mommymilkies Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 We happen to move a lot too, thanks to the military. I get accused of being a hippie quite a bit, so I went with it after getting rid of our leather couch due to my Mom's allergy to commercial leather treatment chemicals. :D We have four Corda-roys "bean" (foam) bag chairs as living room furniture. No couch. No end tables. Just bean bags. My kids love it. They can do all kinds of acrobatics and flying drop-kicks on the "furniture". 😄 Foam or styrofoam? I have refilled ours a couple times with the styrofoam pellets and they don't last a week before they're flat and worthless again! Between pets and kids, I feel couches are merely places to sit. Nothing pretty in my house! I bought our newest couch for $75 around Christmas-on clearance. It seats people, my cats tore the heck out of it (hadn't done that for years! >.< )...but it was just $75. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Is it bad if I say I'm happy you discovered this instead of my finding out for myself? :leaving: I am forever :drool5: over the PB couches and I did always imagine that having them washable would be a big plus, but I understand from your post the disadvantages there. I have been on the verge of buying a new couch about 4 different times in the past few years, but the reason I have not pulled the trigger is because I keep seeing how poorly the couches I considered were holding up. I don't know how we got so lucky when we bought our current furniture 15 years ago! It was not particularly expensive, but it has no visible issues. It doesn't have that sagging, falling-apart look that I've seen in some much younger couches. The green fabric seems to be indistructible. I know enough coffee has been spilled on the arms I could probably squeeze a cup out if I could wring it, but nothing stains that fabric! The only thing that was a major oversight in that choice was the throw-pillow-style back. Those pillows are constantly all disordered and it drives me batty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I am sitting on a pb sectional couch. It is great and I love it. I got it from my mom so it was hardly used. It is a dark red fabric and it seems very tough. My mom washed it about once a year for at least 8 years and it looks new. She says it is too saggy but we don't think so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Why not just sell the couch on Craigslist and buy what you want. Let potential buyers know that they can buy slip covers through PB or other stores that make knock off covers. Then buy what you want instead. Great advice here. The only thing I would add would be then I would start looking for a nice hardly used leather couch on Craigslist. Our $10k dining room set was purchased on Craigslist for $2k. It looks brand new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Is it bad if I say I'm happy you discovered this instead of my finding out for myself? :leaving: I am forever :drool5: over the PB couches and I did always imagine that having them washable would be a big plus, but I understand from your post the disadvantages there. I have been on the verge of buying a new couch about 4 different times in the past few years, but the reason I have not pulled the trigger is because I keep seeing how poorly the couches I considered were holding up. I don't know how we got so lucky when we bought our current furniture 15 years ago! It was not particularly expensive, but it has no visible issues. It doesn't have that sagging, falling-apart look that I've seen in some much younger couches. The green fabric seems to be indistructible. I know enough coffee has been spilled on the arms I could probably squeeze a cup out if I could wring it, but nothing stains that fabric! The only thing that was a major oversight in that choice was the throw-pillow-style back. Those pillows are constantly all disordered and it drives me batty. Seriously, check out the IKEA Ektorp sofa. It's the one we have (in the Indemo Beige), and it's so comfortable. We pile on it and watch movies and in the evenings James Bond and I snuggle up on it. It's easy to wash the slip covers and they look great. I bought the chair that goes with it about 3 years ago (also crazy comfy!) and I've washed the slip covers at least 20 times, with no shrinkage or damage. They look exactly like they did the day I brought it home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 We got a beige couch when we were first married, we were not thinking. My husband set fire to it when we had had it less than 2 months and there was a giant scortch mark on the front!! (Old fashioned fondue, think open flame on our coffee table. I was mostly happy the entire house did not burn down, LOL, and only just a bit mad about my husband setting the couch on fire. As I said, we were young.) It had a bit of camo color threads in it that helped, but it was a dumb color in retrospect. (OK, the whole open flame in the living room thing MIGHT have been dumb, too.) It faded to tan then got so bad we got a slipcover. The slipcover was light brown, that got bad after a year and actually looked worse because it had no pattern. (We had it for 20 years, though, the last few as an extra couch and fort making pillows downstairs, it had great cushions for making forts.) We have black fake leather now and it is holding up much better. My parents have a real leather couch that survived kids and animals and still looked good 25 years later. They sold it for another and a matching set of chairs, they are not as kid proof. When my son was 2, he threw up on my mom and one of the chairs. It has not been the same since. After a year of trying to clean it, they gave up and now have 2 new chairs that don't match as well but they like them better and they are more comfy. They have a grandchild in the area now, so they are even more happy with their decision to go with leather for the chairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifesadream83 Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 I am sitting on a pb sectional couch. It is great and I love it. I got it from my mom so it was hardly used. It is a dark red fabric and it seems very tough. My mom washed it about once a year for at least 8 years and it looks new. She says it is too saggy but we don't think so. The red is twill and must hold up much better than linen... but when you sit in the the long portion of our couch you sink in like a sink hole... not so good if you have a bad back and hip. (child birth battle scars) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Foam or styrofoam? I have refilled ours a couple times with the styrofoam pellets and they don't last a week before they're flat and worthless again! Between pets and kids, I feel couches are merely places to sit. Nothing pretty in my house! I bought our newest couch for $75 around Christmas-on clearance. It seats people, my cats tore the heck out of it (hadn't done that for years! >.< )...but it was just $75. They are actual ripped up pieces of foam. Just pick them up and flip them a couple tomes to re-fluff. The insides of the bags can be used as guest mattresses. As a matter of fact, DH and I have been sleeping on two (double stacked) for the past week since my parents are using our bed while they visit. They are not cheap, though. But, we've been through 4 (FOUR!!) couches and 2 had matching love seats in less than 12 years. They do not stand up well to kids, pets, and military moving. We finally got leather, and it was standing up well, but leather causes my Mom to have an asthmatic allergic reaction, so it had to go. :( We've had the bean bags for 4 years now - we had them before we got rid of the last couch and loveseat. We just decided to move the bags out of the bedrooms and not replace the couch. :) http://cordaroys.com/home.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeenagerMom Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I have & swear by cheap microfiber couches. We have an inside dog, 2 cats, and 2 kids. I can steam clean w/my carpet shampooer and remove the cushion covers & throw in the wash. I paid $125 for our current sofa in nearly brand new condition 2 years ago off Craigslist. It has some wear & I need to clean it again, but I figure if I get 3 years out of it, that's only $40 a year for a sofa. My chocolate microfiber sofa before this one lasted 7 years and I paid $300 for it, which again, comes to about $40 a year. For that, I can live with cheap furniture PLUS I get to change my decor every few years so I never tire of anything! Since it's tax return time, now is the time to list & buy off of Craigslist. You can usually find oodles of furniture that is nearly new because people go out & buy even NEWER furniture with their refunds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Seriously, check out the IKEA Ektorp sofa. It's the one we have (in the Indemo Beige), and it's so comfortable. We pile on it and watch movies and in the evenings James Bond and I snuggle up on it. It's easy to wash the slip covers and they look great. I bought the chair that goes with it about 3 years ago (also crazy comfy!) and I've washed the slip covers at least 20 times, with no shrinkage or damage. They look exactly like they did the day I brought it home. We bought the Ektorp last year with a gray 'linen look' cover and we adore this couch. It is comfortable, held up through one move already and looks brand new still. And it was cheap, cheap, cheap for a sofa. Next time we're near an Ikea I plan on buying the loveseat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I think the only reason my beautiful Microsuede furniture that I gave my mom survived for 6 years in our home because I was working and our family never saw each other. So What furniture is built to withstand growing homeschool families????? Bwwwwaaaaa Haaaa Haaaa! Made to withstand families with oodles of kids who are home all day long and actually USE the furniture? Wood covered with gunny sacks? I stand by there is no such thing. But I will say I have some Oregon made sofas that are four years old and just starting to show some wear. I'm going to put some heavy weight pet covers on them and hope they last another 3-4 years. I honestly believe I'll go leather next time. I'm gaining children faster than I'm losing them (to college) at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 They are actual ripped up pieces of foam. Just pick them up and flip them a couple tomes to re-fluff. The insides of the bags can be used as guest mattresses. As a matter of fact, DH and I have been sleeping on two (double stacked) for the past week since my parents are using our bed while they visit. They are not cheap, though. But, we've been through 4 (FOUR!!) couches and 2 had matching love seats in less than 12 years. They do not stand up well to kids, pets, and military moving. We finally got leather, and it was standing up well, but leather causes my Mom to have an asthmatic allergic reaction, so it had to go. :( We've had the bean bags for 4 years now - we had them before we got rid of the last couch and loveseat. We just decided to move the bags out of the bedrooms and not replace the couch. :) http://cordaroys.com/home.php Thanks! This is what we need. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Seriously, check out the IKEA Ektorp sofa. It's the one we have (in the Indemo Beige), and it's so comfortable. We pile on it and watch movies and in the evenings James Bond and I snuggle up on it. It's easy to wash the slip covers and they look great. I bought the chair that goes with it about 3 years ago (also crazy comfy!) and I've washed the slip covers at least 20 times, with no shrinkage or damage. They look exactly like they did the day I brought it home. I don't know...I thought about this one, too, but I know someone who bought IKEA's Ektorp and it looks saggy just a few years later. It's made me badly gun-shy, because I know if we buy a couch and it looks like toast 5 years from now, there is no way in heaven and earth dh will agree to getting a new couch. I expect decades of use from furniture and dh doesn't care enough to spend money again in five years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merry gardens Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Thank you for this thread. It helped wake me up. I have been drooling over an off white PB couch and wondering how well it would stand up to use by my family. I'll appreciate my own 10 year old couch more now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I don't know...I thought about this one, too, but I know someone who bought IKEA's Ektorp and it looks saggy just a few years later. It's made me badly gun-shy, because I know if we buy a couch and it looks like toast 5 years from now, there is no way in heaven and earth dh will agree to getting a new couch. I expect decades of use from furniture and dh doesn't care enough to spend money again in five years. Well, we've had the chair for a couple of year and it still looks great. The sofa is newer, but still nice. I do rotate the cushions regularly, as we have a tendency to sit in the same spot, so they get even wear. I do this with the top and bottom cushions. The top cushions need a good smacking every now and then to make the stuffing not slouch, but that's just a good way to get my aggression out. ;) Maybe they're really rough on their sofa. ETA: I hate the word couch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 ... smh... why ... why in the world would anyone in any state of mind... with any children and OCD issues ever in the history of mankind ever buy a WHITE COUCH... don't do it.. if you have thought about it dreamed about it... DON'T... because IF you are on this forum ( which obviously if you are reading this you are) you prolly have kids (homeschooling and all) even when they are grown and move out... they too WILL HAVE KIDS.... and they will have dirty hands and feet and pets and you husband will still be a man... you may have a dog ... or a cat... or fish that jumps out of his bowl when the cat in the hat comes to play.... you will still need coffee to function... and your white couch will never ever not ever be WHITE... so... just don't do it.. Ditto for white carpet. I've never made the mistake of buying white furniture, but I can't tell you how many houses I've lived in with carpet in shades of off-white to cream to light tan. Stupid, stupid, stupid. The house we're renting now has all hard floors, so I bought area rugs in - you guessed it - off white! The one in the family room already got replaced after just one year, with a dark tan jute rug (Yay! - getting smarter). The 4 in the bedrooms are faring a little better. I feel your pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannie in NJ Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Mom in High Heels, we have the same Ektorp sectional and chair that you have, except we have it in Vellinga Beige and it is a corduroy like material. We bought it 2 months ago when we moved to a larger house. We also have the same sectional in the blue that we moved over from our old house (put it in upstairs tv room). We have had that one for years and it is still in great shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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