to not have furniture (according to my mother - I dispute this claim!)

[QOFE]

We have a kitchen with a large table and dining chairs which we eat/draw/do homework/play playdoh round, and obviously we all have beds. Teenager has a desk with chair for work as do I, plus we all have bookshelves and Kallax type storage units aplenty.

What we don't have, is expensive soft furnishings. Our living room (which is also my workroom, for which I need clear floor space during the week) has a comfy corner with loads of big floor cushions and a beanbag. One smallish TV that sits on a wooden stand (cheapy IKEA one). One nice plain coffee table that we sometimes eat at, sat on cushions on the floor. No sofa/settee/couch (see, I don't even know what to call one) and no armchairs. We lounge around on the floor and make cushion nests instead.

According to my mother this means we "don't have any furniture" and therefore frightfully bohemian and peculiar. I disagree and think we have plenty of furniture

That's very odd. A friend had a student house with a giant beanbag 20 years ago but other than that I don't think I've ever been in a house without a sofa.

I've also lived in France. No strange cushion nests in place of sofas there.

I am nearly 40 and find sitting on the floor fine. Maybe because I’m used to it?

No it’s because a) you’re the right side of 40 and b) because you obviously don’t have any mobility issues / pain / disability.

I don’t fall into the a or b category. I wouldn’t be able to visit you and I’m not surprised your mother rarely visits you. I’d suspect she was trying to tell you this in a round about way.

I was fine sitting on the floor until I became ill at around 40. If you’re happy with the status quo, that’s fine. But don’t try to tell yourself just because it’s fine for you and your children it should be fine for everyone else.

It’s traditional in France and Spain.

What evidence is this assertion based on?

Re the no sofa. It’s undoubtedly unusual and I’m not sure how comfortable it can be. I also can’t visualise how the room looks (don’t know whether you’d be able to post a photo ). I’m picturing anything between a lavish Moroccan style palace and a soft play centre.

Couch - Irish / N American / Australian / South African
Sofa - traditionally upper / upper middle class
Settee - traditionally aspiring classes so middle of mc and below

Basically they’re interchangeable nowadays so you pick. I say sofa.

We haven’t had a sofa in years. have one now, and it doesn’t fet used. i much prefer bean bags and chushiins

byw, i’m very much on the “wrong” side” of 40.

Would your mother throw her sofa out if you told her you wanted to sit on the floor, I don't think so

Well, obviously not, because the fact that she has a sofa doesn't prevent guests sitting on the floor if they want to. Daft comparison, really.

It’s your home; do what works for you!

It’s traditional in France and Spain

I have lived in both France and Spain and never visited a house or flat in either that doesn’t have a sofa. All our rented (furnished) places had sofa.

It’s unusual, but if it works for your family and you don’t have visitors then no issue I guess. I wouldn’t find it at all comfortable and I’m only 34 but if you’re fine with it then there’s no drama.

I haven't had a sofa for about a year now, saving up for one. I can't wait to get one back.
It's unusual but if it works for you!

What about getting a beanbag sofa? That should be easier to move.

SiL lives like this. They have two DC and can only seat two people at their table, which means they don't eat as a family. They don't have beds either, just mattresses on the floor. There's no tv and the kids eat low carb, high protein- definitely no bread. The kids love school dinner as you can imagine because they get to eat stuff like pizza.
It's not a question of money, it's just strange, but their home and they can do what they like. DH sleeps on the floor when he visits them, when I go with him we stay in a hotel.

I'm a big fan of alternative furniture ( ie I have one of those rattan hanging egg chairs in my living room.)

Your mum is right, you don't have regular furniture, but that's ok - it's your house ☺

I can't imagine not having a sofa. Sitting for hours on the floor must leave you with backache, and a numb bum.

Late 50s and arthritic here. If I managed to get down on the floor to a cushion I would really struggle to get back up again. I'd have to ask for help and I'd rather not be put in that position.

Very strange but it's your house so up to you. I have family members who would be unable to visit me if there was no couch. I think a couch and a few armchairs are the main point of the room and bring it together.

It's a bit odd not to have a sofa, perhaps just a smaller one - I wouldn't want to sit on the floor all the time though

Not having somewhere to sit comfortably feels a bit unwelcoming to me

It’s weird.

Obviously I know what they are called, I just mean that I don't have a natural go-to term for one - I'm always flummoxed by the threads where people insist one of the terms is correct!

And it's funny but now I think about it, I didnt grow up sitting on one! We had a "dining room" but not in a posh way, that had a table and chairs and then two Lloyd Loom chairs by the window (wicker chairs with a soft cushion but no arms. And then a "front room" that we kids basically weren't allowed in because it was full of musical instruments that did have a small sofa and some wierd uncomfy heirloom armchairs (with wooden frames/arms so not big squashy ones). It was a no TV house so maybe that's something to do with it?

What you have is a house that suits you, and some visitors might struggle with.
In our first home, we had exactly the setup you had, minus the kitchen table and chairs. We ate at a coffee table and had beanbags and cushions. We had no visitors that needed to sit on ‘proper furniture’ and some that thought it was odd. Suited us at the time.

Your house, your choice! But I would probably buy a couple of comfortable garden chairs to get out for guests when they come.

It’s fine to have a preference of sitting on a floor vs a sofa, but it’s unfair to force that preference on your kids, their friends, your visitors etc. What if one of your kids is tired or feels a bit achy - the floor is just uncomfortable in comparison to an actual seat. If I were your children, I’d prefer to stay in my bedroom most of the time at home.

Unfortunately it probably gives off the negative impressions to visitors eg that you can’t afford one and are struggling, does your teen feel embarrassed to have guests over? You’re clearly familiar with Ikea, who sell inexpensive items - you could probably find something cheap, and you can always sit on the floor if you want.

I think it sounds ace.
Although I think cushions would get uncomfortable for a while ide still have to have a chair personally. What about getting one of those fold away fishing chairs for when your dm visits? My dm uses them for garden chairs and they're comfy.

And it's funny but now I think about it, I didnt grow up sitting on one! We had... two Lloyd Loom chairs by the window

So you had something to sit on other than the floor, that's completely different to having no chairs or a sofa.