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 agree with everyone saying get some neutral throws and cushions, maybe throw the odd pink cushion in to tie with your pink chair?

If the cushions don't soften you could look at getting a memory foam layer added in? 😊

Give it some time, if it doesn't grow on you maybe think again. There are worse things that could happen and you have a beautiful baby to concentrate on 💕

I'm sure you will grow to love it.

Don’t forget the photo!

Can definitely relate on the colour thing. Spent ages with swatches in different lights and different walls to select what I thought was a very muted dusky pink. Got it home and it was (muted) Peppa Pig pink! Hated it, very depressed. I probably could have sent it back (not bespoke) but this wasn't my first rodeo (kitchen worktops, carpet, paint, curtains) so I followed the advice I was given a long time ago - If a person were to walk into the room, would they immediately say 'Shit, Newlittlerescue has fucked up on that sofa colour! She must be really disappointed'. If so, change it. If they might think, "Newlittlerescue purposely chose a bold sofa" or much more likely not even notice there is an 'issue' then it's absolutely fine, and you too will grow to love it/not notice it either. In the meantime, you can minimise the impact by draping neutral throws over the arms, adding neutral cushions etc. Two years later and I'm very much in the "not notice" camp.

Does it have loose covers? If so, you could potentially look to dye them - navy perhaps.

However, if you had a neutral colour before, it will look unusual to your eyes for a while. Once you get used to it you may well change your mind, and the cushions will soften.

I replaced a chair with a bigger one. I didn’t like it and it felt too big for the space for a few weeks. I still have it and don’t feel like that about it now!

I'm so sorry, how disappointing for you.
I think you need to separate the 2 issues. Complain to the sofa manufacturers that the sofa is uncomfortable and much harder than the one you tried in the shop, insist they resolve that, they will change the level of stuffing and make it better. It's probably just the seat cushions that are the issue here.
The colour is more difficult.
You could consider a lose cover - I'd speak to o a local provider who will come to your house measure it and advise on the colour. It won't be cheap but it will be much less than a new sofa. I realise it might not be the look you're going for but loose covers are really practical with kids!
You could go with a throw, maybe a muted green that tone in with the sofa and the chair. Laura Ashley throw
Try it without the pink chair next to it, a cover on the chair might be a better option. It might be the colour combination that is wrong, rather the sofa itself.
We bought a house with vivid orange carpets (we refused the pay them for the multicoloured blue, red, green curtains and all the brass lamp fittings!) I lived with orange carpets for about 7 years, I tried all sorts of colour combinations but in the end went with everything white with the carpet. I then went the other way for a neutral beige carpet and when it was down it looked so much paler than I imagined, not as extreme as your sofa, but I did panic, with a baby and a toddler why did I choose such a pale carpet!
I feel your pain. I've made lots of mistakes but they always feel worse when you're pregnant or you've recently given birth, hormones are awful.

Almost certainly, living with it will fix this.

I feel for you because there is so much emotion and investment in a piece of furniture that cost a significant sum of money.

For the colour something like for example of cream throw over one end at the back will help to break it up while you get used to it.

For the firmness I suspect you will settle into your favourite place to sit and find comfort overtime but adding a throw cushion might help to make it feel cozy.

It would be perfectly fair to be seeking comfort at this time 6 days after new baby and was a big leap to change key part of furnishing at this point as you will quite rightly be experiencing some exhaustion and other big changes at this point.

Things like ‘sofa surprise’ can be fixed or can miraculously resolve by magic various ways with a little time 💕

It will get softer with use, have a bounce around on it to see if that speeds things up!

Get yourself a doughnut for postpartum, congratulations on your newborn! Yes completely normal for the sofa to be hard at first. Pink and green go fantastic together. Would say add different patterned, colour, style & texture cushions, drape blankets, break up the solid block colour and you’re done.

That’s not always true unfortunately. I bought a huge sofa with chaise at the end from M&S years ago. The cushions were very hard when we first got it. And they still are. It looks nice. But it’s not comfortable and the cushions haven’t softened in the slightest.

(Pale) pink and green is my favourite decor combination.

This happened to me (a long time ago). Absolutely hated it, rang show room in tears to take it back, but to no avail. It was far bigger in my living room than a big show room (obviously 🤦‍♀️) and it was covered in bloody great white swans (how did I not notice 😮). Always hated it but had to keep it until I moved and gave it away for free.

That sofa looks amazing!! It looks great with the pink. You’ve made the right choice.

Ours felt really hard when we got it but now it’s lovely. It probably took about 6 weeks until it got to the point where it felt properly comfy though.

Congratulations on baby.Your hormones and tiredness are definitely making you feel worse about things.what colour flooring and walls do you have? Personally I love a green sofa,in all its glorious shades! Pink classically does go with green. If you have neutral walls and flooring, nice velvet plain classy shade of biege large cushions, and a nice textured biege throw,either fluffy or knitted will calm the brightness. Wood side/ coffee table,seagrass baskets etc look classy,and everything neutral and natural,let's the colours pop and sing in a good way,with personality. A few plants around too.My sofa was very firm at first,but definitely softened over the months. Id love to see pictures,it sounds lovely!

Our sofa is Rick hard too. Dh wanted one for back support but to me it’s too firm. He likes a firm mattress too.
it’s ok because it’s reclining so you’re not bolt upright. We spent ages looking for one too as our room size is awkward. We actually have two other sofas in the house (kitchen diner and office), which much prefer !

You’re 6 days postpartum. Your nervous system is already up to 90. Take a deep breath. You’re already frazzled so a new, bright sofa might just be tipping your nervous system over the edge!

Some experienced people on here have said that sofa springs etc take a while to settle so that’s good news.

I think the colour combo sounds lovely but if you’re struggling, some navy/ neutral throws/ cushions might tone down the bright feeling of it all, until your mind gets used to it.

I think it will grow on you.

If you adjust something else about the room it might tie it all together. Repainting a wall is far cheaper than a bespoke sofa!

You could take a photo of it or link to it, and ask AI to suggest accessories and a colour palette to complement it?

Is anyone else following this thread just to see the photo 😂 the colour sounds pretty cool to me!

Yes!

Me too @DaisyDukesAuntie and
@SirChenjins

You show us yours OP and I’ll show you mine
Just bought
a Green armchair
a red/ burgundy armchair
and a brown fake leather 2 seater.

The room has just halved in size 🤪

Me!

I think the colour sounds great. You can slowly by bits to match

I bought a new sofa a year ago. I hated it from day 1. And still do. Trying to sell it and cut my losses and buy a new one. It’s so uncomfy. Maybe try and sell?

I think it's worth going back to the shop. If it's so firm that it's hurting your tailbone I'm wondering if they used a different foam to the one in the showroom. It's not that big a deal for them to replace the foam if they got it wrong (or even for you to pay to replace it if you got it wrong).

There's no point in worrying about making the colour work until you're happy that the comfort issue is sorted. Don't consider recovering an uncomfortable sofa.