Sofa! I need not want a new sofa

Starbrite

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81914879#Comment_81914879

Love Laura Ashely sofas. they really don't make new sofas to last

I too have only had 2nd hand sofas, furniture

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81914764#Comment_81914764

Buying extras due to upsizing. We still have all three sofas and they're all going strong. The original from 2006 looks good as new.

Spikeygran

Mines 20+ and was bought from Harveys when they were still going. Its a beautiful dralon velvet with self pattern and I still cant find anything I like better, its still snuggly and nice to curl up on. Its in good condition, the material is fairly indestructible and has survived pets and all cleaning without any fading or obvious wear, but I'm considering replacing the seat pads. If I could buy the same one, in the same material in maybe a different colour way (I quite fancy teal?) I'd order it tomorrow.

I've been looking occasionally over the last couple of years and I've only seen one thats nearly OK. I need 2 x 2 seaters (£2800 at the moment) so not planning on spending that much on sofas I dont actually love.

silverwhistle

My 27 year old sofa has also recently given up and the cushion on my preferred side is held up with a thin bit of wood, so I'm following this thread with interest. It was new when I bought it but like others before then I subsisted on hand me downs for 15 plus years nor ever had a classic 3 piece suite.

Identifying quality let alone leather type seems a real issue, even if you know the style and colour you want. Which I don't! Then there are the lead times for delivery, so it'll be some time before any slumping on a new sofa here..

sonearandyetsofa

I am going to be very careful with what I say as I do have a business in the industry!

The price of a discounted clearance sofa (end of line, ex-display etc) should be between 35% and 75% cheaper than having the same thing made new to order. The price of secondhand should be under 50%, depending on condition.

Good quality sofas can be distinguished by a) what they're made of and b) how they're made. If you want leather, you need to specifically ask if it is bonded, "eco leather", faux leather or if there's any "leather match". Look for thick, Italian leather with a natural grain for the best quality, and ideally a semi-aniline finish - full aniline is more expensive but it's also porous which makes it a pain to keep clean. Semi-aniline is dyed the full thickness through and has a protective coating which is easy to clean with plain mild soap and water.

The best frames are made of hardwood and/or engineered board on the load bearing areas, and may use chipboard and/or softwood on non-load bearing upright sections. Serpentine springs underneath the seat cushions, or coil springs inside the seats. For really high end sofas, fishmouth springs at the front or even a full metal mesh spring system - but at that spec even secondhand prices will probably be out of budget. They should be glued and screwed at a minimum, not just stapled together.

Just because something is made of "Italian leather" doesn't mean it's made in Italy, even if the brand is Italian. The best quality sofas are made in Italy, Eastern Europe, and some in the UK. But not everything made in the UK is made to a good standard, some are very cheaply done. Chinese ones are very hit and miss, mostly miss.

Filling quality is variable and depends what kind of sofa you're looking for, i.e. what you find comfortable. As you've mentioned things being too low I'm going to assume you want something with a decent amount of support that's reasonably easy to get up from. Foam seat cushions tend to last longest, ideally with a fibre wrap over the top. Feather is more "luxurious" but requires a fair bit of upkeep - you need to shake and dress them regularly and they can be pretty heavy for the size, plus they compress down over time and end up looking a bit sad. As you're not buying brand new made to order, the foam should feel comfortable from the moment you sit down on it - do not listen if anyone says it needs breaking in, that's only for sofas fresh out of the packaging. Fibre fillings are soft and compress down more quickly over time too.

If I had to recommend something specifically, I'd say go for a good quality Italian leather or fabric sofa with coil sprung seats, from a brand that actually manufactures in Italy. Polo Divani, Italia Living, EgoItaliano (although some are quite low and deep so probably not what you want) and New Trend Concepts are all good examples of this. Natuzzi can be good or bad depending on the range, some of theirs are not made in Italy and they tend to be a bit pricier than similar quality sofas from other Italian brands. G Plan and Parker Knoll can be quite decent as well, although they don't do the coil springs.

I would say that DFS own the largest share of the market because of their fashion led approach, quick response to trends and gigantic marketing budget, not because of the quality of the stuff they sell. If you expect to keep your sofa for 6+ years in good, comfortable condition, you're probably not their target market…

[EDIT] Forgot to say, if you really can't tell what the leather is, look inside a cushion or try to see the edge of the leather where it joins the frame or the underneath. The back of real leather has a raw, suede-y look and feel to it. If the back is fabric, it's eco/bonded/some other rubbish. The leather match usually feels noticeably different on the surface, a bit plasticky. And generally speaking, the thicker the better!

Spikeygran

I'm actually dubious of any 2nd hand upholstered fabric now. Sorry if you are squeamish but bed bugs are becoming an issue again. Once in the house you have a big problem.

A friend has a flat in a relatively new retirement complex, with a nice function room and other facilities. Following an outbreak the communal areas and all flats have been treated with strong chemicals 3 times so far and I think they are planning on another round as they seem to be becoming resistant. Each time she and the other residents have to be out of their flats all day. The residual chemicals cant be good for her health. 😪

CliveOfIndia

We've recently got a new sofa from Sofology, I must say we were impressed. Not only with the quality, but the "no-pressure" sales approach.

The other option - if you've got one near you and don't mind second-hand - is one of the British Heart Foundation "large" shops that sell furniture, electricals and such-like. Quite a few years ago we bought a leather sofa from them for £300 that was near-as-dammit identical to our old one that we'd paid £3000 for donkeys years ago - and in perfect condition. Still going strong.

Murphybear

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81914622#Comment_81914622

A few miles from us is a massive charity shop housed in an Art Deco cinema. They only have furniture and household goods. I had a look there yesterday and they had loads of sofas. Many have hardly been used and are in a good condition. They are very reasonably priced and quite a lot are good quality leather.

It’s definitely worth looking at the larger charity shops that have furniture.

Murphybear

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81917359#Comment_81917359

I’m sorry to hear that. We live in a similar place. It was built in the 80s for the British Legion and was well built. We’ve been here 8 years and not had a bed bug problem.

I hope yours gets sorted out

goldfinches

You might also try looking at your local auction houses, if you're near Abingdon in Oxfordshire or Cheltenham Mallam's have some good furniture sales and there are often very high quality sofas and armchairs included among the lots. If potential infestation worries you, it's possible to steam things or spray them quite easily.

The other thing you could do is to look out for bankrupt stock or house clearance auctions anywhere near you and perhaps go along just to see what they're like for example John Pye Auctions.