New sofa arrived. Massive buyers remorse. Can anyone relate?

[sellotape12]

Hi, I’m literally 6 days postpartum and very fragile so I could be irrational. Our new sofa arrived yesterday after a 10 week wait. It’s in a bespoke fabric which I chose and supplied. I feel quite shocked at how much I don’t like it. Firstly, it is so much harder than the one that we tried in the shop over three visits. I assume this is just because it’s new? It has foam cushions with a light feather layer. And the colour is so much more shocking now that I’ve seen it in our living room. I pored over fabric samples but now it’s on a bigger surface area it just looks bright and shocking. It also no longer goes with any of the other accessories in our living room and just doesn’t look very holistic because it’s such an opinionated colour.

I just don’t know what to do. It cost me £2000 and I thought I would feel excited. Do I try to get it reupholstered? Do I just live with it for a few weeks? What do I do? I feel so low.

I don’t know if this helped but I have put a single memory foam mattress topper on top of a sofa that too hard. Might be worth a try while the sofa gets a bit softer and it will protect it in the meantime.

Congratulations on your baby ! Try not to worry about the sofa , you will probably learn to love it again when the initial shock of a baby and its newness wears off . I was horrified with my new living room blinds initially, I don’t even notice them anymore . X

It sounds like your sofa is much firmer than it should be. I'd definitely be questioning a sofa that wasn't comfy with the Company that made it.

I had this, OP. I bought a sofa from Habitat that I’d saved ages for. When it arrived, it was like the most enormous sofa I’d ever seen (it wasn’t). It was also bright, bright green (it was actually just a normal green).

After a couple of days, my bran got used to it being there and I loved it. Had it for years.

Give it time, OP.

Helpful 😒

OP if you are only six days post partum (huge congratulations) is there also a chance your back is hurting due to labour / delivery? My coccyx has never been the same after having kids! Always get sore about easier, and this is three years on.

This. It will also protect it from inevitable baby sick and pee.

Enjoy your baby and forget about the sofa for now. If you still hate it down the line you can sell it on.

I used to work in the sofa industry so couldn't just read and run for this thread. I'm sure you've had this advice (apologies, I haven't read all the replies) but do report your concerns to the retailer as soon as practicable. You can tell them you are willing to give it a few weeks and I'm sure they will be happy to hear this. But it's good to give them a heads up that there might be an issue. Also, there is a chance that the wrong foam has been used. The best way to check this is to visit the retailer and take your seat cushion with you to compare to the one in the shop. Any retailer worth their salt will welcome you to do this! We also used to take our display model out to people's homes on occasion to compare. It does happen that they make a mistake in manufacturing, especially with bespoke orders, in my experience. Also, there's a good chance that if your seat cushions are a bespoke size they've had to order different foam than they usually use. Sometimes they order them already cut to standard size, and yours would have been a variation on this. All that being said, everyone who says it will soften and you'll get used to it is correct. Good luck!

Also, congrats on the baby. It's a lovely but tough time so take care of yourself. 💐

I have the opposite regret, a few years ago we got one grey and one blue. Still regret the grey, playing too safe!
You can get covers, and tbh you might want to use them anyway with a LO, especially if you've got lots of visitors coming round.

Skim read but just wanted to say new sofas are always v hard and they do soften! Totally relate about the shock of decisions when youve had an interim wait. But right now you are in the pit of post partum!!! If something makes you happy it overflows, something sad and it’s cascade into the pit time. So I’d say from afar that your feelings are very related to the incredible feat you did 6 days ago and everything before and since!! Hang on for now and try and not think about it, and when you’re feeling more level address it again then. It sounds lovely to me - grass green. Everything goes with green! If in time you still feel the same you can soften with throws and cushions. Don’t worry for now. If it’s hard now, and your body will be sore and exhausted, can you throw a duvet on it for the mean time, and comfy cushions? Take care of yourself first and foremost! The sofa will be fine in time xxx

If the colour grows on you but the seats don't soften, you can get new seats pads made up, maybe a softer foam put in the middle, or just feather or just hollow fibre. A local upholsterer can advise you, or there are companies that offer seat cushion making-up services by mail order.

OP, I've not read all the thread so apologies if this has been suggested before, but I dealt with my hard as a rock Argos sofa bed by buying a couple of furry booster cushions - the ones normally used for armchairs - and then adding a couple of furry throws to conceal them. You can move or remove these additions as required, and they will do something to protect your sofa from spillages and other accidents.

My sister in law has bright green sofa and pink chair. It looks great. Her style is 'eclectic decor'. I don't have the knack to bring such a style together, plus I prefer a calmer home decor, but in their home it looks totally fab. There's lots of good photos and ideas for 'eclectic decor' on the interweb. I'm sure your young family will love it.

I bought a dining table a couple years ago. Cost me a fortune, suppose to be an 8 seater, I seemed to have loved it in store but as soon as I got it home, I absolutely hated it, I hate the bench seats, it doesnt seat 8 full grown people, it has like these fake timber runs in them that are hard to clean. Hate the material its made out of, And the colour is a dark brown that doesnt match the house. I hate it so much and have just persevered with it because it cost so much. I thought id like it over time but actually it just pisses me off now. Its gotten destroyed by the kids because I cant clean out the runs properly and everything sticks to it. Iv now planned to get a new dining table when I renovate the dining room which is soon. Can you sell the lounge and get the one you liked in store?

Painting or wallpapering a couple of walls could help the decor suit the sofa.
It will soften but in the meantime throw a feather doona over the sofa.

Yeah, just do this. Get a throw to put over it.

Secondly, perspective! It’s just a sofa, no one has died (I’m 50 and it’s shocking how many people my age and younger I know who have died, most leaving young dependent children behind and bereaved spouses). Yeah, the sofa thing is a bit sucky but it’s dealable with, and you will find a way to deal with it.

Congratulations on your baby.

They are always softer in a showroom because a million people have sat on they and tested them out. You have the same sofa you just need to sit on it and it will become softer. Please stop worrying about this.

I love it. It looks great.

AI is great for this. I use it for planning reorganising rooms, new furniture, decorating. It visualises it so well, it’s like a Sliding Doors Time Machine!

As far as I'm aware the OP hasn't posted a pic, so not sure what you're referring to, unless it's an example posted by someone else @Alip1965?

@sellotape12 Congrats on your new baby girl 🩷 Your new sofa sounds lovely, particularly with the pink chair (ww have loads of colour/pattern here, so I totally appreciate your choices!) I'm sure it will soften in time, if the showroom version was squishy - although we do have one that's eight years old and still hard as ever, so it does depend on the filling type.

As other posters have suggested, bringing in some fabulous patterned cushions in a mix of colours including pink and green, as well as a soft, cosy throw will make a huge difference and tie sofa and chair together. Would have loved to see a pic, but understand your reason for not doing so.....