This Floyd Sofa Made My Tiny Apartment Feel Grand
This year, I made the “brave” decision to jump out of the nest—I moved out of my family’s suburban home and into a tiny apartment in Manhattan. Square footage was small, but my dreams for the space were grand. Before sorting out my Con Edison account or scoping out the area for a supermarket or hardware store, I, like many 20something millennials with a Pinterest account and a dream, was mood boarding into delusion. It goes without saying that I had already sorted out which coffee table books to proudly put on display and how I would arrange the framed art on my gallery wall. But at the same time, I had blissfully ignored the things I actually needed like, for instance, a sofa. Maybe that is because my living room—a petite rectangle with an open kitchen, flanked by a bedroom and the front door—had an awkward layout that was a bit hard to figure out. When I came around to choosing a sofa, I dreamed of an L-shaped model with a comfortable chaise—one that was aesthetically streamlined but comfortable enough to pass out on with a few friends after a late night.
Enter Floyd. Unlike many of the brands I had scoped out prior, with endless options and mixed reviews and expensive white-glove delivery fees, Floyd stood out for a few reasons. One, their sofa (appropriately and simply called “The Sofa”) comes in two styles, two configurations, and five colors. As someone who recognizes that too many options is a gateway to distraction and a slippery slope into indecision, I hoped that I could stay focused for long enough to make my pick. The Saffron shade immediately caught my eye, and the stain-resistant fabric drew me in. “The Sofa” was also available with “The Chaise,” add-on, creating a small but thoughtfully designed L-shape that looked as if it could comfortably fit three—four if you’re fine with getting cozy. Considering the ongoing pandemic, major concerns were receiving a sofa that didn’t meet my expectations (as I was ordering online and couldn’t visit a furniture store), or that contactless delivery would somehow feel unsafe. But with Floyd, if you’re worried about how the fabric looks or feels IRL, they will send you free swatches to test. I, someone too eager to think about the what-ifs of virtually anything, decided to skip that step. To each their own.
And if you care about where your furniture comes from (you should), all Floyd products are manufactured in the U.S. and made from nontoxic materials (the sofa is crafted of cold-rolled steel and top-grade birch plywood). Here’s where things get interesting: Floyd ships their sofas in eight flat boxes, so you can assemble it yourself at home without worrying if it will fit through your doorway. Now I know what you’re thinking: Building furniture is usually a mess. And a sofa? How does that even work? To my delight, the boxes were each light enough to carry on my own and narrow enough to fit through virtually any doorway. The “kit,” as I like to call it, came with its own tool (which conveniently doubles as a bottle opener) and two small instruction manuals with minimal text and clear diagrams. You even get a congratulatory message at the end (“All Done!”).
Unlike the sweaty frustration of putting together traditional build-it-yourself furniture (you know the kind), assembling the Floyd took myself and my two roommates less than 30 minutes to complete. Each piece clicked into the next, with minimal screwing or jiggering required. The modular design allows the chaise to be placed on either side, a plus for people who like to switch it up. While I got by with the help of my friends, I’m certain it’s a job that most could accomplish solo. And once it was built, it looked great. I would describe the design as midcentury-modern, but its simplicity and versatility could easily fit in with a range of styles. While the sofa is low-slung, I was able to stash my toolbox and poufs underneath, and I can easily get my vacuum under it for easy cleaning. The Saffron hue is a mood booster, and while bold, it feels neutral and complements so many other yummy shades.
Since that balmy day in May when I first sat on my new grown-up sofa, I realized a few things. While my gallery wall is officially up and my coffee table books are on full display, I spend far more time sinking into my sofa, reading books and binging my favorite shows and chatting with my favorite people for hours on end. And it looks great doing it. What more could I ask for?
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The Sofa and The Chaise by Floyd Home, from $1,550.
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