What time is it when an elephant sits on your couch?

[kefira]

So, my husband and I are couch shopping. I, being very un-decor-savvy, am trying to graduate from the IKEA mindset/pricepoint and enter the world of grown-up furniture. Having seen the lovely backdrops in PSers photos, I'm asking for help. Where should I shop? I have found one couch I really like, but I'd like to compare it to some options before dropping the cash. I've looked at Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware (they have the one I like), Room & Board, and a few other smaller, local places (Bay Area). Huge furniture warehouses scare me and usually transport me to the 80s or are far too modern/retro-modern for my taste. I never knew this would be so difficult! Please, PSers, where do you buy your furniture? Online is fine with us, if there are good reviews.

I want something casual and pet-friendly. My favorite furniture tends toward arts & crafts styles, but I really love the things they have at RH - reclaimed/deconstructed/old-timey-industrial. Caveat: no animal products (leather, wool, feathers/down).

Thank you!



Edited for typos - my fingers are dumb today.

 

[mogster]

I will follow this with great interest as I'm the EXACT. SAME. boat -- down to trying to upgrade from IKEA stuff and being in the Bay Area!!

 

[davi_el_mejor]

Restoration Hardware has our dream couch (it's leather and down filled so I won't suggest it to you )

Just based on that, I'd suggest RH LOL

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Hi,
My dh and I downsized everything a few years ago and now are upsizing again... been buying things here and there. For a couch, I'd say the best approach (not necessarily the most fun) is spend an entire day and go to EVERY store you can think of. We did that and our feet were killing us by the end of the day, but I found it necessary to test out couches to see if the style could be comfortable for DH, who is 6' 1" and me, who is 5' 4". I love PB and all those places so it was a HUGE suprise when we found both our couch sets at JC Penny's. Not the most glamorous of places but we get compliments on our furniture almost every time someone sees it because it's unique and doesn't have that PB look that everyone has. I don't think I'd order a couch online since you can't test it out!

For fabric, we use to have a microfiber couch and if you have cats, that is THE BEST. They cannot scratch it. We don't have that couch anymore, but it held up great while we did.

 

[Enerchi]

....Time to get a new couch? That would be my answer to the elephant question....

 

[Haven]

I LOVE our Restoration Hardware sofa. We have this one, the 9', down-filled, Belgian linen, luxe depth. It is heavenly. (And now I see it's on sale. ARG!)
http://www.restorationhardware.com/....jsp?productId=prod520005&categoryId=cat80004

We spent way too long sitting on sofas and being indecisive. Then, we went into RH and they had this sofa on display and it was love at first sight. We have three cats and two dogs, they all love it as well. Our cats have all of their claws, but we trained them not to claw on our furniture, so it's not a problem.

ETA: I should share that my DH grew up in a furniture store family, they owned a huge furniture store for over 30 years. (Just closed it a couple years ago. ) So, he's a nightmare when it comes to furniture shopping. I literally stood in the RH store and watched him inspect this sofa for way too long. He took off the slipcover, pulled off all the cushions, had the store manager help him lift the sofa so he could look at the construction. We are talking about a nine foot long, heavy piece We've bought a lot of pieces from RH, Crate & Barrel, and a couple small ones from World Market. He embarrasses me with his inspections every time.

ETA2: If you like one of the pieces RH has on display, wait and buy it when it's on HUGE sale right before they turn their store. This is what I wanted to do with our sofa, because they had the exact one we wanted on display, but DH refused to buy something a ton of customers sat on in the store. He's crazy. When it went on sale I think it was priced around $2,000, down from the $3,400 that we spent. If only my husband wasn't so particular, I could have had a new eternity band!

 

[MyDiamondSparkles]

Time to get a new sofa of course!

I recently--well maybe a year and a half ago-- purchased a new sofa. I am not sure if you have an Arhaus near you but that is where I purchased mine--love it, got the slipcovers, they wash so nicely and make everything always look brand new--and after a year and a half you can't even see any wear and tear. Restoration Hardware was a close second for me. Both Arhaus and Restoration Hardware are way above Ikea and Potter Barn in terms of quality. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with Ikea and Pottery Barn, both make better quality sofas than those chain furniture stores have.

I went pre-shopping by myself then drug my husband along for the "top contenders" show. His comment to the one at Pottery Barn was "It looks identical to the sofa we already have" then he sat on it and said "...but ours is way more comfortable and sturdy". OMgosh, our old sofa was 20 years old (not kidding) and had been slip covered twice and lived thru 2 kids and a dog.....lol. I could see his point, after a month I am sure the Pottery Barn sofa would have looked identical to the one we already had at home.

 

[kefira]

Thank you for the suggestions so far. Please, chime in if you love your couch. Mogster and I want pretty homes!

Davi, they have some gorgeous things at RH, don't they? I'm so tempted to just order from them, but I want to make sure it's what I really want, since the price isn't exactly small. The construction seems very good, though. And I like that they have options for everyone!

MC, thanks for suggesting Penney's! I don't "mall" often, so I forget these places. I am checking them out, and Macy's too, now. I hear you about the microfiber; it's what we currently have, in fact. Luckily, our cats aren't furniture scratchers, but they're probably plotting to go all Murphy's Law on me once I bring in a nice couch. My husband and I are planning on some footsore searching this weekend, so wish us luck!

Haven, just saw your reply as I was about to post. That's great to know it got a furniture guy's seal of approval. Doing my "research" (skimming Good Housekeeping's info page) about construction, RH seemed to tick all the boxes: dowels, hand tied springs, stuff I can't remember now, etc. I'm ok with the price, so long as it's worth it! Thank you for sharing your experience.

And...20 points to Enerchi!

ETA:

Haven, I would probably be like your DH about the floor model. I guess because I'm a bit of a germaphobe. But we want one of the non-display materials anyway, so the sale they have now is making me get in gear and decide before that's gone. Great idea, though, as they have the media stand we want on display. I can clean a solid surface no problem.

MDS, Sadly, no Arhaus near me, but thank you for the suggestion. Good point about PB. I do want a quality piece that will last us for some years ahead.

 

[Enerchi]

thanks for the 20 points!!

have you checked out Rowefurniture.com? They have VERY comfortable furniture - I have 2 accent chairs by them with downfilling in the seats and they are SOOOO comfortable! They are very good at customizing changes as well. I purchased them for myself thru a designer friend but not sure if you can purchase direct or have to find a retailer....

Would this appeal to you and DH?
http://www.rowefurniture.com/product/K130.html?start=0

 

[Octavia]

Many moons ago, I worked for PB and used my employee discount to get a sofa there (a now-discontinued style). It has held up reasonably well over the past 7 years with the exception of the seat cushion, which lost much of its squish within the first couple years. I've been meaning to look into getting a new cushion (one of the great things about slipcovered furniture) but its not awful...just not as good as it was new. So I've been kind of lazy about that. Overall, I feel like I paid what the couch was worth, but I think I'd feel differently if I had paid full price. DH and I need to get some more furniture to put in our new house, but I'm 95% sure that I wouldn't choose another PB sofa. Some of the chairs are (or at least used to be) awesome, though.

 

[kefira]

Enerchi, you're welcome! And I see that there are some local places that carry Rowe things. I will add one or two to the list of places to visit. Thank you!

Octavia, thanks for the input. 7 years is not bad, and I would expect some flattening with synthetic fill, wherever I get it. A foam core seems to be the key to keeping the synthetic fill in shape, so I will shop carefully.

 

[zoebartlett]

I was going to suggest looking at Rowe, too. We bought our sofas at a Rowe outlet in NC a few years ago, and I've owned another Rowe sofa previously. They're great quality and hold up very well. I'm not crazy about the back cushions of our sofas but that's not because of the frame construction of the piece itself.

I'd also look at Ethan Allen, although I know their prices are kind of outrageous. I just really love their furniture and their pieces are very well made and last a long, long time.

 

[kenny]

Oh, just go back to Ikea, better yet a garage sale.
Then you can buy more diamonds.

Get your priorities straight, I mean right.

 

[EricaR]

When I lived in the Bay Area there used to be a Crate and Barrel Outlet/Furniture Center on Fourth Street in Berkeley. I found some GREAT things there at amazing prices.

 

[kefira]

Zoe, another vote for Rowe, good to know. And Ethan Allen! That's one I couldn't remember. I will check out what they have, for sure. Thank you!

Aw, kenny, you know I need a soft place for my tush while I admire my bling! Or, more rightly, the bling of everyone here, because you're right, there's something about salary and bills? I forget...

EricaR, it looks like it's still there. We probably drove right by it last weekend since that's the area we were browsing. Luckily we are heading that way this weekend as well, so I'll take a peek. Thanks!

I also found an RH outlet out a ways in Vacaville (ty Google!). Since we have to go to Walnut Creek already, I think we'll make a little side trip. Fingers crossed.