Once the pits, sectionals have become cool, sexy, chic
By Sharlyne Varkonyi Schaub, Tribune Media Services
If someone says the word “sectional” and an ugly, oversized piece of furniture in plaid bulletproof fabric comes to mind, you really need to get out more.
Storehouse
Sectionals have gone sexy. Styles range from ultra chic to cool cottage. Some have chaises. Others have removable slipcovers. They come dressed with skirts or perched on platforms.
Fabrics run the gamut from leather and ultra suede to denim and chenille. They’re small enough for a studio apartment or big enough to fill the living room of a McMansion.
And you can find them to fit any budget — from $1,599 for a two-piece retro version from Canadian manufacturer Palliser’s EQ3’s Replay Collection to $17,000 and up for a six-piece sectional from Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Baker’s Barbara Barry Collection.
Michelle Lamb, author of The Trend Curve newsletter, said she has been tracking sectionals.
“The sectional look comes and goes, but I think it’s going to be with us for a long time,” Lamb said. “It feels fresh and new, particularly to an audience that didn’t have it in their homes before. It is so versatile. You can buy only what you need and rearrange it. It’s like buying a watch with five bezels. It’s reassuring to know you can change it, even if you never do.”
One of the biggest proponents of sectionals is Mitchell Gold, headquartered in Taylorsville, N.C. The signature Gold twist is the removable slipcover with a snug fit.
West Elm
“People are tired of sofas in their media rooms,” said Bob Williams, Mitchell Gold’s vice president and director of design. “And sectionals provide a way for families to gather around closer to each other.”
Sectionals, according to Mitchell Gold’s representatives, give people a warm “psychological hug.”
They create a room within a room, and are a popular way to give intimacy to the great rooms found in many homes.
