Would you suggest to have our current sofa reupholstered?

My personal preference is to buy quality. And keep sizing on the smaller scale size because then when moving things around they always work. Have moved around a lot so I know that works really well. I don't like straight side arms on sofas because we stretch out on sofas and it makes laying down on them really tough. So I much prefer rolled English or low wider contemporary arms. Re-upholstering is a challenge. If you have a really good quality sofa, and you can afford good quality replacement fabric and a really good upholstery technician, the re-upholster. That is a hard combination to pull off though. Today's shoppers are always shopping the Internet for bargains and sales and they would rather buy a less expensive sofa, and throw it out in 3-5 years and get a new one. So, it just kind of depends on what strategy ya-all prefer. Personally, I avoid Ikea like the plague except for children's rooms and some game rooms, things like that. But some are fine with it. So it just depends again on the strategy you want for furnishings. I like moving stuff around fairly frequently so I personally purchase very flexible pieces so I can rearrange at my whim. What do you like? Rearranging, leaving fixed? USA made or imported? Longer lasting/throw out or donate in 5 years. Those are the key questions to ask yourself. Good luck!! Exciting time and I think you might find a "middle" ground that works for your lifestyle and budget.

Good questions. I have one to add - folks who are saying buy quality for sofas and beds, what price point does that likely mean to you? $500 for a sofa? $5000? $50,000? :D

Of course it all depends on what you feel 'comfortable' spending. That being said, we have a friend who always buys inexpensive sofas {we know because he proudly tells us} and due the poor quality he has to replace them every two years or so {they start to sag & it feel like you are sitting in a hole}. We have seen many of his sofas come and go from his livingroom quite frequently. So when my husband & I first got married we decided to go instead for the quality that would last, we couldn't see ourselves replacing our own sofas every two years. So we wound up buying 'Stressless' brand leather sofa & a love seat, they are made in Europe, I forget where, possibly Sweden.

We're not rich people but we splurged on these early in our marriage because we knew they would last. Fast forward 12 years of marriage & our sofas still look almost like they did the day we bought them and they haven't broken or become damaged. So in our case it was worth it. We plan on having them last for many more years and taking them with us when we relocate when my husband retires in about 15 years. *I want to add we don't have any kids, {ones without fur anyway} so it is just my husband & I using it. We take care of it but use it daily.

Just so u know, if u buy junk items - u have to replace them much faster than quality ones, so in the long run what u paid for that junk and a few times at that, adds up to that nice sofa u wanted originally. Just bite the bullet n go for the nicer stuff...

trust me, I know - hubby insisted on getting those cheap vinyl blinds for our new house, a year later he has had to replace several because they simply don’t work! Junk! He Should have listened to me... lol. ;).

My list is similar to Sophie's but I have cats so I buy moderate upholstered seating but feel bed linen's go into the Mercedes category. When my house is pet and young children free I will then and only then upgrade to expensive sofas.

We saved and bought the best possible Italian made leather sofa over 40 yrs a go we got tired of looking at it so gave it to our son who has now had it for 10 yrs with kids , cats dogs. Still looks awesome and because of the strapping support system insted of springs it stills sits nice we replaced the foam in the seat cushions when it was 25 yrs old. I had my heart set on aCorbusier dining table and we saved and had 2 sawhorse with a piece of plywood for a table until we could afford it ( made my MIL nuts ) . I am one of those people that would rather have quality than quantity.BTW there are some very nice pieces at Ikea you just need to know what they are. I have used Ikea cabinets for 20+ yrs in my design biz and still do, best value for your dollar IMHO.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!! Agree with Sophie on just about all but the tape measure. ( Stanley, 30 feet) And don't waste 300.00 bucks on a faux fur throw, until you have a 5k decent sofa, in appropriate un hulking scale and a decent neutral fabric.......with eight way hand tied springs, and spring down cushioning, on which to TOSS IT.. All that with the best mattress and sheets, towels you can buy, that will not make you owe a card company.

I’d lose my tape measures because I’d get busy talking. That’s why I’d buy the $1 ones. By the dozens. It was almost a joke. Every job site I'd visit would get a free tape measure. I still have my Snap On ratcheting screwdriver from 1963 though. First real tool I ever owned.

I too must have lost a hundred tape measures over the years I now have learned to clip it to my project book at all times .

Styles and tastes often change. My aunt and uncle bought a large heavy coffee table for their first apartment that she grew to hate as the years went by. She desperately wanted to get rid of it, but in her words, "'Gee, Ray, I was walking through the living room with an ax and it just slipped.' isn't going to fly."

I agree catlady999. It makes sense to spend extra money to buy quality items but spending money doesn't guarantee that you will still like the item in 10 years. Especially if it is something you look at every day. Then, if you're like me, you'll feel too guilty to get rid of it after spending all that money

Also, I'd rather drink water than drink Hyundai level beer :)

Spending $5,000 on a quality leather sofa I can see. But not $300 on a fake fur throw. Faux fur throws may become dated, and it's just an accessory.

I lean towards quality when it comes to things like couches, beds, recliners, etc. I don't mind going cheap on throw pillows, blankets and things like that. For me it's always trying to find something affordable I like to put on the walls, but that's part of the reason I'm here!

My vote is quality timeless pieces!

I started 6yrs ago now, to only buy or refinish quality pieces. I have not regretted it! Now, we have a gorgeous leather sofa, refinished MCM solid wood coffee table, quality lamp, pendant and most recently a beautiful dresser. Those pieces alone carry the decor in those rooms. My other pieces that weren't price-y are from affordable antique stores and still look amazing. Also, the upside to waiting on purchasing is watching the sale trends from those stores. We were able to get our sofa at 30% off and dresser at 40% off! Waiting pays off...literally.

Not to mention, when you wait a year or two (or more) you give yourself time to see if your love for that piece of furniture fades.

I personally hate the idea of buying cheap furniture, like ikea, that will be in a landfill in no time. Plus, those cheaper items tend to be way more trendy and need to go anyways.

Next big ticket item on the docket is a headboard/bed frame....

Tape measures.......... uh yeah......... sometimes the client gives it back if it has my name on it? Sometimes the contractor conveniently can't "find" it......sometimes I have three that ARE NOT mine.......sometimes I give THOSE back. At the moment I have at least eight Stanley 25/30 footers. I bet not one is in my car. lol. On the way to somewhere I will buy another, or make off with a clients. Unless it is one of those useless twelve footers. Well, maybe that one too will find its way to my collection

Quality always wins. Everyone lives differently in their space, maybe you cant splurge on everything...but are you a sofa lounging couple? or a curl up with a good book in a recliner type? Figure out where you need the luxury first, what gets the most use? This might help you focus on where your budget needs to go to get both the look and the quality you deserve.

For the “I’ll get tired of it” crowd.

How many times have you been divorced?

If you choose classic, basic lines, unflashy, with an eye to longevity, you don’t tire of it.

A purple giant rolled arm sofa is about as good of a long term commitment as is that exciting bad boy smoking behind the gym and breaking into cars when the others are in class.

If you like flashy and exciting, get your thrills elsewhere. It always costs you in the long run.

@Jan - you made me chock on my tea chuckling at your last post here. Yes, I have my tape measure "collection". I even determine the weight so I can take the lightest one! Also, those numbers keep getting smaller and smaller! Are they trying to save money on ink!? lol

Silverware, which in my case is always stainless steel, is the one thing I'll splurge on. A fork has to feel right in my hand. Furniture has to be lightweight so I can rearrange a lot.

This is a great topic! Lately I trend to spending the $$, but here are my thoughts:

• Nicer pieces look nice for a long time; cheap pieces may only look nice when they're new. I've bought cheap with the intention to just replace when it wears out, but it usually starts looking bad well before it's "worn out". See Overstock $200 living room rug.
• Large expensive pieces may not fit when you move somewhere different.
• Along the discussion of "getting tired of it", better to spend more on classic items rather than trendy. I like what Maria Killam says about sofa color: buying a neutral sofa can date the sofa to when that neutral was popular.
• I also think on how much abuse the item may take in my home. I thought about splurging on a rug for my kitchen, but I bought a used one on ebay rather than a new one where I'd be upset if it gets stained or worn.

Most of the time I'd rather pay more for something that lasts, but I think that can be hard to determine! I bought inexpensive kitchen appliances. All brands have horrible reliability ratings, so I didn't want to invest much.

Best is finding good used stuff.

"A purple giant rolled arm sofa is about as good a long term
commitment as is that exciting bad boy smoking behind the gym and
breaking into cars when the others are in class.

If you like flashy and exciting, get your thrills elsewhere. It always costs you in the long run".

NO KIDDING.......... Does it EVER.

Great advice from Sophie on TWO topics! Ahem.......Faites attention!!!! (fr)

What does being divorced have to do with choosing furniture???

I've been married 31 years. I've had 4 sofas. All carefully chosen. Two I hated after about five years. One I kept an extra seven years too long because I spent so much. Two I still have.

You can have a purple sofa AND be married to the boy next door for 30 years. No need to judge others about the way they spend their money. As long as they are paying their own way, who cares?

Haha, I think the point is that one can pick a spouse for the long run, and similarly one can pick furniture tor the long run too.

Not that divorce is the same as getting rid of unwanted furniture, just not to assume that our tastes change so much over time.

I convinced my friend to buy a very expensive, dark purple smallish curved sofa (with small rolled arms). It was so gorgeous and she loved it, but couldn't imagine actually having a purple sofa. It's 25 years later, the sofa is still gorgeous, the purple is a neutral in her house - every time I go there, she thanks me for not letting her pass it up.

That's such a good question....I was thinking about that the other day, looking at our 20+ year old "cheap" couch. It has worked for us, and if/when I feel like something new, I won't feel two whits bad about not getting my full money's worth out of that one. On the other hand, our other couch is an Ekornes investment, expect that one to last longer than I do. There are so many factors -- how much use will the item receive, how hard of use will it have... do you want to pay to move it if/when....etc. We have had many Ikea pieces for 20+ years as well, and we consider that a bargain and they are comfortable.

My husbands PAX wardrobe is from Ikea. He's had it for over a decade and it still looks and functions perfectly. I also have a slip cover couch from them at our weekend home. Nothing wrong with many of their items.

In our city apartment, we have a very expensive leather sofa (for me). It looks like crap after 5 years. Sure, if we didn't have dogs, or family treating it like it was bought at the dollar store, the leather would have held up better. But life happens, and no one's thinking about it's price when they're falling into it. It wasn't worth the money as far I'm concerned. Just pointless for our lifestyle.

On the other hand, I adore my Restoration Hardware chair and a half in Brompton leather. Since the leather already looks a bit aged, my dogs didn't damage it too much so I would probably buy another.

So these days, I look at my lifestyle, then decide if it's worth it to spend xxx amount on something my dogs can ruin in less than a month..lol..

I can't recall the magazine my wife used to subscribe to, but it had a page where they would decorate a room with all kinda fancy-pants expensive designer stuff and the next page would be the same room with waaaaaay less expensive comparable things. I liked the second page as often as the first. When I looked at the price difference, I liked the second page even more.

Aoartment Life!!!!!!! OMG...... : ) We are dating ourselves

each furniture purchase we've made (in 45 years) has been quality items, however, i look around my great room now and realize many of the pieces have been used (or sat on) less than a couple of dozen times in 12 years, so once in a while i think of replacing something but can't bring myself to do it because it's not even worn and perfectly stylish (though not in the modern way)

I spent 3k+ on a non leather, non recognizable brand (Southern), 18 years ago and it still looks great. I may reupholster some day.

What helps us buy 'quality' furniture & rugs is that my husband and I live a modest lifestyle. We are essentially 'homebody's' our priority is our home where we live. We hardly ever spend $ to eat out {I love to cook}, we don't spend money on many outside activities or on travel, we love the outdoors, hiking/biking which is 100% 'free' to enjoy, are fans of 'stay-cations'. Clip coupons, & look for sales. My father on the other hand is the complete opposite, he absolutely loves travel, and he recently told me he would rather own junk as long as he is able to travel -- to each his own!

I also love getting my hands into a good DIY project made from a high quality 2nd hand find from time to time. I find it to be so rewarding! For example when I was in my early 20's in the 1980's I bought a heavy, solid wood, beautifully carved 2nd hand antique rocking chair made in the 1920's for a mere $2.50 { that's two dollars & fifty cents!} at a garage sale. It was just missing a seat. So I bought a jig saw and some plywood, replaced the seat & added thick furniture foam & upholstered it with beautiful fabric and upholstery tacs. I still have the chair to this day many years later, & get tons of compliments on it. An antique dealer who came to our house once tried to get me to sell it to him, of course I didn't sell it! *This girl isn't afraid of power tools lol!

We have the money that we could buy the expensive quality stuff. That said, we never do.

We spend midrange on certain things: sofas, mattresses, heavy-traffic wood furniture. I consider $2000-$2500 midrange on a sofa. Wood stuff I try to buy from Room & Board. We just bought a crate & barrel tv stand for $1000, but I'm okay with it because it is solid wood. Not that painted veneer stuff. I know how furniture ages and I know that those pieces will serve us well for 10-15 years at least.

For a lot of stuff, I will spend what I have to spend to get what I want. We have tons of ikea bookcases in our house because they are cheap and I liked them just as much as the expensive stuff. From experience, their bookcases will literally last 30+ years. There is zero benefit to buying a more expensive bookcase for me.

I also have bought a lot of vintage stuff over the years, which usually ends up being the best quality of all - especially are I refinish it.

But there are very few pieces where it makes sense for me to spend $$$$.

(I realize I'm not contributing much to this very interesting discussion with my comment-but you don't need to save 300$ to buy even very high quality faux fur throw..sign up to Gilt.com(for example) and they run sales on some very good ones, from time to time, you'll be able to get a really good one for half that price, still expensive of course, yet nevertheless. maybe cheaper when they run additional promotions

I bough one for my daughter..she adores it..it's by Donna Salyers Fabulous Furs I think?..

it looks very real..but can be even machine washed I think? in short very nice throw.

check the company itself too..I just clicked on them and they give this and that..20% off if you order first time from them, and free shipping..

but sign up for Gilt (if you haven't yet) since they can have amazing sales of just about everything. Just check their return policy-will depend on a brand sometimes, or a product.

There are several other sites I love where great deals on bedding or dishes or clothes etc can be found)

Having said that-many times I prefer buying things second hand. Whatever they made nice 20 years ago they made great 50 years ago, and sometimes they just don't anymore and everything quality will cost a lot..sometimes one can get lucky with floor model..

Whatever's considered affordable is actually very often overpriced.

If I can find it old I'd rather find it old..will be so much cheaper, will look better, will be made better, and will have a story..

Sometimes I'd rather order custom but will try to make it modular. So it can be fit into different space if needed.

Mattresses should be good..:)

Shoes. Jeans. I wear stuff for years (can be 10-15 if I'm lucky) and I expect it to be comfy. To hold its shape. Basics-became very hard to find..

I splurge(relatively) on art, books and other things I can't resist. Whatever grabs me and I fall in love and I know will follow me wherever I go

Ah. And my haircut:) It's my routine..part of what keeps me sane. Same thing. same haircut. Same hairdresser (until I move again. Then I ask for recommendation. With years I figured out this recommendation thing..))

I don't care for gadgets at all. Cars, we buy used..appliances, we look for huge deals..smartphones and tablets, me and DH don't want thus don't own, at least while we can because many people are bothered with us for that..so I guess makes me feel a bit better when I buy things other people see as redundant, like art and ceramics and flowers and books and throw pillows

I have just one or two small rugs because a rug, even second hand, that's big enough and that I would commit to will be thousands. I can't take on myself such decor decision, and I don't want compromises..I don't see it as something to be replaced soon. And since I moved a lot it contributed a bit to that permanent feeling of "you'll leave soon, you just don't know when". I think it affects me when comes to purchases when it's hard to define as art but hard to define as something else either. It's not a netsuke, it won't fit in my pocket. So. I'm just waiting. Maybe I'll never have a rug.

We lived in many circumstances..so I know life of hand me downs(my family had nothing to give lol..neighbors were kind though))..I know years of yard sales plus IKEA..I know the mix of splurges plus a lot of second hand..the rest I don't know. And if to think of it I'd never want everything new. What's a story then? How we went to a store? No, one gets spoiled at some point, in a bit perverse way, and wants a story..:)

It depends. For many of the young - even middle aged - today, change is good. They have no interest in keeping a sofa for 60 years. They have the idea that each house they buy, requires "different" furniture from what they have. For these consumers, go cheap as they will probably not keep anything for longer then 5-7 years.

Then there is me, my grown children and a handful of clients. In our minds, you buy something once, not multiple times. The furniture goes with you when you move. Of course this means buying classic pieces in classic styles - no 14-16 ft sectionals. A friend who is a very well-known designer (books, lines with to-the-trade companies) always says, "Buy less, but better".

I am a firm believer that the perfect side for a sofa in most houses is 72-84" long. Any longer than that eats up WAY too much real estate. Very few people choose to sit "in the middle" on a sofa, and even few want to line up in a row on them, like being in an airport waiting room. I also prefer classic club chairs, and then a few "character" chairs. Again, all these should be reasonable sizes - they should NOT look like they are on steroids or blown up with an air house.

I've lived in many houses over the years and have always been able to find a place for everything I own. The sofa my first husband and I bought in 1966 (a small sleep sofa for a small apt, to use as an extra place to sleep), is now owned by my daughter but was still mine until about 5-6 years ago. I did have it restyled and re-upholstered once during this time. It's now in her sons' bedroom - perfect for sleepovers instead of a sleeping bag on the floor. It's heavy as lead!

What is hard is to find truly good furniture. By "truly good", I mean with a heavy, solid wood frame that is wide enough to hold tacks so it can be re-upholstered multiple times over the years. I mean good, heavy duty 8-way hand-tied springs. I mean high quality fillings - I prefer horsehair and cotton batting. It takes decades for this to finally break down, unlike fiberfill and foam. Furniture like this is hard to find and will cost a fortune. But then an $800 sofa that is discarded every 3 years is going to cost you over $12,000 over 50 years - most likely far more due to inflation.

I remember when DD was in HS and I was talking to the mother of a good friend of hers. At that time, there was a high school sorority and a fraternity in our town, members coming from multiple schools. They each help multiple formal dances each year. She said she would never pay more than $150-200 for a dress (this was in the late 1980's) as her daughter didn't ever want to wear an evening dress more than one time. My daughter, preferred a far nicer dress, but would wear it many times - in fact, she still has many of these dresses and has pulled them out a few times when she needed an evening gown and didn't have time to shop and didn't want to spend a lot of money. They still fit and are still gorgeous dresses!

So, do you see yourself getting new furniture each time you move? If so, go cheap. Or do you see yourself still having the same furniture (probably recovered and maybe even restyled) 40 years later? Only you know the answer to that.

Very helpful comments! I appreciate it all! I agree with majority for high quality and long lasting. Though I do move a lot, I am only 25 and in my 3rd year of marriage. Hopefully things will settle soon to a more permanent place. I am grateful for each of you inspiring me to continue to pursue a home that I love and can embrace for years to come! I never thought this could be possible! I have so much to learn about furniture and design lingo. I've created an idea board and list of furniture I would like to own over time.

Sophie is quick with the quips and equips.... tee hee.

Heidi, I still have some things from when I was 25...books, my first real art..two armchairs( that frankly need to be reupholstered..well one of them..)..my ex has several pieces of furniture from these times in his place..and my Mom, we left her several things, including a very well made sleeper sofa..it's been many years but all her guests including us when we visit sleep on it still. Feels like a real quality bed. So yes..it's very possible. I won't count how many times we moved since then but was a lot, a lot. It wasn't always us enjoying my successful buys..well somebody did though. Does now. As I enjoy too somebody's things purchased probably before I was born..

Best of luck to you!

I have a large 8 way hand tied leather sectional from Bradington Young. It was about $9k 5 years ago. It's attractive, comfortable, offers a lot of seating. However, the pieces are very heavy. If you hire movers when you move then get quality seating. If you rent a truck and do the moving yourself, then get lightweight cheap seating until you settle somewhere you feel will be permanent. I invest in quality seating. I splurge on tables, etageres, artwork, lighting, and rugs. I mix cheap and expensive when buying accent pieces. Doing this helps the cheap pieces blend. I look for quality cheap items, meaning they didn't cost a lot but they appear to be good quality.

I was raised to buy rather high quality. Kindel, Baker, etc. And when we did our current house 7 years ago, I spared no costs in finishes, furnishings, lighting etc.

In retrospect, I think that was really dumb. It is not nearly as satisfying as it might sound to just buy whatever you want, period. I think it is more satisfying to get things you like AND to feel as though you made sound decisions. No matter what I can afford, when I overspend I am spending money that I could otherwise give to charity or leave to my heirs. So being able to afford something does not at all justify wasting money, in my book.

At seven years, my primary house it kind of dated already. For example, most of my faucets are shiny nickel. Today, I would choose natural brass. I am sure that as time goes on many things I chose will start to look "wrong". It is nearly impossible to avoid. We are looking at buying a snowbird home, and right away if the colors are warm tones like off white and cream, I don't like it. I want it all to be grey and white. No doubt in a few years that will change again. Already a grey kitchen is more au courant than a white one which displaces the creamy taupey ones which displaced the cherry ones.

So I'd rather spend less and replace it when I feel like it, with most things. I would not spend so little that something does not wear or function, but really so much in decor is totally overpriced.

Anglophilia , You said, " Very few people choose to sit "in the middle" on a sofa, and even few want to line up in a row on them, like being in an airport waiting room."

Good observation --so true, & I agree! And that same thing seems to hold true for fur kids too {otherwise known as pets!} The only one in our house who wants to use the 'middle seat' on the sofa is my dog but even he doesn't 'sit' there. Instead he climbs his doggie stairs up onto the middle seat on the sofa then quickly moves to the left side onto a nearby hassock which I put my feet up on and that's his spot!

On the very few rare occasions I've had actual humans sit 3 across the sofa, including on the 'middle seat' of our sofa, I remember it usually feels awkward & somehow too close for 'comfort' so to speak with no armrests in the middle and so squished in there. It's also usually the last seat someone winds up being stuck with in situations where there are no other seats available. For us, most of the time the middle spot usually serves as more of a holding spot for our remote controls!

Heidi,

Good luck!! You are still basically newlyweds, you have plenty of time ahead to 'collect' items whatever they might be!

Stylish furniture is good, but stylish furniture in a nice house is even better. Be happy with what you have, splurge on a few Ikea pieces if needed and invest in a home first.

I think the style of my leather sectional is timeless. It's 10ft long on each side, so no one feels cramped. However, I chose a 4 chair arrangement in the sitting area off our foyer. The chairs are leather and I think the style is timeless as well. Chairs will be easier to move than sofas. Be kind please. I don't expect my style to be everyone's taste, but it's not necessary to criticize it either.

I can tell a story to add to this conversation. First, let me say that we generally buy the best that we can afford, but don't discard furniture unless it is really broken. I'm not afraid to spend what is needed, my biggest recent splurge was a 1950s MCM side chair that I bought on ebay for $1500. It fits perfectly in the space where it was needed.

The story is this: Our house is mainly MCM and we have a teak dining table. The mid-priced teak chairs that we bought 30 or so years ago started to come apart and my furniture guy said that he could no longer fix them. So I went on the hunt for six new dining chairs. The ones that woulld fit the style and looked sturdy enough were around $1000 each. This seemed like a big waste of money for a retiree. Thinking about this, I realized that furniture was much better quality years ago, so I went on Craig's list (I had been watching ebay) and scored six quality teak chairs plus a sideboard and a dining table that I am using for my desk, all for $250. They all have normal wear/patina, but so do I. I had the chairs reuphostered for $150 each and am pleased with the whole effort. (The sideboard replaced two painted cabinets that we had used in the family room in our previous house.)

The moral of the story is to buy quality whether you find it new, used, vintage, or antique. Drive your cars until they wear out and you will have money for quality furniture.

aliosh, love your room!