our larger Mello sofa, the pillows lost their shape a little more than we noticed with other Article sofas, but not by much. I’ve also heard from a couple of folks… Read more »