I think nail head upholstery has pretty much always been available although it does fluctuate trend-wise. If you got a pretty classic looking traditional or transitional sofa with nail head trim on it, I don't think there is anything about it that would say 2013 with exclamation points after it, down the line.

I like the color blue, so you won't have any argument with me against a blue sofa, except maybe that certain types of fabric can pick up lint which shows on dark blues pretty easily. But navy leather, if it's in your budget, or a fairly smooth navy fabric, would also be fairly easy to decorate around because, like a blue blazer or dark jeans we are used to seeing almost any color with it.

I love nailhead and I love blue. You should go for it.

Wow- how encouraging! And that chair is just gorgeous. I am going to try to post a photo of one sofa I am strongly considering for your input. It's been a while since I have been active on these forums and am not sure if I am up to date with photo posting skills so bear with me. I am just posting the first link that came up- not a store I am at all familiar with.
Please tell me your thoughts. I am getting a sample of the fabric hopefully so I can see it in my house.:)

Here is a link that might be useful: navy rowe sofa

I don't think that traditional look (and who doesn't love nail heads?) will ever go out of style. Scroll down to see the Barclay Butera loveseat in this blog.

Read the comments people have posted below about loving navy blue sofas!

Here is a link that might be useful: Cococozy blue velvet sofas

This is one of my favorite frames. It's comfortable and deep and made in the U.S. by Taylor King (fabric division of Hancock & Moore). And I have two nailhead pieces, so I love them.

{{!gwi}}

Nailheads, I think, are one of those elements that are neither in nor out of style; they're just emphasized by the magazines more or less in any given year.

I'm not a blue fan myself, but would absolutely encourage you to go with navy or prussian blue instead of brown or tan -- much more personality that way, and gorgeous with any color metal nailheads, particularly brass tones.

I might caution against lighter blues (or any lighter hues) in leather; unless it's insanely expensive leather, lighter non-natural (= non-cow) colors have a way of aging badly and looking cheaper than they may actually be.

For my part, I just scored 6 of these (1898!) dining chairs and will most definitely be keeping the nailheads when I re-spring them:

I love a dark blue English Saddle Arm style sofa with nailhead trim. Very classic. I especially like them when they are covered in mohair, but it's a very expensive choice these days.

Mmmmmmm mohair. Yum yum yum yum. I live for mohair.

i love nailhead sofas and chairs... can look beautiful/handsome with any fabric or leather. i also like deep blues alot!
the only thing that might be more 'trendy' is the silver toned nailheads... they are more traditionally more brass toned i think-- but i am not an upholsterer so i might be wrong!

Well you definitely don't have to sell me on blue. ... I have navy in the living room (formal room that never gets used). I am replacing a medium blue (a between cobalt and navy I guess) sofa/loveseat in the family room. So, do you think all your encouragement for blue and nail heads applies to the picture I posted above? Is that one also classic and attractive to your eyes?
Thank you

I have a blue leather tufted wingback recliner with aged brass nailheads. My other sofas are espresso and camel, and the other wingback chair is a muted stripe, so the blue recliner gives a lot of life to the room.

I wouldn't consider blue with nailheads anything other than traditional. Go for it!

Well you definitely don't have to sell me on blue. ... I have navy in the living room (formal room that never gets used). I am replacing a medium blue (a between cobalt and navy I guess) sofa/loveseat in the family room. So, do you think all your encouragement for blue and nail heads applies to the picture I posted above? Is that one also classic and attractive to your eyes?
Thank you

I love nailheads on furniture. I agree that their popularity may fluctuate some, but I would not consider them a trend. I think blue is a great sofa color.

Crate & Barrel Tailor Sofa

Restoration Hardware Churchill Sofa

Horchow Massoud Onetta Sofa

Horchow Haute House Horton Sofa

Horchow Massoud Langston Sofa

Sheila, I love the sofa you posted and I love navy. It's a great neutral!

Thank you for all the encouragement. I am still mulling it over. I did get the sample fabric, and it actually is much darker than how the photo shows, and I think it has more of a dark dark blue gray. I wouldn't call it a true navy- though it is very nice and the texture is good. (I don't know how to describe it but its sort or subtle velvet tweed or soft nub). I am still thinking on it and one other thing is- I would likely get the sofa and loveseat, but would love to get a really comfy chair(like a can I say the word recliner?). We have in the past had a super comfy one that was not gorgeous, but it was ok. To my shock, my husband who is not usually very flexible tried some of those chairs with ottomans like ikea poang or stressless chairs, and thought they were super comfy. Wondering if anyone can suggest something that could work with this sofa style? Of course I will have more questions, but you've all been so helpful I figured I d ask here again.

I was wondering about any suggestions for chair (recliner, stressless, super comfy is the point and not $$) that might go with the sofa loveseat? Maybe the thread got too diluted but I figure I will give it another whirl. What say you?

I have never understood the use of a sofa and a loveseat for a room arrangement. A sofa, with two lounge chairs and a recliner makes more sense to me for a room, or 2 sofas & a recliner, or a sectional and a recliner.

I really understand why men like recliners. I like recliners, provided the styling is not overstuffed. Because of the amount of use the recliners get, leather seems an appropriate covering. This one from Bradington-Young is very handsome and really comfortable. They are available in a variety of styles.

Even Brookstone offers glider recliners: http://www.brookstone.com/category/family-room-recliner

Here is a link that might be useful: Bradington-Young Recliners

That recliner is lovely and I have considered as you suggest to get 2 chairs instead of a loveseat, and in a perfect world I probably would. However, the space needed for 2 chairs seems a good amount bigger than that for a loveseat, and would also be considerably more $. I like the suggestion, but I don't think I can do it.