Where does one buy decent couches?

[8 Bit WWBG]

I'm in the market for a new couch, and I'm wondering if there is a "middle ground" in furniture (and many industries) anymore.  I'd like to avoid the low end places, but I'm not looking to plunk down $3,000 for one item either.  I'm not refurnishing an entire room either.

Where do you buy your furniture and how much do you spend?

[giramomma]

I know this is unpopular, but we use futons.

We are still using DH's frame from college in one room...and it's in fine enough shape still, after 20+ years. Clearly we just replace the mattress. We generally get good mattresses that have inner springs, (memory foam wasn't a thing when we replaced our mattresses last)  So they are comfortable to sit on. Replacing covers is also easy and cost effective. But, that's more of a need with kids.

Our house is also a 70s house, with smaller rooms (house is 1800 sq feet total)..and less bulky furniture looks better in it than the bigger stuff that's on the market.

When we put a futon in our family room, I think we spent 1500 or so for a couch and single chair frames,  nice covers and the mattresses. It's been 6 years or so since we've bought it.

Ours looks something like this but has more detail: www.llbean.com/llb/shop/79248?page=mission-futon 

[giramomma]

You also might try an Amish Furniture store, if your town has one.

I just looked at ours, and they sell normal couches. DS has a bunk bed set from the store, and I've been very pleased with how they have held up.

[Deleted]

Craigslist.  I'd rather buy quality pieces used than cheaper stuff new.  The couch I have now was $2500 new, but it's a huge leather sectional and the owners were relocating and needed it gone.  Ex paid $700 for it when it was maybe a year old.   In the "what did you waste money on today" thread I posted pics of a beautiful solid walnut desk I picked up for free.  I could have coughed up a few hundred for a desk and it would have been crap compared to this one. 

People are always trying to unload furniture rather than take it with them when they move.

[Rob Base 2.0]

I actually like the Ikea couch we purchased for $1,000.00

[emma1420]

For many people 3k for a sofa is low end. My sofa is from Ikea. Because for the most part good quality sofas are way out of my price range. I'm not spending the equivalent of the price of a good used car for. Sofa. I feel the same way about mattresses. 😄

Besides styles change. In 10 years you'll probably want something different.

[zibazinski]

I buy furniture from consignment. I'm not willing to wait for weeks or pay retail.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Our most recent couch purchase is Lazy Boy. Love seat, single seat, ottoman with custom order fabric was about $3,000 total.

We went through a locally owned furniture store.

[saveinla]

Macys - got a half price deal close to Thanksgiving and it still looks like new after 4 years.

[NoNamePerson]

I did it the old fashioned way 12 yrs ago. We had tons of furniture stores here. I finally found one I liked right away but didn't like the price so kept hunting. Finally said suck it up buttercup and went back to one I really liked. It was on sale 1/2 price!! Win-win. It was around 900.00 I think. And it has been a really good one. But like I said 12 yrs ago and just me eating, sometimes sleeping and always on it watching TV.

Back in the day when I was married I would go furniture shopping with pen and paper and find what I wanted, wrote down all the pertinent info and then "shopped" furniture stores/outlets in Highpoint, NC. They drop shipped furniture to us. Never had a problem with it not being the exact same thing as what I had found in stores and usually half the price.

Don't know how Highpoint is now but just a suggestion.  

I like to sit and feel stuff before I buy it.

[simser]

High point is still full of furniture.

If I lived in NoVa I would take a day trip down to Green Front Furniture in FarmVille. I still love my furniture I got from there, and I am the pickiest furniture person ever.

[NoNamePerson]

Sept 9, 2017 9:41:04 GMT -5 simser said:

High point is still full of furniture.

If I lived in NoVa I would take a day trip down to Green Front Furniture in FarmVille. I still love my furniture I got from there, and I am the pickiest furniture person ever.

Glad to hear that. I don't furniture shop any more but that was our go to for 18 yrs when I was married. EX had family in NC so sometimes we would go to Highpoint on way home and check it out. Mostly though found stuff here and ordered.

As for being pickiest - I fall in that line. When I buy something it is because I love it and plan to have it for a very long time!! I still have the triple dresser and night stands that I bought from there when I was pg with kiddo and he is 51. Good stuff and classic style!! Upholstered stuff will just wear out in time!!

[Lizard Queen]

I got my leather couch and loveseat years ago at Sam's Club--for a steal.  That is, very admittedly, hit and miss.  I just happened to love what they happened to have, and caught it when it was clearance priced.  The PITA was getting it home, as they had no delivery services at the time.

[Bonny]

Sept 9, 2017 10:24:20 GMT -5 Lizard Queen said:

I got my leather couch and loveseat years ago at Sam's Club--for a steal.  That is, very admittedly, hit and miss.  I just happened to love what they happened to have, and caught it when it was clearance priced.  The PITA was getting it home, as they had no delivery services at the time.

We're looking at some of the Costco stuff.

We hang onto stuff for a long time. We had a custom made queen sofa sleeper made by AZ leather when we lived in AZ (2004ish). Unfortunately the Nikki Cat (aka the Barfy boy) barfed on it while we were out of town. It cleaned up but the leather finish was affected. I hate to get rid of it because it's still a really nice piece of furniture but re upholstery is often as expensive as a new piece since they are essentially re-building the furniture with new cushions et cetera by hand. I'm o.k. (and have done it) with the old family furniture (c. 1910) because the quality of construction is so much better than what I could get now for a new piece for the same price.

[plugginaway22]

Our most recent sofa purchase was Lazy Boy (3-4 years ago) and we love it, has held up very well.

[Deleted]

I just bought this:

www.theroomplace.com/product/matrix+coffee+7+pc.+sectional+%28reverse%29.do?sortby%253DpriceAscend%2526amp%253BrefType%253D%26amp%3Bfrom%253Dfn%26ecList%3D7%26ecCategory%3D24

[Pants]

Sept 9, 2017 8:12:23 GMT -5 8 Bit WWBG said:

I'm in the market for a new couch, and I'm wondering if there is a "middle ground" in furniture (and many industries) anymore.  I'd like to avoid the low end places, but I'm not looking to plunk down $3,000 for one item either.  I'm not refurnishing an entire room either.

Where do you buy your furniture and how much do you spend?

What style are you looking for? I think that more than anything should drive where you go to look.

[Cookies Galore]

We ended up getting our couch and side chair from Raymour and Flanigan. I had a style and color in mind, and we have jerk cats who like to scratch and stretch. We found a couch with a tight weave and so far kitty-proof.

www.raymourflanigan.com/willoughby-sofa-200326456.aspx

[Anne_in_VA]

I bought the latest sofa from a local furniture store.  I liked it (but didn't love it) when I bought it and I'm thinking of replacing the cushion inserts.  It has down cushion and pillow inserts and they have gotten misshapen very quickly especially since the cat sleeps on top of the back cushions.  I think I've found a place locally that will cut new cushion inserts made from high density foam.

 I 'm pretty picky and shopped several local stores before I found this one. It was on sale and was around $1k.

[Deleted]

My last purchase was about $2200 worth of LazyBoy furniture.  It was a sofa and a sleeper loveseat for the sunroom.  It was the sleeper part that ran the price up.

However, LazyBoy furniture isn't what it used to be.  When they were delivering it, I noticed that the frame wasn't real wood but that composite stuff.  

There are a lot of good older sofas out there that you could get recovered.  They have hardwood frames.  But the upholstering is going to cost you more than what you want to spend.

Most of the leather stuff is bonded or at best the real stuff only where it shows.  The rest is bonded.  Bonded leather, etc. flakes really badly while real leather just gets broken in.

I used to have good luck buying used sofas, but I quit after the bed bug epidemic.  You are really taking a risk with used soft furnishings.

Let us know what you get!  

P.S.  I hate microfiber sofas.  The one from Lazyboy that I bought maybe 10 years ago started pilling almost immediately.  I won't buy another.

[Anne_in_VA]

I agree with Susana, don't go to LazyBoy.  We got a recliner a few years ago that they claimed was top grain leather stained with analine dye.  About 2 years after purchase, the dye began coming off the headrest and it is a totally different color now.  We bought an extended warranty but it changed color after that ran out so we're out of luck.  

Analine dye supposedly soaks into the leather and makes a more even color that doesn't wear off.  I guess they didn't use that type of dye or process for our chair.

[bookkeeper]

We bought a new LazyBoy sofa in 2012.  I was very disappointed in how fast the padding on the arms went totally flat.  We went looking for new recliners and happened on the Southern Motion brand of upholstered furniture.  They use memory foam in their cushions and have stationary as well as reclining furniture.  DH and I are both large people and we have been very satisfied with how the Southern Motion furniture has held up.  So far we have bought 2 couches and 4 recliners between our two houses.  Pricing is very mid-range and it took 6 weeks to arrive.  I am sitting on my purchase right now!

[pooks]

I pick the brand first and then go to the store that carries that brand, usually local stores.  My sofa in Smith Brothers of Berne and has held up pretty well for an 8 year old sofa.  I don't like the color anymore, but replacing it seems wasteful.  I don't understand leather well enough to buy it.  So many pieces are bonded and will peel.  My chairs are Flexsteel and I don't have any complaints.  The chairs will probably last as long as I like them.

[NoNamePerson]

Sept 10, 2017 19:05:06 GMT -5 pooks said:

I pick the brand first and then go to the store that carries that brand, usually local stores.  My sofa in Smith Brothers of Berne and has held up pretty well for an 8 year old sofa.  I don't like the color anymore, but replacing it seems wasteful.  I don't understand leather well enough to buy it.  So many pieces are bonded and will peel.  My chairs are Flexsteel and I don't have any complaints.  The chairs will probably last as long as I like them.

My son and DIL bought a Flexsteel sofa a year after they got married. They are frugal and swear they may have to take a sledge hammer to to justify buying a new sofa. 

[happyhoix]

Sept 10, 2017 19:05:06 GMT -5 pooks said:

I pick the brand first and then go to the store that carries that brand, usually local stores.  My sofa in Smith Brothers of Berne and has held up pretty well for an 8 year old sofa.  I don't like the color anymore, but replacing it seems wasteful.  I don't understand leather well enough to buy it.  So many pieces are bonded and will peel.  My chairs are Flexsteel and I don't have any complaints.  The chairs will probably last as long as I like them.

After going through three sofas and loveseats in 15 years (cats and a child) DH and I went to a higher end furniture store to get our next one. My criteria was to get one the cats couldn't/wouldn't scratch. They happened to have a Flexsteel craftsman style sofa that's essentially wood on the sides and back, fabric on the seat and inside the back, with sofa cushions bottom and back. Very comfortable but the best thing is the cats can't scratch the wood, so the worst they can do is scratch the underside, which isn't visible, so who cares.

We got the sofa and a similarly designed armchair, and that was about 15 years ago. Still looks really good, but it's time to get the fabric redone, and new seat cushions, but I want to make sure I get the same kind of foam cushions because these have held up extremely well. Neither cats or child (now man) were able to damage it. We paid about $3000, but got it on sale and got a discount for paying cash, and I figured we blew $3000 over the first 15 years on cheaper couches that only lasted 5 years - I expect, with getting it reupholstered periodically, we'll have this forever.  

If I needed furniture in the future I'd probably find someplace that sells Flexsteel again. I think it's worth the extra price in the long run.

[ohmomto2boys]

We purchased a leather sectional sofa from Levin a few weeks ago.  It is Flexsteel.   We like it so far.

The couch it replaced I bought 20 years ago at Levin.  I had to get a slip cover for it about 5 years ago, but other than that, it has been a very solid piece.

We have also just purchased a loveseat and 1.5 chair (fabric covered) from Levin (yesterday). Revolution Chair - Stone.   I hope it holds up.  We already told the kids they can't sit on it.  

[happyhoix]

With my son, it was 'you can't eat or drink on that.' Which he ignored.

So did the beagle who claimed the armchair as her own personal spot.

I used to go into DS's bedroom when he was in college and pull pizza boxes with 1 or 2 petrified pizza slices out from under the bed, along with a 12 pack of almost empty soda cans, crushed up and dripping. And yes, he had a mouse.

Amazingly, the Boy now has his own house and he's ultra finicky about not messing up the floors or furniture - especially the pool table. I guess now that everything belongs to him, he gives a shit finally.

[countrygirl2]

Lazy Boy, great chairs and couches

[Iggy aka IG]

Sept 11, 2017 16:30:12 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

Lazy Boy, great chairs and couches

And you can pick the covering for whatever style you choose.  We did this a few months ago, and they threw in 2 complimentary throw pillows, also covered in whatever material we wanted.  Oh, and we also got 2 fantastic side tables in their "ding and dent" room. 

[countrygirl2]

I think our current 2 leather recliners, couch, and 1.5 chair are all Lazy Boys. I
do have 2 other brands of leather chairs in the basement that are good.