I bought the Sodermalm armless sofa from IKEA for my little studio for the dual purpose of lounging and for styling fabrics and other upcoming projects.
My friend Ingrid (who I’ve traveled with) talked me into buying this sofa, she has owned the dark gray version for five years and loves its versatility. “It seats more people than a regular sofa,” she insists, noting that if you forego the optional arms, the sofa’s ends allow for people to sit on the edges. After two months of living with it, and hosting a few groups of visitors, I have to agree with her, the style does allow for an extra amount of seating :)
Like a slipper chair, the armless sofa arguably lacks the coziness of being enveloped by an upholstered arm. An armrest does serve a purpose, it frames the sofa and also acts as a support to lean upon and a place to prop up a pillow.
However, I do love the look of this armless loveseat and since mine is paired with a corner piece and slipper chair on the other end, I do have that option of propping up pillows and also my head in the corner, whenever I need an afternoon break. (For those interested, coffee table source here.)
I like the depth of the Sodermalm, but it’s a bit low, so once you settle in, you better stay awhile. It’s firm but comfortable and is great for lounging.
Armless sofas so have the appearance of a slimmer profile so they’re unassuming in a room. Without arms they are nice for filling a space of wall that could benefit from temporary lounging, an office, a library, a sitting room, but without arms, some might argue they lack the settle-in-and-binge-watch-a-show type of comfort.
An armless sofa on a smaller scale is also referred to as a settee or a sofette. I bought a teal blue one years ago and still own it, it’s where my son sits and plays video games from time to time with all his buddies.
In 2018 I was feeling stuck and distracted and lacking real focus. A feeling kept nagging at me, that I needed to be transplanted to a new space in order for my business and my designs to advance and grow.
I’ve worked from home for ten years because I wanted to be close when my kids were little, but they’re not little anymore! They’re teenagers now so last year I started thinking about having a separate office space that belonged to only me, where I could focus and think without distraction, where I could grow and thrive in my own universe. Last November I found a studio space, took a risk, signed the lease, and decided to move forward into a new office space in 2019, one I could call my very own.
I finally put the finishing touches on my new office, come on in!
I kept the palette simplified: white, black, green, and gold, I find this medley calming yet sophisticated too. There are a dozen plus plant babies in this space. Being surrounded by greenery is inspiring to me. I wanted to put a big yucca tree in the corner behind me but when I added the trio of work tables it wouldn’t fit so I settled on potted plants and wall hangers instead.
I’ve had the same desk for seven years, it’s worked well for me so there was no reason to upgrade! It proved to be the perfect size for floating in the center of the office. (I only have my laptop here for now, but in a few days I’m bringing over my desktop.)
My son helped me assemble this white leather office chair, it’s so affordable and had great reviews which is why I bought it. I agree, it’s very comfortable, the perfect desk chair for long hours sitting at a computer!
I bought three of the same paulo bookshelves for the office space, they are shallow, great quality, and easy to assemble, and they’re the perfect style for this space! One hangs out on the left wall of the office, and other two on the right wall.
I’ve loved the saying, “she’s whiskey in a teacup” since I saw this framed print in a second hand shop years ago, long before Reese made if popular with her book. A woman who is classic and lovely on the outside but strong and sassy on the inside —> ha ha yep, that’s me. :)
The bamboo shades are Levolor from Lowes, cut to fit the window in the store, and much warmer than the dusty old mini blinds. I have a nice view from this space, and a lemon tree just outside!
I added a set of three Linnmon desks from IKEA to wrap around the back wall, which gives me plenty of room for office supplies, they also make great surfaces for small DIY craft projects. The gold wall grid is another new addition, it’s perfect for rotating photos or inspiration!
Remember when I wrote about my search for the perfect semi flush mount fixture? This gold space age fixture is the one I picked, I love it so much, a little bit retro but contemporary too.
You’ve seen this view before in my post about my quest for finding the perfect green. The rattan chair is a new accent, nice to have when visitors pop in during office hours.
This space was designed as a place for me to work but also to reflect the things I love, and honestly, it’s made me come alive again. This place stimulates my creativity, gives me greater clarity, and adds to my overall sense of happiness.
It would have been easier for me to stay in my comfort zone, to continue working from home but as previously expressed, I wasn’t growing, I wasn’t inspired, I needed something new, a fresh start!
I truly believe in life you’ve got to take risks, embrace new opportunities, and say yes to new adventures. It’s when you push yourself outside your comfort zone, that’s where the magic happens. That’s why I’m excited to be in this new space, I’ve got a feeling 2019 will be an amazing year!
I’ve listed as many sources as I can, if you have any questions for me, let me know!
