Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

how long have you had your sofa??

120 replies

MacarenaFerreiro · 31/01/2019 11:58

SIL has just been on the phone discussing her new sofa. She has got a bargain in the sales, apparently. She has had her previous sofa for 3 years. She asked us when we'd be replacing ours.

We've had our furniture - a large 3 seater sofa and a smaller 2 seater one - for 16 years. I remember it vividly as it was delivered when DS1 was a newborn and he's just had his 16th birthday. It's still comfortable. It's brown leather which I know some people think is desperately naff but it's stood up to 3 kids and still looks fine. We had the cushions refilled and some stitching redone about 5 years ago. SIL is horrified. She's had at least 4 sofas in the time we've had ours.

On the other hand, I'm not a fan of chucking out and buying new just because someone has decided that fashion has changed. Surely you keep things until they fall apart or are no longer fit for purpose rather than buying new "just because"?

(And it's not a money thing, we could afford a new one if we wanted to. But we don't).

OP posts:
trilbydoll · 31/01/2019 19:15

Ours used to be PIL - they had it about 10 years and we've had it another 10. It's a bit collapsed but still more comfortable than anything else we have tried. Reluctant to replace it until the kids are bigger.

CatsPawsAndWhiskers · 31/01/2019 19:16

We have a 3 seater and 2 x 2 seaters that are about 4 years old. They are leather and still look great and I still love the room so we will be keeping them for a while yet. We also have another sofa in another room, also leather, that's about 3 years old, that still looks great too.

We kept our previous sofas for about 4 years. They were fabric and just didn't wear as well. We also fancied a colour change.

WhenDoISleep · 31/01/2019 19:17

8.5 years for ours. The main sofa needs a good clean (2 DC's have battered it a bit) but is still fundamentally sound. The large arm chair needs a little tlc - DH has wrecked the seat cushion by the way he sits on it, plus there is a small hole in the cover, due to a broken staple(?) and the way DH sits. They cost a lot from Sofa Workshop - I got a quote for recovering just before Christmas and it as almost as much as we paid originally Shock. I think I'm going to get the small repairs made and a new cushion inner for the arm chair. Plus get someone to come in and clean them which will help. I might look at getting them recovered next year, but would definitely go for a washable fabric this time - they covers we have are supposedly washable, but the one time I did attempt to wash a cushion cover (following instructions) it shrank badly.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Home improvement
ScreamingValenta · 31/01/2019 19:18

About 5 years - it's second hand, but one that would have cost ££££ when new. It's pretty shabby as our pets have free rein over it, but super-comfy.

BirthdayKake · 31/01/2019 19:18

Six weeks. Also brown leather Grin

I think when the DC move out and I stop spilling wine we will buy a fabric one.

Chasingsquirrels · 31/01/2019 19:22

About 9 years, no intention of replacing anytime soon, although have wanted to have new seat cushion foam for a number of years (it is DFS plump up one, I wanted foam at the time but they wouldn't do it on this model, I much prefer foam).

Previous one we had for about 15 years, foam cushions were like new but the material was wearing and the frame had broken on the 3-seater.

IncomingCannonFire · 31/01/2019 19:23

We've had ours about 11years second hand so it's older than that. 3 seater and 2 seater m&s blue fabric sofas so are in vogue again. Grin
A bit scraped along the back from moving house but still very firm and the cushions are as good as new. Despite a 5 and 3yo using as a trampoline.
I wash the covers every 4 months or if there's a spillage and scrub the body down and they will last longer.
They're from the era when m&s produced quality I'm guessing.

Scifi101 · 31/01/2019 19:38

Who are people using to replace the fillings in their sofa cushions?

Also how are you supposed to look after the leather?

PickAChew · 31/01/2019 19:43

Only a few months but they replaced a giant corner sofa that didn't really fit into this room very well, though was perfect for our last house.

It was about 5 years old and a bit saggy but still looked OK so we donated it to a furniture reuse charity.

HauntedPencil · 31/01/2019 19:46

Its not wasteful of you pass it on or sell if which most people do.

KennDodd · 31/01/2019 19:46

23 years, do I win?

EdWinchester · 31/01/2019 19:49

1.5 years.

We are on our 5th set of sofas in 23 years.

I get bored of sofas fairly regularly and fashions change.

HawkeyeInConfusion · 31/01/2019 21:00

24 years. But it is being replaced in a couple of weeks.

It did really well until the DC arrived. Now it is sagging, one of the covers is ripped and is somewhat battered. The biggest issue is that there are now insufficient seats. I'm fed up of having nowhere to sit because all places are taken.

Moominfan · 31/01/2019 21:02

If you have to replace your sofa every three years they must be seriously poor quality. Team brown leather sofa here, ten years, terrad leather still going strong

WereYouHareWhenIWasFox · 31/01/2019 21:05

I move countries frequently so nothing in my house is ever very old. I have a 3year old couch that looks immaculate and another that is less than a year that the cats have bloody well destroyed. Luckily I love Ikea and cast offs.

Allthepinkunicorns · 31/01/2019 21:06

10 years, I'm looking at new sofas, ds had a lot of accidents on the sofa when he was a baby and its seen better days. I wouldn't replace it otherwise.

wineoclockthanks · 31/01/2019 21:09

My parents bought the sofa we have now when we moved to the UK in 1974, which makes it 45 years old!

It was flipping expensive and has been recovered twice. We are in the process of replacing it.

LadyB49 · 31/01/2019 21:11

Brown leather, still looks great after 12 years and has sustained 3 dgc bouncing and jumping. No plans to change.

BifsWif · 31/01/2019 21:18

We have never had a new sofa. Our first second hand one lasted ten years, our current second hand is on year five.

We’re moving soon and for the first time ever we’ll have a new one. It feels a bit extravagant.

MondeoFan · 31/01/2019 21:23

Ours is 20 years old. Can't quite believe it. It's a 4 seater sofa very deep with leather arms and upholstery the rest. It's super comfy and was very expensive. Not sure how much longer we will keep it for

DramaAlpaca · 31/01/2019 21:26

My sofas are only a few months old. They replaced ones I'd had for about 23 years which were falling apart.

AnneElliott · 31/01/2019 22:12

About 16 years. Still going strong. I won't buy a new one until they totally fall apart.

MrsAmaretto · 31/01/2019 22:26

2 are brown leather, 14 years old and like new. 1 is brown leather, next and about 5 years old and needing replaced (ripped & sunk) the playroom one is IKEA and 6 years old and like new!

FunnysInLaJardin · 31/01/2019 22:32

Lol, we had ours for 25 years and only replaced it this week as it was too expensive to re-cover compared to a new sofa.

The sofas are both Tetrad and so good quality, the new one in the front room and the old one in the playroom for the kids.

I still prefer my old sofa....

Trd · 31/01/2019 22:34

25 years. It is all ripped so I can't have anyone over.

Swipe left for the next trending thread