There's nothing more exciting than moving into a new house! Now that we've settled in, unpacked our boxes, and done a bit of painting, we're ready to focus on the fun part: the decorating. We want rooms that are beautiful and reflect our tastes, but with four kids, we need those rooms to wear like iron. In other words, practicality is the name of the game. I need durable furnishings that are gorgeous and comfortable, and give all of us room to kick back and read or watch TV.

I knew I wanted a couch we could really stretch out on, but one with clean lines that would fit in with our decor. The traditional sectional just didn't seem to fit the bill. I've always loved decorating magazines, and am ruthless about tearing out pictures of rooms and ideas I love, so that was where I started. When I went through my idea file, I found several rooms that featured chaise lounge sofas. Chaise lounge sofas are the coolest combination of traditional couch and elongated chair, and seemed to be the best choice for our family.

Because I don't have tons of time to shop, I started on the Internet. Crate & Barrel, The Company Store, and Pottery Barn were all terrific sources for me, and I was able to check lots of different configurations of chaise lounge sofas. I'll have to say that the Pottery Barn website was my favorite. Their leather chaise lounge sofas are absolutely gorgeous and would look perfect with virtually any decor. And just about every piece of furniture on their website is available with slipcovers, which is perfect for a family with kids (not to mention an 85-pound dog!). I was able to view chaise lounge sofas with or without arms, and even could order sample fabric swatches.

Ordering from the Internet often yields special perks that I can't find at local stores. For example, many websites offer low price guarantees, where the store will match or beat any lower price advertised by a competitor. In addition, the online selection can't be beat, as many websites feature far more variety and styles than actual showrooms do. Plus, several net-based furniture stores that offer reduced or even free shipping, which just sweetens the deal.

Comfort And Style Are definitely one part of modern lifestyle and living today…
Now that we have our beautiful new furniture, we're actually considering another purchase! After doing all this homework, I discovered that you could find chaise lounge sofas made of weather-resistant materials for the deck or porch. Considering the amount of time we spend on our deck, we decided to go ahead and get one for outside. Now whether I'm inside or out, I've got a terrific place to curl up and enjoy my coffee, a good book, or little time with my kids.