Couch shopping is so hard!!! Does anyone have any suggestions?

Submitted by runnyrum t3_zvc69g in BuyItForLife

I had IKEA's Friheten for 4 years and was happy with it. For $950, it was sufficient. I loved the pull-out model and almost always kept it popped out. I love lounging on it. The only thing I was not happy about was that it felt too firm. I got a foldable mattress for guests but I want to use the sofa as is without feeling uncomfortable.

Because of too many spills, and because I wanted to replace the couch anyway, I got rid of the dark grey Friheten. I am now looking for a similar pop-out sleeper sectional sofa with a chaise (hopefully with storage). My budget is under $2000.

The cushions should be firm, but not as firm as Friheten. I want something in a light color like beige or light grey. If it has to be dark, dark blue is ok.

I checked out the Dante model in Living Spaces,

These are some options I am looking at:

  1. West Elm - Harris model is the model I want but it's way too pricey $3200 - $3800. Also read negative reviews (https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyItForLife/comments/isx0h0/comment/is98c2f/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3, ) about West Elm on reddit (mostly about how the quality does not match the price)
  2. Article - NORDBY sectional - since its online-only, I do not know how firm/ plush the cushions are. Also, I saw some bad reviews about Article on reddit.
  3. Living Spaces - Dante - I loved the cushions but it has too much padding (the head rest is not needed for me) so it looks too big in the living room.
  4. IKEA - Holumsund/ Friheten - if there is really no choice, I will check out the Holumsund in store or settle with a beige Friheten :(

Does anyone have experience trying out any of these pop-up models? Do you have any other suggestions?

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kastabortettkonto t1_j1pc7s1 wrote

My five cents, Ikea no longer does anything that fits BIFL. Avoid

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runnyrum OP t1_j1pqt27 wrote

Oh! Did the quality degrade during the supply chain issues because of the pandemic?

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kastabortettkonto t1_j1pyh1j wrote

No, it's been an ongoing issue since early 2000s AFAIK. All for maximising profits and reduce the price on products.

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lizzyborden321 t1_j1oeams wrote

Check out if there are any outlet furniture stores near you. I got my couch at a Raymore Flannigan Outlet near me. It retailed for 2x what I paid. Be aware you are buying the model on the floor so go over it with a fine tooth comb to make sure theres no tears etc.

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Public_Long_4747 t1_j1oh7mn wrote

The lovesac couches, called sactionals, are well worth it. However, they are a bit pricey, typically around 3k.

The great thing is that you can buy them in pieces, they are modular and can wash each of the covers individually. I’ve had mine for 4 years, it’s been through two moves, handled a dog and several adults with minimal wear.

Being modular, they can conform to any space you have and “make” it into anything you need. Need a couch, done. Need a bed, done. Want a chase, done. Pull it apart like Lego, reassemble and you’re good to go.

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runnyrum OP t1_j1oqyip wrote

thank you for your response! I checked out Love Sac as well, and like you said they are uniquely completely modular. However, the configuration I want comes to $4.8k which is just too high for me right now.

But it can probably be my next couch!

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mitchsbabygirl t1_j1pszef wrote

second the lovesac couch! we’ve only had ours for 6 months but haven’t had any issues with it. we’re looking forward to keeping it for a long time. we live near a showroom, so we were able to see and feel the different fillings and fabric and that helped a lot.

i suppose one of the things is that it gets a little lumpy every several weeks BUT we don’t mind taking 5 min fluffing/flipping the cushions when we notice it. i think that’s normal to do though (?)(our first couch!!) after that though everything is fine!

it’s super convenient being able to configure them the way you want!! we have it as a normal L sectional and then make it into a pit for movie nights during the weekends.

their customer support was also really good to us. after ordering, my bf saw there was a coupon in his email and instead of canceling the order and applying the coupon, he just asked if they could apply it and they were fine doing so. also when the couch first shipped, there was one box that had its silica gel packet burst somehow. they sent a replacement while having someone come pick up the damaged box.

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Low_Macaroon605 t1_j1qsmht wrote

Do you reconfigure into and out of a pit every weekend? Is it cumbersome to do this frequently, even once a week?

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mitchsbabygirl t1_j1qz2mg wrote

it’s not cumbersome at all! it only takes like 5 min to change it up. we don’t change it every weekend, only when we feel like binging movies!

we only have 4 seats though, so it’s not like we have much to move around. 2 deep cushions and 2 normal ones.

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ItsWorkingOutOKish t1_j1ouftd wrote

Macy’s carries some wonderful options. We have the Wedport & absolutely adore it. Fully customizable too, so you can add in sleepers, cuddlers, storage ottomans, etc.

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runnyrum OP t1_j1psf7f wrote

>Macy’s

Thank you, I will definitely check this out! I see that the configuration I want is actually within my budget, I will check out the fabric and cushions!

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fridayimatwork t1_j1q0jsi wrote

Room and board - not much pricier than west elm and much better quality. We’ve had ours 10 years

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GenXMillenial t1_j1ooqdu wrote

I’m going with Costco since their warranty is amazing and usually I like what they have.

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runnyrum OP t1_j1pqu6e wrote

I usually love Costco products but the one model that fits what I want is way too big for my space :( :(

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Blueporch t1_j1q4xr0 wrote

Flexsteel holds up and has sofa bed models but you’d have to decide if the cushions are too firm.

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blergems t1_j1q8wsp wrote

We bought a Natuzzi sectional some 20 years ago and it pretty much looks/sits/naps like new, including two reclining sections. It made it through multiple cross country moves w/ no problems. Not sure if you can get them under 2k now.

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wvv20600 t1_j1ql9dy wrote

Natuzzi is a great brand. I had a used red leather natuzzi I bought for 300$ and it held up for a decade and was still going when I gave it to the next owner. Now I have a crate and barrel gather which I love and think is more comfortable but I would get another natuzzi for the style and quality.

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Own-Safe-4683 t1_j1qw5sf wrote

You are not going to get a buy it for life couch for under 10,000 these days. You can get a very nice couch for under $3,000. We are enjoying the Radley from Macy's. They go on sale all of the time. We got ours for almost 50% off.

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brokenwalrus22 t1_j1r5san wrote

We have an Article couch and a few other pieces of their furniture and love them. I found the reviews on the actual Article wedsite to be quite helpful. All of the furniture we have is well made.

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orchardblooms- t1_j1tla9r wrote

I was happy enough with my velvet article couch that two years later I bought a couple of tweed armchairs from them.

We’re pet/kids/eat in living room people.

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akl5000 t1_j1sd5a3 wrote

For $2k and under, I’d look at high-end secondhand. Look into estate sales and estate liquidators in fancy neighborhoods near you. Well-off people buy and sell houses, redecorate, and get divorced often. Downside is that you will have to move it yourself or pay for moving. Skip FB marketplace and middle income stuff, go very high end and people will practically pay you to take it. They just want it gone.

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bubdouglas t1_j1t4t0t wrote

If you can find a Hancock and Moore second-hand they cannot be best quality-wise. Facebook Marketplace

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ratbird9 t1_j1ptiky wrote

What region are you located? (I may have missed this). But I’d recommend Bassett out of VA for price point and options. You can usually get better prices from an independent retailer than a bigger store.

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wvv20600 t1_j1qkqyb wrote

Crate and Barrel Gather Couch, you can customize it on there website. Amazing couch, fabric cleans easily and we got the white one, really like a mattress that is disguised as a modern couch.

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VIKISH32 t1_j1qvm5w wrote

Mayo brand is reliable from what I hear. We were couch shopping several years ago & were sold on the build quality & how other companies skimp on quality parts. For example, most companies use cardboard on their couch arms. Mayo's were more solid built.

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cyhusker t1_j1rbc2b wrote

Try Scandinavian designs.

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Scubathief t1_j1rhbl8 wrote

Scratch Ikea off your list.

I would go for big box stores, ashley furniture etc, they will have nice warranties on them as well.

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WarDamnLivePD t1_j1w05y3 wrote

FWIW, I think Ashley is probably the closest thing to "opposite" of BIFL that I could think of when it comes to living room furniture. Just my $0.02.

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Rilakkumar t1_j1s03kc wrote

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QFP4ZN5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I got this couch on amazon back when getting a couch shipped to you took 6 months but this one offered within the week delivery. Honestly, really nice quality and extremely comfortable. It has a deeper than usual seat cushion so I can cross my legs on the chair with comfort (something I prefer) and some friends + me have slept on it as it's a nice size when you move the back cushions. Do give the amazon brand a chance. They're getting these couches all from the same source at the end of the day.

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abee60 t1_j1s2t4r wrote

Why didn't you get it recovered?

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jnortond t1_j1spyrp wrote

I bit the big one and got a Pottery Barn sectional on major sale about 4 years ago. It was expensive ($6k) but still looks and sits amazing. I got the Pearce model with light colored and upgraded performance fabric. I have pets and grandkids around daily.

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Randum_Miss t1_j1tj00f wrote

I just ordered from Home Reserve after rave reviews from multiple friends. The fabric is washable and replaceable. I got a huge sectional for $2700. All the under cushion space is built so you can use it as storage. I've sat on my friends sofas from then and they were very comfortable. I'm excited to get ours. I'd definitely give them a look.

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racethenight t1_j1uao3d wrote

Tried a Flexsteel locally for how it sits. Ordered sofa and loveseat on Costco website and saved $800 over furniture store price.

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Genny415 t1_j1vu3gx wrote

This may not be an acceptable answer, but I don't believe that you are going to be able to find a BIFL couch with a budget of $2k. That is a lovely aspirational goal, but it is not realistic.

If you truly want BIFL furniture, you need to look at what is known as "contract quality" furniture. It is often sold only to the trade, but you can also find it at certain retailers. Design Within Reach is one source, if that matches your aesthetic, which is likely since you previously shopped at Ikea.

For traditionally styled furniture, look at the North Carolina furniture mart, which supplies a lot of the hotels. It is a mall-style outlet which I think has an online presence now, so many suppliers are together in one place. There was one vendor with contemporary furniture among the hundred or so, the rest were all traditional.

These are likely to be out of your budget range. If you truly want to BIFL, then upholstery is not really that difficult to DIY. If you can pick up a vintage piece with a solid hardwood frame, then you just need a few simple tools and some time spent on youtube to strip it down and redo it. The supplies are readily available thanks to the internet and you get to choose your upholstery. [Again, go for contract quality! Do not skimp on the fabric!] www.foambymail.com is a great source for quality foam.

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Good luck!

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Sabrina912 t1_j268aex wrote

I have an Ikea Kivik sectional that is really comfortable. The one nice thing about Ikea is how easily you can replace covers for a fraction of what a new sofa would cost (either in store or on Etsy). I’ve also found new/like new sofa cushions in the as-is section of Ikea for $15 a piece. With a new cover and after replacing a couple of our most used cushions, my Kivik has lasted around 8 years and basically looks/feels new. It’s not a sleeper sofa, but I did sleep well on it last night (sick coughing spouse was keeping me awake).

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frannybones t1_j1t2lhp wrote

I cannot stress how much I love my Crate & Barrel Lounge ii

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Muncie4 t1_j1olsbi wrote

Firm is not a metric of conversation as no one knows what this means to you.

You can take your couch to an upholstery shop and have it refoamed and covered for under your budget.

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runnyrum OP t1_j1or3z6 wrote

Interesting! I did not know we can refoam a couch as well, thanks for the info. I do not have a couch right now but will remember that for the next time!

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akl5000 t1_j1t580e wrote

IMHO this is not great advice. IKEA frames are not hardwood and not high quality. Also, reupholster is expensive - in my area, the labor alone is at least $1k and upholstery fabric is at least $30 a yard and up, 15 yards needed for a sofa. Most upholsterers can give you a general labor and yardage quote based on pictures, but anyone decent will strongly discourage you from reupholstering ikea unless it’s a DIY job. Check out the furniture and upholstery subreddits

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