shape
carat
color
clarity

Please Talk to Me About Your Sofa

House Cat

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
4,602
I am finally getting around to decorating my living room and family room!! I definitely need to buy one or two sofas, possibly three. My husband is insisting upon a recliner too.

I would love to hear about your sofas! Are you happy with your purchase? If not, are you considering something else? Do you hate your sofa? Why?

It seems that there are so many negative reviews out there on just about every sofa!

I HATE my Ikea sofas, but they were purchased with the idea that they were temporary. They have washable slipcovers and our youngest was 5 years old when we bought them. They are shallow, feel like cardboard, and aren't holding up very well at all. My husband would probably have a burning party for them if he could. He definitely wants something very comfortable this time. I want leather....
 
Q

Queenie60

Guest
House Cat - I find that leather can be "cold" - not that warm, comfortable feeling you want in a family room and doesn't resist to scratching. My current family room sofa was purchased at California Living in Danville (or could be Alamo) - I think you're in the Bay Area? When I purchased mine, they had a shop in downtown Saratoga. Anyway, it's a sectional and one side of it is a chase style chair that could take the place of a reclilner. The fabric is ultra suede/microfiber and is very durable. I've had it for about 8 years and my animals lay on it, my little dog scratches it and it holds up beautifully. Just my opinion for what it's worth. I would also purchase a sofa with durable coils such that the cushions stay firm and don't sag after a while. Mine have held up very well. Good luck - shop carefully and ask a bunch of questions. :wavey:
 

jaysonsmom

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 13, 2004
Messages
4,879
I love our family room sofa, it is a sectional from Macy's in a olive-brown microfiber. It is by far the most comfortable surface in our house, and I'd rather nap on the sofa than go to my room. The color is also great if you have young kids, dirt does not show, and the multi-directional quality of the microfiber also makes it a natural camouflage for stains.

edited: adding picture from website, and also they list the color as "mocha"

macys-o.jpg
 

the_mother_thing

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Mar 2, 2013
Messages
6,306
Depends on how you live in your space. I tend to have friends over a lot, watch sports, movies, etc. And one thing I hate about a sofa is being crammed next to someone else or in the middle (because someone always takes my chair :angryfire:). So, I have decided when it's time to replace my sofa, I will buy a few comfy chairs & ottomans instead, and maybe ONE love seat for a couple to share. And they will all be either leather or microfiber for durability & comfort. I don't do traditional "fabric" furniture because I find it doesn't hold up as well.

Hope that helps! :wavey:

ETA: another reason I want more chairs vs sofas is because it's easier to move furniture around when you want to, or need to make room for holiday decorations, tree, etc.
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
33,224
We don't have a sofa.
We don't live that way.

We use chairs and piano benches.
 

PintoBean

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 27, 2011
Messages
6,589

marcy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Feb 27, 2007
Messages
26,275
We have Flexsteel and love them. Our couch and love seat are about 5 years old with a sturdy but soft fabric and have held up very well. Last year we bought Flexsteel leather power recliners and power couch (recliners with a divider in the middle). They are in the man cave and one is in the den. They are comfortable but definitely built for tall people (I'm short).

Our preview couch was a sectional and wow did we decide we hated that very quickly. The corner is wasted space and the connecting spots are uncomfortable and you kind of lean when you set on those spots. The brand was England. We had one of their couches and chairs before that and they were very comfy but the big puffy pillow top style and my husband got sick of it quickly.

Have fun shopping.
 

Gypsy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
40,225
I bought a Basset small sectional sofa with a chaise and upgraded the cushions, and puchased very durable hardcore microfiber fabric in a medium gray to stand up to wear. 6 years later and the cats have managed to affect the microfiber to the point I need to reupholster or replace it. The frame and cushions are fine. But the problem is the reupholstery quote I got cost more than replacing it!!!

So while I try to buy the nicest quality I can, it seems to have backfired in this case!! So keep that in mind.
 

YadaYadaYada

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Feb 2, 2016
Messages
11,839
We have a solid dark wood futon for our sofa. It's very well made and looks very much like a traditional sofa. We needed something that we could wash because we have pets so we have a waterproof cover and then a nicer cover over that. I've been happy with it but it is unconventional. Prior to this we had a super comfy double reclining sofa but it was hard to clean and once reclined I could sit for hours. So the futon is great plus it's an extra bed when we have company since we don't have a guest room.

We did have a sofa with removable pillows across the back at one time and that was the worst, they never stayed on.
 

mrs-b

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 18, 2013
Messages
11,542
House Cat -

I placed an order for a sofa to go in my TV room on Tuesday. I ordered it on Overstock.com and it matches the single chairs in the same style which I bought about 6 months back. They're INCREDIBLY comfortable and the leather is slightly buffed, so not cold or slippery. I love the chairs and anticipate loving the sofa as well. I have a retro kind of TV room, which I love, and these will look great.

Here's some links and keep in mind - the sofa and chairs are the color depicted in the photos of the chairs. They're not as 'tan' as the sofa photos.

Sofa:
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Beatnik-Oxford-Leather-Tan-Sofa/8117559/product.html?TID=MyAcct:MO:OR:razz:rodName

Matching chairs:
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Beatnik-Oxford-Tan-Leather-Chair/8557142/product.html
 
P

PierreBear

Guest
Most of my pieces of furniture are from West Elm. I enjoy their designs and it seems affordable compared to Crate & Barrel. The main couch downstairs is a micro-suede. After having it for 6 years, I really appreciate how the couch holds it's shape. The only draw back is that it shows "water stains." My strange cat occasionally loves to groom the couch. So there are a few dark spots that I can see but you really have to look for it. I would purchase this type of material again though over leather as I think some can be prone to becoming droopy over time. GL with your purchase!
 

soxfan

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 20, 2013
Messages
4,814
I had a sectional custom made. This company is amazing. I've had it for about 11 years and it looks brand new. My kids have puked on it, spilled stuff on it, and I've sat my fat ass in the same spot breastfeeding one kid after another for 2 years and it hasn't sagged. Very high quality and it's the same price as the cheap serpentine spring furniture you'd buy at a furniture store. We got the faux suede microfiber with stain resistance.....

Link:

http://www.carolinachair.com
 

Elizabeth35

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Sep 24, 2011
Messages
754
First you need to decide if you want leather or fabric I suppose. That's a personal preference.
How do you live-how many kids and/or animals? If so--you may want a more distressed leather or a high quality fabric treatment for stains/spills.

Think about how long you want to keep this furniture-are you someone who moves or decorates often? Then get a neutral basic style that can be reupholstered or slipcovered. I am a huge fan of slipcovers--washable ones!

From experience, avoid the matchy love seat/sofa sets--virtually impossible to arrange in many spaces. Two love seats are much easier to arrange opposite each other or in an L shape.


Above all--it should be comfortable! Sit in it. An ideal sofa should feel like a place you want to lay down and nap! I strongly recommend down or down-wrapped cushions.
I bought appropriately sized/scaled sofas Ina a plain/transitional style for my family room and upgraded to down cushions. When we move I will recover or have slipcovers made if needed. They are heaven to lay on to read or watch TV.

As far as fabric-I d not purchased patterned upholstery, just solid neutral colors. Natural fabrics. Add color with art or pillows or throws.
 

boerumbiddy

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 15, 2013
Messages
552
When I got a big check for retroactive pay after a strike. I took it directly to W. &. J. Sloane's on Fifth Avenue (they closed in 1984 so it was a long time ago!) and bought the sofa of my dreams, a sturdy copy of a Chippendale camel-back couch that can seat three or four people. It is just the right depth to be comfortable even without a pillow for my back. It was a floor model, and so was relatively inexpensive (Sloane's was for rich folks), and I lay down on it in the store to make sure it could be used for an extra guest.
"Oh, no," the salesman said, "It's not a sleeper sofa!" I told him if I couldn't sleep on it I wouldn't buy it.

Here it is nearly 40 years later. The sofa is on its third or fourth tailored slip cover (I used to get them custom-made by Gimbel's, also long gone), and it is still comfortable. It still has its original foam seat cushion, too.

So, bottom line, find what you really like and pay a little extra for good quality. I do like many of the classic styles from Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, and they seem to be pretty well built. Carlyle sleepers look good, especially if you want a fold-out model. And everybody seems to be having a sale right now!
 

dk168

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
12,492
Mine is a 3-seater black leather sofa with a chasie on one side, and bought a match foot stool as well.

Love it as it is very comfy. However, it could do with being re-padded at my end of the sofa. Probably more costly to do that than to buy new though, hey ho.

Always wanted a leather sofa even before I decided to have pets, and am pleased that I bought one, as a fabric sofa would not last as long with the pets!

DK :))
 

distracts

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 11, 2011
Messages
6,131
We have the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Avignon sofa, 100 inches long, in the pictured color: http://www.mgbwhome.com/AVIGNON-SOFA-P10648.aspx I don't think they sell this one any more but we are very happy with it. We have a lot of furniture from MGBW and love all of it. It's all super comfortable and durable. We've tried some other brands but even other things at similar price points get broken (my husband is six and a half feet tall and wouldn't want me to share his weight - but suffice it to say to tolerate his daily wear, things need to be far more durable than you'd suspect - things that feel totally sturdy to me will sometimes snap under his normal use, and cushions without good padding will quickly sink and stay sunken in). The only drawback is that it's tufted and it's a pain to vacuum out all the little hollows - if I had to do it over again I would compromise on the aesthetics for something untufted. But at the time I just wanted the prettiest sofa. It's beautiful though, and has held up well for four or five years now even with what I would consider hard use (giant of a husband, cat/dog who think they can run on it, spills from parties, etc). If the prices are too steep, MGBW has floor model sales a few times a year and those prices are really good. We've picked up a few things at them (a huge leather chair and a lamp I had coveted but didn't want to spend $450 on, because it's a lamp).

We actually disrecommend down, unlike Elizabeth35. The MGBW sofa replaced a down-upholstered sofa that was a nightmare. Feathers kept coming out.
 

Arcadian

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
9,086
Soooo I love our sofa. well, its a sectional. Bought it in 2006, still have it 10 years on. Maybe because we don't have kids and the dog doesn't get on furniture...lol

I HATE who we went through though (Bassett Furniture) the ordering process which should have been easy peasy, was a nightmare. We did order a custom color (I wasn't doing black) which supposed to take 12 weeks...it was more like 24 weeks. And they sent us 3 pieces instead of 2. (probably would have kept the other piece if the house had been big enough :shock: ) Thankfully they only CHARGED for 2 pieces!

https://www.bassettfurniture.com/Slate-Grey-Leather-Small-L-Shaped-Sectional-DZ40676.asp We got sand.
 

baby monster

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 2, 2007
Messages
3,631
Yeah, Ikea sofas don't seem to last. We had an Ikea leather couch which my son ripped apart in 3 years. Plus it had fabric backed removable cushions so the first time he threw up on the couch, cushions got soaked and I could never fully get the smell out.

Then we bough Alessandro double recliner from Macy's. http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/alessandro-leather-sectional-living-room-furniture-collection?ID=1071127.. There are different pieces in the line so you can configure the sofa to fit your space. Very comfortable, good quality and we love the powered recliners. Had it for couple years and, so far, it has survived my son and a move intact.
 

NOYFB

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 16, 2008
Messages
2,649
I LOVE our sofa! We got it from Macy's in 2010 and it's a sectional with a chaise on one side. It's leather and has held up very well, albeit for a few times Tinkerbell got her claws on it. It's SO comfortable to sit on and to sleep on - DH sleeps on it occasionally when he can't sleep and we've had numerous guests sleep on it and rave about it as well.

Here's a pic....don't mind the curtains. They've since been replaced.

sofa1.jpg
 

UrsTx

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 27, 2013
Messages
697
We have a very rectangular living room with a fireplace as the focal point. The fireplace is also tall so we can't put the tv over it without feeling like we're in the first row of a movie theater - so the tv sits to the left of the fireplace. We place two L-shaped sectionals on opposite corners to comfortably "enclose" the space.

They're not expensive, got them at Havertys. They're microfiber "suede" and they're comfy as heck. Got one in charcoal gray and one in greige so they're not matchy matchy. Kitty got sick on one of them and it cleaned up nicely. Decided against leather bc this is Texas and we'll stick to them. :lol:

Ignore the mess... and goofy DH is posing Hook Em Horns! :twirl:

img_12717.jpg
 

Annaang

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 15, 2020
Messages
1
Depends on how big your living is. Then what is the function of the sofa? For me, I want some can become a guest temporary bedroom. Therefore, I will look into the sofa bed and based on the sofa bed and make sure the sofa color match your living room style
 

Gussie

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 20, 2017
Messages
3,700
I will only buy leather sofas. With kids, dogs, and a messy husband, it's the only way I can keep it clean. Here at the cabin, I bought a fabric sleeper sofa for the game room. Ugh, what was I thinking? It looks terrible in less than a year. It wasn't cheap either! I definitely should have spent the extra for a leather one.

At home, I have Chesterfields from Restoration Hardware. I love them! At the cabin, all sofas are leather from Pottery Barn, except the sleeper.
 

Polabowla

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 15, 2019
Messages
1,866
What did you wind up getting?
 

ItsMainelyYou

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2014
Messages
4,754
I have a Bradington Young leather set Sofa/loveseat/recliner. I matched them because I'm lazy.
They're going on ten years old or so and I can reasonably expect another five. I've had kids and big dogs and kids and husbands all over it. They eat toys, pencils/markers, old popcorn and remotes. They do require occasional massages because we're mean to them.
So, they're pretty easy to take care of.
 

canuk-gal

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 19, 2004
Messages
25,646
I have a Bradington Young leather set Sofa/loveseat/recliner. I matched them because I'm lazy.
They're going on ten years old or so and I can reasonably expect another five. I've had kids and big dogs and kids and husbands all over it. They eat toys, pencils/markers, old popcorn and remotes. They do require occasional massages because we're mean to them.
So, they're pretty easy to take care of.

You have more than one husband?? I need your kind of sofa!
 

ItsMainelyYou

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2014
Messages
4,754
What are ya tryin' to do, blow my cover?! :lol:
 

canuk-gal

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 19, 2004
Messages
25,646

Matata

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Sep 10, 2003
Messages
8,995
I have a custom leather sectional that we've had for 12 years and the cats have damaged it (err, rather, gave it a "distressed" look). We're replacing all furniture this year. The cats are getting older and will soon start experiencing aging issues so I've decided to have all the furniture made with crypton fabric for easier cleanup and longer lasting wear.
 

Polabowla

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 15, 2019
Messages
1,866
We have bradington young as well & I love it. So comfy yet supportive.
However the leather is soft & sags a bit even though the sofa is not that old.
I would love a matching recliner/glider , but dh is tall and all the ones we saw were too short for him (he likes the recliner to go above his head).
 
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top