New Three Piece Suite Nightmare

soolin

Manxman_in_exile said:

soolin said:
...I would suggest they persevere with it rather than potentially lose thousands of pounds. These sofas are wonderful and the best I have ever had. ...

Definitely  persevere rather than just give up .

I agree with that.

soolin said:

... The foot rest and back are linked so no, as your parents have found out you cannot raise the foot rest unless you allow the back to move a little as well, but it is easy to get the perfect tilt and height of foot rest to suit with a bit of trial and error. I don’t think I found any in any of the show rooms I visited that had a separate mechanism , ...

And I don't know how old the OP's parents are and whether they have any physical ailments, but I'm in my mid-60s and have had a bad back for over 40 years.  I can't imagine anything more uncomfortable or painful than sitting in a recliner where raising of the foot rest is NOT linked to the back moving.  Just raising the feet and lower legs without at the same time opening the angle at the hips puts too much strain on the hamstings and lower back.  A sure fire recipe for discomfort and back pain!

They need to persevere and experiment with different angles.

I do agree with your comment about needing a tilt to be comfortable. Both myself and my OH are in our 60s and both have different back issues, we also have a large height difference which usually makes agreeing on furniture difficult. I couldn’t sit with an upright back with my legs raised as it would hurt my back, but I sit slightly more upright than my OH does .

TadleyBaggie

We have a reasonably expensive G-Plan suite, the footrest moves to its final position before the backrest starts moving, I like it that way. 

pinkshoes

Robocop35 said:

Hi,

Thanks for your message.  They ordered the three piece reclining set in the showroom.  My parents thought the feet rest came out separately but it does not as it tilts the whole chair back when you press the button.

The retailer was not interested and said the manufacturer Parker Knoll would not care as well.  Its an expensive mistake with £7,000 down the toilet.

If the sofa they inspected in the store is different to the one delivered (e.g. the store one is more comfortable with the foot rest reclining separately) then they have a case.

If they spent £7000 on a sofa without sufficiently testing it then they have no case. 

Your "only get a couple of hundred quid for it" is a little mellow dramatic! If you can hire a van to deliver it, then you will get at least half your money back for it to a private buyer.

I would love a Parker Knoll sofa! Can't afford one! All good sofas recline backwards when the foot rest goes up. It's really comfy! They just need to get used to it!

I'll swap you my red leather (!) separately reclining sofa (about 20 years old, arms a little ripped from previous owner's cat...) for their one!

Robocop35

Thanks for your comments.  My mother just hates it and refuses to keep it as she does not like the fact it was installed in sections and therefore does not look so good and is slightly out of sync with the three piece sofa, two piece sofa and one armchair.

She spoke to Parker Knoll and they were not interested at all and said to contact the retailer who were not interested.

I said to her, that she should give it time, in case it gets more comfortable etc, but she is not accepting that argument.  They don't like the fact that the armchair is heavy, and that its very difficult to move.  They are in their late 70's.

She is going to have another sofa made, which will cost a further £7,000 plus and probably the same thing will happen again!

I cant do any more to help them!

Sandtree

Robocop35 said:

I cant do any more to help them!

Other than enjoy reclining in your new sofa

Grumpy_chap

I wonder whether the OP's parents are expecting a "dated" version of a "recliner" armchair / sofa?  

My parents purchased "recliner" armchairs many years ago and they were really chuffed with them - the very latest thing from one of the premium brands (possibly even Parker Knoll or G-Plan).  These "recliner" arm chairs were nothing like the recliner arm chairs / sofas that you can buy today where the whole mechanism moves as one, often powered, so the back rest reclines as the seat sinks and the footrest rises in the same way as the seats in premium cabins on board aircraft are all-cosseting.  Way back when, the "recliner" chairs my parents had were so much simpler with a level that released the footrest, which rose up until you moved the lever back and locked the footrest into position.  To return the foot rest, you moved the lever again, push down with your legs and the foot rest folded back in so you put the lever back to normal position.  No movement of the back at all.  No movement of the seat.  The footrest did not come right up to level with the seat like modern "fully-functioning" recliners do, but was more like a built-in fold-away footstool.

Maybe the OP's parents are seeing the latest fully featured "recliner" but expecting the simpler fold-away footstool?  That may be possible if going for a more budget solution.

Having said all that, some airline seats do allow for separate operation of the footrest from the back / seat recline, so it may well be possible to buy that type of solution on an armchair / sofa but the important thing would be to check that is how it operates when in the shop before placing the order.

If the OP does not take the new Parker Knoll sofa, I am certain it will sell for more than the scrap value suggested by the OP higher up the thread.  

Grumpy_chap

Here is a chair with the "foldaway footstool" type of mechanism that my parents were proud to have as a "recliner" back in the day:
https://www.dfs.co.uk/libby/lby412lbb#ampViewer

cx6

Put it on ebay for a low price - someone will pay and then collect it.

Ms_Chocaholic

Robocop35 said:

Thanks for your comments.  My mother just hates it and refuses to keep it as she does not like the fact it was installed in sections and therefore does not look so good and is slightly out of sync with the three piece sofa, two piece sofa and one armchair.

She spoke to Parker Knoll and they were not interested at all and said to contact the retailer who were not interested.

I said to her, that she should give it time, in case it gets more comfortable etc, but she is not accepting that argument.  They don't like the fact that the armchair is heavy, and that its very difficult to move.  They are in their late 70's.

She is going to have another sofa made, which will cost a further £7,000 plus and probably the same thing will happen again!

I cant do any more to help them!

What does your dad think?

I think you should just leave them to it

[Deleted User]

Wow 7.5 k for a sofa. I live in a different world. 

I’m going to look out for Parker knoll in the chassers!