living room furniture - help please!

[teachermom2834]

Does anyone have living room furniture (sofa/loveseat and or chair) that they love? 

I'm open to different styles and colors and fabric types. Our current decor is neutral. I am willing to consider ordering online from Wayfair or Amazon, etc. My "baby" is a 10 yo girl who is pretty gentle. The older boys are launching so we don't need something super kid indestructible. But...we still live in our living room and people will eat and drink there. So while we don't need indestructible we still wouldn't want white and high maintenance, IYKWIM? 

The max we would spend would likely be around $2500 for two pieces. Of course we would love to be lower. LOL

Any advice? (BTW- I feel like this is a stupid question...maybe someone can relate...when you grow up poor and live on hand me downs and thrift store items and just making do with what you have, it is very difficult to shop sometimes. I am paralyzed by big purchases, even if we can afford it. I honestly have no idea what I want or what would be practical or nice to have. I wander around a large furniture store and really don't know what I'm even looking for. Our current set is terribly uncomfortable is is so broken down and there are metal pieces that stick you in the butt if you sit in the wrong place. Yet, I still don't feel like we really NEED new furniture. But we do)

[Mbelle]

I am in the middle of getting new living room furniture, so I'm right there with you.  Here's what I'm doing:

There are some local stores near me and most have July 4 week sales, and coming up will also have Labor Day sales.  I am planning to spread purchases out through the summer.  

I was planning to recover our to upholstered chairs, keep the couch and then get a loveseat from Ikea to replace our recliner.

However, the local independent furniture store had a sale and they had two upholstered chairs discounted so deeply it was cheaper than redoing mine.  So I got those.  Then a sales lady said she'd come over for free (LOL) and then make me up a living room of sales items in the store.  I agreed to that and she did do it.  Now, the furniture she chose was all deeply discounted, but then she added accessories and rugs and coffee table.  It looked fabulous!  However, I said no to everything except the furniture.  But, I wrote down everything she did plus took photos and I plan to go to TJ Maxx Homegoods and look for sales at other similar places plus Craigslist and decorate that way.  

I also think Ikea is excellent and affordable.  If you have one close they can help you put together a room if you bring in measurements and window/door openings etc.  Or try a national Big Box Furniture store.  Maybe Rooms to Go or American Signature etc..  All these places should do the same.

You can buy what you like and then look for 2nd hand or sales elsewhere.

[happypamama]

We just bought our first new sofa ever (after twenty years of marriage), and we went with Ikea's Ektorp.  Very affordable, people gave great reviews, and the covers are completely removable and washable (plus that means you can buy new covers if you want a decor change).  Now, I have smallboys, so my needs may be a little different from yours, and we've only had it about two months so far, but we are pleased.  I also didn't want super fancy or fussy; I like simple and classic, so it was a pretty easy choice.  But yeah, wandering around their showroom when we went to pick it up was a little overwhelming.

[Ottakee]

I have a lane couch I really like.  It is a burgundy leather so a bit dated but comfortable.  I found it used on CL almost 7 years ago.  It still looks new.

I understand what you mean about spending the money and too many choices....esp growing up poor.

I did have to go buy my brother a couch a few years ago and I went and started sitting down on them.  I found one I liked and bought it.  Took about 10 minutes as comfort was number 1