Buying a New Couch
I'm looking for a new couch. My current couch, a Lane, was purchased six years ago, was rather expensive (by my standards) and was suppposed to last a LIFETIME  . The cushions have already lost all support, the fabric is worn and the back is shot (no I don't jump up and down on it).
Any stories to share? |
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| Hi Ginny,
for yrs we have had cloth and always had to get them cleaned, turn the coushions. ect. Yes suppose to last a lifetime. ( if you never sit on them) tears, worn parts. wron edges. you name it and they get soft too. 2 yrs ago we got a new couch, Leather. LOVE it. just wipe it down. I keep a throu on one side for flannigan. he gets up there and is fine. both sides recline. and we got 2 recliners leather. Now they are not as good. One thing is they sit to low. It did not seem that way in the store. Both of us are tall ( hubby is 6'5") its hard to get up and if you sit to long we get a back ack. Hope this helps |
| Love our leather couch from Jennifer convertibles.
Its really well made, and just too comfy! 
www.jenniferfurniture.com |
| Glad to hear that we aren't the only ones disappointed with a Lane couch. Steve bought a dual reclining leather sofa about 5 or 6 yrs ago. The padding has squooshed down so much and feels like there's no support. It was expensive and I hate to purchase another one, but it's killing my back and neck. When Steve strained his back, he finally agreed with me that there was no support left in it. Neither one of us is very large. I must confess that Annie has been up there since we've moved into our house as it's cooler than the fabric sofa. But, even the head portions are squooshy. Eventually, I think we'll give it to my Mom as it is still MUCH better than her 20 yr old couch. Can't give it to her yet as her dog will destroy it.
Any suggestions from anyone on purchasing a couch that will be sat on A LOT? We need it to be firm and supportive..for a LONG time. |
| I got mine from Crate and Barrel...goose down and custom microfiber..it was pricey. $1200.00..BUT no animals or food allowed anywhere near it...and it was 25% off, so I think I did good...It will last a life time..at least mine!!!!!!!!!! |
| I just have to state that I am not a fan of leather couches. I think they look very nice, but they don't seem as cozy to me. You stick to them when you are hot and they feel cold when you sit down (obviously they warm up), and they can start to crack and look aged, which is fine if you like the distressed look, but if you want your couch to look like what it did when you bought it...
My brother has a couch from Ashley furniture and it has lasted for a pretty long time and looks pretty good still... |
| We finally gave up on paying a lot of money for a new couch (What, us allow dogs and cats on the couch ) and now go to merchandise auctions. Our current couch cost $70 at the auction and was brand new. At that price we really don't worry if we have to replace it every couple of years. Nor do we mind the "kids" playing on it.
Jennifer, Baxter, Cassiopia and Sharkey |
| We bought our new couch at Scheniderman's furniture outlet (gotta love the outlet!)... I love it. It is pretty, with a victorian medallion and striped pattern, nice sized for my little house- not gargantuan like so many of the couches out there, and it doesn't attract cat hair... How can you not love that??? Best of all it fit in our very tight budget, I think it was a little over 500$. I'd say the average life expectancy of couches in my family is about 10-15 years, after that, they start to get run down and sad looking.
Now if I can just get Iris to quit trying to "dig" in the cushions!! at least the fabric seems to be taking the abuse well... Karen  |
| LOL...I need to teach Panda that the sofa is NOT a large napkin or eye booger getter outer... |
And once you teach Panda, you can come over and teach Barney. That seems to be what he thinks the couch is for, too!  |
| We have leather...it was an old couch we had recovered. I hate it. We had down cushions made, but I just dont like leather. As someone already stated...hot in summer and cold in winter. We are moving on the 24th...I have been looking for new furniture. So far I have narrowed it down to Ashley's. Their furniture seems reasonably priced (so reasonable that I wont mind if it just lasts for 5-10 years---I'll get sick of it by then anyway!) They want $900 for the couch (that's canadian dollars)
here that is pretty good for a couch. La-z-boy wanted $4500 for a comparable couch. And that was WITH a friends discount that works there! At Ashley's for that price I can get 2 couches, a love seat, 2 end tables a dining table and 2 end chairs! |
PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH ASHLEY AND BAY FURNITURE!! IT'S MY MISSION TO GET EVERYONE TO BOYCOTT THEM!  Neither company will stand behind their product. Our first purchase for our new home was an Ashley table purchased at Bay Furniture. Within 4 months, a small part of the sealant over the stone top came off. We didn't do anything to the table to make this happen. One day, I was reading the newspaper, lifted it up to throw it out and this piece came flying off and broke on the floor. I can't even begin to tell you how many hours of frustration and aggravation I spent on the telephone with numerous people. They wouldn't even send their reps out to look at our table as they said we must have done it for this to happen. Now we don't have kids and neither one of throws things on the table and we use hot pots all the time. I vowed to send a nasty letter to both companies, but I never did. I was so pissed off I didn't even want to think about it again. PLEASE DON'T BUY FROM EITHER OF THEM. |
| Hi Karen,
We have been thinking of new furniture. Leather is out of the question with the kitties, it would look more like a pin cushion, even with the nails trimmed. 
You mentioned the fabric on your new couch didn't attract cat hair, what type of fabric is it? It doesn't take much to get me excited, and a couch that repels cat hair does it....LOL We currently have Alan White furniture, we have had it for almost 10 years, it was white, now it isn't.  It actually doesn't look as bad as one might think, it just looks like it was supposed to be an antique white color. It is oversized, which we really like, as usually the dogs and 4-5 cats want to claim a spot.
If you don't mind the smell of orange peels, you can put them inside your cushions to keep Isis from digging, or give her a blanket to dig into instead. If she starts to do any damage, you can try the soft paws, they take awhile for your cat to get used to, but can save furniture, and it is a lot better than the alternative. TIA, Stormi |
| Our durosuede doesn't attract pet hair, which is nice.
We've tried the soft paws on our cats and they usually end up pulling them off in a few days (I am actually surprised they haven't pulled off their claws in the process--they pull so hard!) |
| We also just bought a new sofa and chair-and-a-half within the past 6 months. Bought La-z-Boy and so far so good. My problem is that a) I'm short, and b) my back is a mess. So I need furniture that sits short (as compared to looking like a little kid with my feet dangling in the air) and is firm. This fit the bill, cause La-z-Boy makes different depth seats. Drez is not allowed on the furniture, but I wish I could break Dale from eating on them!! The crumbs will eventually work their way into the fabric, I'm afraid. Wonder if a rolled up newspaper works on husbands, too??
Chris |
| Darcy, after you wrote about your find while on your hands and knees cleaning the floor...........dirty spot from dog farts......I am so grateful I keep a blanket and flannel sheet thrown over the couch.....especially when the big air bag, Jack, is tooting away. Washer is just a few steps away.
Sun is a real killer on furniture, even if sun doesn't come directly thru a window, the light can still eat away the threads. Furniture is such a rip off, I'd hate to be looking for a new couch, er, dog bed. Paul and I prefer chairs. sheepieboss |
| Susan, you sound like Brian....lol... |
| Chris, I DON'T advise using rolled up newspaper on husbands (I thinks that is considered abuse )
Thanks for the info on leather...... I was kinda mabe hoping to get leather........ Am interested to hear more peoples opinion on Lazy boy (another wish). |
| We've been looking at sofas too. We're thinking Durapella - sounds like a good fit with our young kids. They said it was pretty much resistant to any stain! Then again, my MIL is thinking about buying a new living room set to match her new end tables and entertainment center, so we may end up with hers. I hope so - love her set except it's off-white and cloth! Yikes, lol |
| Just got back from the new Ikea that opened in our area!
Fun store with lots of cool stuff. We are going to visit again when we have more time to check it out! |
| I'm going to come to the defense of leather here for a minute. James's mom has sold high end Danish and imported furniture for almost 20 years and has schooled me on a lot of stuff about furniture. Though I agree that most leathers can be hot in the summer and cold in the winter, that can be almost completely allieviated by buying very high quality leather, especially with a grain in it that makes it a bit softer-- it's the straight, smooth leathers that are much worse because there's no "breathe" to the material.
We have a huge lightly pebbled grain leather sectional sofa by a German company called Shillig. I think it was close to $6,000 (but James's mom got a great discount!). It's over 30" deep (3 feet at the bend) and a little over 7 feet on each side of the sectional. It's great because I'm 6' and James is about 6'3 and we can both stretch completely out on either side with room to spare. The padding is excellent so it's very comfortable. When we were looking at houses a few years ago, we wound up choosing the one we live in now based on the fact that the sofa fit in it! |
barney1 wrote: Our durosuede doesn't attract pet hair, which is nice.
We've tried the soft paws on our cats and they usually end up pulling them off in a few days (I am actually surprised they haven't pulled off their claws in the process--they pull so hard!) Thank you for letting me know abot the durosuede, we will have to check that out!! I want something that will stand up to the kids, dogs, and cats. On the softpaws, we have found that you have to make sure you get the exact size that fits, or they can come off before the 4-6 weeks is up. We tried several sizes before finding one that was the right fit, as we were having the same trouble as you. I have kept recommending them, so we had to try them out for ourselves....LOL I have found a weekly or biweekly trim works best for us, but some people want something that will last a little longer. |
ButtersStotch wrote: We have a huge lightly pebbled grain leather sectional sofa by a German company called Shillig. I think it was close to $6,000 (but James's mom got a great discount!). It's over 30" deep (3 feet at the bend) and a little over 7 feet on each side of the sectional. It's great because I'm 6' and James is about 6'3 and we can both stretch completely out on either side with room to spare. The padding is excellent so it's very comfortable. When we were looking at houses a few years ago, we wound up choosing the one we live in now based on the fact that the sofa fit in it!
Can I have your sofa when you are tired of it? It sounds WONDERFUL, just EXACTLY what I'm looking for!!!!!!!!!! Doug and I are both tall and I would LOVE a sofa we could both stretch out on. Right now he's a SOFA HOG I usually get the chair  . I have a bad back and need something with support and I want something that's going to LAST. |
ButtersStotch wrote: I'm 6' and James is about 6'3 Tasker's Mom wrote: Doug and I are both tall |
Tasker's Mom wrote: Right now he's a SOFA HOG
I usually get the chair . My dad is 6'9 so it was always a race to the couch when we were little to save a seat for mom instead of dad because if she got there first, we got to keep our seats. He was also a couch hog and took up more than the length of the couch! They bought an oversized (to accomodate giant dad)leather set 30 years ago and spent over $3000 back then. Talk about lasting: my mom still has it and it looks only comfortably worn. That stuff will probably look good longer than I will! Lately Clyde has taken an interest in lying on the couch. The leather easily wipes clean and is durable, plus he gets up so carefully (he's not a jumper) that we let it happen. He likes James's side and there's plenty of room for both of them. I should take a picture, it's pretty cute when they're all cuddled up together! |
ButtersStotch wrote: My dad is 6'9 |
| If I bought a new sofa I would get something with clean lines that you could find slipcovers for easily. My sofa has a fancy back and slip covers wouldn't fit over the back. I do cover the cushions with a cover because my dogs do get up on the sofa and sit there with me.They have really nice slip and throw covers these days and you could change the look with the seasons and wash them whenever. I think some new sofas even come with slipcovers. I think they have a cottagy look and I love that.Plus it's practical if you have dogs or just messy humans. |
Ron wrote: ButtersStotch wrote: My dad is 6'9 LOL Ron! Try only being 5'2 and having a hubby that's 6'3. I feel so short all the time. |
| My mother was 5'5", and my dad is 6'6" (or as he prefers to say it, "5 foot 18") They always called them selves Mutt and Jeff.
I am (to paraphrase dad) 5 foot 15, but my height is from the tush up. I sit as tall if not taller than my dad, while I have 30" inseams. I can't sit in any foreign cars, GMs are about the only American cars. I drive a full-size Chevy Tahoe. Long couches are a must if one anticipates kicking or being kicked out of the nest for a night! |
| Stacy,
Sorry you have had such bad luck with Ashley Furniture. We have bought from them in the past and have been completely satisfied with their products and their customer service. I guess it just depends on who is running the particular franchise you are dealing with. We had ordered a dining set that one of the chairs had a tiny scratch. I pointed it out to the delivery guy and he said..no problem we will take it back and you will get a new one...no hassle, no argument, no problems at all. The new chair arrived and was delivered in a week. I even had the option of keeping the scratched chair while waiting for delivery of the new one. |
Stormi- My couch has a satin fabric. It is not so silppery that you slide off, but the cat hair doesn't really stick to it. It certainly is better at staying hair-free than many of the softer, plushy fabrics like chenille (mikes chenille chair is constantly covered in hair!), and even the cotton tweed on our old couch. Any hair that might be on there when Iris gets up, just brushes off. Plus it takes abuse well, which I love! Iris isn't too bad at digging, but when she gets a mind to, she'll dig into the blankets, into the couch cushion, whatever she finds on the couch till she has acheived her objective... in 10 years, I still cannot figure out what exactly that is  The only gripe I have about our couch is that that the accessory pillows (throw pillows) that came with it weren't made very well... But I have other nice pillows that match so it doesn't matter that much. |
WizardMerlin wrote: Stacy,
Sorry you have had such bad luck with Ashley Furniture. We have bought from them in the past and have been completely satisfied with their products and their customer service. I guess it just depends on who is running the particular franchise you are dealing with. We had ordered a dining set that one of the chairs had a tiny scratch. I pointed it out to the delivery guy and he said..no problem we will take it back and you will get a new one...no hassle, no argument, no problems at all. The new chair arrived and was delivered in a week. I even had the option of keeping the scratched chair while waiting for delivery of the new one. They told us that if we had noticed a problem within 2 days of delivery, they could have helped us. It had nothing to do with the delivery; just a crappy made table. I'm still so pissed. Maybe I will write that letter just to satisfy my own need to vent! |
| I don't even know what brand my furniture is...lol....
I bought the livingroom set 6 years ago, paid extra to have the whole set scotch guarded because it extended the warranty to 7 years against stains, tears, and cusion sinkage. My kids are all over it, my dogs and cats are all over it, and it still looks pretty much new. A couple of cusions have sunken in a bit, but not too bad yet. It has had tons of stuff spilled on it, but it runs right off, never stains. I just wipe it with a damp cloth. It also doesn't collect pet hair, which is a bonus. The fabric is a crushed velvet type, overstuffed, and is multicolored but from a distance it just looks blue.  |
| The way to keep your bottom cushions from "sinking" is to rotate them. I vacuum the cushion that I sit on all the time, flip it, then put it on the other end and move the other 2 cushions down...repeat every month.. and Mandy if you say one word......well, I dont know, just shhhh! |
| I do rotate them, but a couple are still more sunken than the others. *shrug* I dunno.... |
Quote: They bought an oversized (to accomodate giant dad)leather set 30 years ago and spent over $3000 back then. Talk about lasting: my mom still has it and it looks only comfortably worn. That stuff will probably look good longer than I will!
We were in the market this summer for a living room set, and with dogs and teens we were looking at second hand stuff, but didn't want junk. We hit the jackpot, as a retired couple were moving into a retirement home. They were selling their "good" furniture, that pretty well stayed in the living room and was never used. They bought it 30 years ago, had two side chairs custom made at the time to match the sofa. They paid $2500 for the set way back when, all is very hard, solid wood, and the fabric is amazing. We got it for $150. Is now sitting in our family room, taking tons of abuse, and sitting as hardy as ever. And the dogs are allowed on the furniture...because after all, it is old and was cheap! |
Bosley's mom wrote: Quote: They bought an oversized (to accomodate giant dad)leather set 30 years ago and spent over $3000 back then. Talk about lasting: my mom still has it and it looks only comfortably worn. That stuff will probably look good longer than I will! We were in the market this summer for a living room set, and with dogs and teens we were looking at second hand stuff, but didn't want junk. We hit the jackpot, as a retired couple were moving into a retirement home. They were selling their "good" furniture, that pretty well stayed in the living room and was never used. They bought it 30 years ago, had two side chairs custom made at the time to match the sofa. They paid $2500 for the set way back when, all is very hard, solid wood, and the fabric is amazing. We got it for $150. Is now sitting in our family room, taking tons of abuse, and sitting as hardy as ever. And the dogs are allowed on the furniture...because after all, it is old and was cheap! They just don't make furniture like they used to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope I can find an affordable couch that we BOTH ( ) can stretch out on in comfort that will LAST. I'm not even going to expect it to withstand abuse because the kids are gone and Tasker is pretty good about staying off the couch (except when the cats away the mice will play ). DOESN'T SEEM LIKE SO MUCH TO ASK!!!! |
| I bought a beautiful set. Sofa, Love Seat and chair.
It was faux leather and really comfortable. Then one day about 2 years after we got it my ex-husband sat down and fell through the wood. I believe we got the set for $700 and got our money's worth. Just seeing him fall into the couch was priceless. Billy & I inherited my parent's 10 yrs old leather couches. My brother in law burned a hole in one of the cushions. I was livid! When we moved to the Desert the couches started drying out. Even with conditioner. Then Peanut started biting at that burn hole and scratching it. So it went from a tiny burn hole to a gapping hole. Then Pepsi took a flying leap onto the dried out couch and alas a big rip. We really didn't have the money to fix it or buy new. Then our neighbor & friend Joe decided he wanted to upgrade his furniture. He paid about $2000 for the sectional. It was about 4 years old when he sold it to us for $400. It has two recliners and a sofa bed. It's cloth. The one back side of the couch had been scratched by his cats so we put a plant there. Other than the scratches it's in pretty good condition. The two cushions over the sofa bed are a bit saggy so we might have them restuffed. |
| Just returned from "looking trip" #1, cheap crap, cheap crap, ugly ugly ugly Found a beautiful leather sofa in the New York Times magazine.............$9,500................... order me two. |
| That's insane. I think furniture has a bigger markup than jewelry. It's a crime! I heard that if you actually fly to North Carolina where all the furniture is made, it is much less expensive and you may not have to pay shipping charges and the trucks come down there any way to deliver to stores. Anyone on NC know aboutt this? |
| My sis who use to live in Tn went to NC and it is much cheaper...a chair that she fell in love with at a local furniture store that was $300.00 was only 125.00...so...... |
| Yes, I live where all the furniture buyers come to purchase for their stores. It's much cheaper here than most anywhere else in the country(although I've never purchased anywhere but here). Judging from all the out of state license plates at the Furniture Mart, I'd say it must be worth the trip! |
| We have a set that is over 50 years old. (it was hubby's parents set when they first got married!)We recovered it about 5 years ago. It was cheaper to recover it than to buy a comparable set new. The upholstery people put all new foam or whatever (we had down cushions made) and so basically it is a new set. They said they could have even changed the look of it. We got the sofa covered in soft leather and the chairs in a tapestry.
Because the sofa is a low back sofa it isnt as comfortable for hubby as he would like. This is why we were looking for another set, and the kids would get the sofa we have. Since then things have changed and we are getting a sofa,loveseat and chair from my brother. It is also leather (great for dogs!) I personally HATE sitting on leather(hot in summer and cold in winter) but its free and it is VERY comfortable and I can always put a blanket on the chair to sit on 
Now I am in the market for end tables...Ashley wanted $250 EACH for an end table....hmmm I think I will try Walmart...doesnt have to last forever...with 4 kids and soon to be FOUR DOGS....it is kind of pointless to spend LOTS on furniture |
| Ginny, The chairs that are in my living room, I got at a thrift store for 35.00 each....they were UGLY...but the bones and frame were good...found fabric for 2.99 yrd at calico and had them upholstered for 200 each....that ended up being about 175.00 cheaper than a new chair..you might want to check that out...also Joanne etc is having a 50% discount on all of their fabrics right now...just bought the material for my duvet , shams and bedskirt for 180ish...it would have been double....just thought it might be something to check out.... |
Darcy wrote: Ginny, The chairs that are in my living room, I got at a thrift store for 35.00 each....they were UGLY...but the bones and frame were good...found fabric for 2.99 yrd at calico and had them upholstered for 200 each....that ended up being about 175.00 cheaper than a new chair..you might want to check that out...also Joanne etc is having a 50% discount on all of their fabrics right now...just bought the material for my duvet , shams and bedskirt for 180ish...it would have been double....just thought it might be something to check out....
Mmmmmm, went that route one time.... had a couch I LOVED. Had a "good friend" who claimed she recover it for a song......... Before I was done I had spent about $400. It was UGLY, the cushions didn't fit, she couldn't sew, and I felt sorry for her so didn't demand my money back |
| Thats why you have a professional upholster do it.....mine were plaid, had them railroad the fabric and believe it or not, they actually not only got the plaid to line up in every direction, but the cording as well...call around to get prices...a sofa is usually about 500- 700 to re upholster....depends on the legnth and the fab type....its just another avenue... |
| Wish I could buy a couch on the internet...... I much prefer shopping at my desk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| ^^
I like making most of my purchases on the net too! Well tonight we're going to Sadlers and maybe Ashley to see if there's a couch for us ...at a price we like. There's some moonlight savings deal going on that we can't miss. |
| We live in a century home and right before we moved in we saw a furniture set for sale in a garage sale. Solid wood, probably 100 years old, but the upholstery was finished. We bought the couch and 2 chairs for $150, and had them all re-covered professionally for $1200. They are beautiful, and in the living room where the dogs don't go. They were not too expensive, but sure look it! Yeah, both our sets are used...can you tell my hubby is "thrifty"? |
| Our whole house is done in the fifties. I found our couch at an antique store and laid on it until Bob could get down to the store with a truck. It's about 8 feet long and there was no way it was going to fit in my Miata!
It was in great condition and after about 2 years we had it recoverd for $400.00 bucks. They did a great job and pickup and delivery was included. There were buttons on the back and the seat and they were sectioned so we just had them smoothed into one long section. They can do all sorts of things to change the look or stuffing or covers when they do the reupholstery. I do have a problem with it though, It doesn't have cushions that you can take off like a regular couch so I can't flip them over (or build a fort). So lost, can't figure it out, neatness overload, Darcy help! |
| OK, so Thanks to ALL OF you I have narrowed down exactly what I want....
1. A seven foot long couch 2. At LEAST 3 feet wide so Doug and I can both stretch out head to toe with wiggle room. 3. Leather, but the GOOD kind the stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer. 4. Cushions that can be turned and switched. 5. A nice sturdy frame that will hold a six footer and an 5'10er 6. A price tag of less than $1,500 
Any ideas on where the heck I'm going to find THAT? |
| Id look for Broyhill.......great sofa manufacturer.....and relatively cheap..family room sofa...look at the pic with panda attacking collie...only 800.00....she, collie slept on it for a month while her new bed was awaiting to arrive...said it was better than her bed at her moms house..lol...
And Mandy, Im sorry about the no fort building, I know how you feel...use sheets and tuck them into the corners of the sofa.....and attach to the coffee table with either candle sticks or stuff in a drawer...and watch it come tumbling down when all of the dogs want to get in there with you |
| hee hee hee. Maybe Barney and I will build a fort tonight!
Also, bringing in dining room chairs to go under the sheets adds interest and sections in the fort. |
| Well Darcy, HERE IT IS!!!!! Found it on line!!!!!!!!! Now I have to call the store (which is only 10 miles away) and see what the price is!!!!!
http://www.broyhillfurn.com/Index.asp?A ... ID=4462482 |
| Ginny, here is a nice looking leather sofa...it says it is 1700 (the higher price is for the tables and stuff to be included too)
http://east.roomstore.com/details/ALB-290-507710602/14 |
| That is nice, I'd like something a little less modern.
Darcy, got a price on the Broyhill sofa above....It was $1949 one place and $1499 another!!! The place that was $1499 was the more "reputable" place!!! They are going to try to get me some leather samples. I just might have found myself a sofa!!!! WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T BUY A SOFA ON THE INTERNET!!!!! |
| That's a beautiful couch Tasker's Mom!
Sadlers has mostly Broyhill furniture (where we went last night), but we didn't find anything we liked. Plus, Lazyboy convinced us to buy with them (the frames of their couches are built a little differently), so we're having their interior designer come out and tell us what would look nice. I can't wait. Mr. J would LOVE a leather sofa but Yuki put a mean scratch in our leather lazyboy chair (given to us by his mom but it's pretty $$$), so it's out of the question for us now. We'll probably be going with this microfiber type of fabric which basically that duro stuff mentioned in this thread (just each company calls it a different name). |
| Yeah Ginny! That is a pretty couch...Of course you can buy a couch online! You can do anything online! |
| Here's our couch...
http://east.roomstore.com/details/STR-M ... 09710802/6 |
| Very nice!! I do like a sectional, I'm not sure if my living room would be big enough for a sectional...... it might solve the having enough space for both of us dilema!!!!!! |
| Love it Ginny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mine is very similar but in a brown chenilley like fabric..... |
| My 2 cents:
We have a Sklar Peplar...LOVE IT, we bought it together, and it is now 8 years old. It's standing up very well, one chaor is a wing back (cat's chair for sleeping), a recliner...but very stylish, and a deep seat 3 cushion sofa, with rolled arms. It's a tapestry fabric, that has stood up to cat's scratching, stains, fading...after 8 years it still looks pretty good. We also have a recliner sectional, with sofa bed, the fabric on it is amazing, some sort of suede type that resists everything...but the one recliner wire broke and makes it useless. Also we can't flip the cushions, so I don't like that. Also I hate having a sectional, you cannot move around, esp if you want to use the recliners. I regret getting this one, and sofa beds are not comfortable at all. Our close friends bought a beautiful leather sofa set, but it looks horrible now. I am not sure how often they were expected to clean, and protect it...but in no time at all it look ver very stained. Most of it from the backs of people's head (sweat, oily hair, hair with product), and baby bottles/food spills. She cleaned it as they said, and eventually gave up. So becareful what leather you buy, and what they expect you to do to upkeep. Here is our chair, not our fabric tho: http://www.sklarpeppler.com/item_chair. ... item=10795 And our sofa, again not our fabric: http://www.sklarpeppler.com/item.php?se ... item=10751 And then a basic wing chair. It has a lifetime warranty on the frame, 10 year on upolstry, and after that it is still covered but we have to pay. But so far so good, the only thing I have wrong with it, is we chose a floral pattern, and altho I still love it, I cannot work around it. Your sofa is a HUGE focal point so if you choose a pattern you better love it. Sometimes I wish I had a plain beige couch and change the throw pillows. But I have no problem getting a paint color, or co-ordinateing around it. Good luck, and I do like that leather one you found. I too want to go leather on our next one...it will replace the sectional..rec room stuff. |
Daisie wrote: My 2 cents:
Our close friends bought a beautiful leather sofa set, but it looks horrible now. I am not sure how often they were expected to clean, and protect it...but in no time at all it look ver very stained. Most of it from the backs of people's head (sweat, oily hair, hair with product), and baby bottles/food spills. She cleaned it as they said, and eventually gave up. So becareful what leather you buy, and what they expect you to do to upkeep. . EWWWW, I'll have to check on that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love your couch |
| Leather care is very important. You'll need so some research to be sure, but years ago I worked in leather furniture and if I remember correctly, the ph balance of a high quality leather is very low. 4, I think. You must be sure to use a cleaner that does not have a higher ph balance than the leather or it will break it down and leave it open for more dirt and easier degradation.
I can't tell you how many people I talked to who had basically ruined their very expensive furniture by cleaning it with something like Dawn dish deteregent. The worst part is that they got most of this terrible misinformation from the salesperson who sold it to them. Only after it started looking like "crap" did they call the manufacturer to complain. So be careful! Very high quality leather is very much like your skin (that's what it is after all). You'll find it has some natural defects, but if properly cared for will remain soft and supple for years. As a side note, I always got a kick out of people who had no idea where leather actually came from. I honestly had some folks who thought their entire sofa was made from one piece of leather. A particularly "bull-headed" gentleman wanted to argue the point with me. I finally just asked him if how long and wide his sofa was. When he told me, I asked him if he'd ever seen a cow that big. |
Beaureguard's Mom wrote: Very high quality leather is very much like your skin (that's what it is after all). You'll find it has some natural defects, but if properly cared for will remain soft and supple for years.
As a side note, I always got a kick out of people who had no idea where leather actually came from. I honestly had some folks who thought their entire sofa was made from one piece of leather. A particularly "bull-headed" gentleman wanted to argue the point with me. I finally just asked him if how long and wide his sofa was. When he told me, I asked him if he'd ever seen a cow that big. TeeHee...ROTF |
Beaureguard's Mom wrote: Leather care is very important. You'll need so some research to be sure, but years ago I worked in leather furniture and if I remember correctly, the ph balance of a high quality leather is very low. 4, I think. You must be sure to use a cleaner that does not have a higher ph balance than the leather or it will break it down and leave it open for more dirt and easier degradation.
Very true. We only use leather specific cleaners but not that often. A wet rag pretty much takes care of anything so most of the time we never need a cleaner. They're a little more expensive but what's a few bucks when it comes to prolonging the life of something you've already paid a lot for and want to keep nice? I also use a leather moisturizer once a month and take the time to apply it in little circles and really work it into the leather (which takes forever because the couch is so big!). Tammy's right, it is like skin, only dead skin, so you have to work even harder to keep it fresh looking! |
| Thanks for all the info, this is one purchase I'll have to research very carefully!!! This summer, while at my son's in laws, I fell in love with their leather sofa. I'll have to check with them and how they care for it. They have two large dogs and may have some tips to share as well. I know one of their dogs is a regular sofa sleeper! Don't know how old their sofa is but it looked well kept (they did keep a blanket on the seat). |
| Hey I just wanted to say that I bought a durapella couch and sofa from ashley and they last . I have two kids and have had milk , pop, kool-aid you name it spilled on there and all you do is get a wet rag and wipe the area off and it comes of no stains nothing. I have had them for three years now , and they still look new just by wiping them down. It is great!!! |
| Well, it's been a year since this post and I still haven't gotten my couch. I'm holding out for leather..........MAYBE THIS will be the year I actually have it all picked out (Broyhill) and a picture on the fridge.
If I could get Doug to stop buying tractors and generators MAYBE I could get a couch |
| I didn't read through all 5 pages of this thread, so maybe my couch saga is redundent, but here go's...Last year we searched searched searched for a new sofa to replace our super-comfy but sadly worn out one. We were appalled at both the prices and the sadly unimaginative color selection (oh boy,look, they have cream, taupe AND ecru! ) So, what we ultimately wound up doing was having our existing couch re-stuffed and re-upolstered. This turned out to be aprox. 1/2 the price of a nice new one and I got to choose...BRIGHT PURPLE...! |
| Ginny - I am right there with you. I didn't get my couch either.
I have been trying to get around to getting new furniture forever. I have had 5 hand-me-down sofas, and one new set that didn't last well at all. I am hesitant to sink a lot of money into it because we are planning to move and I'd like to get a sectional. Problem there is the size. I'd love to have leather but it is so pricey - I know they last but the initial price still scares me! Microfiber might be an option. Anyone have microfiber experience? I am worried about how hard we use our sofas- will it hold up? Shellie |
| O think Darcy has microfiber and likes it very well. |
| I have microfiber and despite barney using it as a beard napkin, it has held up very well...you can't even tell where he rubs his head on it! |
Yup have microfiber and LOVE it...and its in a butter yellow color.....panda cant get her slimies on it either....
there it is.... |
Hah! What slimeys??? Panda always looks pristine every time I see pictures of her! I can't imagine her getting slimeys. 
I love our new couch that we bought for the house, but we bought a cheaper brand and the cushions are already getting a little saggy  Wish we vcould have afforded something a bit higher quality, but oh well! It'as still pretty and comfy, and hides all the dirt, goobers, and baking soda (remeber that episode?) that's managed to get on there! |
| We got an Ashley Durapella couch last year. It still looks like new, and that's saying a lot given the kids and the animals (yeah, we let them on it). Every spot, including paint drops and permenant marker, has come out of it! It's still comfortable too, so I'd recommend one of them. We've only had it a year though, so I can't comment on durability yet. Given our kids, 1 year with them = 10 years wear and tear on most things though! lol |
| Call me wierd but I LOVE browsing furniture stores! I even went down to NC after we moved into a new house and hit the manufacturers' outlet stores and discount places... and even with the cost of the trip and shipping, saved about half the retail price by shopping during the after-market sales.
A couple of web sites you might want to look at are www.hickoryfurnituremart.com and www.boyles.com. Boyles is a discounter I've purchased from and they'll order just about any brand you are interested in. Request their sale catalog online... they always seem to have special sales on high-end leather. You can PM me if you want further details. Donna |
| I did a quick look, BEAUTIFUL sofas. No prices listed though, guess you have to call!
This is terrible, you all have me back in sofa buying mode |
| If you wanna come furniture shopping in Hickory, Ginny, let me know. You're welcome to stay with me and of course, I know all the best places to go.
I saw this article on MSN today about some alternate durable fabrics. http://boomers.msn.com/articleCL.aspx?c ... 5>1=8985 |
| Interesting article, I'll be chaecking on the Crypton fabric!!
I discovered the white bedding trick long ago. I have a white down comforter that I refuse to put a duvet cover on because left in it's natural state it is SO easy to wash and throw in a little bleach. Anyone who thinks down needs to be dry cleaned is missing a great opportunity to save money and keep it clean!! |
| Another interesting option for sofa shopping is E-bay. We found some AMAZING leather sofas there that we considered, but the SHIPPING always wound up costing more than the couch...(one more joy of life on the last frontier) |
| EBAY?????????
As an EBAY Power Buyer I should have thought of that~!!!! |
| I also bought a sofa, loveseat and chais from Ashley Furniture. I had the worst customer service ever!!!! They sent me a used sofa and not enough cusions. They have a policy where you have to unwrap the furniture within 24hrs upon delivery and thats when you can notify them if there are any problems for returns or exchanges. Of course they dont tell you about that at the time of purchase it's in fine print on the back of the reciept. I wasn't aware of this and my home was under renovations at the time so I didn't unwrap them for a few weeks. I was still painting and refinishing floors. I was ready to set up my living room. When I did notice that the sofa was obviously used I immediately called them and let them know about it. And also notified them of the missing cusions. They did not want to do anything for me becuase of the policy in place. I fought over the phone with them for a few months before they finally had a service person drive out and take a look at the piece of furniture. He immediately noticed that it was a used sofa and had one sent out to me right away. When they finally replaced the sofa they broke a light fixture on the ceiling. It wasn't overly expensive but I was left to clean up alot of glass and did feel their should have been some compensation for the damages. Although after going back and forth for so long over the phone to replace the used sofa I finally ended my battle there. It was alot of aggravation and I dont recommend anyone purchases from that chain. It's been 3 yrs since I've made that purchase and it's totally losing shape and thats how I ended up on this sight to see how long a sofa set should be expected to stand up. I already feel I should be looking to replace it. |
| Hello We have a reclining microfiber sofa and love seat which was purchased 5 years ago. The problem is I now have a bad back and find the soft material is making my back problems worse. Have been looking into leather which I have found to be firmer. Has anyone out there purchased The Andrea leather sectional sold exclusively through Macys. It looks nice has 2 power recliners and is marked down from 5300 to 3700. I have heard that many Natuzzis are no longer made in Italy which concerns me. Is this sectional from Macys good quality? |
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