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

[cluelessaboutinteriors]

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?

First one am absolutely gorgeous...... DOG BED

It's so small (my dog would love it!)

I’m not keen on your suggestions, what about this one? Tbh I don’t know anything about the company, but it looks comfy.

www.woods-furniture.co.uk/freddie-2-seater-mustard-sofa/p8041?chosenvariant=9000031007&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAiA6Y2QBhAtEiwAGHybPdPV6v31LTYIUIvs-r0Cetia9254Xxh8OjAnJalxbgYV7eXJMxT9AxoCrDgQAvD_BwE

@BoodleBug51 what's your advice on buying furnishings? Are you saying I need to go even more expensive

Clearly I need to get my order for the main sofa in with the Sofa Workshop now! I can wait 18 weeks for that one, but for the bay window I'm keen to have that sofa in place in the next few weeks.

@SpaghettiArmsMurderer why do you think I'd get a discount if I go in the store? I went in store yesterday and they flagged the 50% discount, but that's also online. They then emailed me some links to colour swatches and options on the sofa I was interested in but I had to sign up for a Microsoft account to access it so I didn't bother.

@Lunariagal

No 1 looks nicer but doesn't look comfy.

Yep. It looks deeply uncomfortable

The back on the OB one looks too low to give the the right kind of back and head support. I love the shape of the woods furniture one.. but the colour of the OB one..

Have you looked at Made, Op?

They have some nice small/2-seater ones, and lots of more around the £300-400 range rather than £700.

www.made.com/sofas-and-armchairs/2-seater-sofas/where/main_materials~Fabric

I was also going to suggest Made.com

Would a chaise longue work? That way it can be sat/perched on if you've lots of people, or lounged on to read if you've not.

Maybe they're horribly out of style just now and the MN masses will pour scorn on it but I'd be going for a velvet chaise longue tbh.

I'm tempted by this for my bay!

www.aldi.co.uk/kirkton-house-navy-chaise-lounge/p/712235480014400?gclid=CjwKCAiA6Y2QBhAtEiwAGHybPTCVvYNJ5E1OXnwdiAR-QlGAkwdQeu9svgFE_jcVMp1a22EoNLZYMxoCYJEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I've been into OB and their furniture always looks teeny tiny. I'd definitely want to see anything before I bought it.

We have a Johny sofa from made.com in kitchen/diner bay. It’s very comfy and well used (dog loves it too) but style is retro very different from others you have linked.
Homebase had some cheap small sofas in more traditional styles.

Mines the yellow made.com one top right on post linked above. Had to screw legs on to assemble but it’s good quality.

Ask about the inner content. If there is any chipboard/plywood, and serpentine/zig zag springs.....I'd avoid. And ask where it is made.

If you want something decent for that price, look for something from Duresta/Multiyork/Wesley Barrell/Laura Ashley second hand online and get it recovered. It'll last you for decades. Or try a local upholsterer.

I like the first one first better it's a much nicer looking sofa. However I don't think it would be comfortable though with such a short back. I'd keep looking for something else.

Sofa Workshop - comfier and more practical.

have you considered going for an oversized armchair? You'd get more used out of it for sunshine reading and it would look more generous.

@BoodleBug51 I've never paid much more than that, even for much larger sofas and I have never had to get rid of one yet (furnishing homes for twenty plus years). We've had to change them when we've moved house and they didn't work in the new lay out, we've always either sold or given away in great condition.

God only knows what you're doing to your furniture if you have to bin it after three years.

There's furniture warehouses which sell discounted sofas etc - sometimes seconds, slightly damaged or surplus stock and the one near me has some fancy stuff! I'm not talking DFS here.

Also, have you considered a 'love seat' or whatever they're called? Massive comfy armchair for one or two or a dog!

I would get a snuggle chair rather than a sofa. So it's about 1.5 size but the Oliver Bonas one looks like if you weighed more than average it would be very uncomfortable to sit on. And only the middle looks like it's deep enough to sit on.

I like the look of the first one but can't bear uncomfortable chairs and that looks really uncomfortable.

M&S do loveseats. We have a sofa from there - got it about 15 years ago and it is comfy and still looks great.

The OB one gives me a backache just looking at it. Would be a hard no from me - I wouldn’t want to sit there if I were a guest!

You need a comfy chaise longue. You will never sit on those ones for long, they have no lumbar support.

Neither of them are high enough to be comfortable. Even on option 2 you will need to hold yourself up. Are they for lounging on or just perching?

If you can try the OB one I would - I have recently sat on a similar shaped sofa in heals (£0000s) and it was SO comfortable. I wouldn’t have thought it would be but the low squishy back was actually perfect. You might be pleasantly surprised by its comfort level and it does look trendy.

Love both options but here are my thoughts...

1. The Oliver bonas looks better as an occasional window seat. If it's main sofa not sure it's practical.
2. if sofa workshop is by Timothy oulton, check out their discount store. Might pick up something similar but cheaper.
3. check out sofa sofa. Been v happy with ours.
4. definitely check out comfort before buying. We had our mind set on a particular sofa till we sat on it and realised it was super uncomfortable.
5. if it's a Victorian house you could build a window seat. Again only if it's not your main seating.

Happy shopping 😁