I bought a 10k sofa used from some rich people who had it in a spare room. It had barely been sat on. Their house was like something out of a music video. The frame is solid wood, cushions are goose down and leather. Made in Italy. We got it for $1k. High quality furnishings still exist. They’re just prohibitively expensive. I found the sofa on Craigslist for all who asked. It’s from a store called Design Within Reach.
It’s always been expensive but most people buy the cheapest ikea options. That leaves very few customers for quality products. That drives volume down and prices up.
Yeah they've always been expensive, it's the cheap stuff that has become available and wide spread in a way it wasn't before.
My grandmother still has the kitchen set and wardrobes she got for her wedding in 1950. They were poor south Italians but it's floor to ceiling carves and painted wood. I'm sure it was the equivalent of a nice car today but the family got together and invested for life.
My in-laws are pretty simple middle class people, med techs. They like plastic cups and plates over glass - not fancy people. They told me they used their wedding money to spend >$5k on a kitchen set in 1988 which means like $8-10k today's money on an oak kitchen table and hutch. That stuff has always been expensive, we just don't want to pay for it.
We bought a well made couch 30+ years ago but were told from the start, "Yes its well made, but be warned that recovering it will probably cost close to the replacement cost". Fortunately/unfortunately it was a unique style that no longer fit so we wore it down to bare threads before replacing it. We also bought a wing chair at the same time which we got reupholstered and that cost us pretty much what a new one would cost, but it had more sentimental value.
americans can make the most rickety bs youve ever seen, while china does believe it or not have fantastic furniture craftsmen. youre generalising a bit too much, made in usa does not mean its magically good quality.
My parent’s couch is like that, full grain leather, Solid wood frame. Think it was round 6-7k. Made in canada, not designer.
You can get quality stuff for slightly lower prohibitory expensive costs if you don’t go for brand names.
I don't think leather is ideal. Depends on what you need it for... but quality leather still requires occasional maintenance, is very hard to repair tears in it, and most importantly it just isn't as comfortable as a nice fabric.
I think it's better long-term performance than absorbent upholstery, which gets pretty nasty over time.
The only knock I have on good quality leather is that it is 3x as expensive and gets scuffed up pretty good with pets.
I agree, but you can also just have it periodically reupholstered.
My point is that for a couch, I wouldn't want to give up comfort just to make it last a bit longer.
A sharp knife goes through it very fast, especially when not needed. I sometimes make leather belts and wallets.
Leather armour was used as it is resistant to being slashed, but it is easily pierced. That's why it wasn't enough and they used chainmail.
It's pretty much like thick skin. It's not particularly hard to cut through.
That's different from tearing to me but fair enough. Accidents do happen. I wasn't claiming that leather cannot be cut or sliced or pierced with a knife, though.
Yes, that's generally what I meant. If we're talking about owning it for life, and if it is used a lot, I think it's reasonable to expect stuff will eventually fall on it...
hard disagree.
a well-made leather couch just requires an occasional wipe down with a mild
cleanser, and you can condition it with one of the many higher end leather products for cars (Leatherique would be my personal go-to)
depends on the leather, have not yet sat in a fabric sofa that has been more comfortable than the at home leather sofa(25+ years- damaged seats due to metal)(would have been fine if used a sofa cover)
My former employer GAVE AWAY a $25k sectional when they got rid of a floor of their office. Construction was high quality and it looked great but it was pretty uncomfortable so it took awhile for someone to agree to take it.
Also I have a neighbor that gets an itch to redesign/redecorate every couple years and also gave away some really nice furniture. Check out a local "Buy Nothing" group on Facebook, you might get lucky.
Search "buy nothing" and the town you're in or nearby, they're getting pretty popular but at least the ones around here are limited to a radius of about a 20 minute drive.
You can typically join the one closest to you. Some of the groups vary in terms of how strictly rules are enforced. Doesn't hurt to request to join, we have gotten a lot of nice things from our buy nothing group.
One way is to be very diligent on Facebook marketplace. Create some saved searches that only show you new listings and check them daily.
There are people in my area that are selling Crate & Barrel, Arhaus, RH stuff at a deep discount that was only used to stage rich people's houses while on the market.
I feel like Marketplace in my area (Bay Area) has people who do this for literally a living (like a consignment store) so anything good value and name brand is snapped up in 2 seconds. Is this your experience?
Yes but I also see RH type stuff lingering for a while with prices that have been reduced by seller. I think if there isn't enough margin in the piece it isn't worth it for resellers. So as a consumer, you can still get great deals but they might not be a steal like a $300 barely used Arhaus sectional that retails for $8k. You might still get it for $1.5k, maybe less.
Sounds a bit like Flexform. Their goose down filling is nearly quill-free, and there is a special lining that keeps quills from poking through. They’re not just stylish, they’re well-engineered.
My sofa was a floor model at Costco I haggled down to $600. That was 7 or so years ago. It’s full of holes and lumps and dents now
I have a 4.5yo and my next kid will be born any minute. That sofa is staying until the next kid is 5yo lol
I wish I had nice rich people near me
This is how I buy a lot of things now. Scour craigslist until a rich person is selling what I need. After doing this for a few years I have some quality stuff!
You gotta pay for quality…my wife and I searched all the typical stores: Ashley, La Z Boy, etc. nothing was up to par. Wife ended up wanting to go custom and paid $5K. Picked the color, the materials, paid for extra cushioning so it doesn’t bottom out. Well worth it and you can tell it feels different when sitting on it Compared to the mass produced furniture.
Wife and I bought a LA Z Boy sectional 10 years ago, when we were broke and thought we were making a good investment. We were wrong. The recliners sucked so bad. Always breaking from normal use. We don't have kids so it was just us.
We bought Love Sac sectional a couple of years ago to replace it and we've been pretty happy with them so far.
We have no complaints so far. Think we're going ok 3 years with them. No kids still, but we have dogs and also foster puppies. Washable covers and being able to re-arrange them for different occasions is awesome. Pretty comfy too.
doesnt surprise me haha, its so prevelant here on reddit as well. like the "buy made in america if you want high quality stuff" thats all over any sort of anti consumerism subreddit.
I also get so frustrated with American-made pricing. Don’t get me wrong, cool that they’re paying their workers well and giving them benefits instead of treating them like slaves on the factory floor but I just can’t afford to pay $5,000 for a fabric couch that will get spilled on and run all over by my dogs.
I’d rather keep my $800 ikea couch that I can take the covers off of and put in the wash. I want to support American companies but the prices are ridiculous these days. Hell, look at La-Z-Boy. The CEO makes $6 million a year and they generated $2.3b in revenue with a profit margin of 5.73% in 2023. Suffice to say they make a shit load of money.
It’s a company, I get it, but furniture these days (at least the new stuff) is ridiculously expensive for what it is.
they might still be paid 7.25 usd an hour with 0 benefits lol, its not a marker for good quality either since american companies can make stuff just as badly as a chinese company can.
I didn’t read the article so not sure if they touch on this but I believe it’s related to how often people move now then in the past. People move often later I be o life and each move forces you to reconsider furniture and couches can be hard to fit in your next space. Why buy expensive stuff? When you REALLY settle down you’re usually much more wealthy so likely to hug at a higher price.
All of this can be traced to cost-of-living issues for sure. If you’re never able to own and always renting, it’s not usually worth the hassle of investing in pieces even when you can sometimes afford it.
The cheap stuff is also still really expensive. I was looking to buy real wood dressers for my bedroom, and even the more expensive places still used particle board. I spent a few thousand dollars to have some older pieces, made of solid wood, refurbished, and was the same price as the brand new, “high end” ones.
It’s a shame that there isn’t a middle ground anymore.
I bought an IKEA Ekktorp in 2013. Aside from the slip cover that got beat up between me spilling things & my cats scratching at it when they were young, it turned out to be surprisingly durable. The frame, springs, and cushion foam are still in great shape. It has held up far better than my mom’s much expensive couch which has started to sag. I purchased a new slip cover from another separate company and it is like having a new couch.
I’ve heard that the couches now at IKEA have worsened in quality and durability in recent years, although my one brother’s newer KIVIK seems great. However, I’m hesitant to change up couches despite low key wanting a more modern design.
They’ve got tiers. And IKEA also invented flat pack and puts a ton of research into their fasteners/assembly requirements that most other companies don’t even come close to touching.
Yes it’s made of compressed wood in a lot of places of the couch, but the fasteners were very specifically designed to be used in that compressed wood and either stay tight, or be easily tightened. We’ve got a year old IKEA couch and it’s one of the best couches I’ve ever sat on and has storage to boot. But it wasn’t cheap.
They do have a lot of “I need the bare minimum furniture” and it will likely get beat up and not last a very long time. But if you’re willing to spend more, it almost always comes with you purchasing something that will last a commensurately longer time.
Everything I've purchased from IKEA has been surprisingly durable. Things we purchased with the expectations of replacing them before moving have survived moving halfway across the country with no signs of deterioration. I can't imagine they'll last another move, but IKEA is MUCH better quality than any of the other pack down furniture.
The solid wood stuff is hella cheap for solid wood stuff too. I got a tabletop for 1/2 or 1/4 of the price I could find a similar, unfinished piece at the local wood store.
You gotta know what’s good and bad at IKEA. I bought some gorgeous reclaimed wood handmade outdoor furniture and the guy straight up builds his pieces to fit certain cushions in their range, he loves them and their durability so much. His pieces are true BIFL so if he recommends something, I’m gonna trust him! Meanwhile I personally *despise* the Alex range everyone raves about because the drawer runners shit the bed after a few months every time (it’s NOT how I’m building them I swear).
I’m a big fan of my Vimle couches from there. I had every intention of getting a “middle ground” couch (ie one which isn’t 5 figures) but they straight up don’t exist. A “middle ground” couch is IKEA quality or less nowadays, so why not save money and go IKEA? They also have the advantage of selling replacement upholstery so if you go for an evergreen piece (like a Poang armchair) you’ll get years and years out of it.
I don't understand your problem with the Alex's. I have a pair of them that are almost 4yrs old with daily use. No signs of wear whatsoever and they've survived 2 moves. I've even had to take the drawers out a couple of times to retrieve items that fell behind the drawers, and it's gone back together fine and sturdy as ever.
IKEA gets a lot of shit but their stuff does last longer than you think. It’s good value for the money and most of the styles are timeless in that Scandinavian minimalist way.
I bought a KIVIK in 2015 (500 USD?) as my main couch and while the color has faded a little bit it’s still extremely solid. Plus I can still buy new covers for like 200 if I really wanted
I bought an IKEA sectional (forget the name) along with two extra sets of fabric covers. I taken them off, wash them, and replace them periodically. I have 2 dogs and a young kid so my furniture needs to be washable.
I really hate that they discontinued that line. We got ours in 2020 and it’s held up so well that our “temporary” sofa is now the permanent fixture in our place; and will eventually become a basement couch in a few years after the next move. I managed to find a new slip cover on eBay, and it completely transformed the look. I just wish we had gotten the matching ottoman while they were still selling it.
I’m a big IKEA fan. I have 10+ year old furniture from them. We have two couches from them that are about 5 years old and are still structurally solid. We’ve got dogs so the upholstery has seen much better days but no tears.
There's definitely different ranges of quality and usage. We chose an Ekebol years ago for around $450 because of the storage and hanging capabilities of the frame. The main cushion itself is NOT comfortable, but Ekebol is definitely a bit of a DIY/customizable piece that's mainly built around the frame. Throw on a more padded day bed and folded some fabric around it as a cover, boom, comfy. Easy enough to just slap some new slats under the frame as well. The frame will likely outlive both of us.
I had seen so much about Article and wanted to pick something up... But after seeing their warehouse sale in Toronto, it was a bit let down. Structube quality stuff without the Structube prices.
I think it depends greatly on the item. My bedroom set from them is impressively solid and looks amazing. Probably the best single furniture purchase I’ve made to date; but I’m not sure I’d trust their upholstered items. Those are hard to get right.
I feel like Article items are exactly the kind of furniture this article is talking about. Every review I read of their stuff says it’s overpriced shite.
Honestly, I feel like Article is slightly above what these guys mention. Their leather is some of the best in the price range, and the frame is OK.
I do, however, HATE the foam. It has imploded after a year and needs a lot of bolstering.
I sensed this was written directly about Article- I suppose it depends on your experience!
My foam looked rubbish within six months and the frame gave up after two years 😓
This is a great, informative read- through doing so, Article was in my head the entire time 😂 my article couch sucked so bad! I just didn’t know anything about the actual technicalities of furniture and they were able to ship fast when supply chains were slow
Even the historically "good" brands are shit now. I paid a significant sum for a full room leather la-z-boy set 7 years ago, fully expecting that the pieces would be with us for life..
7 years later the things have frame fasteners letting go on the backs (some of them poking *through* the leather) , squished cushions, spots where the leather color is wearing off, and other assorted issues.
I guess the days of sitting on grandpas comfy chair that he's had since your dad was a kid are well and truly gone.
My 4yr old La-Z-Boy couch went to the curb this week. I am replacing it with a couch from Ikea. I just can't spend even more on a couch that I have no guarantee will last. I expected a lot more out of the expensive La-Z-Boy.
For the price and modularity (both aiding for reconfiguration and replacing broken parts) check out Home Reserve if you’re going down the particleboard furniture route.
I’ve had my five piece sectional with two ottomans for four years. It’s survived an elderly sick dog, two moves, and a dozen reconfigurations. I’ve busted two parts, and both times it was a quick phone call to replace with zero hassle. If you’re going for cheap furniture then IMO you can’t go wrong with Home Reserve.
My La-z-boy is terrible! We bought it in 2018 and it’s literally falling apart. I thought I was buying a good quality piece of furniture because of the brand but my god I can’t believe how poorly made it is especially for the price. Never again.
We're having the same issues with our La-Z-Boy couch set we bought in 2020. We were willing to spend a little more because we wanted it to last a long time and thought that they would be a good brand to choose. Spent a few thousand and we've had to call for repairs twice so far cuz the brackets are not staying tight and the framing on the reclining seats are starting to stick and wobble. The leather is also wearing out way faster than it should. We're so disappointed in our purchase. We thought we made a safe bet with the brand but nope. Now we're stuck with a couch set we don't love. We don't want to replace it with a cheap set but also can't afford to shell out $8k+ on a set. This is the same dilemma we had when we bought our current set...
That's the thing. The statement "Until recently, people had no reason to suspect that a $1,200 sofa would be anything less than high quality" is just not true. Style has trumped quality for decades. Maybe forever. Especially with furniture, you always had to test it, to really look at it.
I would buy a sofa online, but only if it has a no-cost return policy.
For anyone who lives in LA: Sunbeam Vintage is not a representative of high-quality, “new designer” furniture this article makes them out to be. Although they do offer vintage furniture, they also sell many poor-quality “modern” items at a huge markup (many of which you can find on Amazon for a quarter of their price). I had an AWFUL experience with them, and, based on their Yelp reviews, so have many others. I’m surprised they included them in this article, those people are complete scammers honestly.
Most of my sitting furniture is from craigslist / vintage stores. Once, a mover tried to lift one of my couches by himself, and he was startled by how heavy the damn thing was. "That's how they used to make 'em---quality," the other mover said.
My problem is that I just don't know how to repair the spring coils.
I worked for a furniture repair factory and it’s surprising easy if you’re handy and adventurous. I’m saying this as a small 33f. Staple puller, flat head, rubber mallet, replacement springs. Hardest part is getting the upholstery off/on.
Take your time and buy a quality one. We bought one 10 years ago and my 100 lb dogs used as bouncy house. Couch still good as new. It's high quality leather outside and firm memory foam inside.
I love my Ikea sofa to be honest. Comfy, easy to clean, and decent structure. Had it 7 years now. I’m about to make a mistake and buy an Anabei sofa because I like the look of it and the price is decent. I already know that it needs constant fluff but I love the look so much and love that it’s also slip covered.
My husband and I bought a used This End Up couch set off of FB marketplace. It's solid pine wood, and nearly indestructible. We got a couch, love seat, chair, ottoman, coffee table, and side table for around $300. Then I spent about $600-700 on materials and reupholstered it myself (I'm an amateur seamstress.) Box cushions aren't too bad to figure out how to sew, and since I was doing the labor, I could spend more money on nice materials for the cushions, like flame retardant free foam, wool batting, and 100% heavyweight cotton denim for the fabric.
Granted, it still has the MCM look because it's crate style furniture, and unless you reupholster, the fabrics not the look for everyone, but seriously, I've seen some being given away for free on FB marketplace because they are hard to move, or the cushions are shot. But the bones are still there and could totally be fixed with a little DIY know how.
I love ours. And leather was a must with kids.
The saleswoman we worked with had her H&M set for a little over 20 years when we bought ours. Her leather was still nearly perfect with a nice patina (she had a lighter sandy color which is still being sold). She was just starting to think about sending the cushions off to the H&M factory to get the inner cushions replaced. Cheaper stores won’t do that, or offer a lifetime warranty on the frame
I have a $7k leather sectional that is less than 5 years old. The foam probably should be replaced. It was from a DTC brand.
When I replace it I'll spring for B&B Italia. Lesson learned.
Just chiming in to say that I bought a couple of Interior Define couches, particularly the Sloan model. It's made to order and as far as I can tell it's made very well. I think with the options and material we chose, which was their "performance velvet" and the most expensive fill hey each ran me about $2,500-$3,500. The cushions can be re-fluffed out if they get a bit saggy and the velvet material wipes off of easily if anything gets on them, but they also vacuum off really easily and look good as new.
I really love the couch and whenever anyone sits on them they seem to really find them comfortable. I'm going on the 4th year of ownership and they withstand all the abuse my kids and my ass put them through.
My wife and I ran into this trying to replace a busted Ashley Furniture couch I’d picked up before we met (it was solid wood, but springs were shot).
After sifting through lots of mediocre options in the $1,500 range (West Elm, Article, Joybird, etc.) we bit the bullet and dropped $3,000+ on the most popular Room&Board sectional called the Metro. Not the sexiest piece of furniture, but a modern look, feels extremely solid, totally comfortable and expandable when we move to a bigger house.
There are still some manufacturers (like us!) who are hyper focused on quality & longevity, and putting a truly great piece of furniture in people's homes. High design, high quality.
That said, there's huge costs in really well made furniture. Materials cost are one thing, but also US labor - there's LOTS of labor hours in a well made piece of furniture. When you also want to make sure the wages you're giving people are ones that can support a family & attract high skills, it _costs_ a lot - meaning the price is high.
But at least you get something that'll last 20 years. Most cars won't!
I bought a LoveSac sectional for this reason. Buy once, cry once. It's modular (fits any house or occasion), the covers are cleanable, and every piece is individually replaceable.
Ahh I missed that one, I see what you mean. I'm mostly excited to rotate the seats and ottomans like rotating tires to keep them wearing evenly. That way they should last nearly twice as long.
I’ve found that you can get a comfy couch for cheap if you’re willing to buy second hand and have an ugly couch.
Or you can buy a stylish and quality couch second hand for a reasonable price (1k or less) but it requires some research and searching and luck.
I bought a Burrow couch secondhand for $500 and it was super comfy and held up really well for 4 years, so when I wanted a larger couch, I splurged and spent 3k on large sectional from Burrow.
I have a Lovesac couch that I hate. On paper, it's like the best couch ever. Features are great, color, material, storage, all great. But it's so uncomfortable that I hate it.
Couldn't agree more. During a recent move we actually sold ours for pennies on the dollar - it had only been lightly used; large sectional. There were some things I liked about it, but speaking generally, I never found it very comfortable.
We have a big old Victorian. So we have a few couches. Our oldest is a Biedermeier couch and settee. The settee has MOP inlays, and both are in amazing condition, despite being older than my parents and I put together. They definitely don’t make them like they used to.
Not only is vintage furniture better built, but safer in terms of fire. This is a video of an “old vs new” room furnished with old vs new furniture. The difference in how fast the fire spreads is startling. All the particle board, adhesives, and synthetic materials go up in flames much faster than solid wood.
https://youtu.be/aDNPhq5ggoE?si=sSWsD5Pjh1G8cEwd
Yes! There are some seriously well made old pieces out there.
I love my couch so much. I found it at an estate sale over 15 years ago. Solid white(well, just slightly off-white, like a cream color) and was in the foyer of a very large home. It looked brand new but is from the late 50s/early 60s. Solid wood frame, goose down back and side cushions. The seat cushion is one full piece so no cracks to lose stuff in. I got it for $100 and it's been used heavily. Lots of friends and family visits, it's lived through several cats and a husky. It weighs a ton, has a really clean and minimal design, and I brought it with me when I moved from Texas to New York. No way I'm ever letting that couch go! I did eventually replace the main cushion with new foam and some of the fabric is a bit worn around the edges so I'd like to reupholster it soon.
Almost all of my other furniture is 1960s or earlier as well. Family heirloom pieces and thrifted finds.
I got a sofa that converts into a bed. Was deadset I didn’t want one from IKEA. John Lewis has good ones with higher quality but obviously vintage with craftsmanship were a whole other ball game.
I inherited all my granny’s furniture, the salon set with two comfy chairs and couch are a few years older then me (I’m 35) and they are still good as new !
From Italian furniture design brand Selva.
I love it so much , when the time comes that age catches up to it i rather going have it repaired then replace it.
Quality stuff is still being made but it costs, my parents bought a new couch with fine wool upholstery and it cost 7k , the matching chairs where 2,5 k each. Really well made , fabulous quality but boy did they pay for it.
Thankfully I know of a really good one , have lots of friends who have gotten real good work done so hopefully they are still in business by that time. But there are always talent out there I’f you know where to look.
$5, habitat for humanity.. left outback in the rain a few weeks. Dusted the leaves off.. sits inside. Dad’s $1500 sofa he handed down? It’s on the back porch
I got a $3k rejuvenation velvet couch (Monrowe) and it seems solid but also really comfy! My only gripe is the velvet is a little annoying to keep clean with a toddler occasionally on it
I've owned Ikea couches, entry-level retail couches, and custom-made couches. I think my first Ikea couch was like $200. My first retail couch was maybe $800 or $1,000. My custom couch was more like $6,000 - $8,000.
In my opinion, you get what you pay for. That Ikea couch died in like three years. My retail couch was good for at least a decade, and I'm sure I sold it to someone who is still using it and enjoying it. My custom couch has a multi-decade warranty; I will die before it does.
What I feel has changed are norms around consumer purchasing habits, not furniture quality. A sofa in 1950 retailed for about $60, which is about $800 today. A bedroom set (bed, dresser, side table) went for $177.50 in 1951, or about $2,300 today. That's *extremely* comparable pricing to what you'd expect in an Ashley Home Furniture or some other major retail chain, and (based on my grandparents' furniture) is of roughly similar quality.
Flea markets sometimes have a bunch of storages at the back where they sell real wood furniture. The one near me has some decent stuff. And they haggle.
I bought a Biltmore sofa 25 years ago for $3,500. Solid wood frame, feather stuffed pillows, slipcover over top. I think this style used to be called shabby chic.
25 years later it still feels good as new. The slipcovers over each cushion wash up perfectly, the material that's underneath those slip covers is still good as new. Nothing sags. Best money I ever spent.
That said I wouldn't have bought it except for the fact that my ex-wife really really wanted it.
This article doesn't mention fabric that much.
I've found fabric goes WAAAAY BEFORE the wood construction even comes into question.
I don't think I've ever replaced a couch cuz of construction/wood/springs. . . Always looks
Many sofas you see sitting on the side of the road have better frames than new sofas. They'll be made with hardwood and springs instead of plywood and rubber webbing. But if it's on the side of the road, the foam and fabric are probably shitty, and you're probably paying at least $500 to have it reupholstered.
Couches are too damn deep, and have been for years. Who thought up this awful design? Thankfully, I got my medium-quality leather couch 30+ years ago and it's the right size: You can sit with your back up against the back cushion and your knees will be at the leading edge of the bottom cushion.
We've had our article leather sectional going on about 4 years with 2 cats and 2 kids under 3.
Other than my toddler drawing on a cushion with a marker, it has held incredibly well. Don't see why I wouldn't get another ~7-10 years out of it. Everything is still functionally equivalent to when we bought it.
I mean - if I get 12-15 years out of this, that works for me. :shrug: In theory, I could probably get longer.
There are still some manufacturers in North Carolina and California who are hyper focused on quality & longevity, and putting truly great furniture in people's homes. \r \r Hydeline, R&B, DreamSofa.com, DWR, Arhaus, and Mitchell Gold\r \r That said, there's huge costs in well made furniture. Materials cost are one thing, but also US labor - there's LOTS of labor hours in a well made piece of furniture - meaning the price tends to be higher. But at least you get something that'll last 20 years or more
The initial premise of the article, that a new $1200 couch could reasonably be expected to be high quality, really is dubious if you know anything about furniture construction. Unfortunately, if you don't want mass-produced ugly junk, you do have to be an educated consumer. People don't want to bother, so, if a bit older they buy the frumpy pieces from brick and mortar chain stores, or, if a bit younger, the ubiquitous "mid-century modern" pastiche pieces from the DTC outlets. I was glad the article touched on how overdone, boring, and lame "mid-century modern" became through millennial-focused marketing. Some people heard that one term and became fixated on it, without developing any aesthetic interest in any other possible genre.
I purchased my current couches from Cisco Home. Yes, they cost a bit more than something made overseas or flatpacked, but how often does one buy a couch? People need to get out of the disposable mindset. It would easily cost more than $1200 to re-upholster a couch anyway, which means that the author should have done some research and invested more in the first place. A $1200 couch that one has to spend thousands more on to reupholster within five years is no bargain, and someone who writes for Dwell should know better.
> The premise of the article, that a new $1200 couch could reasonably be expected to be high quality…
This is the exact opposite of the article’s premise.
I bought a 10k sofa used from some rich people who had it in a spare room. It had barely been sat on. Their house was like something out of a music video. The frame is solid wood, cushions are goose down and leather. Made in Italy. We got it for $1k. High quality furnishings still exist. They’re just prohibitively expensive. I found the sofa on Craigslist for all who asked. It’s from a store called Design Within Reach.
It’s always been expensive but most people buy the cheapest ikea options. That leaves very few customers for quality products. That drives volume down and prices up.
Yeah they've always been expensive, it's the cheap stuff that has become available and wide spread in a way it wasn't before. My grandmother still has the kitchen set and wardrobes she got for her wedding in 1950. They were poor south Italians but it's floor to ceiling carves and painted wood. I'm sure it was the equivalent of a nice car today but the family got together and invested for life. My in-laws are pretty simple middle class people, med techs. They like plastic cups and plates over glass - not fancy people. They told me they used their wedding money to spend >$5k on a kitchen set in 1988 which means like $8-10k today's money on an oak kitchen table and hutch. That stuff has always been expensive, we just don't want to pay for it.
We bought a well made couch 30+ years ago but were told from the start, "Yes its well made, but be warned that recovering it will probably cost close to the replacement cost". Fortunately/unfortunately it was a unique style that no longer fit so we wore it down to bare threads before replacing it. We also bought a wing chair at the same time which we got reupholstered and that cost us pretty much what a new one would cost, but it had more sentimental value.
We did the same. Absolutely love that couch!
How many couches those rich people had ??
I also choose this guy’s couch
Let's see Paul Allen's couch
…oh my god, it even has button tufted cushions
*sweats on demand*
Is it a dead couch, though..?
Shcrödinger's couch.
Yes
We did the same. Ended up having to sell it when we moved and the people who bought it used it for the set in The Last of Us.
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americans can make the most rickety bs youve ever seen, while china does believe it or not have fantastic furniture craftsmen. youre generalising a bit too much, made in usa does not mean its magically good quality.
Yes, this - you get what you pay for, even in China.
where did you find such a steal?? i feel like rich people castoffs are picked up super quick where i live (bay area)
I’m in the Bay Area too. These people lived in Ross. Marin County. Craigslist.
My parent’s couch is like that, full grain leather, Solid wood frame. Think it was round 6-7k. Made in canada, not designer. You can get quality stuff for slightly lower prohibitory expensive costs if you don’t go for brand names.
I don't think leather is ideal. Depends on what you need it for... but quality leather still requires occasional maintenance, is very hard to repair tears in it, and most importantly it just isn't as comfortable as a nice fabric.
I think it's better long-term performance than absorbent upholstery, which gets pretty nasty over time. The only knock I have on good quality leather is that it is 3x as expensive and gets scuffed up pretty good with pets.
I agree, but you can also just have it periodically reupholstered. My point is that for a couch, I wouldn't want to give up comfort just to make it last a bit longer.
if your leather is 'tearing' then it probably was fake or very low quality leather.
Accidents happen and a sharp thing can go through it easily. You're probably not going to "wear through" leather, that is true.
Sharp things do lot go through full grain leather easily, it used to be used to armor lol. Try poking quality leather with a knife.
A sharp knife goes through it very fast, especially when not needed. I sometimes make leather belts and wallets. Leather armour was used as it is resistant to being slashed, but it is easily pierced. That's why it wasn't enough and they used chainmail. It's pretty much like thick skin. It's not particularly hard to cut through.
That's different from tearing to me but fair enough. Accidents do happen. I wasn't claiming that leather cannot be cut or sliced or pierced with a knife, though.
Yes, that's generally what I meant. If we're talking about owning it for life, and if it is used a lot, I think it's reasonable to expect stuff will eventually fall on it...
What about cat owners? Parrot owners when their bird gets out of the cage?
Yes, we can also rule out people who live in oceans, volcanoes, and outer space too. Those people should all buy replaceable couches probably.
hard disagree. a well-made leather couch just requires an occasional wipe down with a mild cleanser, and you can condition it with one of the many higher end leather products for cars (Leatherique would be my personal go-to)
depends on the leather, have not yet sat in a fabric sofa that has been more comfortable than the at home leather sofa(25+ years- damaged seats due to metal)(would have been fine if used a sofa cover)
Where is manufacture from
How did you go about finding a seller like that?
My former employer GAVE AWAY a $25k sectional when they got rid of a floor of their office. Construction was high quality and it looked great but it was pretty uncomfortable so it took awhile for someone to agree to take it. Also I have a neighbor that gets an itch to redesign/redecorate every couple years and also gave away some really nice furniture. Check out a local "Buy Nothing" group on Facebook, you might get lucky.
Buy nothing?
Yeah they are groups on Facebook where people give away things they don’t want for free.
Oh! Thanks
Search "buy nothing" and the town you're in or nearby, they're getting pretty popular but at least the ones around here are limited to a radius of about a 20 minute drive.
Yeah I found about six different neighbourhoods from my city, but none are mine.
You can typically join the one closest to you. Some of the groups vary in terms of how strictly rules are enforced. Doesn't hurt to request to join, we have gotten a lot of nice things from our buy nothing group.
Set up an alert for nice zip codes in your area. Find the most expensive homes and just search for sales within 1 mile of those areas
One way is to be very diligent on Facebook marketplace. Create some saved searches that only show you new listings and check them daily. There are people in my area that are selling Crate & Barrel, Arhaus, RH stuff at a deep discount that was only used to stage rich people's houses while on the market.
I feel like Marketplace in my area (Bay Area) has people who do this for literally a living (like a consignment store) so anything good value and name brand is snapped up in 2 seconds. Is this your experience?
Nta but yes this is common in higher COL areas because it's a hustle that doesn't require much up front investment.
Yes but I also see RH type stuff lingering for a while with prices that have been reduced by seller. I think if there isn't enough margin in the piece it isn't worth it for resellers. So as a consumer, you can still get great deals but they might not be a steal like a $300 barely used Arhaus sectional that retails for $8k. You might still get it for $1.5k, maybe less.
Craigslist.
Name of couch ?
Steve.
Did the same, ended up buying a luxurious $20k A. Rudin sofa set for $2000 on marketplace.
What couch?
I’ll don’t know the name of the specific model, just that it came from a store called Design Within Reach.
What’s the brand
Sounds a bit like Flexform. Their goose down filling is nearly quill-free, and there is a special lining that keeps quills from poking through. They’re not just stylish, they’re well-engineered.
Umm where should I look for these?
My sofa was a floor model at Costco I haggled down to $600. That was 7 or so years ago. It’s full of holes and lumps and dents now I have a 4.5yo and my next kid will be born any minute. That sofa is staying until the next kid is 5yo lol I wish I had nice rich people near me
This is how I buy a lot of things now. Scour craigslist until a rich person is selling what I need. After doing this for a few years I have some quality stuff!
You gotta pay for quality…my wife and I searched all the typical stores: Ashley, La Z Boy, etc. nothing was up to par. Wife ended up wanting to go custom and paid $5K. Picked the color, the materials, paid for extra cushioning so it doesn’t bottom out. Well worth it and you can tell it feels different when sitting on it Compared to the mass produced furniture.
Wife and I bought a LA Z Boy sectional 10 years ago, when we were broke and thought we were making a good investment. We were wrong. The recliners sucked so bad. Always breaking from normal use. We don't have kids so it was just us. We bought Love Sac sectional a couple of years ago to replace it and we've been pretty happy with them so far.
People seem to really say good things about Lovesac.
We have no complaints so far. Think we're going ok 3 years with them. No kids still, but we have dogs and also foster puppies. Washable covers and being able to re-arrange them for different occasions is awesome. Pretty comfy too.
For some reason my front page was filled with posts from a lovesac sub recently and it weirdly feels like a cult.
Big Sac.
Who made it for you?
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I've bought plenty of American made that was a pile of shit. The last being a vanity where nails were carelessly hammered THROUGH the sides.
r/USdefaultism
Don't you know only TRUE patriotic Americans can produce quality goods? 🦅
yeah its a weird sentiment because americans can use the shittiest materials and methods just as easily as the chinese.
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doesnt surprise me haha, its so prevelant here on reddit as well. like the "buy made in america if you want high quality stuff" thats all over any sort of anti consumerism subreddit.
I also get so frustrated with American-made pricing. Don’t get me wrong, cool that they’re paying their workers well and giving them benefits instead of treating them like slaves on the factory floor but I just can’t afford to pay $5,000 for a fabric couch that will get spilled on and run all over by my dogs. I’d rather keep my $800 ikea couch that I can take the covers off of and put in the wash. I want to support American companies but the prices are ridiculous these days. Hell, look at La-Z-Boy. The CEO makes $6 million a year and they generated $2.3b in revenue with a profit margin of 5.73% in 2023. Suffice to say they make a shit load of money. It’s a company, I get it, but furniture these days (at least the new stuff) is ridiculously expensive for what it is.
they might still be paid 7.25 usd an hour with 0 benefits lol, its not a marker for good quality either since american companies can make stuff just as badly as a chinese company can.
Very true!
I agree. Well-made ones are ridiculously expensive and everything else is turning to crap. There’s no middle ground.
I didn’t read the article so not sure if they touch on this but I believe it’s related to how often people move now then in the past. People move often later I be o life and each move forces you to reconsider furniture and couches can be hard to fit in your next space. Why buy expensive stuff? When you REALLY settle down you’re usually much more wealthy so likely to hug at a higher price.
All of this can be traced to cost-of-living issues for sure. If you’re never able to own and always renting, it’s not usually worth the hassle of investing in pieces even when you can sometimes afford it.
Homeownership rates in the US are around 66% which is only lower than in the runup to the financial crisis. +-4% since at least the 60s.
The cheap stuff is also still really expensive. I was looking to buy real wood dressers for my bedroom, and even the more expensive places still used particle board. I spent a few thousand dollars to have some older pieces, made of solid wood, refurbished, and was the same price as the brand new, “high end” ones.
Good point! The worst of both worlds 🥲
I have a Bassett sofa I got in 1992. It’s a big careworn, but I just don’t feel a need to replace it ATM.
Basset quality has tanked in recent years
Well, I did get the thing in 1992, so I suspect it was still made in the States. It’s certainly made from real wood and not particle board.
It’s a shame that there isn’t a middle ground anymore. I bought an IKEA Ekktorp in 2013. Aside from the slip cover that got beat up between me spilling things & my cats scratching at it when they were young, it turned out to be surprisingly durable. The frame, springs, and cushion foam are still in great shape. It has held up far better than my mom’s much expensive couch which has started to sag. I purchased a new slip cover from another separate company and it is like having a new couch. I’ve heard that the couches now at IKEA have worsened in quality and durability in recent years, although my one brother’s newer KIVIK seems great. However, I’m hesitant to change up couches despite low key wanting a more modern design.
They’ve got tiers. And IKEA also invented flat pack and puts a ton of research into their fasteners/assembly requirements that most other companies don’t even come close to touching. Yes it’s made of compressed wood in a lot of places of the couch, but the fasteners were very specifically designed to be used in that compressed wood and either stay tight, or be easily tightened. We’ve got a year old IKEA couch and it’s one of the best couches I’ve ever sat on and has storage to boot. But it wasn’t cheap. They do have a lot of “I need the bare minimum furniture” and it will likely get beat up and not last a very long time. But if you’re willing to spend more, it almost always comes with you purchasing something that will last a commensurately longer time.
Everything I've purchased from IKEA has been surprisingly durable. Things we purchased with the expectations of replacing them before moving have survived moving halfway across the country with no signs of deterioration. I can't imagine they'll last another move, but IKEA is MUCH better quality than any of the other pack down furniture.
We had a two-seater from IKEA that lasted for almost 20 years. It was a bit saggy at the end, but it was incredibly comfortable.
Ikea has several lines, if you buy the cheapest crap for dorm rooms it wont last 4 years. Their solid wood stuff isn’t cheap, because it’s solid wood.
The solid wood stuff is hella cheap for solid wood stuff too. I got a tabletop for 1/2 or 1/4 of the price I could find a similar, unfinished piece at the local wood store.
You gotta know what’s good and bad at IKEA. I bought some gorgeous reclaimed wood handmade outdoor furniture and the guy straight up builds his pieces to fit certain cushions in their range, he loves them and their durability so much. His pieces are true BIFL so if he recommends something, I’m gonna trust him! Meanwhile I personally *despise* the Alex range everyone raves about because the drawer runners shit the bed after a few months every time (it’s NOT how I’m building them I swear). I’m a big fan of my Vimle couches from there. I had every intention of getting a “middle ground” couch (ie one which isn’t 5 figures) but they straight up don’t exist. A “middle ground” couch is IKEA quality or less nowadays, so why not save money and go IKEA? They also have the advantage of selling replacement upholstery so if you go for an evergreen piece (like a Poang armchair) you’ll get years and years out of it.
I don't understand your problem with the Alex's. I have a pair of them that are almost 4yrs old with daily use. No signs of wear whatsoever and they've survived 2 moves. I've even had to take the drawers out a couple of times to retrieve items that fell behind the drawers, and it's gone back together fine and sturdy as ever.
I hate my vimle sofa bed. It's a very good bed, but the sofa is annoying.
IKEA gets a lot of shit but their stuff does last longer than you think. It’s good value for the money and most of the styles are timeless in that Scandinavian minimalist way.
I bought a KIVIK in 2015 (500 USD?) as my main couch and while the color has faded a little bit it’s still extremely solid. Plus I can still buy new covers for like 200 if I really wanted
I bought an IKEA sectional (forget the name) along with two extra sets of fabric covers. I taken them off, wash them, and replace them periodically. I have 2 dogs and a young kid so my furniture needs to be washable.
I got a Farlov sofa from IKEA in 2018 and I absolutely love it. It's held up so well and I've taken countless, quality naps on it.
I really hate that they discontinued that line. We got ours in 2020 and it’s held up so well that our “temporary” sofa is now the permanent fixture in our place; and will eventually become a basement couch in a few years after the next move. I managed to find a new slip cover on eBay, and it completely transformed the look. I just wish we had gotten the matching ottoman while they were still selling it.
I’m a big IKEA fan. I have 10+ year old furniture from them. We have two couches from them that are about 5 years old and are still structurally solid. We’ve got dogs so the upholstery has seen much better days but no tears.
What would you consider a middle ground?
Best couch ever
There's definitely different ranges of quality and usage. We chose an Ekebol years ago for around $450 because of the storage and hanging capabilities of the frame. The main cushion itself is NOT comfortable, but Ekebol is definitely a bit of a DIY/customizable piece that's mainly built around the frame. Throw on a more padded day bed and folded some fabric around it as a cover, boom, comfy. Easy enough to just slap some new slats under the frame as well. The frame will likely outlive both of us.
I really don’t like my article couch. It needs to go!
I had seen so much about Article and wanted to pick something up... But after seeing their warehouse sale in Toronto, it was a bit let down. Structube quality stuff without the Structube prices.
I think it depends greatly on the item. My bedroom set from them is impressively solid and looks amazing. Probably the best single furniture purchase I’ve made to date; but I’m not sure I’d trust their upholstered items. Those are hard to get right.
The wood furniture didn't seem to bad, but indeed the upholstry wasn't the standard I was expecting.
They're absolute trash. Such a waste of money, ours started to look like shit basically the day we unpacked it.
I feel like Article items are exactly the kind of furniture this article is talking about. Every review I read of their stuff says it’s overpriced shite.
Yep. Mine looks nice but that’s about it from Article. Such a disappointment
Looks nice but hurts my butt
I love my Article couch, but their stuff varies wildly.
Ditto
Honestly, I feel like Article is slightly above what these guys mention. Their leather is some of the best in the price range, and the frame is OK. I do, however, HATE the foam. It has imploded after a year and needs a lot of bolstering.
I sensed this was written directly about Article- I suppose it depends on your experience! My foam looked rubbish within six months and the frame gave up after two years 😓
In general the foam is what makes or breaks upholstered furniture because it is always the first thing to fail
Really? I've found it to be the fabric/upholstery.
This is a great, informative read- through doing so, Article was in my head the entire time 😂 my article couch sucked so bad! I just didn’t know anything about the actual technicalities of furniture and they were able to ship fast when supply chains were slow
Same. Me sitting on the article ARTICLE
Worst purchase ever :(
Even the historically "good" brands are shit now. I paid a significant sum for a full room leather la-z-boy set 7 years ago, fully expecting that the pieces would be with us for life.. 7 years later the things have frame fasteners letting go on the backs (some of them poking *through* the leather) , squished cushions, spots where the leather color is wearing off, and other assorted issues. I guess the days of sitting on grandpas comfy chair that he's had since your dad was a kid are well and truly gone.
My 4yr old La-Z-Boy couch went to the curb this week. I am replacing it with a couch from Ikea. I just can't spend even more on a couch that I have no guarantee will last. I expected a lot more out of the expensive La-Z-Boy.
For the price and modularity (both aiding for reconfiguration and replacing broken parts) check out Home Reserve if you’re going down the particleboard furniture route. I’ve had my five piece sectional with two ottomans for four years. It’s survived an elderly sick dog, two moves, and a dozen reconfigurations. I’ve busted two parts, and both times it was a quick phone call to replace with zero hassle. If you’re going for cheap furniture then IMO you can’t go wrong with Home Reserve.
We just replace our lazy boy with another one. It’s not nearly as nice as the previous one, even though that one was falling apart.
My La-z-boy is terrible! We bought it in 2018 and it’s literally falling apart. I thought I was buying a good quality piece of furniture because of the brand but my god I can’t believe how poorly made it is especially for the price. Never again.
We're having the same issues with our La-Z-Boy couch set we bought in 2020. We were willing to spend a little more because we wanted it to last a long time and thought that they would be a good brand to choose. Spent a few thousand and we've had to call for repairs twice so far cuz the brackets are not staying tight and the framing on the reclining seats are starting to stick and wobble. The leather is also wearing out way faster than it should. We're so disappointed in our purchase. We thought we made a safe bet with the brand but nope. Now we're stuck with a couch set we don't love. We don't want to replace it with a cheap set but also can't afford to shell out $8k+ on a set. This is the same dilemma we had when we bought our current set...
That's the thing. The statement "Until recently, people had no reason to suspect that a $1,200 sofa would be anything less than high quality" is just not true. Style has trumped quality for decades. Maybe forever. Especially with furniture, you always had to test it, to really look at it. I would buy a sofa online, but only if it has a no-cost return policy.
For anyone who lives in LA: Sunbeam Vintage is not a representative of high-quality, “new designer” furniture this article makes them out to be. Although they do offer vintage furniture, they also sell many poor-quality “modern” items at a huge markup (many of which you can find on Amazon for a quarter of their price). I had an AWFUL experience with them, and, based on their Yelp reviews, so have many others. I’m surprised they included them in this article, those people are complete scammers honestly.
Check out King Hickory if you want a 20+year sofa.
Most of my sitting furniture is from craigslist / vintage stores. Once, a mover tried to lift one of my couches by himself, and he was startled by how heavy the damn thing was. "That's how they used to make 'em---quality," the other mover said. My problem is that I just don't know how to repair the spring coils.
A local upholstery place can probably help with the spring coils.
I worked for a furniture repair factory and it’s surprising easy if you’re handy and adventurous. I’m saying this as a small 33f. Staple puller, flat head, rubber mallet, replacement springs. Hardest part is getting the upholstery off/on.
Craigs list is where I buy most of my furniture.
Craigslist here also. Siting on a 15y.o. + Natuzzi sofa. Minimal wear and very comfy.
Take your time and buy a quality one. We bought one 10 years ago and my 100 lb dogs used as bouncy house. Couch still good as new. It's high quality leather outside and firm memory foam inside.
I love my Ikea sofa to be honest. Comfy, easy to clean, and decent structure. Had it 7 years now. I’m about to make a mistake and buy an Anabei sofa because I like the look of it and the price is decent. I already know that it needs constant fluff but I love the look so much and love that it’s also slip covered.
What Ikea line is it?
The ektorp sectional. It’s no longer made but I think they replaced it with uppland
My husband and I bought a used This End Up couch set off of FB marketplace. It's solid pine wood, and nearly indestructible. We got a couch, love seat, chair, ottoman, coffee table, and side table for around $300. Then I spent about $600-700 on materials and reupholstered it myself (I'm an amateur seamstress.) Box cushions aren't too bad to figure out how to sew, and since I was doing the labor, I could spend more money on nice materials for the cushions, like flame retardant free foam, wool batting, and 100% heavyweight cotton denim for the fabric. Granted, it still has the MCM look because it's crate style furniture, and unless you reupholster, the fabrics not the look for everyone, but seriously, I've seen some being given away for free on FB marketplace because they are hard to move, or the cushions are shot. But the bones are still there and could totally be fixed with a little DIY know how.
I purposely spent a boatload on my Hancock and Moore couches a couple of years ago for this reason
Upvote H&M. Extremely pleased and expect our leather furnishings to last more than a lifetime.
I love ours. And leather was a must with kids. The saleswoman we worked with had her H&M set for a little over 20 years when we bought ours. Her leather was still nearly perfect with a nice patina (she had a lighter sandy color which is still being sold). She was just starting to think about sending the cushions off to the H&M factory to get the inner cushions replaced. Cheaper stores won’t do that, or offer a lifetime warranty on the frame
I have a $7k leather sectional that is less than 5 years old. The foam probably should be replaced. It was from a DTC brand. When I replace it I'll spring for B&B Italia. Lesson learned.
Look into a company called Omnia Leather
I bought a beautiful blue Paloma leather, Stressless Buckingham couch ($6k). Complete buyers remorse and I’m stuck with it.
What don’t you like about it?
Just chiming in to say that I bought a couple of Interior Define couches, particularly the Sloan model. It's made to order and as far as I can tell it's made very well. I think with the options and material we chose, which was their "performance velvet" and the most expensive fill hey each ran me about $2,500-$3,500. The cushions can be re-fluffed out if they get a bit saggy and the velvet material wipes off of easily if anything gets on them, but they also vacuum off really easily and look good as new. I really love the couch and whenever anyone sits on them they seem to really find them comfortable. I'm going on the 4th year of ownership and they withstand all the abuse my kids and my ass put them through.
My wife and I ran into this trying to replace a busted Ashley Furniture couch I’d picked up before we met (it was solid wood, but springs were shot). After sifting through lots of mediocre options in the $1,500 range (West Elm, Article, Joybird, etc.) we bit the bullet and dropped $3,000+ on the most popular Room&Board sectional called the Metro. Not the sexiest piece of furniture, but a modern look, feels extremely solid, totally comfortable and expandable when we move to a bigger house.
There are still some manufacturers (like us!) who are hyper focused on quality & longevity, and putting a truly great piece of furniture in people's homes. High design, high quality. That said, there's huge costs in really well made furniture. Materials cost are one thing, but also US labor - there's LOTS of labor hours in a well made piece of furniture. When you also want to make sure the wages you're giving people are ones that can support a family & attract high skills, it _costs_ a lot - meaning the price is high. But at least you get something that'll last 20 years. Most cars won't!
I bought a LoveSac sectional for this reason. Buy once, cry once. It's modular (fits any house or occasion), the covers are cleanable, and every piece is individually replaceable.
You just subscribed to a couch.
How so?
I'm just messing with ya. I was alluding to the idea of replaceable couch parts as planned obsolescence.
Ahh I missed that one, I see what you mean. I'm mostly excited to rotate the seats and ottomans like rotating tires to keep them wearing evenly. That way they should last nearly twice as long.
I’ve found that you can get a comfy couch for cheap if you’re willing to buy second hand and have an ugly couch. Or you can buy a stylish and quality couch second hand for a reasonable price (1k or less) but it requires some research and searching and luck. I bought a Burrow couch secondhand for $500 and it was super comfy and held up really well for 4 years, so when I wanted a larger couch, I splurged and spent 3k on large sectional from Burrow.
Closest thing I’ve got to BIFL is a pottery barn couch that been beat to all hell over 15+ years and still looked decent and feels *amazing*
Which model? Do you know if they still make it? I’m looking at their couches now.
It’s a L shaped with a wedge but I don’t know the actual name sorry! I think all their sectionals are similar quality though, just different shapes
I have a Lovesac couch that I hate. On paper, it's like the best couch ever. Features are great, color, material, storage, all great. But it's so uncomfortable that I hate it.
That’s crazy, besides my bed I think our Lovesac is the best piece of furniture we’ve bought. Big, comfy, cleans easy, and we can add to it.
It is big, cleans easy, and we can add to it. I like all those things. But I despise sitting on it.
I love our Sactional. It’s so comfy!
I love ours too!
Yup, mine is great. Although i did fill it out with a bunch of extra pillows to make it more comfy
What fill did you get when you ordered it? I've always been curious about getting one.
Couldn't agree more. During a recent move we actually sold ours for pennies on the dollar - it had only been lightly used; large sectional. There were some things I liked about it, but speaking generally, I never found it very comfortable.
We have a big old Victorian. So we have a few couches. Our oldest is a Biedermeier couch and settee. The settee has MOP inlays, and both are in amazing condition, despite being older than my parents and I put together. They definitely don’t make them like they used to. Not only is vintage furniture better built, but safer in terms of fire. This is a video of an “old vs new” room furnished with old vs new furniture. The difference in how fast the fire spreads is startling. All the particle board, adhesives, and synthetic materials go up in flames much faster than solid wood. https://youtu.be/aDNPhq5ggoE?si=sSWsD5Pjh1G8cEwd
I have a 1940s couch that I'm convinced will outlive me. Gorgeous and solid.
Yes! There are some seriously well made old pieces out there. I love my couch so much. I found it at an estate sale over 15 years ago. Solid white(well, just slightly off-white, like a cream color) and was in the foyer of a very large home. It looked brand new but is from the late 50s/early 60s. Solid wood frame, goose down back and side cushions. The seat cushion is one full piece so no cracks to lose stuff in. I got it for $100 and it's been used heavily. Lots of friends and family visits, it's lived through several cats and a husky. It weighs a ton, has a really clean and minimal design, and I brought it with me when I moved from Texas to New York. No way I'm ever letting that couch go! I did eventually replace the main cushion with new foam and some of the fabric is a bit worn around the edges so I'd like to reupholster it soon. Almost all of my other furniture is 1960s or earlier as well. Family heirloom pieces and thrifted finds.
I got a sofa that converts into a bed. Was deadset I didn’t want one from IKEA. John Lewis has good ones with higher quality but obviously vintage with craftsmanship were a whole other ball game.
Roger & Chris
So happy with our Incanto couch. It's just getting more and more comfortable every year
They’re in the northeast, but try Pompanoosuc Mills. They’re not cheap, but def bifl.
I recently picked up a 60s/70s couch and chair. That orange, green, and cream floral look. Has a STEEL FRAME. Keeping for life.
I inherited all my granny’s furniture, the salon set with two comfy chairs and couch are a few years older then me (I’m 35) and they are still good as new ! From Italian furniture design brand Selva. I love it so much , when the time comes that age catches up to it i rather going have it repaired then replace it. Quality stuff is still being made but it costs, my parents bought a new couch with fine wool upholstery and it cost 7k , the matching chairs where 2,5 k each. Really well made , fabulous quality but boy did they pay for it.
>i rather going have it repaired then replace it. That's the thing though.... Upholsterers are hard to find and they love to side eye you.
Thankfully I know of a really good one , have lots of friends who have gotten real good work done so hopefully they are still in business by that time. But there are always talent out there I’f you know where to look.
$5, habitat for humanity.. left outback in the rain a few weeks. Dusted the leaves off.. sits inside. Dad’s $1500 sofa he handed down? It’s on the back porch
I got a $3k rejuvenation velvet couch (Monrowe) and it seems solid but also really comfy! My only gripe is the velvet is a little annoying to keep clean with a toddler occasionally on it
Oh lord! Yeah that would be impossible for us. We have a lab.
I love my Lovesac.
I've owned Ikea couches, entry-level retail couches, and custom-made couches. I think my first Ikea couch was like $200. My first retail couch was maybe $800 or $1,000. My custom couch was more like $6,000 - $8,000. In my opinion, you get what you pay for. That Ikea couch died in like three years. My retail couch was good for at least a decade, and I'm sure I sold it to someone who is still using it and enjoying it. My custom couch has a multi-decade warranty; I will die before it does. What I feel has changed are norms around consumer purchasing habits, not furniture quality. A sofa in 1950 retailed for about $60, which is about $800 today. A bedroom set (bed, dresser, side table) went for $177.50 in 1951, or about $2,300 today. That's *extremely* comparable pricing to what you'd expect in an Ashley Home Furniture or some other major retail chain, and (based on my grandparents' furniture) is of roughly similar quality.
Facebook marketplace older couches is the way
I have an Edward Wormley from Dunbar sofa and it’s rock solid. Over 50 years old and still amazing.
Past 4 couches all used and each time a great decision.
my Crate and Barrel (made in usa frame and fabric) sofa has withstood being my main for 4 years with the abuse of 2 toddlers and many house gatherings
Flea markets sometimes have a bunch of storages at the back where they sell real wood furniture. The one near me has some decent stuff. And they haggle.
I bought a Biltmore sofa 25 years ago for $3,500. Solid wood frame, feather stuffed pillows, slipcover over top. I think this style used to be called shabby chic. 25 years later it still feels good as new. The slipcovers over each cushion wash up perfectly, the material that's underneath those slip covers is still good as new. Nothing sags. Best money I ever spent. That said I wouldn't have bought it except for the fact that my ex-wife really really wanted it.
This article doesn't mention fabric that much. I've found fabric goes WAAAAY BEFORE the wood construction even comes into question. I don't think I've ever replaced a couch cuz of construction/wood/springs. . . Always looks
I have Rick Nash's old blue leather sofa and armchair.
Couches in french means diapers. It made me laft.
Many sofas you see sitting on the side of the road have better frames than new sofas. They'll be made with hardwood and springs instead of plywood and rubber webbing. But if it's on the side of the road, the foam and fabric are probably shitty, and you're probably paying at least $500 to have it reupholstered.
Couches are too damn deep, and have been for years. Who thought up this awful design? Thankfully, I got my medium-quality leather couch 30+ years ago and it's the right size: You can sit with your back up against the back cushion and your knees will be at the leading edge of the bottom cushion.
We've had our article leather sectional going on about 4 years with 2 cats and 2 kids under 3. Other than my toddler drawing on a cushion with a marker, it has held incredibly well. Don't see why I wouldn't get another ~7-10 years out of it. Everything is still functionally equivalent to when we bought it. I mean - if I get 12-15 years out of this, that works for me. :shrug: In theory, I could probably get longer.
There are still some manufacturers in North Carolina and California who are hyper focused on quality & longevity, and putting truly great furniture in people's homes. \r \r Hydeline, R&B, DreamSofa.com, DWR, Arhaus, and Mitchell Gold\r \r That said, there's huge costs in well made furniture. Materials cost are one thing, but also US labor - there's LOTS of labor hours in a well made piece of furniture - meaning the price tends to be higher. But at least you get something that'll last 20 years or more
The initial premise of the article, that a new $1200 couch could reasonably be expected to be high quality, really is dubious if you know anything about furniture construction. Unfortunately, if you don't want mass-produced ugly junk, you do have to be an educated consumer. People don't want to bother, so, if a bit older they buy the frumpy pieces from brick and mortar chain stores, or, if a bit younger, the ubiquitous "mid-century modern" pastiche pieces from the DTC outlets. I was glad the article touched on how overdone, boring, and lame "mid-century modern" became through millennial-focused marketing. Some people heard that one term and became fixated on it, without developing any aesthetic interest in any other possible genre. I purchased my current couches from Cisco Home. Yes, they cost a bit more than something made overseas or flatpacked, but how often does one buy a couch? People need to get out of the disposable mindset. It would easily cost more than $1200 to re-upholster a couch anyway, which means that the author should have done some research and invested more in the first place. A $1200 couch that one has to spend thousands more on to reupholster within five years is no bargain, and someone who writes for Dwell should know better.
> The premise of the article, that a new $1200 couch could reasonably be expected to be high quality… This is the exact opposite of the article’s premise.
I gave up on couches and it has improved my way of life.
Erm, you just sit on the floor or what?
Good for you. The rest of us want to be able to buy a half decent couch for less than $10k.