New Sofa time

Soldato
Joined
22 Feb 2014
Posts
2,658
On the search for a new sofa, where do you guys recommend looking?
My partner and I have been for a shop around today and I am quite surprised that about 80% of the sofas we sat on are really not comfortable.
Surely comfort is one of the main criteria for most people.

We looked in:
Barker and Stonehouse, really not our style and look to be massively overpriced IMO
Ikea, all cheap, uncomfortable tat
DFS, very very samey, did not sit on a single comfortable sofa in there, we could maybe try a store closer to home to see if anything grabs our fancy.
SCS, the only really comfy sofas were La-z-boy, and due to a past experience I won't consider this brand. everything else seemed meh
Sofology, this was really the only promising store, 4 or 5 sofas that could be potentials, but very expensive,

Is it normal now for a 3 & 2 seater sofa (or corner sofa in similar config) to set you back £4k+ ?
 
Soldato
Joined
24 Sep 2007
Posts
4,566
I like the two seater sofa I got from M&S, but it was a while ago, and I had to swap the memory foam base cushions for normal foam as they weren't great.

La Redoute also sells sofas, they seem reasonably priced.
 
Soldato
Joined
4 May 2007
Posts
9,347
Location
West Midlands
I had similar to you. I went for a couple sofas from sofology but agree very expensive. There is a "clearance" section which can net some decent discounts (often either over stock, ex display or returns).


Think these were about 3k with about 1k saving from being clearance


1TipMeo.jpeg
orRITiD.jpeg
 
Soldato
Joined
5 Jun 2007
Posts
9,045
Location
extremes.spacious.indelible
Not sure where you are but I got a Next sofa from these after hell of a saga from actual Next!


I ordered a sofa from Next last July which was due for delivery in September.

September rolls around and they delay it by a month.

A month goes by and they call me saying they'll deliver on Monday, take the day off, no one arrives and they say it didn't make it on the van.

Get a call a few days later and say they've lost my sofa, how you "lose" a 3mx2.5m sofa (yes it was a corner sofa :p) is beyond me.

They say I can either start a new order and wait until Febuary, or have 20% off different sofa from them, told them where to shove their sofa.

That day I walk into my local branch of the above, and right in front of the door is the exact sofa I ordered in a slightly darker shade of grey with one cushion a slightly different shade of great but unnoticeable.

£650 instead of £2500 :cry:
 
Soldato
Joined
20 Oct 2002
Posts
17,854
Location
London
We found any nice looking sofas were uncomfortable!

Are you in London? We got ours from Sofas and Stuff in Fulham. British handmade, great service and super comfortable.
 
Soldato
Joined
29 Jul 2004
Posts
6,571
Location
Esher
You've covered most of the popular places, but John Lewis is the only other popular place that might be worth a look
I was trying out the sofas in JL Kingston and honestly they all felt cheaply made. I wasn't a fan at all
 
Soldato
Joined
7 Dec 2012
Posts
17,493
Location
Gloucestershire
Next is pretty good, we've a couple from there, albeit both about 10+ years old

We got a John Lewis one about 4 years ago. Were really impressed with their offerings at the time.

Absolutely hated everything in SCS, and everything bar one passable option in DFS.
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
22 Feb 2014
Posts
2,658
looks for me are definitely not a priority, although it can't be completely fugly as the missus would never let that fly.

Having looked at all opinions in this thread and what we have seen so far, I think we are going to make a 2nd trip to sofology and have another browse. :)

I've just bagged a fairly decent looking sofa off facebook for £50, and paying man with a van £30 to go and collect it for me, that will now allow us to make a proper choice rather than trying to rush it.
 
Soldato
Joined
16 Nov 2002
Posts
11,187
Location
The Moon
I got hit with an ad from a company called Maker & Son some months ago and their sofas look extremely comfortable after reviewing their website.

The price is eye watering though but if I was spending that amount I'd definitely give them a look in as they look dreamy.
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Mar 2010
Posts
21,778
another option is 2nd hand you can get some nice Ekornes leather sofas, plus their recliners(they are the aeron equivalent) can often replace internal foams too.

if you look for earlier thread the company that makes next/m&S/JL do have a couple of factory shops if you are in the right location.
 
Soldato
Joined
30 Aug 2006
Posts
3,350
I repair furniture, modify the internals and do a lot of leather restoration for a living.

And in my experience just go for what you like the look of, what you find comfortable and within the budget you have.

In most cases you can spend £500 on a 3 seater or £5k + on a sofa but underneath they are all pretty much the same.

You only really pay for 'better' fabric or leather. As generally the frame work, the springs, the foam, the hollow fibre in the cushions are pretty much about the same (in most cases).

Good leather should feel like the skin on the top of your hand, it should have a bit of give and feel supple. Cheaper leather can feel a bit harder or plasticky but in some cases can be a bit tougher (Bicast leather is often cheaper but quite tough). More natural leather like analine or semi analine are considered higher quality but mark easier. They can show scratches or marks from fluid...

Honestly, knowing what I know now. If someone said to me what sofa will I buy next ? It would buy a second hand one, and I would either do it up (or get someone to do it, if I didn't already know), have it reupholstered, or the leather recoloured etc etc.
 
Back
Top Bottom