To think these 3 sofas are very similar, despite the price difference?

[inevitably]

I want a modern 3-seater plum-coloured sofa for our kitchen and so far I've found 3 which I like the look off but none of them are available to view locally in a showroom. The price differences are significant, and obviously I don't want to spend more than necessary, but I do want something that will be comfortable, stylish and that will stand up to everyday use for several years ahead. I don't know whether the price differences I'm seeing reflect a big difference in quality, or just branding and business-model. Can you help me figure this out, or suggest any alternatives?

These are the three I've found:

DFS Drayco in Mulberry swatch for £379: www.dfs.co.uk/drayco/dyc13arvv#hzPFC6wSrIGjvWC4.97

Made.com Ritchie in Plum swatch for £599: www.made.com/ritchie-3-seater-sofa-plum-purple

Swoon Nilsson in Elderberry swatch for £1099: www.swooneditions.com/nilsson-retro-style-three-seater-sofa#!24955

I do generally think you get what you pay for with big furniture purchases. The DFS one looks shallower and less supportive for example.
Are you going to be able to try them out?

My friend has the swoon one in her kitchen and it's been durable so far. It's a stiff sofa and offers good support. It's a bit more purple than plum.

I think there is a big difference in them - the more expensive they are, the more comfortable and stylish they seem to look. The Swoon Editions one looks very comfortable and plush, and is very stylish. The Made one also looks very nice. The DFS one looks a bit meh and doesn't look like it will stand the test of time.

On balance I'd opt for the Made one, as although the SE looks lovely I think £1k for a sofa is mad.

Op I’m with you. No discernible difference. My mum got expensive sofa with sprung cushions etc I got a cheaper dfs one and we both love the cheaper, squishiest one more.

1st one is horrible.

2nd one is very nice.

3rd one is lovely.

YABU.

They all look fine to me. I don't agree that the DFS one looks cheap. We got our sofas from DFS and so far they have lasted 12 years.

However the made one is particularly gorgeous!

I’ve had two sets of sofas from DFS - the first set are, structurally, still perfect, 20 years later, it’s only the covers that need replacing. The second set was modular, and 8 years later, are knackered. I would probably go middle of the road and get the Made version.

I would go with the dfs one

I can't speak for the other two, although the DFS one is much less pretty than the other two, but I have a Made sofa and it is like sitting on knives. It is so uncomfortable. Please try sitting on them if you possibly can!

I’d go for the middle one but would want to sit on them first

The dfs one is a foot narrower than the made one, clunkier in design and doesn't have buttons.

The swoon one is in between and includes fathers in the filling. Conveniently, the made one doesn't tell you the structure of the frame, so it's probably largely particleboard, or else it'd be shouting the hard wood from the rooftops.

I like the mid price one best to look at but would need to do the sit test first.

Depends on your budget. I wouldn’t go for the dfs one, as in my house it wouldn’t stand up to the daily use/abuse. For the same reason I wouldn’t get the last one: that’s a lot for something that could well get food or drink dropped on it. Middle one looks nice and about its price.

I agree they are similar but I thought I would point out that the dfs one is fairly small, if you’re looking for a 3 seater. I spent ages looking for a sofa for my kitchen, and 160cm is definitely on 2 seater territory - though we can fit 2 adults and a small 9 year old on ours, 3 adults would be a squeeze.

Also, I wouldn’t buy a sofa without trying it first (because I did and ended up sending it back ).

They are a similar design style but that is where the similarities stops in my opinion.

For me I find you get what you pay for and as have already been mentioned above the difference in materials is huge

The Swoon one talks of oak/birch wool/cotton/velvet
The made one says 100% Polyester and Rubber Wood, Black
The DFS one foam-filled seat cushions plus Light and Dark feet and also Not available to view in DFS upholstery stores.

To me a huge difference

It's all about the quality of the components isn't it. I bought a Multi York oak framed sofa 20 years ago and its still fantastic. The M & S ones from 10 years ago are definitely much lower quality (and they werent exactly cheap!). The Multi York one is solid, really well padded and has hessian on the base. The M & S one has dipped where we sit and the base is plastic fake hessian. No comparison.

I dont like the DFS one, it's too plain and bulky - and you can see where the fabric is creasing on the left going straight up from the arm.