Edit: December 15, 2020
Shortly after writing this blog post, the sofa started to fall apart. The leather stains with water or pet salvia and wouldn’t lift out like the brand stated. After a few months of owning the sofa, it looked so sloppy and stained.
The cushions need to be stuffed way more. When I emailed Article about this issue this advised me to take time fluffing them everyday. I’m sorry, but when I purchase a 4,00 dollar sofa, I don’t want to have to fluff out all 10+ cushions every single day.
I also want a sofa that will be durable. The leather they use isn’t treated and has no type of protectant on it. We didn’t drink or eat on the sofa ( except for water ), but yet it was covered in stains from saliva, water etc. It was embarrassing and I had no way of cleaning it because you can’t clean untreated leather.
On top of the quality of the furniture not being there, their customer service does lack. Every time I emailed I was brushed off like I was the only one having the problems or like I was an irritation to them.
We ended up getting rid of all our Article pieces over the last year as the quality was terrible. Our chair from them had pilling all over it and was so saggy.
My initial review shortly after getting it
Welcome welcome welcome to the blog friends! This post has been requested for a really long time, even before I had the Timber sectional from Article. Also, read to the bottom for a special offer.
Over the last year I’ve received a ton of questions on Article sofas as well as competitor sofas.This blog is going to give you the low down on the quality and feel of the Timber leather sectional from Article, as well, if it’s right fit for you.
Prior to owning the Timber sectional from Article, we owned a very similar sofa from a Canadian competitor. That sofa did NOT hold up very well and when we finally received the Timber sectional we were very pleasantly surprised.
Here are the main key factors in WHY I love this sofa so much:
- Feather-filled cushions. Other competitors have low quality fill. This one from Article has the perfect combination of high density foam with feather fill so it hits the right balance of firm, but soft.
- High quality leather. The Timber sectional is made from full-aniline leather and has two colour options. The Charme Tan leather is a timeless colour that wrinkles and ages in a natural way and gives it more character over time. Other brands can wrinkle and look used and old. The character of Article sofas actually make the sofa more beautiful the more you use it.
- Configuration options. This sectional is not only available in the corner silhouette we got, but a right and left chaise L-option, a 3 seater sofa, and a chair. So if you’re into the flared leg, mid-century modern style of the Timber but don’t have the space for this exact sectional, there’s an option for your home.
- High density foam. I suspect that this sofa will not suffer from any sagging issues due to the quality of the foam used in the cushions.
- Extremely easy assembly. All of the cushions are labeled so it’s impossible to misplace them and the legs are very easy to screw in. The two pieces also clip together easily so they don’t move around as you use it. And if you’re not interested in assembling yourself, you can even opt for Article’s inside and assembly delivery option ($169 value).
It says it fits 5, but it can fit our entire family of six with room to spare. We love this sectional as not only it’s beautiful but it’s also huge, but yet, it would work in a small space like a condo as it is compact.
We live in a small 1300 square foot rancher, and it fits perfectly.
Questions I’ve received:
Would you recommend Article leather sofas to families with kids?
Yes. When I first got the sofa, our son spilled his bottle of water on the sofa and it soaked in (as this leather does not repel water, it’s a soft leather). But over time, it lifts out. You can also put a leather protectant on it too if you would rather not have to wait for watermarks to lift out.
How comfortable is the sofa?
Comfortable enough to sleep on. Really. If you go on to Article’s review section on their website, this sofa scores pretty high and in quite a few of the reviews, people say how comfortable it is.
They definitely did not sacrifice comfort for looks.
Does it scratch easily?
Not nearly as easily as other leather sofas we have owned. The thing about full-aniline leather is it is not processed and is very soft. It does age with use and is stunning. Unlike bonded leather sofas you will find in a big box store that sag and crinkle over time and lose all of their value, this sofa does not lose its value as it ages beautifully with time.
As mentioned above, if you want to protect the sofa, you can put a protectant on it. We have not.
Do the cushions come off the sofa?
Yes, they come completely off. Also, each seat and back cushion zip right off for cleaning.
For us, it is the perfect mix of style and comfort. As a family with four young kids, we needed a sofa that will put up with a beating and look good. We needed a sofa that won’t stain and that is also compact in our small space.
This sofa completely fits the bill and I would 100% recommend any sofa from Article as we now have 4 pieces from this amazing company and every single piece has held up to our four little humans and keeps looking as amazing as when we received it
Thank you for taking the time to stop by the blog today. If interested in shopping Article’s furniture, their Black Friday sale just launched today and items will be priced up to 45% off! Sale is on from the 18th of November – December 1st!
One question I’ve had is are the cushions able to be flipped to wear evenly? In our current sofa the tufting is only on one side of the cushions and so I can’t flip them from time to time. ??♀️
Hey! So unfortunately you can’t flip them. I usually take my cushions off and fluff them every week! They’re down filled
Hi I’m looking into buying this sofa as well… I have 4 little kids ages 5 and under. And curious if the removable cushions will be a pain, always sliding down from kids jumping around on the couch. Or do they stay in place?
Hey!! No, they have felt on the bottom so they don’t slide at all. I have four kids too and they are super rough and we haven’t had issues. I think they put felt on the bottom for that reason, so it doesn’t shift
Hi! New here, loving your blog and style! I’ve been eyeing this sofa for a while now, I have a big dog that thinks the sofa belongs to him, wondering if his nails would do a number on the leather?
Hey! Thank you for reading 🙂 So unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend the sofa. It does scratch quite easy as it’s a high end natural and untreated leather. Or kids scratched it really easy just crawling on and off the sofa.
Hi! I have A dog that sheds like crazy. How easily will the hair fall/wipe off?
I personally wouldn’t get this sofa if you have a dog – it scratches really easily
How does the sofa sit, do you sink in or is it stiff. The back looks low so is it a couch you can relax into or are you sitting very upright on it.
Honestly, I wasn’t a fan of the sectional, but it was super comfy – you sink in
Why didn’t you like the sectional? It’s hard to order a couch I’ve never sat on. So any insight is greatly appreciated.
Online it looks a lot more full. In real life, my sectional wasn’t stuffed enough so it looked very sloppy. I fluffed all the cushions every day. Also it stains very very easy. From saliva or water too
Hi,
Thanks for your thoughtful review. Have you changed your mind at all? Would you still recommend this sofa? I’m looking to get the chaise sectional, but am concerned because you say you’re not a fan of the sectional. Relatedly, have you had any issues with the cushions (seat or back) sagging? There are some pretty unflattering reviews of the Sven around the internet on this issue.
Yes, this is my biggest complaint with my sectional and Sven chair. They need double the amount of stuffing. They looked so terrible. I ended up selling both pieces
Hey, thanks for this post!!
Just wondering, now that you’ve had the couch a bit longer, do you still recommend having this full aniline leather? I too have 4 kids and I’m worried full aniline leather won’t be fun to have with my dining room and kitchen just a few feet away. Do you know if semi aniline leather would hold up better but still age nicely over time?
I’ve been eyeing this sofa as well. After using it for some time would you still recommend it to a family with small children? I would love your insight!
Would not recommend this sectional from Article then? I’m so close to purchasing it but very nervous at this price point to do so.
So did you end up not liking the timber sectional? We just received ours a week ago and have already noticed that the cushions are sagging. It also seems very lumpy and bumpy considering that it is supposed be down filled. Perhaps I had the wrong expectations. Curious what your experience has been in the longer run?
Thanks for your insight!
Based on your last reply are you saying that you no longer recommend this sofa after only a few months? I am considering purchasing it, but 2k is a decent sized investment for me and would like to know it it’s worth it for the long term.
I got the sofa a year ago. After only a week of getting it, it scratched considerably and sagged… at first it wasn’t a big deal. 5 months in, I hated the sofa
Finally, an unsponsored unbiased review!
So, thank you for the honesty.
It’s so hard to trust any of the “reviews” out there when they are all partnerships with article.
Returning mine, never even made it out of the box. We couldn’t even believe how cheap and awful the fabric felt. Anyhoo, thank you! 🙏
Yes.. we’ve had lots of pieces from Article. The only pieces we absolutely love is our outdoor set.
No problem! I highly recommend you check out Kavuus 🙂
It’s been a bit since this story was posted. Would you still recommend the sectional? Have you purchased any of their fabric sofas? Thanks!
I wouldn’t recommend it. I also had their fabric “Sven” chair and it was awful quality
Thank you for the update!!
Hi, Just came across this post after I reluctantly ordered an article Timber sofa and am worried about how it will hold up with 2 dogs. After reading about your experience I’m definitely having second thoughts. I saw that you recommended Kavuus to another poster so I just checked it out and they have a great selection of awesome pieces! Did you end up replacing your article sofa with one from there? If so, I’d love to know which one and how you like it. Thanks!
Hey! Yes, the Timber didn’t last long. We have the “Aim” sectional from Kavuus and we love it!! We’ve had it six months now. The seats & back cushions zip off too so you can wash them!
From where did you get the leather of this sofa or the supplier? It’s beautiful.