Ramona But it should last far, far more than 20 years. I am assuming you are discussing fabric lasting twenty years? My mom's stuff lasted at least that long. People have to understand that we cannot use the earth's resources as we have been as this means death for us. The planet will go on; we won't.
The sofa frame should last indefinitely. Fabric is replaceable. Batting, etc. also. But the basic sofa should be recyclable for a long, long time.
Interiors International, Inc. I voted yes because I like the feel and comfort of quality. My very first sofa when I was 19 was top quality. It stayed with me for 10 years the lost it in a divorce. It is still being used and its over 30 years old. I still love it even though I only see it in old pics. If you buy something you love you do not get sick of it.
orangecamera I only voted "no my style changes" because there's no answer "no, I move a lot". My old furniture never seems to fit in my new rooms. I've moved the same furniture to 4 houses, and "worked around" it for 25 years (reupholstered once in that time). But this time around, I'm finally selling the furniture so I can buy what fits in my new rooms. It's good solid furniture, and it's time for someone else to get a bargain and enjoy it. I was able to buy someone else's American-made furniture at a bargain, and it fits my rooms better, so it's all working out.
I prefer to buy American-made when it makes sense.
Christine I think very few people can opt to pay 20K-30K and up for a sofa. It is just not realistic and given the advance of technology in to our lives styles are so much more accessible and thus can be incorporated in to life so much easier. I think you should be the best quality you can afford with an eye toward build and materials and then consider that when it is time for a change you do not throw the whole unit out but can replace seat cushions or the entire fabric. A few years ago I was watching Candice Olson and she ordered a sofa for a show and I saw the name of the company as it was coming off the truck. I went to the site and could not believe that $14K was their "basic" model. I could pay my mortgage for 4 months, pay a 1/4 of my child's tuition I could use that money in so many other ways than just dropping it on a sofa.
Norma Sassone Absolutely! We cannot keep buying furniture frome China because it is cheaper (read poorer quality.) Fabulous furniture has been made in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan and other states for decades (even centuries.) I still use my mother's Ethan Allen dining set bought in 1956! I repainted it black and added art glass knobs. I think a sofa that costs $4000 or so is actually pretty affordable, if you consider it might last for 30 years or more with perhaps only one reuphostering. Or how about this sofa that is 200 years old and only needed to be reupholstered - now that's long lasting!
feeny With the exception of sofas, all my furniture consists of American antiques--the ultimate American-made, eco-friendly, recycled materials. Sofas I'm willing to buy new and good quality so that they will last for decades, but the design itself is the most important factor to me.
smldesigns I voted yes because I have. My sister-in-law just got rid of our 42 y ear old sofa that we bought when we first married. A good reupholsterer can even change the style - including pillows, arms, height, etc.
John Landau I was all to ready to buy new furniture as well after having it for many years. I was excited and wanted a new start. I went out and bought quality designer furniture and custom pieces. Within a month, my health was destroyed due to M.C.S. The furniture industry has changed so much. There was so much formaldehyde in everything unbeknownst to me. I should've never sold my furniture and I wouldn't be disabled right now. I still love design, but in the future, I will only buy organic, untreated fabrics.
sondramartina If I could afford it I would buy it.Furniture that is used every day like sofas should be quality so I would not buy cheap one. But cheap is relative term. :)
Harrut For me buying a sofa that is aesthetically pleasing is very important. I bought one from Beaumont and Fletcher, UK in 1994 and it's still looking like new. It seemed a small fortune at the time and the material prices....ouch... but its a constant source of pleasure and style. The cost of it today would be £6000. That's considered expensive! Hearing that some US sofas cost $30,000 made my eyes water.... Why so expensive?
lpmenache I reuse and recycle sofas all the time. A good sofa can cost from 2,000 to 20,000 and up depending on the fabric and manufacturer. The average appears to be around 5 - 10,000 US. If classic it will fit with all decor as you move and tastes change. So I vote yes to the investment.
designideas4me olldbobbi.... good question..........................
viola.................who can you promise it will last that long? It says that on the label that it would be replaced if it doesnt last 20 years? I think thats presumptive or misleading unless you have facts to back that up.
olldbobbi designideas4me - it's just like when you by something that comes with a 'lifetime' guarantee. Who's lifetime? Mine? The manufacturer's? The retailer's?
tcufrog 14K is a lot for a sofa. I thought we had spent a fortune when we spent 7k for our custom leather sectional. It's made locally, seats 6, has 2 removable armrests with built in cupholders, and we got to choose the leather, style of arms, feet, and even firmness of each individual cushion. The furniture store salesman came over with a template to make sure the big sectional fit in our living room and the sofa has a 5 year refinishing warranty.
olldroo Not voting because I'm not American, but 25 years ago I bought a lovely locally made lounge I loved and still love but I have just renewed because physically I am no longer able to comfortably sit in it and get out of it. There is no market here in second hand furniture and to attempt to raise it, reupholster and recover it would cost twice as much as a new lounge. Labour costs are prohibitive when it comes to repairing things, which is why we have become such a throw-away society, but everyone has to earn a living somehow.
Buying furniture for a 'lifetime' is fine but how much furniture really suits everyone for every phase of their lives.
Ramona oldroo, furniture should not have to go to the dump. It can be sold and resold. We too don't have a big market in refurbishing, and it does cost at least as much as a new cheaper sofa, but I'd rather have something I truly love and that will last than have something that is destined for the junk heap. Americans regularly buy sofas in the 800-1,500 dollar range and dump them on Craigslist like crazy, but they are virtually all really, really ugly. Moving is a big problem because of the cost and the reality that old stuff doesn't fit in new spaces a lot. And Americans move a lot for work reasons. But a basic sofa, not a sectional, can fit most places unless you get a super big one.
Fleurishes I have designed custom sofas for clients. They are absolutely beautiful and I wish I could afford one for myself. Instead I custom design my slipcovers so that the sofa looks more custom. A lot of the regular priced sofas we purchase now are not made to last....
designideas4me olldbobbi
designideas4me - it's just like when you by something that comes with a 'lifetime' guarantee. Who's lifetime? Mine? The manufacturer's? The retailer's?
olldroo Ramona - furniture cannot be sold and resold if there is NO market for it. Even Charity stores don't want it!!!!
Once we did buy second hand and made do until we could afford the things we wanted, but now that there is so much cheap furniture on the market people perfer to buy new, especially fabric products, for hygiene reasons. You can't blame people for being concerned about hygiene and only Governments can stop the flow of cheap imports.
Diamondflame If you can afford it, why not? Esp. if it's in a classic style by a well known designer I suppose it could one day become a heirloom of sorts. But most of the time people had to spend that kind of budget to furnish the entire house, not just a room.
lovekiss I would if it fit my budget. But we have a kid to put through college, the deck needs to be replaced, and our entire house (including the heating system!) is stuck in 1987, so there is a ton of work to be done to it. Since we don't have unlimited funds, we must prioritize our spending. We just ordered a new sofa. It's American made, because buying American matters to us, but it isn't top quality and well be glad to get 10 years out of it.
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The sofa frame should last indefinitely. Fabric is replaceable. Batting, etc. also. But the basic sofa should be recyclable for a long, long time.
I prefer to buy American-made when it makes sense.
If I were you and you could swing it, I would only buy mattresses that use natural rubber and organic fabrics.
It seemed a small fortune at the time and the material prices....ouch... but its a constant source of pleasure and style.
The cost of it today would be £6000. That's considered expensive!
Hearing that some US sofas cost $30,000 made my eyes water.... Why so expensive?
viola.................who can you promise it will last that long? It says that on the label that it would be replaced if it doesnt last 20 years? I think thats presumptive or misleading unless you have facts to back that up.
http://www.theluxuryofleather.com/
Buying furniture for a 'lifetime' is fine but how much furniture really suits everyone for every phase of their lives.
designideas4me - it's just like when you by something that comes with a 'lifetime' guarantee. Who's lifetime? Mine? The manufacturer's? The retailer's?
That was funny...thanks
Once we did buy second hand and made do until we could afford the things we wanted, but now that there is so much cheap furniture on the market people perfer to buy new, especially fabric products, for hygiene reasons. You can't blame people for being concerned about hygiene and only Governments can stop the flow of cheap imports.
We have a chair and sofa from the 1930's.....kiln dried hardwood, dovetail connections, etc. Good as new