Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with sofa

I want the Camry of sofas, not a Yugo or a Porsche

Diagonalize — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:51:53 -0800

Where do you go when you've graduated from IKEA and are ready for decent, but not necessarily heirloom quality furniture? We're just hoping to find some stuff to carry us through the next 8-10 years, or is that unrealistic? How much should we honestly expect to spend? We're buying a house, but we don't really have any furniture. Our parents were both of the "buy it once; buy it for life" mentality, and while we'd certainly like to get some nicer stuff, we're also kicking around the idea of having kids in a couple of years and there's a ~50% chance we won't stay in the area long term, so we're not really sure the best way to proceed.

There are a ton of furniture stores in our area, but the range of price points and quality within any given store seems to be all over the place. And as far as I can tell, they're also always having sales, so I don't actually have a great sense of how much anything actually costs. We don't mind dropping some cash on this, but we're not super loaded and this is mostly new territory for us, so we're not really sure if the average middle-class furniture budget is more in the $1K or $100K range.

Reviews have been mostly useless: usually nothing with the occasional angry rant about how much Pottery Barn/Ethan Allen/insert choice of store sucks. I've read almost every furniture-related AskMe and dozens of home and design blogs like Houzz, Apartment Therapy and YoungHouseLove, but their budgets/DIY savvy/Craigslist fu/whatever usually appear to be way more impressive than ours, and everything I read seems to vacillate between making DIY gold from thrifted junk or why you shouldn't even bother with anything but high-end. 8-way, hand-tied springs, chalk paint, and vintage Eames recliners are fine, but I'm hoping you fine folks can help give me a reality check and some specific brands/stores to explore for that happy middle road option.

The sofa is soiled.

Anonymous — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 09:48:28 -0800

There was poop on the sofa after the party. What do we do? There was a little get-together at the neighbors' house. There were 9 people there, six adults and three kids. When we started tidying up, a substance approximately the dimensions of a fun-size candy bar was discovered resting between two couch cushions. The only people there were the hosts and I. The hosts refused to touch it, and so I was deputized to pick it up with toilet paper. It was most definitely fecal material. Given the size and condition, it appeared human, fresh, and not tracked in from somewhere. The whole room is carpeted and there was no sign anywhere but the sofa.

The hosts were understandably horrified, expressed a burning desire to figure out what happened but don't want to say anything to any of the guests. They are both "guess" culture, I am definitely "ask".

Complications:

Two of the kids at the party are my children, one adult is my partner. Both my kids were near enough to the sofa that it could have been them, potentially.

After the discovery I went home and scrutinized the kids' laundry and shoes. There was no sign that the poo was either emitted or tracked in by them. I also asked my partner, who denied any knowledge of the situation. Both of us had removed our shoes in the hosts' house.

Four of the adults never sat on the sofa.

Both the hosts sat on that sofa.

The other kid at the party, who is about 10, laid on that sofa for a while, then moved over to the sofa next to me. Their parent was sitting on the floor the whole time.

There was definitely a smell in the air midway through the festivities. I actually took the time to speak to the host in the kitchen and say "look, i'm sure you can smell what's going on out there and I just want you to know - it's not me farting up a storm in your house, okay?" They laughed but admitted that the smell was noticeable, and jokingly said that I was trying to blame the kid next to me on the couch for my stomach discomfort. I said that it was probably the host's food making everyone ill, we both laughed, and then went back into the living room.

Everyone there was wearing long trousers. It seems inconceivable that someone could actually befoul themselves to the point where excrement would fall out the leg of their pants and not react in a way that would be noticeable to others.

After the sticky discovery, the hosts and I talked about the situation and all agreed it was most likely the third kid at the party. They would like for the parent to know, but are reluctant to bring it up themselves, and indicated they'd prefer someone else brought it up.

I can see the merits of either saying something, or keeping quiet, but I feel like if the parent is going to be told, it should be right away. Alternatively, I could just ask the kid directly. Given the relationships of this group of neighbors, it's unlikely that this event will stay much of a secret, and I think it's kindest for the kid who is likely to be blamed, and their parent, to know immediately rather than hear about it much later. However they choose to resolve things with the host is up to them.

I want to know if I should say something, and how to best broach the topic.

Throwaway email: soiledsofa@gmail.com

WOAH - We're going to Ikea!

mippy — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 05:50:28 -0800

We are moving into our first flat! Hooray! However, it is unfurnished, so we need to buy us some furniture - specifically, a good sofa and a good dining/gaming table. If we go Ikea, what's the sweet spot between price and durability? Useful information: we are in the UK, specifically London, with access to a van/car when we move but not otherwise. (Neither of us drive.) While we will keep an eye out for good quality used stuff, at the moment we are working on the principle that we'll have to buy new, as we will need something to sit on when we move in and also it's difficult to pick up furniture without a car from Gumtree etc. As we are renting, we have to work on the principle that we will need to move it eventually, which makes me wonder whether 'investing' in furniture is a false economy.

Like Michael Heseltine, we will have to buy our own furniture. IKEA is by far the easiest option as a) we've been told it holds up better than Argos b) we don't have a massive budget as we're going to have to buy a lot of stuff for the first time. At the same time, we don't want something that will fall apart before we re-sign our contract.

What we are looking for:
- a sofa that sits at least two people, preferably more so friends can visit. In the UK, renters cannot paint the walls, put up wallpaper or knock nails into walls to hang art, so for the past few years, I've been living in a succession of plain magnolia rooms with the only colour coming from my books and bedsheets. (I'm also very much looking forward to having a nice sofa I can sit on after three years of living somewhere where I can't really use the sitting room. I'm tempted to get a lavender velvet chaise longue and never leave it again.) My instinct is to go for something in a lovely rich, bright plain colour to counter-act the white, but MrM wants to go for something neutral. One thing we are agreed on is that we don't want white - so if it comes in a nice colour or has washable/removable covers, that is a bonus. We also really don't want leather.

- a dining table. The important thing here is that we will be using this for dining and tea and cake when people come over, but also we will be using it for hobbies - for playing boardgames on, and for putting my sewing machine on. It needs to be big enough to take a good-sized game, and durable enough for a lot of use. An extending table may be the answer here, but we didn't see anything in Ikea that stood out - the fold-up top table my previous place had seems to have been discontinued. We definitely don't want a drop-leaf table, as the chances of me accidentally leaning on it and snapping it are very high.

If you have any recommendations for non-IKEA British furniture shops, feel free to give us those too. I have had a look at Made.com but I think it might be outwith our budget for now. I've also looked at a few online places but can't work out whether they really offer better value for money.

Looking for sofa bed

falsedmitri — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:17:11 -0800

I'm looking for a sofa bed to put in a small bedroom. This is ideal as far as functionality goes, but is way too expensive. Having no arms is good, allowing the full width of the bed to be that of the sofa. Other complications: I don't like futons or thermarest or memory foams. Can you recommend anything?

The Second Most Important Seat in the House

Seeba — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 11:56:10 -0800

Tall Person Furniture Filter: Help me find a recliner! Howdy all - I'm 6'4" with a decent chunk of that in my torso and pretty nasty lower back problems (every few months I'll twist the wrong way or sit in a bad position and won't be able to straighten/stand well for a few days).

My first-apartment-couch is pretty well worn through after many years of faithful service, and I'd like something that I can sit in for more than 20 minutes without getting back spasms. I'd also like something tall enough that I can put my head back and rest it on something instead of curling my shoulders around the top and half-resting on the wall behind the couch.

With the space we have, I'm actually looking into a recliner and tried sitting in some of the Ekornes Stressless chairs - they're comfortable, but all very short - with the small ones, the back comes about up to my shoulder blades.

Any other options? I'd be willing to get a couch, but am looking to spend under $2k which puts me in the recliner range I think. I'd also value quality of construction over style. Most of the furniture in the house is oak or old growth pine, very little veneer/plastic/metal.

I've also looked through Craig's List, Ebay, etc, but am somewhat wary about used ergonomic furniture - I know that I don't particularly pay attention to how hard I flump on the sofa and can't really be shocked that after the better part of a decade, 200 lbs dropped onto it on a semiregular basis has eroded my couch springs...

Warm (Cracked) Leatherette

yellowcandy — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:53:04 -0800

How do I keep a leatherette sofa from cracking (and deteriorating)? I bought a white, leatherette sofa (that I asked a previous AskMe question about here: http://ask.metafilter.com/102453/Warm-and-Stained-Leatherette) four years ago. It's quite possibly my favorite sofa, ever. It's also a fantastic bed.

The problem is that, after four years of use, the leatherette fabric is cracking in places and flaking off, leaving little vinyl shreds around the places where the deterioration is the worst.

I don't want to save the original sofa--it's too far gone for that. But I'm replacing it with a new one, and while the cost isn't the biggest issue here, I am not happy with the waste. I'll donate the old sofa, but I want to keep the new one in good shape for a lot longer than four years. That seems far too short a lifespan for a sofa (especially one I love).

So how do I keep the fabric from cracking after a few years? Are there tricks, tips, products I can use, even?

Is Scotchgard worth it, and if not, how do I keep white sofa clean?

LobsterMitten — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 15:25:46 -0800

White cotton-upholstered couch -- help me keep it clean. Pros and cons of using Scotchgard or similar product? Health risks for people and pets? Other methods? I understand that Scotchgard works, but I also see some disturbing stuff online about its health risks and environmental badness. Anybody have perspective on how to weigh these and what the current evidence says?
We have an indoor cat but no kids, if that's relevant.

We would apply it ourselves; the store does not do it. Tips on applying, or best type to get?

Other methods of stain prevention? Most slip covers seem very loose and bulky, made for overstuffed furniture - but this couch has rectangular lines and is not overstuffed. Do you know of any slipcovers that fit a more modern, angular style of sofa, and preserve its lines? Or non-slipcover options?

I'm looking to buy a smallish, modern gray couch for my new apartment. Catch: needs to be under $700. Help?

anotheraccount — Wed, 02 May 2012 07:30:53 -0800

I'm looking to buy a smallish, modern gray couch for my new apartment. Catch: needs to be under $700. Help? My current couch is a futon that I've had since I was 14 years old, so I'm really looking forward to buying a real sofa. The only problem is that the security deposit and movers' fees have slashed my budget. I really, really want a modern, gray couch. Some ideas so far:

Home Decorators Roberts

Urban Outfitters Night and Day

World Market Morgan

Home Decorators Martine

Home Decorators Emma

Any suggestions on other places to look or other specific models? I'm trying to avoid IKEA.

Give me [a] back [to] my couch!

two lights above the sea — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:18:51 -0800

We have a dream... to rearrange our media room so that the couch is not against the wall. The problem? It's this sofa, and the cushions do fall off after a few minutes of relaxed sitting, despite being weighted. We considered putting a heavy piece of furniture behind it, but that's not ideal as it takes up all the wonderful space we are trying to get back. Can you help us add a back to our couch? Ideally, it would be a low profile, stylish thing that we can drill into the bottom of the couch so that the pillows don't slide off when we're sitting on it. I can't find pictures of anything that I like, but here are a couple pictures that give you an idea.

I'm thinking of a low-back dark wood piece that is pre-made for this purpose (or a similar one). We're fairly handy, but we don't have wood working tools so making something complex from scratch is out of the question.

I'm looking to you, Metafilter. Give me your best solutions! Thanks in advance!

Help me find a 90" (w) sofa sectional with left arm chaise

Nellebee — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:44:16 -0800

Looking for a 90" (w) sofa sectional. Cannot find one anywhere, with the sole exception of a model that is from Restoration Hardware (MAXWELL UPHOLSTERED LEFT-ARM SOFA CHAISE SECTIONAL) selling for 5k. This is a very nice couch but since I have to buy a small couch, I would rather spend less. That being said, I love the look of the RH one My total dimensions are 121" (w) by 166" (L)

The reason I cannot fill the entire 166" with a sofa width is because we have to leave a thoroughfare to gain access to our basement door.

We will have a tv that our (future) sofa sectional will face and we have plent of space left along the wall that the chaise (Left arm) will point towards.

Hacking (or just hacking up) my couch, vs. just replacing it already

aecorwin — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 22:50:43 -0800

Can I hack my (Ikea Varnamo) couch? SHOULD I? I am becoming increasingly unhappy with my couch -- an Ikea Varnamo (which is a discontinued model) purchased about seven years ago. Picture here for folks unfamiliar with this particular sofa.

It's in fine structural condition, and I don't care about the rips and scratches in the upholstery as it's wearing a microfiber slipcover 24-7 these days, but the curved arm-rests are really beginning to bug me as they make the whole thing take up way more room than anything reasonably should along the wall I have it up against (which is really the only logical place for a couch in my house).

Moreover, the thing has terrible back support. It always has, and honestly the only reason I got it in the first place was because it was cheap and (at the time) I was too poor to afford anything else (we got it on super-discount as they were discontinuing the color). I am just not a fan of the "large floppy pillow backrest" configuration. Both my partner and I would really like a firmer backrest, and I would also really like a seat length that allows my knees to bend in the right place. Right now they dangle uncomfortably unless I curl them up to the side and put them ON the couch, which has its own issues (mainly of the "ow, my foot's asleep" variety).

....but all that aside, while I've been testing out some new couches lately, it occurred to me today that I might be able to use the basic structure of this couch and do essentially a strip-and-reshape / reupholster. I have never reupholstered anything before, unless you count going at my dining chairs with a bolt of tweed and a staple gun, but I have a fair bit of experience building simple wooden things like shelving units ("from scratch") and plenty of carpentry-related tools.

What I'd like to do if I go the modification route is remove the existing fabric cover, "square off" the armrests so that they're rectangular and not round, and build up the backrest into a single, much firmer unit to replace the three squishy cushions that are making my back muscles writhe in pain as I sit here typing this. Obviously I wouldn't be doing this to save money (though I'd prefer to keep things under $500ish if possible) -- it would be more of a creative endeavor coupled with a desire to perhaps save a good bunch of basic materials from the landfill.

...but all that said, my question to the denizens of mefi is: can you please share your recommendations / links / other online resources regarding projects such as the one I am considering? I am especially fond of personal blog posts with LOTS of step by step photos and before-and-afters, bonus if it shows a couch starting out looking like my existing Varnamo and ending up a fair bit more modern/streamlined (my house is a 1954 MCM ranch and smallish at just over 1000 sq. ft., which has me thinking in space-efficient geometric terms).

I haven't found much in my search so far, aside from a lot of instances where people just changed out the fabric and padding. I am hoping this is just due to inferior search skills and not because Extreme Couch Modding is in fact a ridiculous impossible thing no reasonable person actually does, but I am prepared for the truth, no matter what it may be.

Alternately, if anyone has recommendations for couches in the $300 - $800 range that offer good back support, reasonable seat length for both a 5'3" person (me) and a 5'10" person (my partner), and fabric options that could survive a household that includes 4 rowdy but generally well-behaved cats (as in, they run and leap all over the furniture but mostly prefer to scratch their scratching posts as opposed to my couch), please feel free to offer those as well. Basically I want something durable, more firm than squishy, and more modern / industrial than traditional or floofy in design.

Thanks in advance!

Is a BoConcept sectional worth the money?

Heart_on_Sleeve — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:13:32 -0800

How do you feel about your 2+ year old BoConcept sofa, couch or sectional? Was it properly upholstered? Is the leather wearing well? Do the legs stay on? Are you happy with your purchase? The Mister and I are shopping for a new couch to last us the next 20 years and there's a very strong contender at the (new) local BoConcept store. We are thinking of an Indivi 2 in grey-brown leather.

We like the computerized design modeler, and the showroom model was comfortable. There are a lot of cranky BoConcept purchasers venting on English-language websites about bad customer service in ways that seem localized & unhelpful 2-4 years later.

Another contender would be a local manufacturer, who would be faster, comes recommended and can likely be equally flexible, but doesn't have a fancy 3D autocad setup to help us visualize the end product effectively.

Can I fix the webbing on my couch?

The Card Cheat — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:41:01 -0800

Can I fix the webbing on my couch? I have a retro couch of the type where the cushions lie on top of webbing. Last week one of the straps broke (pic), and when I made inquiries into getting it fixed at a nearby furniture store the price quoted was more than I would prefer to spend. It looks like you can buy similar webbing at Online Fabric Store, but is it possible to replace the straps yourself (and if so how do you do it)?

Long term purchase.

niccolo — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:21:56 -0800

What would be the best color for a leather couch (not knowing the future color of walls)? Is there a couch color you have regretted? I'm going to buy this sofa. My plan is to keep it for a long time and through all the different places I will live. This is a couch that I eventually expect will be in my home office (and I think this classic design would be versatile). I'm considering the dark gray (Charcoal), dark brown (Chocolate), or light grey (Putty). I currently live in an apartment, I am male and 29.

Tall Person + Couch = Happiness?

odayoday — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:50:00 -0800

My boyfriend (who is 6'4") and I are buying a couch, and we're looking for one that would provide neck support for his head. My previous question about our cats has led me to believe we'd be best with a microfiber couch, but most tall-backed couches seem to be made of leather. Any ideas? Also, as mentioned in the previous question, we have around a $1500 budget (although we could go up to $2000 if necessary). Other factor - we currently have no couch at all, so we would prefer one that would not need to be special ordered. We're in Austin, if that helps at all. Thanks!

How high do we hang this picture?

lollusc — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:24:36 -0800

How high should this picture be hung above the sofa? This high? Or lower? Of my husband and me, one of us believes the picture should be hung at the higher position, and the other believes it should be at the lower point. (The horizontal position is something we'll sort out later, so just ignore that).

The picture is a placeholder for now, until we find some more colourful, livelier art that we really like. But that could take a couple of years, so we don't want this picture to look bad in the meantime.

The argument goes as follows:

Person A: Gallery height is 57 inches. Also, you are meant to make the picture look like one grouping with the sofa, not floating near the ceiling. The whole internet agrees with me. And apparently it's a common mistake to hang art too high.

Person B: If it's a "common mistake" that must mean that people's natural instinct is to hang it high. Which means it will look right to more people to hang it high. Also the ceiling is boring, so we want more visual interest closer to the ceiling.

Finally, we polled two of our friends this morning, and they agreed with person B. Also, we first got them to independently position the picture where they would hang it if it was their house, and they chose a position close to the higher one.

A compromise, hanging it in between the two points, makes neither of us happy. Both have agreed to go with whatever the metafilter consensus is.

Sofa, so good.

motsque — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 06:53:47 -0800

Do I cut the piping off a sofa when making a new cover? Please help me avert a diy-disaster! OK, so I'm going to make a custom slipcover for a sofa and loveseat. I'm worried that if I leave the piping that's on the sofa now (along the edges of the cushions and around the armrests) that it will look stupid and prevent the new cover from fitting tightly.

I'm thinking I should just carefully cut the piping off, which it looks like I can do without ripping open a seam. Am I being stupid? Will my sofa fall apart? If you've sewn a sofa cover before, please help!

Help me find a long-lasting, durable futon sofa-bed.

K.P. — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:45:47 -0800

I'm looking for the perfect futon (sofa-bed) in the UK (preferably the South East) that will work equally well as a bed or sofa, long-lasting, and easy to convert. Over 10 years ago I had one almost exactly like this and it served me well for a little over a year as a full-time bed and occasional sofa. I'm thinking of getting something similar again, but I don't really like the metal-frame. I'm hoping to find something more like this or this. What I am not looking for is something like this that requires picking up and folding the mattress and wrestling with the frame. It needs to switch from sofa to bed like the first three: pick up the edge of the seat, give it a tug, ease it down, and it's a bed.

One that unfolds long-way out from the wall (instead of long-way along the wall, like all the favorable pictures above) would be great but I haven't seen anything like that.

I've seen some on websites like the wooden ones pictured above, but as they are all wood (instead of the sprung metal hinges like the first one I had, pictured above) I am worried--will they last with frequent changes between sofa and bed modes? If I wanted a wooden frame, are sprung metal hinges a must?

So...can you recommend a great futon sofa-bed that is
a. easy to convert from sofa to bed and back
b. sturdy enough to be converted a few times per week for up to 2 years
c. as comfortable as these things ever are for up to 2 years
d. is delivered in pieces (to go up narrow, winding stairs)
e. has arms in sofa mode
f. under £500

Anyone have a great futon they'd like to recommend?

My kingdom for a couch (that could fit through the entrance)

Threeway Handshake — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:03:25 -0800

I just moved into a dream wonderful "garden apartment" in a brownstone. The only downside is that it has an entryway that forces you to make a u-turn to get into the apartment. Normally, not a problem. But we need to buy a couch. A regular sized, real, adult persons not-dormroom style nice couch. And there's no way anybody could possibly maneuver one into here. Is there any places that sell couches that are nice but also can be partially disassembled? Even if just the arms could be taken off it would be great. Bonus points for things local to NYC and A++++ for near Brooklyn/Park Slope so as to be able to see them and try before buying.

Thanks!

Can you help me find this sofa - or something like it?

The Shiny Thing — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 22:31:02 -0800

A friend of mine is hunting for a sofa similar to this one - which was available at World Market until they pulled it a few months ago. Does anyone know where I can buy either this exact sofa, or something similar (a nice, minimalist, wood-framed three-seater)? World Market still has the loveseat version, but the three-seater version is what he's after. Failing that, a similar style of sofa would be fine too - as long as it keeps the minimalist, sort-of-modern sort-of-Asian look. (Price-wise: the lower the better, but if it's under $1k or so it should be fine.)

If it's available somewhere reasonably close to Dallas, that would be perfect - but anywhere in the States is probably doable.

Thanks!

leather vs. fabric upholstery

oneirodynia — Fri, 20 May 2011 12:04:05 -0800

Leather versus fabric furniture pros and cons. Is it worth the extra cost to get a couch in leather? This is regarding a Room and Board sofa, so if you have an opinion on R&B in general, feel free to join in. Specifically considering this couch in a light color. The leather options are around 1200 more than fabric. We pretty much eat on the sofa, have a dog, and would use it every day. it would be our main piece of furniture, essentially.

Help me clean my couch

jrichards — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 06:19:48 -0800

We have a two-year old sofa that looks terrible and needs to be cleaned. The upholstery is 100% light-colored polyester that looks like linen. The problem is that any water leaves a very noticeable ring on the fabric. Although we're pretty good about keeping food and drinks off the couch, we have a very drippy-nosed greyhound who has left dozens of little drip marks all over the cushions. Cleaning with water and a wet rag only makes the problem worse. I also tried using Goddard's Dry Cleaning fluid (a solvent), which just left a whitish spot. Any suggestions? Would hiring a professional do the trick?

Grownup Furniture!

emkelley — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:45:42 -0800

What are great furniture stores, specifically for living room? And in terms of quality, what am I looking for? I'm getting ready to purchase non-crappy furniture, but I don't know where to get it. I saw this question from five years ago, and was wondering if anyone has new thoughts or updates.

The first item on my list is a couch or sofa and maybe a chair. In that last thread, I saw that a lot of people think that West Elm = CB2 = IKEA in terms of quality. I'd like higher quality furniture, but our budget is still limited. (Around $1000 for the couch is ideal, less, of course, is great.) I'm willing to dive into craigslist but I have no idea what I'm looking for. Are there any brands that are good to watch for? What brands are worth paying a premium for? What details set apart the great from the mediocre?

I'm not in a huge metro area but I can get to DC fairly easily.

Thank you!

Cheshirefield

pseudostrabismus — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:40:58 -0800

Pet owners, what kind of sofa should I buy? I have two overly-fluffy cats that shed bushels of fine, soft, under-fur that sticks to fabric. There will likely be some scratching, as well.

I would like to buy a smallish sofa. Not too expensive- ideally under $500. What's my best bet?
What materials won't become a felted rug of cat-hair?
What materials are unappealing to scratch?

Aesthetic concerns:
Ideally I'd like the sofa to be gray and comfortable. I prefer straight-ish, modern-ish lines, but still poofy enough to be comfy. I like high arms on a sofa so I can sit sideways. I live in Canada and I have easy access to Ikea, but am open to other ideas, too.

Advice appreciated!

Armen (Art) Furniture Quality/Comfort

lolo341 — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 05:34:48 -0800

By chance do you or someone you know own an Armen (Art) Furniture sofa, and if so, how does it rate it in terms of quality and comfort? Are you satisfied with it? I'm particularly interested in the Armen 725 Centennial. I'm in need of a new sofa and have narrowed my choice down to two I found online. One is at Macy's, and I've actually gone to the store and examined it in person. I don't like it as much as the picture, but I still like it. The only issue I have is that I don't like the color choices. I can make one of them work, but I'm not very turned on by them. MEANWHILE, the other one is an unknown quantity to me. The manufacturer is Armen, which I think is pretty reputable. I've done a lot of investigating and am pretty convinced that the particular sofa that interests me is of good quality: good assembly, sturdy, and a mix of top and mid-to low quality materials in order to hit the sweet-spot of quality vs. cost. In other words, it ain't top of the line, but it's not pure junk either, which is on par with my sense of the Macy's sofa. I've even gone so far as to call a few retailers and ask about their return rate (people who buy and return it). Assuming these venues have been honest, it seems like the vast majority of folks who purchase this sofa are happy with it. BUT, I can't find any online reviews from actual purchasers. I realize that reviews are only annecdotal and subjective, but given that I can't fly out to the showroom in Las Vegas, I'd feel more comfortable if I could get a general idea of how people feel about it. By contrast, the Macy's sofa gets a ton of positive reviews on both Macy's site and on external sites. I know it's a big purchase and big gamble, so please no lectures on why buying something like this online is a bad idea. I've been to every used and new furniture store in town, and I haven't liked anything nearly as much as these two pieces.