Where to buy a good sofa and bed?

[Deleted User]

Hi all, 
I am moving into a new place in around 8-10 weeks time and given the lead time for ordering new sofas a friend suggested ordering one now as well as taking advantage of some online sales while non essential retail is closed. Or is it better to wait and test out the goods in person after 12 April?
Given the time spent on a sofa and in bed I'd rather pay for good quality. I've heard John Lewis and Made.com are best for sofas and maybe Dreams for beds? Can anyone validate this or provide other recommendations? I'm looking for a fabric corner sofa and a king size fabric upholstered bed. 

Thanks in advance! 

joe90mitch

I'd personally want to try a sofa, I know it's frustrating at this point in time though. When me and my partner were moving a few months ago we had sofas we loved the look of online, but during one of the windows where lockdown was eased we went to a showroom and in person didn't find them hugely comfortable. I guess another factor is how long you want the sofa for, if this is a purchase that you're hoping will last years and years and it sounds like you're willing to invest in a good one, then is there much harm waiting 2 and a half weeks for shops to reopen?

But yes - sofa lead times are crazy at the moment (maybe they always are!) - we ordered an Ercol sofa from a local furniture store back in October and it's being delivered on Friday. We have made do though with camp chairs and a couple of ikea armchairs borrowed from friends, it wasn't really an issue.

I'd suggest a bed is safer to order online - ultimately as long as the frame is sturdy it will be the mattress itself that provides the comfort.

Re stores for sofas, I guess it's all personal preference. We got one of ours from Loaf and it is incredibly comfy, though on the more expensive end of the scale. 

[Deleted User]

Thanks - makes good sense. I need to get some cushioned garden furniture too and so could use that in the living room until the sofa arrives. I agree given it's only a matter of weeks that it makes sense to wait and try out the sofa in store. It would be gutting to spend £2k on a sofa and for it not to be comfy or look as good as the photos. 

imavillan

I am in a similar position.
What i am doing is searching online and drawing up a short list so when the stores open on the 12th i can go and visit and try.
It's a bit of a nightmare really and comes down to personal choice and an element of pot luck.
Even when you sit in one in store and it feels comfortable, there's no saying it will be like that in 6/12/18 months time.
And then there's the customer service element to factor in. I've been looking into some of the big names and again it's very hit and miss. It would be great if there was a ''sofa'' forum or specific thread but i've yet to find one.
From personal experience, i will not being using Sofology. Purchased a nice looking leather sofa and it went all saggy with no support after 3 months of use. It was all style over substance. Although to be fair the customer service was good and i was given a full refund with no quibbles or problems.

imavillan

To add, here are some of the many sites/stores i've been looking at.
https://loaf.com/
https://sofasofa.co.uk/
https://www.sofa.com/gb
https://www.roseandgrey.co.uk/
https://www.barkerandstonehouse.co.uk/
https://www.sofaworkshop.com/

Then you've got,
Furniture Village
DFS
M&S
John Lewis
Next
SCS
IKEA

Re a bed. I will be ordering one from Premier Inn. I have used this hotel chain a few times and the quality of the bed and sleep has been great. They use Hypnos mattresses. 
Take a look here. https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/why/sleep/buy-our-bed.html

[Deleted User]

imavillan said:

To add, here are some of the many sites/stores i've been looking at.
https://loaf.com/
https://sofasofa.co.uk/
https://www.sofa.com/gb
https://www.roseandgrey.co.uk/
https://www.barkerandstonehouse.co.uk/
https://www.sofaworkshop.com/

Then you've got,
Furniture Village
DFS
M&S
John Lewis
Next
SCS
IKEA

Re a bed. I will be ordering one from Premier Inn. I have used this hotel chain a few times and the quality of the bed and sleep has been great. They use Hypnos mattresses. 
Take a look here. https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/why/sleep/buy-our-bed.html

Fantastic - thanks for sharing!