AIBU - to not be able to make a Sofa decision on the basis of a line drawing and fabric swatch

[Flyingsouthwiththeswallows]

Am beginning to feel that I am going mad.

I moved into a new house 12 weeks ago with no furniture. That followed a six week period in which I sold my home, which wasn't on the market, to a cash buyer, who wanted all my furniture to seal the deal. I then had to scrabble around to find something to buy.

Despite a highly stressful few weeks it all worked and it is clear I can make pressurised decisions regarding large sums of money.

Until it seems, when it comes to buying Furniture !! I am totally stuck and am now becoming ridiculously stressed trying to furnish my new, much smaller, home.

I have spent weeks looking for Sofas and while I have settled on one that Is OK (I don't really love it) in the Neptune range I can't bring myself to order it because I haven't been able to see it (my local Neptune only have the chair) or sit on it.

Apparenly if I order it from the swatch and hate it when it arrives I can only get 70% of the money back.

AIBU to think that you should at least be able to see photos of something in the colour you are contemplating and shouldn't be penalised if you buy something on the basis of just a line drawing and swatch? When I phoned Neptune and asked for photos they said they couldnt possibly photo everything in all the fabrics they supply and suggested I search on Pinterest / Ebay to try and find some.

I know this is a first world problem and I must sound ridiculous, but how do other people get over the hurdle of buying something that might costs them £,000s to return if it just isn't right when it arrives.

[UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea]

YANBU. I only ever buy sofas if I have sat on one. Looks are 1% of a sofa's value.

[Cranky17]

Go somewhere else

[Foxyloxy1plus1]

Don’t buy a sofa you haven’t seen in the flesh, sat on and decided on its comfort.

[legolimb]

Agree with pp.

You need to sit on it. Comfort is the main priority.

[donquixotedelamancha]

We looked at the big sofa shops but they were eyewateringly expensive for what we wanted.

So I looked on eBay, found a local manufacturer and bought it at 60% cost in 4 weeks rather than 12.

I would try direct from manufacturers.