how long have you had your sofa??

[MacarenaFerreiro]

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).

13 years, two seater and three seater brown leather. Totally inoffensive to me though and while I wish we could get new ones there’s absolutely nothing wrong with them they’re as firm and as comfy as the day we got them, not torn or scraped despite having six dogs that use them. We have a laura Ashley fabric one in the kitchen and have spend a crazy amount of money getting it cleaned.

We've had ours for three years now as it arrived just before I gave birth and DS is three in February. We also have an Ercol sofa and armchairs which are mid 50's and have been in the family that long.
Our previous sofa we'd had for four years, but we gave it to BIL when he bought his first flat, it's still going strong. We bought our flat furnished and the sofas came with it, previous owners had had it for 10 years. So it'll be 17 years old, Ikea corner sofa.
PIL's have just bought new sofas; they bought the last set when DH was born - he's 31 now. They use summer and winter covers so it looks like a brand new sofa every six months.
Sofas do better with a bit of sag and wear than brand new. Can't imagine replacing every few years but we tend to buy neutral colours that would go with however we decorate.

About 12 years I think.

Big comfy black leather from DFS. It’s a bit worn where DH sits, fuck knows what his arse does to it, but other than that it’s looking good and going strong.

20 years - it's a Duresta & value for £ in the long run. We've had new cushions though.

The main living room about a year, rhe other room about 12. They are done in to be honest, comfy, but done in. No point pretending otherwise,

Mine is an oxblood leather sofa that was second hand a couple of years ago. It’s £3000 worth of sofa that had been sat in by an elderly lady for 6 months, and I paid £120 for it in immaculate condition. It still looks new now so I imagine it will last several more years yet. My last one lasted 5 years but, again, was second hand for £30 so it didn’t owe me anything!

Mine’s lasted 13 years and 3 house moves so far - still going strong and no plans to change it unless something breaks.

I9 years. Its a black leather sofa. Some claw marks on the back from the cat and the stuffing in the arms isnt what it waa.

Could I please ask those of you with decent, comfy, long lasting sofas where you bought them from please? Ours is 6-years old and the cats/kids have trashed it

Just got a new one- old ones were 19 years old- leather and really comfy.

I've owned my sofa since 1997, but it's way older than that as it was my grandparents' - it was in the room where I first walked 53 years ago and was second hand then.

So it's pretty old.

I have had it reupholstered and recently replaced the cushion inners so it's still going strong.

It's small but comfy and important to me and I love it!

9 years. No plans to change, though maybe in another year or two it might need a throw.

Since 2001.
Had the foam in the seats replaced around 8 years ago. Sofa is still in amazing condition, but I am bored of the material.
I was tempted to charity shop it when my friend offered me a chesterfield that she got from her parents, the 40 year old sofa, she grew up with!

I have no idea how to gauge sofa quality in a showroom. I'm looking around now and am paralysed by fear of doing it Wrong.
Our sofa has been a total workhouse. My parents bought it in the early nineties, and we took it about 13 years ago when we bought our house. While i am grateful,I hated it in 1993 and I hate it now. (Also - cough - dd2 was conceived on it)

Anyway new sofa! How do you recognise quality?

Our 3 seater plus 2 seater navy leather in the sitting room cost £100 about 12 years ago - second hand but immaculate at the time, still really good. Two seater brown leather recliner in the front room 30 quid immaculate second hand about 4 years ago, still great. I would be nervous of buying a new sofa, tbh!

13 years. There are two of them, 1950s style- both distressed brown leather, but we had the seat pads recovered in a heavy duty velvet stripe about 6 years ago. I can’t see them going anywhere soon.

21 years. Derwent navy blue chenille. Still looks brand new. I am sick looking at it but just can’t justify replacing it.

6 years. But it was second hand - was my husband's grandmas. She bought it new and then sadly had to go into a home so she passed it on to us. I probably wouldn't have chosen it in a shop but it's fine. Dark brown leather and has stood up to two children, including lots of vomit from DS2.

We've had ours about 18 years, had them re-upholstered about 8 years ago. They were expensive, but they're the most comfortable settees I've ever sat in and we'll be keeping them till they fall apart. We have a large lounge and they fit it beautifully, will have to buy new ones if we ever move as I doubt they'll fit anywhere else.

@PinkPanther27

Mine is from m&s. I don't have a cat though!