Sofa buying guide

[carloco]

I need help with the purchase of a sofa.  I have always struggled with the value of things.  I don’t mind going cheap although I struggle with the environmental impact that disposable stuff may have in the future.  I also don’t mind paying more if t will fit the needs I have and it will last.    A couple years ago I made the decision to buy second hand whenever possible.  A few years ago I bought this great mid century sofa at a very good price.  It needs to be reupholstered.  I was going to get that done over Christmas when I realized that no one likes to sit or lay on it.  Instead of spending the money on this one I thought about buying a different one.    A friend recommended  Mitchel Williams, I also found this article     
Mitchell Williams has more conservative designs.   I am not sure about the warranty.
Joybird has a one year warranty.
Benchmade has environmentally conscious harvested lumber.  They are made in the USA.  They offer a 14 day free back shipping warranty. Etc/ 
If anyone struggles with making this type of decision I appreciate their input. 
I started thinking that it would be a few hundred bucks to reupholster the current sofa. And then started to look around online for new stuff and ended up about to spend several thousand on sofa.   I could also try to find something second hand and risk that It won't be comfortable or that it needs to be reupholstered. 

[bacchi]

Craigslist. There is a LOT of furniture on craigslist that can't be unloaded. Find a slightly used one and make a deal. Rent a furniture steam cleaner if you want and you'll still be saving over a thousand dollars.

[mustachepungoeshere]

I would spend money on a couch you will actually use rather than the one no-one likes.

A couch is definitely "furniture you live on" rather than "furniture you live around": http://modernmrsdarcy.com/furniture-you-live-on/.

Floor stock is a good compromise between buying second-hand and paying thousands for a brand new piece.

[SunnyDays]

I would go second hand< but make sure the frame is hardwood and preferably doweled rather than stapled together>  (Sorry about the weird symbols< laptop is not cooperating today)  Older pieces are usually made this way and although reupholstering can be expensive< you can also pick exactly what you want for fabric>  Lots of furniture today looks nice but just doesn"t last> as is cheaply made>  I"ve done this with an old sofa bed I had and am very happy with the result>  You an also have an item slightly redesigned when recovering if there are aspects of it you"re not crazy about>

[Lady SA]

I am embarrassed to admit that I went though 3 (3!) couches in a 1 year span because I couldn't stand them. First I was looking at the looks of the couch to make sure it would look nice, but after going through a cheap one (uncomfortable), then expensive (somehow even more uncomfortable), then ordering one online (again, uncomfortable) and returning all of them, I finally realized I would rather have an ugly but comfortable couch than a stylish, but horrendously uncomfortable couch. I am apparently really picky about the seat, because any sagging, slouching, back at the wrong angle, cushions too short or too long or not the right firmness, would mean that within 10 minutes of sitting my back would start to ache.

I needed something that I could wedge myself into the corner and get lost in a good book, but all the ones that did that were on the pricier side. I finally bit the bullet and got the couch that I could actually stand to sit in. But you know what? I don't regret paying for it, because now I actually enjoy snuggling in with a book or some popcorn and a movie.

For what it's worth, Flexsteel is the brand I went with: supportive, good construction with wood frame and firm steel supports, and the proportions/angles are very comfortable for me. I've seen a few listed second-hand on craigslist, it would be worth checking them out. http://www.flexsteel.com/about-us/our-craft

[LifeHappens]

A few years ago I bought this great mid century sofa at a very good price.  It needs to be reupholstered.  I was going to get that done over Christmas when I realized that no one likes to sit or lay on it. 

Can you clarify if the problem here is:
1) people don't like to sit on the sofa because it needs to be reupholstered
or
2) you were thinking of having the sofa reupholstered but then you remember no one has ever like to sit on it

If I were you, I would go for reupholstering unless the sofa is never going to be comfortable.

[iris lily]

I have Joybird , very well made. The scale is wrong for me, my legs are too short, but that is my problem not theirs. Their measurements as given online are accurate. I bought Joybird because they had a hot pink fabric I likes.

They have an apartment size series of chairs that would have been better for me.

For a sofa, my expected cost is  $800 -$900 for a sort of Sears and Roebuck two or three cushion one. For sofas that are very high style you will pay more. It is not hard fo find  sofas in that price range that are kinda sorta mid century modern-ish. I reccomend going to a furniture store near you. While my hard wood furniture is second hand, my upholstered pieces are new and I like to support local stores.

Lest anyone accus me of being a spendypants,, I collected sofas from alleys around here for years. Our dogs do unspeakable the ngs to sofas and buying new or even used is a waste of money.we were renovating houses, anyway.

Now that our house is done and decorated, I bought new furniture for it. 

I just started furnishing our weekend house and found free or nearly free furniture from friends and thrift stores. Given the current problem with bedbugs, I would not pull a sofa frm an alley these days, and I carefully examined two thrift store chairs before buying them.

[carloco]

Can you clarify if the problem here is:
1) people don't like to sit on the sofa because it needs to be reupholstered
no, people don't like the sofa because it is uncomfortable.

2) you were thinking of having the sofa reupholstered but then you remember no one has ever like to sit on it
 I was going to reupholster and REALIZED that no one finds it comfortable.