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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want a new sofa??

37 replies

susannahmoodie · 27/10/2016 13:03

When dh and I got married 9 years ago we also bought our home and were fortunate in that we came into some money which allowed us to furnish most of our house. We don't about £4000 in total on 2 sofas and an armchair for our living room.

I think we need to now redecorate this room as it is tired looking. I would like to re-paint and paper, new carpet, possibly new curtains and bookshelves (just Billy ones). I also think we should replace the sofas.

Dh thinks this is ridiculous as we spent so much money on them and if I am bored we should just re-upholster them. I think if we can afford to replace them
We should and the shape of them is what I want to be updated not just the colours/fabric iyswim, and I think it's a bit depressing if I have to live forever with sofas I chose nearly a decade ago .....what is the my jury verdict??

OP posts:
GizmoFrisby · 27/10/2016 13:05

YANBU I am redecorating over next few weeks and although I can't afford new sofa I'd like new curtains and painted. Carpet is pretty new throughout but I thinks it's nice to have a change. Grin

StillStayingClassySanDiego · 27/10/2016 13:10

Come on, show us the sofa.

Original poster
susannahmoodie · 27/10/2016 13:12

In on holiday arm but I could post a pic when I get home!

OP posts:
StillStayingClassySanDiego · 27/10/2016 13:13

Posted too soon.

If dh isn't in agreement you're stuck with them, 9 years isn't that long to have the same furniture.

FlapsTie · 27/10/2016 13:18

My DH has always been of the mindset that unless something is actually broken you don't replace it. We limped along with his twenty year old (and second had when he got it) washing machine for years. It was inefficient, noisy and temperamental but because it worked he refused to consider spending money on a new one. So I just went ahead and replaced it and never looked back.

He has got better over the years.

Our sofa is six years old and I'm hankering after a new one.

newmumwithquestions · 27/10/2016 13:19

Honestly? I think 4k is a lot to spend on sofa/chairs - if you had it fair enough to spend it but the point (to me) of spending a bit more on something is that it lasts. If its still in good condition (no sagging etc) then I'm with your DH on this one.

HereIAm20 · 27/10/2016 13:23

It can cost almost as much to reupholster furniture as to buy new. So might be worth getting a couple of quotes to show him it isn't the saving he thinks it might be.

Maraschinocherry · 27/10/2016 13:28

Entirely depends on your budget and how you spend your money. If it's on credit, absolutely no. If your DH prefers spending money on holiday, then you have to discuss. Otherwise, wait until next year. Having the same room for 10 years would drive me mad. I am not sure that re-upholstering is that cheap frankly.

BarbaraofSeville · 27/10/2016 13:38

I know people always say 'buy the best that you can afford' but this sort of thing demonstrates that it's not always necessary to buy 'the best' if you would have to keep the item well beyond being sick of the sight of it for it to have been worth spending that amount of money.

Would these hugely expensive sofas be worth selling, to buy something newer/more modern etc? As in if they are one of the known expensive brands that might have a decent resale value?

tinyterrors · 27/10/2016 15:48

If there's nothing wrong with them then I'm with your dh. I get wanting a change but it would be throwing money away to replace sofas that are perfectly fine, especially when they cost £4000.

I couldn't have the same room for a decade either but this is why we bought black leather sofas instead of the coloured fabric ones I liked. This way we can redecorate whenever we want and the sofas will always match with the addition of a throw and cushions to match the room.

Gottagetmoving · 27/10/2016 15:54

re-upholstering costs a fortune!
If you are decorating and re doing the room then YANBU to want to have new sofas if you can afford them.
I think 9 years is an ok amount of time.
Our Sofas are almost 9 years old and I want new but DP is the same as your DH and thinks just because they are not 'broken' it is a waste to buy new. However, they look tired now and they are too big and heavy so I am definitely getting new ones!

RortyCrankle · 27/10/2016 16:11

YABU and I'm with your DH. I don't understand the obsession of ripping out and replacing furniture or anything unless they are damaged in some way. Can't you buy some throws/cushions to freshen them up?

Original poster
susannahmoodie · 27/10/2016 16:54

They are from Multiyork who do the replacement covers and dh says that for him this was a big selling point.

I'll have to price up reupholstering vs replacing entirely.

OP posts:
Original poster
susannahmoodie · 27/10/2016 17:01

These are the shapes, the colours aren't the same though, they are teal and taupe.

To want a new sofa??
To want a new sofa??
To want a new sofa??
OP posts:
annandale · 27/10/2016 17:04

OK I'm biased because I think they are gorgeous...

Really sorry but I think 9 years is a really short time to have a sofa. We are just about deciding to replace our current one but I keep changing my mind, I HATE the way it looks (dh bought it with his previous girlfriend so possibly 20 years ago) and it's getting a bit tatty to say the least but it is SO comfortable and it's a lot of money.

What does 'I think we can afford it' mean? What will you have to give up, or what would you/dH do with the money otherwise? Do you have proper savings, slush fund for contingencies, pensions, life insurance etc?

annandale · 27/10/2016 17:05

If they weren't teal, I would have been PMing you asking if you wanted to sell them to me Grin

SweetChickadee · 27/10/2016 17:14

We got rid of our old brown leather sofas when we moved - I was sick of the fucking sight of them Grin

Must have had them about 12 yrs. One we gave away and the other I took great delight in chopping into bits and taking to the tip.

SwedishEdith · 27/10/2016 17:31

Which one is the teal one? Could you compromise and change one sofa to match the other and have a contrasting chair? Depends which colours are which but a taupe sofa is a lot easier to live with than a teal one.

Original poster
susannahmoodie · 27/10/2016 17:33

Yes I honk that might work. Teal one is he biggest. Could even just get that one reupholstered in a neutral colour- learned my lesson there! Teal was v in 9 years ago.....Blush

OP posts:
Original poster
susannahmoodie · 27/10/2016 17:33

Think!

OP posts:
JoJoSM2 · 27/10/2016 17:36

The look of the sofa is very classic. If you don't like it any more, I'm sure you could get a bit of money if you sell them on. Is your husband worried about how much you might want to spend on sofas when you get new ones? Perhaps you could try cheaper ones? Would he feel better about that?

SwedishEdith · 27/10/2016 17:40

I like teal but it needs to be used sparingly.

justilou · 27/10/2016 18:15

Mine is twelve, broken and smells of wet dog. I am praying for a bloody house fire.

redcaryellowcar · 27/10/2016 19:34

I really like the sofa shape and ( although perhaps not for a whole sofa) really like real too, turns out I'm 9 years behind! Oops! Fwiw I wouldn't change them, but really because I think they are nice, if you don't then you have to live with them!?

LuluNTutu · 27/10/2016 19:39

Shock at the idea of changing £4k sofas after 9 years. My parents still have theirs after 40 years. I worry about the fire risk.

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