Sofa-if money were no object

[maldivemoment]

In the middle of house renovation. A few rooms nearing completion so need to think about furnishing them - on a budget!

Looking for really good quality but can’t afford new so best bet is gumtree/eBay or the like.

Any makes/manufacturers you would def recommend? Would happily get them reupholstered if I didn’t like fabric.

Many thanks in advance.

I bought a sofa to reupholster, but the cost of reupholstery made it more expensive than a new sofa, so factor that in, check how much it would cost locally to you.

Thank you. Yes, depending on work needing done realise the price could rocket!

Makes I’ve been keeping my eye on; tetrad, duresta & Laura ashley. Don’t know if they’re timeless or a bit old fashioned? (Apologies if I’ve offended anyone 🤦🏼‍♀️)

our sofa.come sofa is about 20 years old and still going strong

that said they give loads of stuff to influences for free so i've gone off them a bit

I would suggest maybe a sofa cover but upholstering is pricy.

I think M&S firm sofas are quite long lasting. Not heard good things about John Lewis, mixed reviews about Next sofas. Loaf sofas look incredible but never tried one before.

Not loaf - most uncomfortable sofa I’ve ever owned and required a lot of daily plumping too.

Thanks so far.

We've previously had Tetrad, Multiyork, DFS, John Lewis and Habitat (before they went into Argos) sofas. The two we had from Multiyork were well made and comfortable, I loved the pair of Tetrads but they did require constant plumping to look good. The DFS (leather contemporary Chesterfield type) didn't wear as badly as some say they do. The John Lewis was great quality but not comfortable imho, whilst the Habitat was comfy and well made - not sure if the quality is still as good as this was about 15 years ago though.

Currently we have a Sweetpea and Willow linen sofa (looks fab but uncomfortable - the danger with buying online without trying first) and a M&S velvet that we bought second hand on ebay. The M&S (made in England) is way more comfortable than the Sweetpea and Willow and only cost £500 (was £2k new) - I'd get another but sadly that model is no longer available.

When buying the M&S sofa we also looked at Loaf and Sofa.com intending to buy new, but thought the Loaf ones would be too similar to the Tetrad and we've moved on from the dishevelled look, lol! DH and I couldn't agree on which Sofa.com style to get so we abandoned that idea, but I'd definitely consider them in future if/when we replace the Sweetpea and Willow.

Look on freegle and freecycle.

Arlo & Jacob are another brand we considered - they seem to be both stylish and good quality but don't know anyone who has one.

I also love Hay sofas but were out of our price range unless we found a preloved one!

If money was no object I’d go for a Maker & Son sofa, I’ve personally never come across a second hand one.

I did buy an Ikea sofa second hand and bought covers from Etsy (they go around the frame and the cushions) for about £250. Loads of fabrics and colours to choose from.

We've just bought a vimle from Ikea. Absolutely delighted. Before that we had the Ektorp which lasted very well for 5+ years. Bought it at the time for £280 and sold it for £75 on eBay last week as an added bonus 🤣
For a cheap ish thing, I've been really pleased with the quality of both sofas and the fact the covers are removable made life with children much easier.

I have an ikea sofa and I love it. Sadly they have discontinued our one (tiddifors) but have a look at ikea and you might be surprised.

Lots of inspiration. Thank you, lovely people. 👍🏻

Just add that I have a huge Loaf sofa - I wanted it more than anything.

Now it's in, I hate it with a fiery passion. Looks constantly scruffy and is so uncomfortable unless you're 6"4' or taller, or you fully lie down.

I would give anything for a smart, solid, traditional sofa now, but can't justify the cost.

We have a Loaf with a chesterfield style back so it doesn’t look dishevelled (the seat cushions do get a bit flat and need a shake but not daily) and I still love it, just for some balance!

I had a laura Ashly chair once, fabric faded in a north facing room, not a good build quality either

do you have a Trade Secrets shop near you, well worth a look

Duresta.

Eyewateringly expensive new (£8k+ a sofa) but last forever and there are a few available second hand, probably in need of reupholstery but the frames and padding will likely be sound and outlast you.

Literally no object? A Le Corbusier LC4 Chaise Longue.

We have Laura Ashley sofas that are 17 years old, and structurally going strong. Sun, cats and kids have ruined the upholstery in the last few years though.

My fantasy sofa is Ercoll. I will buy one the moment the cat goes to the great scratching post in the sky. Sorry puss cat.

I have a Delcor sofa, 13 years old and still looks incredible. I have no doubt it will last another ten years. Although I bought it new, I'm a huge fan of buying quality furniture second hand through eBay. I bought a Laura Ashley sofa which was 4 years old, I've had it for another 3 and again it's still in super condition; whilst not as high quality as Delcor, it will easily last another 5 years.

Natuzzi are great quality.

Wow. Lots to go on. 👍🏻

Multiyork, but be warned that I have priced up new covers for our old faithful and a plain, mid-range fabric will cost us around £1000. It is a tricky sell for DH who would much rather get a new sofa; I am working on it...

Lazyboy- had mine coming up to three years now