AIBU to think this is disgusting

[thegreenlight]

Bought a footstool from DFS (not cheap either) just over a year ago. Cushion is same fabric. Look at the state of it! Apparently this isn’t a fault with the fabric . What do you think - am I being unreasonable to say that this is a fault with the fabric and it shouldn’t be used on a footstool if it isn’t colour fast? Apparently no one else has complained so it can’t be a fault .

You might expect a little fading, but not that much, and definitely not in a year.

YABU OP. These fabrics would not be designed to withstand direct sunlight for a year. If it were summer clothes, then yes, colour fastness to light/sunlight would have to be done and they'd have to withstand the requirements set

Definitely have it recovered if you hate it that much but you'll need to be careful what fabric/colour you are going to use for the same reasons

We have bifolds. We have a special anti-solar film on the inside to keep fabrics from fading and to deflect some of the heat. It was applied after the windows were installed. You should probably look at that. It’s obviously been sun bleached.

I might just dye it then as it’s cheaper than having it recovered in velvet by DFS (they quoted £50 for the fabric) especially if velvet will fare even worse. I’m just a bit upset with how rubbish it looks. Surely lots of people have bi-folds now and upholstery fabrics should be a lot more hard wearing.

Ikea sofa is fine though

I'd never buy from DFS again, had a problem with a sofa and the man that came out was rude. Phoned customer services and insisted the receipt warned of this fault, it didn't. Even when I showed it to the shop customer services wouldn't budge. I wouldn't buy their stuff if it was half the price of somewhere else.

Surprised the cheaper furniture from next and Ikea haven’t faded though

I can't comment on Next, but Ikea's rigorous testing of their products is renowned - DFS perhaps less so

For comparison, look at so many used DFS sofas on ebay; nearly all look as if they've lost an argument with a herd of elephants

Definitely looks like sun bleaching.

All fabrics will fade in time if placed in bright light.

Blue lighting can cause fast fading too.

Hence National Trust not allowing flash photography.

It looks like it's been sitting in direct sunlight.

Furniture left in strong sunlight by glass will fade so YABU. We have a wooden floor covered with a rug and it's faded massively, we didn't notice until we lifted the rug and saw the colour difference.

I mean it's not "disgusting". If you think it is you must have lead a very sheltered life.

But this isn’t a set of 18th century silk bed hangings. It’s a bloody footstool I would have though would last for more than a year (as all the other upholstery in the room which has been here for 5+ years more has). Can’t believe that people are happy with that much of a colour change in a year I’m obviously being unreasonable.

Can’t believe that people are happy with that much of a colour change in a year

Well I wouldn't be dancing around with joy because of it but equally it is not, objectively, disgusting.

It does disgust me. My house is nice, clean and well looked after. It looks grim and disgusts me. I suppose I have led a sheltered life and maybe tend towards hyperbole for effect.

Erm I'd maybe visit the GP for a sedative.

@Rotundandhappy

We have bifolds. We have a special anti-solar film on the inside to keep fabrics from fading and to deflect some of the heat. It was applied after the windows were installed. You should probably look at that. It’s obviously been sun bleached.

Sorry to hijack, but does the solar film affect the colour or appearance of the glass, @Rotundandhappy? We were thinking of having it put on our new windows when we have them done, but if it's like the stuff on our windows at work, it makes the outside world look like it's about to pour with rain. We have a nice view, and I don't want to turn it into a gloomy-looking one!

Your footstool looks pretty shoddy, OP, but not as bad as my grey carpet that has faded to a weird light green. That's why we're considering solar film!

Completmentfille now who is over reacting! Do bore off.

LakieLady sorry about your carpet - I do feel that if some textiles can withstand direct sunlight, there is no reason for it not to be a specification on all carpets and upholstery. It just seem shoddy if some companies get away with using sub-standard fabrics.

I'm not sure why people think it's ok for upholstery fabric to fade

Any consumer rights post on AIBU always gets terrible advice. British people hate to complain.

Disappointed? Yes. Disgusted? No.

It's MN, OP is supposed to be incandecent with rage. People who have appropriate emotional reponses to everyday irritations post on Netmums instead.

am I being unreasonable to say that this is a fault with the fabric and it shouldn’t be used on a footstool if it isn’t colour fast?

No, you have a legal right to expect your purchases to be of appropriate quality, fit for purpose and to last a reasonable length of time. Send a 'letter before action' giving them chance to either fix it or refund you the cost of the stool. Never speak to them on the phone- do it in writing. If you have to go to small claims you will get the money back eventually and it's not hard, just slow.

This website may help: www.resolver.co.uk/

Alternatively there are many example letters before action online (a lot probably written to DFS).

look at so many used DFS sofas on ebay; nearly all look as if they've lost an argument with a herd of elephants

I'm always puzzled that they are still going. Surely if you've heard of them it will be a horror story and if you haven't heard of them you'd at least google?

British people hate to complain.

Do we live in the same country? The British do nothing but complain about inconsequential things.

I have a footstool like this, it is a claret colour, I found it in a posh neighbours skip, she said I could have it as she is always throwing good stuff away. I sometimes put any old cushion on it. The main occupant who uses it, is one of my cats.!

It's annoying, yes, but don't you think disgusted is just a tad extreme? It doesn't look old or dirty!

@LakieLady depends on the strength you go for. We went for a ‘light one’ and it doesn’t create too much of a mirrored effect from outside at all and you can’t see it from the inside looking out. And it makes a huge difference to the heat in summer. We’re south facing, too. 👍🏻

Do we live in the same country? The British do nothing but complain about inconsequential things.

Ha, fair point. How about: British people love to complain but not to the person who's fault something actually is.

Then there's the MN factor of competative martyrdom. Someone will be along shortly to say OP should have bricked up her windows if she wanted nice soft furnishings.

thegreenlight posted:

"It does disgust me. My house is nice, clean and well looked after. It looks grim and disgusts me. I suppose I have led a sheltered life and maybe tend towards hyperbole for effect."

You suppose right. YABU to get in such a pickle about fabric getting bleached hy the sun - most fabrics fade in the sun and the footstool is still fit for purpose.