Our New Axis
There are some changes taking place at our house soon. After a long search, Ryan will be switching jobs in a few weeks, and since his new company is based overseas, he’ll be working from home full-time. It will be a bit of an adjustment for everyone, but it also means less stress for him, too. He’ll have to travel periodically, something he rarely did in his previous position, and that will be a new experience for our family, as well.
We plan to finish decorating his office to make it fully functional, and Ryan’s already gathering his new computer supplies. Once he finds a rhythm to his days, we plan to add a few items to freshen up his workspace (and mine, too), like a rug, pictures, and shelves.
With all of these changes coming up, it seemed like a good time to make some changes in our busiest room, too; so last night, we headed over to Crate and Barrel to order new living room furniture! It’s no secret that I’ve been struggling with our current set for a while now, and since the pieces are beginning to show quite a bit of wear and tear after almost eight years and two little boys, we decided to try a different look. I did a bunch of research ahead of time (mostly thanks to Apartment Therapy), and had our decision narrowed down to two couches.
I read great things about the Lounge Sofa, which is the company’s top seller for comfort. It’s a gigantic couch, at 93 inches long, and we planned to go with the shorter, 83 inch version. I was about 95% certain Ryan would love this couch after all the wonderful reviews I found, but once we tried it out in person, it quickly became our second choice. The Lounge is awesome, but it feels like a bed, and in the end, we decided that wasn’t the look we wanted in our living room.
(Crate and Barrel’s Axis II 2-Seat Sofa in Indigo. We’re getting the 3-seat version.)
Instead, we decided to go with the Axis II 3-Seat Sofa in Indigo Sueded Microfiber. The picture above is the 2-seat version, because our couch is only a computer graphic on the website, so just imagine it with one more section. The Axis collection is the second best-selling couch for lounging, and we liked it most because it isn’t as enormous. It’s firm but really comfortable, and will be great for curling up and reading or watching television. Best of all, the microfiber fabric we chose is recommended for families with young children and can be easily cleaned. The display model featured a custom velvet fabric that I loved, but the salesman, who also has two young children, quickly talked me out of it. Maybe one day.
We chose Crate and Barrel for their reputable construction, and the furniture is made in North Carolina with green materials and sustainable wood. That was important to me when I began my search a while ago, and we plan to donate our old furniture when the new set arrives. We didn’t choose a custom fabric, but it isn’t kept in stock, so we’ll have to wait at least 10 to 12 weeks for our couch and loveseat to arrive. I’m anticipating a January date, and we’ll have a belated Christmas present to look forward to.
We are careful consumers, and this is a really big purchase for us. Most of our other furniture was bought from Craigslist or passed down from family members, and when we bought our current couch and loveseat, we were new homeowners looking for a good value. Those pieces served us well as our family grew, and I’m hoping this new set will see us through the next chapter, and for many years to come. It’s definitely grownup furniture.
I can’t wait for everything to arrive, and I’ll be sure to update with pictures when it does. In three months. In the meantime, we’ll be adjusting to the other changes taking place around here.
Here’s an updated post on our Axis II pieces, including pictures from 2020.
So exciting! Begone, slipcovers! 🙂 I can’t wait to see it set up in your space.
Ha! You know, I can send them your way if you’re interested. 😛
I like the new couch! It looks cozy. Eventually I’ll have to replace mine (even though they’re “grown up” couches I got as a hand-me-down) because we were a little rough on them in college. Shame, because they’re so comfy and match my aesthetic perfectly! I’ll have to keep Crate and Barrel in mind when I do get around to replacing, that’s one place I don’t normally think of to look!
You could always look into having it recovered, which can be expensive, but it a great way to save pieces you love. This is our first experience with a Crate & Barrel sofa, but my sister has one that is five years old and it’s in great condition.
[…] and I turned our recent furniture buying trip into a real date night, complete with dinner out and a visit to Starbucks, where it was actually […]
I’m curious about how the Axis II is currently holding up? Are you happy with the purchase? Would you recommend it?
Hi, Paul! Yes, I would definitely recommend the Axis II and it’s holding up well to the regular wear and tear from my two small boys. I don’t vacuum the couch nearly as much as I should, but the fabric is really resistant and the cushions are still firm after two years. I know we’ll have this couch for a long time. Thanks for stopping by!
I too am between the lounge and axis….I think I prefer the latter. Now after four yrs….would you still buy? Cushions keeping their shape? Any seats dipping? Such a big purchase, I need to be sure! Thanks!
Hi Candace! Yes, I’m really happy with our decision to buy the Axis. It’s held up incredibly well and looks brand new after vacuuming. I try to rotate the cushions periodically, and that seems to help. It’s a great couch and extremely comfortable.
Hi Could you post some pics of your indigo sectional? Thank you!!
Our house burned down a year ago. We are rebuilding. Deciding between Lounge II and Axis II. Please let us know how the Axis is holding up. Leaning towards Axis after reading your review. Thanks!
[…] in early October, I showed you the furniture we ordered from Crate and Barrel, and it arrived in time for Christmas! That was a really nice […]
Hi, I love the AXIS and almost decided to place an order. But I have found some of the reviews on C&B website complaining about back cushion sagging after about an year. I was wondering how is it holding up for you? Did you notice any sagging problem? Please let me know. Thank you!
Hi, Serena! I haven’t noticed any major sagging from the back cushions, which can be rotated. The middle cushion of the sofa is square and cannot be swapped with other cushions due to its shape, so that’s the only one that has become flatter. Our sofa was especially firm and took a while to soften up, so that helped the cushions retain their shape.
Thank you much for the quick reply and I am going with Axis 🙂