Best of the high street sofa brands
Discussion
The Parker Knoll sofas and signature chair looking like new 2.5yrs on in our lounge.
We also have a "fashion sofa set" (4 seat lounger and a cuddler - in a bright pink that doesn't look like its currently still sold in [https://www.dfs.co.uk/shaldon/dsl14esdn?skuId=3804150&&origin=All_Fabric_Sofas]) from DFS in the family room and that about 12mths old and Ill be surprised if it lasts another 12. Its wearing quite badly for something that gets reasonably little use, but it wasn't that expensive (we ended up paying c.£1068 delivered and with the glider feet)
We also have a "fashion sofa set" (4 seat lounger and a cuddler - in a bright pink that doesn't look like its currently still sold in [https://www.dfs.co.uk/shaldon/dsl14esdn?skuId=3804150&&origin=All_Fabric_Sofas]) from DFS in the family room and that about 12mths old and Ill be surprised if it lasts another 12. Its wearing quite badly for something that gets reasonably little use, but it wasn't that expensive (we ended up paying c.£1068 delivered and with the glider feet)
)Sofa workshop - limited branches unfortunately but honestly incredible for comfort and extremely well built. Would never go anywhere else but I expect this one to last another decade at least.
Some are very expensive but we’ve got the Dillon which is more in line with mid-top end high street. Have a look.
Some are very expensive but we’ve got the Dillon which is more in line with mid-top end high street. Have a look.
We have a pair of MADE.com 'Scott' sofas which for the £950 price tag appear fine but I want want to test its limits, the legs, arms, fabric are clearly all fairly fragile like most these days.
In the other room we have a huge 4-seat Wesley Barrell sofa, which is in another league and should us for the 30 years that may parents has done. It was 3-4 times the price of a normal sofa, but it is super ruddy comfortable, foam and father hybrid (other options offered) proper fabric choice (any fabric available really, over 2000 samples) and proper hardwood frame, screwed together, etc. Weight twice as much and any other sofa.
However sadly, after 146 years or whatever, five years ago they sold to a private equity firm, went bust 6 weeks after delivery with £150 deposit for the matching footstool. The only saving grace being we picked up another two 2.5 seat sofas are theirs, ex-display off ebay from the shop clearance company. £500 each!
Anyone else make furniture properly these days, if you want to pay £3-4k and having something to pass down to the kids?
In the other room we have a huge 4-seat Wesley Barrell sofa, which is in another league and should us for the 30 years that may parents has done. It was 3-4 times the price of a normal sofa, but it is super ruddy comfortable, foam and father hybrid (other options offered) proper fabric choice (any fabric available really, over 2000 samples) and proper hardwood frame, screwed together, etc. Weight twice as much and any other sofa.
However sadly, after 146 years or whatever, five years ago they sold to a private equity firm, went bust 6 weeks after delivery with £150 deposit for the matching footstool. The only saving grace being we picked up another two 2.5 seat sofas are theirs, ex-display off ebay from the shop clearance company. £500 each!
Anyone else make furniture properly these days, if you want to pay £3-4k and having something to pass down to the kids?
dhutch said:
We have a pair of MADE.com 'Scott' sofas which for the £950 price tag appear fine but I want want to test its limits, the legs, arms, fabric are clearly all fairly fragile like most these days.
In the other room we have a huge 4-seat Wesley Barrell sofa, which is in another league and should us for the 30 years that may parents has done. It was 3-4 times the price of a normal sofa, but it is super ruddy comfortable, foam and father hybrid (other options offered) proper fabric choice (any fabric available really, over 2000 samples) and proper hardwood frame, screwed together, etc. Weight twice as much and any other sofa.
However sadly, after 146 years or whatever, five years ago they sold to a private equity firm, went bust 6 weeks after delivery with £150 deposit for the matching footstool. The only saving grace being we picked up another two 2.5 seat sofas are theirs, ex-display off ebay from the shop clearance company. £500 each!
Anyone else make furniture properly these days, if you want to pay £3-4k and having something to pass down to the kids?
I have found that price is no indicator of quality, and furniture is generally crap - we have yet to have a piece arrive in pristine condition, and that feels quality. The closest was a table from Tikamoon, which is lovely and very solid, but came damaged in a few places. The worst offender is Swoon - the couple of pieces we got from them have been shoddy. Our Made.com table is okay. We bought a sideboard from Cox and Cox for 1100 - crap, and went back. Bought the EXACT same sideboard, manufactured by the same people, from a smaller local business for £660 - still crap, but we got an extra 15% off and kept it.In the other room we have a huge 4-seat Wesley Barrell sofa, which is in another league and should us for the 30 years that may parents has done. It was 3-4 times the price of a normal sofa, but it is super ruddy comfortable, foam and father hybrid (other options offered) proper fabric choice (any fabric available really, over 2000 samples) and proper hardwood frame, screwed together, etc. Weight twice as much and any other sofa.
However sadly, after 146 years or whatever, five years ago they sold to a private equity firm, went bust 6 weeks after delivery with £150 deposit for the matching footstool. The only saving grace being we picked up another two 2.5 seat sofas are theirs, ex-display off ebay from the shop clearance company. £500 each!
Anyone else make furniture properly these days, if you want to pay £3-4k and having something to pass down to the kids?
We have ordered our sofa from Thomas Lloyd, not that expensive (sub 1k), real leather, made in the UK. Hopefully it is decent enough quality.
Edited by PrinceRupert on Monday 12th October 16:00
Anyone any thoughts on Marks and Spencer sofas? Saw a nice one today, we are looking for 2 identical 2 seater sofas to go opposite each other. £799 or £899 each depending on fabric. We also saw a nearly as good one in DFS which was £429 so a lot cheaper. but not as comfy.
Obviously both M&S and DFS are probably not the upper end of quality but they are for a second living room which won't be used much. Problem with both is a 15 week delivery time which to me seems excessive.
Obviously both M&S and DFS are probably not the upper end of quality but they are for a second living room which won't be used much. Problem with both is a 15 week delivery time which to me seems excessive.
cb31 said:
Anyone any thoughts on Marks and Spencer sofas? Saw a nice one today, we are looking for 2 identical 2 seater sofas to go opposite each other. £799 or £899 each depending on fabric. We also saw a nearly as good one in DFS which was £429 so a lot cheaper. but not as comfy.
Obviously both M&S and DFS are probably not the upper end of quality but they are for a second living room which won't be used much. Problem with both is a 15 week delivery time which to me seems excessive.
Furniture trade is manic. People are spending more time at home & less money on holidays. Thus, demand is high for furniture, especially sofas & chairs.Obviously both M&S and DFS are probably not the upper end of quality but they are for a second living room which won't be used much. Problem with both is a 15 week delivery time which to me seems excessive.
cb31 said:
Anyone any thoughts on Marks and Spencer sofas? Saw a nice one today, we are looking for 2 identical 2 seater sofas to go opposite each other. £799 or £899 each depending on fabric. We also saw a nearly as good one in DFS which was £429 so a lot cheaper. but not as comfy.
Obviously both M&S and DFS are probably not the upper end of quality but they are for a second living room which won't be used much. Problem with both is a 15 week delivery time which to me seems excessive.
They do actually have to order them to be made, if they carried loads of the full range the warehouse would take up half of the country. One tip the DFS guy gave me (and it may well not apply now) is to sign for whatever protective coating stuff they put on for an extra £200 or so, then cancel it just before the cancellation period ends - they will already have put it on, and they can't take it off again! Obviously both M&S and DFS are probably not the upper end of quality but they are for a second living room which won't be used much. Problem with both is a 15 week delivery time which to me seems excessive.
The leather on mine is totally scuff free, and I build chainsaws on these sofas, spill everything on them, wear riveted jeans and slide around - 17 years later, hardly even a mark.
If you are gong for leather, take an hour or two reading up about it, and grill the salesman into the ground. Is it split hide? Corrected grain of full grain? And so on, until he just has to put his hands up and admit he doesn't know. I signed for them on the car bonnet and then went in and had a proper chat with him over a foul free coffee - turns out that everyone at DFS hates their jobs, they don't get commission but do have to meet targets or they don't get a bonus, and they know next to nothing about the sofas themselves other than a fact sheet. Nobody they can ring and ask questions to, no "sofa tech" support at all.
Maybe it's all changed now, but I bet I could out-leather any sofa salesman who dared to challenge me. Leather knowledge guns holstered, a duel at 50 paces.
Oh, and mine also came with "suede" throw cushions - I out-sueded him as well. They have never seen an animal, faux suede is the word. Quite hardy though, they took about 3 years of abuse before I binned them. Washed one and it shrank like those crisp packets you used to be able to put in the oven and turn into a keyring.
cb31 said:
Anyone any thoughts on Marks and Spencer sofas?
Based on our current M&S leather Abbey suite I rate them highly, but we bought our about 15yrs ago so no idea if they are still decent quality.If it wasn't for their outdated looks then I'd really like a Chesterfield suite, some I've sat in are surprisingly comfortable.
PrinceRupert said:
I have found that price is no indicator of quality, and furniture is generally crap
We bought a 6 seater dining table and 6 chairs (with leather upholstered seats) from Jarabosky - hand made in West Yorkshire and delivered very carefully by the company's employees in their own van (no couriers). We wanted one longer than their standard 66", so they made one 78" long for us.We've since had a 3 coffee table set from them - same quality.
The style certainly won't appeal to everyone, but we loved it after first seeing an example years ago at Camden Market.
It arrived in perfect condition, and 15 years later it's still the same, is rock solid, and will likely be the same in another 50 years. So there are some exceptions and it is possible to get good quality furniture.
In terms of sofas, we bought Lay-z-boy 2 seater and 3 seater leather reclining sofas 20 years ago. They have been very comfortable and have stood the test of time well - used every day. The only issue is that one of the arms is starting to show a little wear, so I'm going to see whether it can be repaired rather than replace. The recliner mechanisms still works perfectly.
We had a Courts settee and chair which lasted fifteen years and we donated to charity last year. Its condition was still pretty good with a small stain out of sight being the main issue and slight fading to the fabric in places. Structurally still sound. Bear in mind it lasted parties and the two kids and three cats.
We now have an IKEA modula sofa which seems well built and should last.
I think the quality of the fabric dictates the longevity to some extent. Both sofas have had a heavy duty corded type fabric which seems robust. Advantage with the IKEA one is that you can get replacement covers off the shelf for not much money.....
Mike
We now have an IKEA modula sofa which seems well built and should last.
I think the quality of the fabric dictates the longevity to some extent. Both sofas have had a heavy duty corded type fabric which seems robust. Advantage with the IKEA one is that you can get replacement covers off the shelf for not much money.....
Mike
PrinceRupert said:
I have found that price is no indicator of quality, and furniture is generally crap - we have yet to have a piece arrive in pristine condition, and that feels quality.
Very hard work isnt it.Even with our relative success of of nice £1000 a pop pair of sofas from MADE, the footstool has glue residue over the top face and is currently awaiting replacement. The footstools are £350
The Wesley Barrell sofa is bang on, and I am so glad we have got it, and I think the price tag of £4000 is fair. But they have gone bust so are no longer and option for us or anyone else, makes the £200 stain protection we added likely worthless, and we have the lost deposit on the footstool as well as the option to have said footstool!
We still need a footstool. I would pay a grand for a well made footstool to match it, but can find a reseller of such an item.
Daniel
Defcon5 said:
Has anyone got any knowledge of ‘sofa club’?
They seem to have pop up shops in shopping centres and sell direct via their website.
They have a lot of good reviews on trustpilot, but how many of those are real people i don’t know!
We looked at sofa club before ordering the set I said above fromThey seem to have pop up shops in shopping centres and sell direct via their website.
They have a lot of good reviews on trustpilot, but how many of those are real people i don’t know!
DFS. They seemed very poor quality and built to a very low budget. The display models they had in the Metrocentre kiosk were badly worn and sagging after a couple of weeks - really looked shoddy and poor value (even for their low price)
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