A few months ago, I secured a studio apartment that I pictured being my sanctuary. It was a newly renovated unit in a pre-war building and seemed like a safe bet as far as New York apartments go. Since I love interior design, I visually mapped out where I would place everything from my dining table to my couch. Fast forward to a week of moving in: Surprise! There were beetles everywhere. Yes, a true infestation of carpet beetles—just a lovely gift from New York’s cursed apartment ecosystem. With the help of some home remedies, things became slightly more manageable, but not enough; I was ready to bounce after a month of sleeping at my boyfriend’s apartment.
I was able to find a new place to move into within a week thanks to Facebook groups. But, sigh, my new spot was not nearly as nice as the solo studio apartment I was leaving behind (minus the beetles, of course). I now live with two other roommates in a high-rise apartment building, which obviously means that any non-bedroom space is shared (and straight-up limited). My bedroom is not huge, but thankfully, it’s big enough to double as a mini living room of my own so I transformed it into the “studio” of my dreams.
My number one priority for my bedroom was getting a small-space-friendly couch so I could host friends and have an area to kick back during my gaming sessions. I had limited space to make it work (70 inches of width, to be exact), so my seating options basically came down to a beautiful two-seater to fit the bill. I’m happy to announce that the wall next to my bed is no longer naked thanks to the Burrow Nomad Velvet Loveseat.
I’d heard about Burrow on Instagram while scrolling through my feed but had never owned a piece of furniture from the popular direct-to-consumer brand. Burrow focuses on a modular design platform with American Mid-Century Modernism and contemporary Scandinavian style. It sounded up my alley so it was time to put this popular (and very attractive) loveseat to the test.
First impressions
Besides Burrow’s accent chairs, the Nomad Loveseat is the brand’s smallest couch. It comes in a variety of jewel-toned colors with the option to customize the fabric, leg finish, and arm style. With its handsome good looks, it’s a true “loveseat,” great for a spontaneous game of tonsil hockey while watching the new season of Love Is Blind.
I decided to go with velvet fabric in the “Midnight” colorway with a brass metal leg finish. The color “Jade” was also tempting, with its emerald gemstone vibes, but it unfortunately doesn’t match my preexisting color scheme. Oh, and before you balk at the idea of going with a finicky fabric like velvet for a couch I planned to use every day, fear not: The fabric is technically called “performance velvet” since it’s stain-resistant and easy to clean with just a bit of soap and water. Burrow claims it passed a 100,000 double-rub test, which measures the wear and tear of furniture. That means the Nomad Loveseat is virtually immune to red wine spills, Cheeto dust, and melted chocolate. Damn.
It’s important to note you’re unable to customize the arm style when choosing velvet fabric, but this nearly five-star-rated couch is available in a variety of other fabrics as well. The cushions feature three-layer foam, fiber architecture, and a plush crown to cradle your peach in all the right places.
Putting it together
Being a 5’2” petite woman, putting this together and maneuvering it was not the easiest, but it was still very doable! (My boyfriend offered to help, but I’m an impatient girl who wanted it done ASAP after it arrived.) I was able to get this sofa to reach “I-can-sit-in-this” status in about an hour. The best part is that no tools are required for assembly. Each side of the sofa locks into each other and is then secured with latches, while twist-on screws are used to attach the legs. The hardest part was attaching the arms. In order for them to securely latch into place, they have to align perfectly into a few holes, so I had to flip the couch over on each side to get the job done. If nothing else: I told my dad I put it together all by myself and he was impressed.
Why it rocks
This sofa was an easy decision, but not just because the measurements are exactly what I need. It’s a tech-savvy sofa that features a built-in USB charger and a 72-inch power cord that plugs into an outlet. Maybe we’re all just addicted to scrolling on social media, but the charging feature gives this sofa easy bragging rights to my friends.
Speaking of social media, while scrolling through TikTok, I got Trader Joe’s cheese puff dust all over the sofa. Fear not, because Burrow thought ahead and included a soft-bristled brush to keep things clean. It worked within seconds and left the couch looking as good as new, making the Nomad Velvet Loveseat the ultimate snacking couch. I will be having many future dinners while sitting on it.
The Burrow Nomad Velvet Loveseat legitimately feels like a memory foam marshmallow. I can’t count how many times I’ve plopped down on it since it came into my life. It’s pretty firm, making it the perfect WFH couch, but still very comfortable. It’s sturdy and keeps me upright so I don’t fall asleep while grinding through Google docs, but I never feel like I’m not in comfy mode. Some people may not like the firmness in their couches, but, personally speaking, I’m not a huge fan of that sinking feeling some couches have. This couch doesn’t leave that butt indentation from sitting too long (LOL)—and for me that’s a big plus, and it means minimal upkeep in terms of fluffing the cushions.
TL;DR: Even after a small (beetle-sized) hiccup, I finally was able to set up the “studio” of my dreams, and couldn’t have done it without the Burrow Nomad Velvet Loveseat. If anything, my previous apartment issues prove that everything happens for a reason, because I’m not sure I would’ve initially gone with this particular model if I was still living at my previous place since it was a bigger space. Now I can charge my phone while not giving a sh*t about crumbs and stains (and bugs). No beetles? New couch? Life is good.
The Nomad Velvet Loveseat is available at Burrow.
The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.
More
From VICE
-
Collage by VICE -
Collage by VICE -
Collage by VICE -
Wayfair
