Two Pittsburgh designers take sides over maximalist, patterned sofas.

For Simonds, the patterned sofa fabric was the starting point for the rest of the room in a few recent projectsCourtesy of Amy Neunsinger

Colleen Simonds

Colleen Simonds Design
People often talk about making “safe” choices in design, especially for investment pieces. There may be some wisdom to that, but I find that you often wind up with something you’re not all that excited about, and that won’t really contribute to the aesthetics of the room. To me, that is a missed opportunity. If there’s a pattern you really love, why not put it on your sofa and feel happy every time you look at it? In a few recent projects, the patterned sofa fabric was the starting point for the rest of the room. There is no getting sick of it when it’s something you love—what you get sick of is what bores you, and it’s a million shades of gray and ivory that bore me. Sure, if a room has impeccable architecture and tons of natural light, your furniture can be quieter and doesn’t have to work as hard. But until I move into Versailles or a home by an AD100 architect, I want my furniture to have a little more “wow” factor.