* In Partnership with Domkapa.
Our fireplace room makeover is turning into the longest renovation project to date. But as we all know, good things take time. You can read about the progress we’ve made so far here. In May we got a very special delivery from my favourite upholstery brand, Domkapa. The Portuguese design company released their new collection earlier this year at Maison et Objet and I was honoured to pick a product from it for our fireplace room project. I’ve really taken my time with this renovation because I want everything to be 100% perfect. I won’t be redecorating this room for a very long time, so it’s important that the furnishings and decor are timeless and high quality.
Domkapa is my go-to furniture maker when it comes to sourcing stylish, customisable and comfortable furniture. My first boucle piece, the Pearl armchair, is also from their collection and I just love the sheer variety of designs and finishes they offer to their customers.
Now let’s talk more about the furniture that I chose for this room. I picked, perhaps the most exciting and versatile, piece from their 2023 collection. I am of course talking about the Edward sofa. From the moment I interviewed Domkapa’s talented design duo, Hélder Costa and José Almeida, I knew I wanted to see and test their favourite piece from the new collection myself. They described the sofa as elegant, versatile, functional and so comfortable. And I couldn’t agree more!
THE DESIGN
I love a minimalist sofa. They bring a sense of calm to any space and allow statement pieces to stand out. Edward is a timeless choice thanks to its versatility and level of comfort. It is a modular sofa which means that you can combine different modules as you wish to suit your space. Whether it’s a 2-seater or a large corner unit you’re after, everything is possible with Edward. Thanks to its sleek lines and generous proportions it can be paired with plenty of accessories; like the magazine rack, a headrest and a side table. Whatever configuration you decide to go for, you can guarantee the style won’t be compromised.
USING THE MODULAR SOFA PLANNER
Once I had decided on the design, it was time to measure the room and pick the modules to go with it. It’s not a massive room so it was important that we utilised every inch of the floor space. I also wanted a big family sofa that could host all of us. Oversized furniture is one of the biggest furniture trends of 2023/2024 and I am a big fan. I wanted our tv/fireplace room to feel cosy and intimate. We already have an oversized fireplace which makes a real statement as you enter the room. Adding other oversized pieces will keep things in proportion, which is so important.
I used Domkapa’s modular sofa system planner to build our dream sofa. It’s super easy to use. Just cut out the different modules and assemble the pieces using the indicators. I build our 4-seater modular sofa using the standard end-modules with the slimmer armrests. As you can see, it takes up most of the wall space so I couldn’t have gone any bigger. I was a little gutted that we couldn’t make a corner unit work in this room, so adding a pouffe was the best option. The pouffe gives us much more room to play with and can be easily moved around. It’s pretty substantial and can also be turned into a coffee table if you place a tray on top. Perfect combination if you ask me!
PICKING THE COLOUR
Choosing the right sofa colour for your living room is so important. I usually pick a colour that is darker than the walls, but this depends on what kind of mood you’re after. Neutrals, greens and earthy browns and beige tones appealed to me in this room. I spent a lot of time browsing through the different velvet samples from Domkapa’s sample box. The hardest part was finding the perfect shade of brown, taupe or beige. Not too dark, but also not too light, so it could withstand the stresses of family life. I also had to keep in mind that this sofa would be big and dominant. I didn’t want to pick a colour that would be too dark and end up making the space feel even darker. This is a north-facing room after all. I left my fabric samples in the room and kept moving them throughout the day, so I could see how they change their colour. The great thing about velvet is that it never quite looks the same in places. The surface can look lighter and darker, depending on the direction of the pile and how the light hits it. Neva 2206 turned out to be my best bet and I couldn’t be happier with my choice.
THE FABRIC
I’m a big fan of velvet. I love the lustre and luxurious feel every time you sit down. But since this is a family room, my top priority was a sofa that wouldn’t stain easily. Neva 2206 fabric is made of 100% polyester which means it is the perfect material for families and/or pet owners. I wouldn’t have picked a cotton velvet for our family room but smart velvets are different. They repel dirt and liquids and are incredibly hard-wearing. And with Martindale rub count of 60,000, this fabric is suitable for both residential and commercial projects.
THE COMFORT
My goal was to design a family room that would feel cosy and comforting; a place where you could curl up in front of the fire with a hot cuppa or watch a movie with the family or friends. So understandably, comfort was very high on my list when looking for a new sofa. The benefits of a deep sofa like Edward is that it gives you lots of extra space making it super comfortable and versatile. The deep seats are perfect for lounging and watching a movie. And it is, without a doubt, the softest and the most comfortable sofa I’ve ever sat on. It is almost like a day bed and it’s no surprise my children regularly fall asleep on it. So, if you’re looking for the perfect sofa to sink into, this is it!
WHAT’S NEXT?
Although we’ve made a lot of progress already, we still have a long way to go. Next up, I’ll be ordering our window treatments this week which I’m really excited about. I’ve found the most beautiful linen fabric for our bay window and a chic herringbone patterned material for the roman blinds. I’m keeping everything quite neutral which will allow me to play more with patterns and texture. We will be also mounting a Samsung Frame TV above the mantel (more about this soon!) and creating a home cinema audio set up suitable for this room. We also need a carpenter to build the alcove units to hide all the wires, Sky boxes etc. So, lots to do but we will get there, I promise.
Stay tuned for further updates!
