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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to spend £700 on either of these teeny tiny sofas

91 replies

cluelessaboutinteriors · 09/02/2022 08:55

Posting here for traffic! I had no luck in home decoration...

I'd really appreciate any thoughts you have on these sofa choices. As per the name I am fairly useless when it comes to interior decoration and in fact this is the first sofa I'm buying! I can't say I have a specific, defined style but generally I prefer a minimalist look but I also live in a Victorian (terrace style) home so I feel I should also nod to that.

I'm looking to buy a sofa for our bay window. It's a fairly narrow one, so the sofa needs to have a fairly small footprint. Ideally I'd be looking to spend around £400 but I'm worried that this is too cheap and it won't be a solid long-lasting piece. These are the ones I've shortlisted - considerably over the target budget but worth it for quality?

Oliver Bonas luna love seat
I've not managed to view this in person and sit on it which is putting me off. I'm not sure there is enough of a seat back to be able to sit comfortable and have sufficient back support. Delivery time is 2-4 weeks which is ok. I'm fairly boring so was thinking of the light blue which will match the mid-blue curtains behind it. On the other hand I'm tempted to be a bit bolder and get the dusty pink, which sounds lovely. I do have young children but they're generally ok with not getting furnishings mucky (I may live to regret saying this).

Sofa Workshop 2-seater
Delivery time is 18 weeks!! Not really happy about waiting that long but otherwise I've managed to see it in person and it feels comfortable and satisfies our requirements. The original price seems very high? Not sure if this is indicative of quality or just over-pricing.

Any thoughts?? Or other suggestions?

OP posts:
Lemonlemon88 · 09/02/2022 09:04

Oh the oliver bonas one!

Lunariagal · 09/02/2022 09:06

No 1 looks nicer but doesn't look comfy.

CocoPancakes · 09/02/2022 09:08

It depends on the purpose and who would be using it/for how long. I prefer the Oliver Bonas sofa but it looks more like the sort of thing you'd have just a fill a gap rather than as a functional, comfy sofa to snuggle up on. The other one looks a lot more comfortable.

Purplewithred · 09/02/2022 09:08

Do you want to look at it or sit on it? OB for looking at, SW for sitting on.

Merryoldgoat · 09/02/2022 09:09

@Lunariagal

No 1 looks nicer but doesn't look comfy.
I agree with this.
Marmm · 09/02/2022 09:10

How often is it being sat on. Do you sit properly or slouch and lounge? The 1st one looks like something you'd get for just sitting on briefly rather than for comfort.

ForkedIt · 09/02/2022 09:10

Would you still have enough seating in the room for the whole family without the little sofa?
The first one is much nicer but doesn’t look particularly comfortable for regular use. If it would just be occasional use / when guests visit then definitely the first choice.

Mamamia7962 · 09/02/2022 09:11

The 2nd one looks more comfortable. I would never buy a sofa without sitting on it first.

Original poster
cluelessaboutinteriors · 09/02/2022 09:12

There will be a larger, 3-seat sofa at a right angle to this one (along the wall of the room). The larger sofa would be the main one that we use. The one in the bay window will be partly for style but I would also like to get some use out of it! I like the idea of snuggling up with a good book in the morning sun Smile However the main use will be for extra seating when we have guests.

OP posts:
abigailsnan · 09/02/2022 09:18

Oliver Bonas for style everyday but the second one looks so comfy I love the b/w floral design.

Marmm · 09/02/2022 09:19

The 1st one does not look good for snuggling

SprayItOnMe · 09/02/2022 09:20

I prefer the SW one. Sofa Workshop sofas are really well made and good quality - made to order hence the wait. Its a more classic look (albeit that Scandi look).

The OB one is very cute, but more fashion-led and something that in a few months time you could see reproduced in stores like Dunelm and The Range. Bit like the Shell back cocktail chairs you can find cheaply absolutely everywhere now.

BrioNotBiro · 09/02/2022 09:21

How high is the window sill? If the sofa isn't for serious sitting on, I'd go for something that isn't taller than the window board, just from an aesthetic point of view.

moose62 · 09/02/2022 09:24

I rather like this one. I have a similar Oliver Bonas chair and it looks lovely but is not comfortable.
www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-archie-ii-small-2-seater-sofa-light-leg/p4823416

WayneBruce · 09/02/2022 09:27

The OB looks like a raised dog bed to me. I think it looks like it would give a 'perched' seating position rather than relaxing.

I can't imagine snuggling and reading a book on it. Maybe sat upright drinking a martini?

SoupDragon · 09/02/2022 09:32

The Oliver Bonas one looks incredibly uncomfortable. You'd really need to sit in it to check.

Original poster
cluelessaboutinteriors · 09/02/2022 09:34

Thanks for the JL suggestion! I'm not in love with the way it looks but it does look good for its actual purpose - sitting.

OP posts:
Suzi888 · 09/02/2022 09:38

Oliver Bonas one look like it’ll dip and look horrendous in a few months.

I’d go for the second one, looks far better quality.

Both will fade in the sun….. so I’d chuck a throw on if that’s likely to bother you. Smile

SpaghettiArmsMurderer · 09/02/2022 09:43

Oliver Bonas one looks mega uncomfortable so I would avoid that as you plan to actually sit on it. Who designs this nonsense?!

The other one is nice but it is quite deep - have you checked the depth vs the space?

mizzo · 09/02/2022 09:45

We have sofas from Sofa Workshop, they're really comfortable and I imagine if you go in store you'd get a discount on the price.

The Oliver Bonas one is really lovely to look at but also looks completely impractical.

QuizzicalEyebrows · 09/02/2022 09:47

Definitely not the oliver bonas one.

There's nothing much to lean back on at all. Everyone will just fall backwards off it.

The Sofa workshop one on the other hand looks great

Googleplexian · 09/02/2022 09:47

Family member had Sofaworkshop sofas. They've lasted amazingly well and she even had them recovered rather than throwing them out (this was about 15 years in, it has now been about 22 years). For the same price, I would go for option 2. OB one already looks a bit wrinkled where the fabric has pulled.

BoodleBug51 · 09/02/2022 09:49

I'm in the furnishing trade OP.

If they are selling for £700 mark, you can bet that at last half of that is profit...... maybe even more. Add in transport expenses etc and those items probably cost around £200 to make.

If you're happy to throw it away in 3 years time, that's fine.

TabithaTittlemouse · 09/02/2022 09:49

The second one looks cheap.
I prefer the first one style wise although it doesn’t look that comfortable.

Aprilx · 09/02/2022 09:52

I’d keep looking.

The Oliver Bonas one doesn’t look usable and is not so stylish that it’s practicality can be overlooked. In fact I think it looks a bit stupid as it is clearly so impractical.

The second one is ok, but it is nothing special and quite expensive. I would expect to be able to find better.

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