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Need advice on sofa purchase

10 years ago

We have bought cheapish sofas in the past at low cost furniture stores such as Mor, and I really don't ever want to do that again. We bought a Stanton microfiber sofa that got about 5 years of wear before the fabric turned color, looked diseased and spotty, and parts of the frame started to collapse in (note: we are not heavy people!)

On the other hand, we cannot afford a $4,000 sofa, and we also have toddlers so need something durable. My husband is opposed to leather so that's not an option.

I was just told by a furniture saleswoman that the life expectancy of a sofa is 5 -7 years. Really? I hate that disposable mentality. I want something that will last if taken care of.

Unfortunately, we do have some competing needs (my desire for a lifetime sofa vs. the reality of having small toddlers in the house, for example). Perhaps I need to accept a "disposable" sofa for the next few years.

I saw a LaZBoy sofa that exemplifies the classic style I like. http://www.la-z-boy.com/Product/7310-9002/ However, the reviews of LaZBoy are not very good these days.

Any advice to help me think through this decision would be very much appreciated. I need something durable, something classic, and under $1,500, which is our budget. Thanks!!

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Comments (5)

LuAnn_in_PA
10 years ago
La-Z-Boy is not the same quality of years past.

I do not see you getting anything durable for $1500... sorry.

I would be so unhappy with a sofa lasting only 5 - 7 years!
My family room one lasted for 19 years (with kids!) and the current one in there is 5 years and going strong.
My living room one is well over a decade old and we expect it to last our lifetime.
bobismyuncle
10 years ago
Another option is to obtain a high-quality piece with good frame, springs, and padding and have it custom re-upholstered with your choice of fabric.

White it won't save much money over a "5-7 year" sofa, you'll get a much more comfortable and longer-lasting sofa.
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"my mom says it meets their needs and she loves it" That's the only important thing! And actually it's very right from a design perspective :-) She has a colour palette of red and ivory, with little accents of green. Her patterns are well balanced and the colours are well balanced throughout the room. It looks like she has a balanced palette, 50-50 red and ivory, with little hits of the green for interest. If you want to emulate that look, choose beige and forest green (since you've already committed to forest green and the carpet commits you to beige). I'm sorry I was trying to push you into a layout that is not culturally correct for you! From your ideabook I thought you were going for a more modern, MCM American vibe :) If you are interested, I will sketch out that idea for you but I won't try to push you on it. Yes, painter's masking tape will be just fine for taping things on the floor. I do think you'll be trying to squeeze just a bit too much in. And if you use two rugs, have them running parallel to each other. :-)
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hounds_x_two
10 years ago
My sofa is 30 years old! I did have it reupholstered about ten years ago. It looks great, is comfortable, and works well with my other furniture. I'll definitely re-upholster it (again) before I replace it. Granted, fabric and labor are not cheap.

My kids were 4 and 6 when I purchased it, and we have had dogs through the years. I didn't let the two-footed kids or the four-footed ones jump on it or spill on it, but it has been used. It has never been in one of those living rooms that is never occupied.

I have seen some fabulous sofas for reasonable prices at nice consignment shops. You might think about that possibility.
User
10 years ago
Even a 4K sofa isn't that well made anymore. But, if you get 15 years out of it, that's still cheaper than paying 1.5K for lesser quality every 5 years. The only way to get something decent for 1.5K is to find a CL bargain and learn to upholster yourself. Paying for a professional reupholstery job with good quality fabric will still likely cost more than your budget.
Holly- Kay
10 years ago
My current living room furniture is 18 years old and is a comfortable as it ever was and is structurally in great shape but is really starting to look shabby. A quality piece can last a very long time. I would consider looking at Smith Brothers of Berne for quality at a reasonable price. It is the manufacturer that I am going with in my new living room makeover.

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