The great furniture debate

We are shopping for living room furniture. We can not for the life of us decide what we want, or find what we want.
Things we are trying to decide:

• Microfiber/microsuede or Leather?
• Couch & two chairs or couch & love seat?
• Matching couch & chairs or mix it up?
• Spend a small fortune and get no new furniture for like---ever. Or get something decent priced and buy fancy stuff later down the road?

Leather seems to be the front runner. It's most durable, wears best, and prettiest. It also fits best with the style of our home.
But I can be convinced to buy microfiber especially if it is the really pretty stuff that actually looks like worn leather. That stuff I like.
Nailhead is in the mix on every option we've agreed on. So nailhead is a win.
We are looking for BIG furniture. We have lots of space in our living room and a 2 story ceiling, so the room can handle something large and chunky.

Option A: Separates
I love this couch.

The Hierloom sofa

The price is right. And I would probably mix it up and pair it with two large comfy club chairs.
Something like this chair:

source

Maybe ever one with a little more fluff to it. But similar in shape, color, and of course nailhead. Maybe some that have a matching ottoman. I like me some ottomans.

Option B: A Set
This is my favorite option:

Brandon Distressted Whiskey Italian leather Sofa & Two Chairs 

But at $3,100.00 This is at the top of our price range. And it doesn't come with an ottoman, which I would want. Plus, although it has only wonderful reviews, it would be nice to sit on it before we purchase it! A sit test can make or break living room furniture.


This is a photo of the living room from this winter. We have a few more pieces of furniture in there now plus an area rug...I don't have many photos of the living room yet. Mainly because I absolutely hate the current layout and the furniture itself in there now.

View from the couch..

Another view, which also has seen so many changes... Also, please ignore dog toys and paper plate on the floor...

View from the kitchen.
The desk has since moved upstairs to the loft and been replaced with a different piece from an estate auction. And the lime chair you see in that back corner has been given a facelift.

So the living room is very open to the rest of the main living space in the house. It's alsot the first room people really see when the come in the house, and has the main focal point, our beautiful fireplace. And it's where we spend most of our time, apart from the kitchen.


I have been to all the local furniture stores, and scoured the internet and we are still undecided. I plan to head north to a larger city this weekend and do some shopping and lots of sit testing. I would love to come home with a purchase or something ordered...but I am not feeling optimistic lately!


Any furniture shopping advice for me?
Should I stick with a furniture set and be safe or mix it up?
Send any other ideas my way!