My interior design style has evolved dramatically over the years. Fresh out of college, the sole piece of furniture to my name (besides what I shared with roommates) was a squeaky white metal bed frame that, to its credit, got the job done. But as time passed, I started paying more attention to the materials and silhouettes that make my home feel as fashionable as it is functional.

For me, that meant choosing furniture that's actually comfortable and experimenting with rich, tangible textures. Defining my aesthetic vision has helped me get a jumpstart on designing my first home, and the first piece to enter my doors was the Albany Park Lido Sofa 86" ($1,709). It's the perfect blend of style, comfort, and so much more goodness I'm breaking down ahead.

What I Like About the Albany Park Lido Sofa There's a lot I love about Albany Park's Lido Sofa, so let's start with the assembly. Full transparency: my dad, a contractor for many years, was in town and helped me put it together. Even with his expertise, it felt easy and like I could have done it on my own.

It took us maybe 30 minutes from start to finish, mainly because we initially had some trouble lining up the couch's back brackets. I preemptively grabbed a glass of wine, imagining it would take a while, but I didn't even make a dent before we finished putting it together. What separates this couch's assembly from other, less-impressive pieces I've put together is that the hardware comes pre-installed; you just attach the piec.