They're awful, but I'm not surprised they don't want to move them. I wouldn't keep them, even for a rental. Maybe someone else will have some suggestions that will help you use them.

They are not red - they are pink and they need to leave immediately! I'm confused. If you are buying this place, why do you need to do anything the sellers say?

In the current housing market, sometimes the only way to make the deal is to take the furniture. Sometimes you have to pay for it and then pay to get rid of it. Tough market. Salvation Army, Habitat, etc. all generally pick up for free but not always.

Heave-ho!

Yep. No.

My first thought was also to let them go.

But if you’d like to work with them, here is one idea:

Well do you have what you want there already/yet? If not they are functional and better than nothing until you do. Do you want to have to get them hauled away when you do have the new furniture? They want to leave them to save themselves the work/money of removing them. "make it work" doesn't have to be a thing when you know they are temporary.

I could see one of them working if the room is styled properly - using 2 - nope.

You going to use this for yourself for vacations or just renting it out to otheres ? IMO they can stay if for others since who cares in vacation rental as long as there is furniture in the space .IMO get fun rug and work with them renters will wreck whatever is in there anyway .

That’s my dilemma. It will be for a short term rental & in others I’ve had people destroy things. It seems when it’s not their home all bets are off. I hate the couches but I know whatever is there is going to get wrecked eventually.

Good point about being wrecked... but think about the online “listing” I’d change them out. Mainly for marketing purposes

You could lean into a retro vibe, like the booth seating already in the space. This would make the rounded sofa and chair

*could make the rounded, reddish sofa and chair work for now.

I would not leave them, regardless. A rental unit needs to look appealing, and those pieces scream old, outdated, ugly.

As a vacation rental property manager for 18 years, I don't see anything in that room worth saving. In some areas you could set them at the curb with a 'FREE' sign and they'd be gone in a few hours. That's the cheapest way to get rid of them. What is your plan for those awful floors?

They could probably be made to work in your rental. Leather (reclining?) furniture has become hugely expensive now. Not to mention long waits for furniture.

Everything else in the room is awful and should go.

As to their style: don't bother with dressy rug, or gold framed mirror. Go transitional, even rustic/ industrial a little.

This faded and pattern is 'cool'. If sofa isn't on the 'wine' side - maybe subtle rust like this.

Adds warmth to a concrete floor with smaller one in entry?

Luxe Rug, Rust, 9'3"x12'6" · More Info

Could work in pop art interior. Not the main living room, but a movie room, game room, where you can play with colours, funky stuff, kitsch etc. Don’t give up, other stuff there is even worse.

That flooring seems to be a bigger problem. Is it navy blue concrete?

It’s rental, no one is going to live there forever, so you surely don’t need to create that graige bog there. Have fun!

If you cannot afford to replace them, sure you can work with them. But to be honest, they are not appealing. I think the space would be more appealing for potential renters and for yourself if you use it to find a simple sofa from somewhere relatively inexpensive like Ikea. If it were me, I would have the sellers remove the sofa and the chair and all of the rest of the furniture and start with a blank slate.

Egoeka, graige bog?

Yep, they are ugly, but that style tends also to be very comfortable, which might be appreciated in a short term vacation rental. And, as you say, they likely will be abused - so I say leave them until they are too shabby.

You could always recolor the couches. I haven't tried it myself, but I looked into it and it seems like there are some good products to make it relatively easy.

If I were looking at rental pics and saw those, I would assume the place is run down. They don't look red to me, but faded out to pink, indicating old. The style wouldn't put me off as much as the color looking faded. If they insist on leaving them, then you wouldn't have much to lose by trying to refresh the color. You can actually paint them. Here is one couch, used to be black, look at it now! I'd just be sure whatever you use isn't going to rub off on your guest's white pants.

DIY painting leather furniture

eta: here is an update the poster did about how it held up after 6 months https://www.pinterest.com/pin/201747258288065169/

I would look at those rundown looking pieces and assume the property itself was kind of rundown. Tell the sellers to get it out of there and purchase something that looks updated and nice in the space and that you won’t mind replacing a 2-3 years.

I'm always pro-red, but I'm making an exception this time. These are not worth saving.

IF they are comfortable, you can slipcover them. Maybe a white twill or a denim. Make the rest of the decor shabby chic or lakehouse rustic.

If you look into the treatment for the sofa's particular kind of leather, you might find it looking better, not faded, etc. Is it more a typical burgundy...

what I've decided is that many a guest/ renter becomes ok with a place if there are little touches, details that seem "personal," even if it's just a large-knit throw that is popular these days... unless they expect the newest and best. I don't mean to offend. I don't have to worry about how you spend the money. ;)

... and I mean that the entire place is generally dust-free from old items, so it doesn't smell musty... sparkly clean... tastefully done... just an example:

Leon Throw, Ivory · More Info

The rocker? seem common in a large enough bedroom. Maybe in corner with a 'cool' black metal lamp, or mercury lamp- breakable though.

W 16" / H 25" - all wood idk -

nuLOOM June 25" Wood Column Table Lamp · More Info

less on Amazon

I believe you can dye leather furniture, if you think a change of color would help.

We have stayed in many vacation rentals and never choose places with dated, trashed looking furniture. That couch would cause me to scroll on by if I were looking online. We are willing to pay a premium for nicely furnished places and treat them respectfully. If you invested a bit in new furnishings, you could charge more and I’ll bet the place wouldn’t be as likely to get trashed. Don’t forget about the great leverage that a security deposit provides as well.

If quality is beneath the surface, restore it!

https://upgradedhome.com/how-to-restore-a-faded-leather-couch/#:~:text=The%20easiest%20way%20to%20rejuvenate%20leather%20is%20to,a%20clean%20towel%20before%20using%20the%20couch%20again.

• Polish or balm Clean cotton towels Leather conditioner Leather cleaner

Can boil down to buying basics [like buying clothing] -- this room has basics, which you might too. When new sofa is found, most items won't need to be changed. Just color of pillows, etc....

Living Room · More Info

LeisureMod Modern Round Boyd Side Table BS12BL · More Info

Safavieh Montauk Collection MTK345 Rug, Ivory/Black, 8' X 10' · More Info

If carpeting stores samples are in your place, in your lighting, you can choose a rug and they'll bind the edges to size... that's what I heard.

Just like FLOR tiles - buy 2 or 3 neutrals, and place them in "random" fashion.

https://koeckritzrugs.com/product/cityscape-do-it-yourself-peel-stick-indoor-outdoor-carpet-tile-24x-24/?color=Putty

Maybe it would complement the fireplace.

https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/John-Restler/32084714/product.html?opre=1&option=59239301

Nice! Glad you passed on the red/pink furniture. It looks fresh and new and clean now. Wonderful place to rent!

Beautiful! Good luck!