I am on the hunt for a sofa. I usually go to Loaf for absolutely everything but I’m not actually that crazy about the Loaf sofa I have (the Bluebell, in grey – I am so predictable!): it’s too short in the seat.
But buying a sofa is a terrible job. It’s like choosing curtains. They are a big deal, a huge part of your life. You are going to be looking at them constantly. Get it wrong and not only are you thousands of pounds down, but you will also be a little bit annoyed every day until you get rid of it/them.
So I’ve been looking elsewhere but am constantly thwarted by indecision, option paralysis and cost.
There is hope, though. I recently came across a tiny workshop in Gloucestershire, called Upholstery Techniques, which makes sofas right there, on site: they supply to such upmarket shops at Conran. But they’re not snobby about it – they’ll make you a sofa, too.
I went this weekend and they are excellent, and for what they are, they are basically free (about £1,3oo for a big one, not including fabric). I like these two:
I like a dark brown for the fabric: I think the tyranny of the grey sofa has to end at some point and I’m planning on leading the charge. Hey! Don’t go! Brown is a nice colour!?
The drawback is that Upholstery Techniques is a properly tiny outfit, you can’t just order online in a state of drunken high efficiency. Their website is a holding page with their postal address and phone number – there isn’t even an email address! When you ring you just have to leave a message on the answering machine and either Lovely Sam or Lovely Phil rings you back and you have a chat. It’s like if Bill Murray made sofas.
But listen to me: this is a really good recommendation. They are really good people, the sofas are great. If you live anywhere near the area, visit them.
If not, give them a call and ask if they can email you over some photos of their sofa styles. They can make anything, any size and they get great deals on fabric. They’ll even make corner sofas.
I haven’t asked, but I imagine they can probably copy a sofa you’ve seen that you fancy that is £10,000. Mentioning no names George Smith.
We changed from grey to brown and have no regrets. We gritted our teeth and went for short term practicality but I actually like it a lot better – it stays looking smarter after being bullied by small children, and it looks much better in photographs than the old one that seemed to melt insipidly into the wall. But you know, there’s brown and there’s brown so guess shade is everything.
That place sounds great. As long as the Bill Murray thing ends at the answering machine, otherwise you might have to pick your sofa up from Prague, because they had never been and fancied making it there after a few drinks.
I like the sound of them. What’s their delivery charge like? And do they deliver everywhere or only in the areas around Gloucestershire?
I haven’t investigated delivery yet… but if they can get sofas to the Conran shop I’m sure they can get them most places
I got my sofa from a different family run business in Gloucestershire. They made an Eames style 4 seater for me to match the armchairs I already have. They are a similar price and they do have email and a man with a can for delivery. They’re Sofa Riot run by the lovely Sam
A word of caution about colours/shapes for sofas and chairs: more relevant to re-covering than commissioning the whole lot, but I got it wrong and want to spare other Spikers.
I inherited some tremendously comfortable but plain-looking chairs and I picked a very nice brown herringbone fabric which would work well with everything etc and got them re-covered …. whereupon ‘plain’ turned into ‘downright ugly’. The moral of this story is that if you are a bit underwhelmed by the shape, go for big PATTERN, which will break up the outline. I expect everyone already knows this.
Sophie who on earth would know that? Very sound advice, thank you for contributing x
Being so tired of our tired brown couch, I am contemplating having our Ikea couch reupholstered in a crazy but stylish Swedish fabric from the 70s. This one, to be exact.
http://www.svenskttenn.se/en-us/product/ta10041/textile-primavera-315-linen.aspx?returnUrl=
Now, I wonder if I am crazy and spending more than 800 euros on a foolish plan.
If anyone could weigh in on this, it would be great.
Also, I have a Chesterfield in the same room that’s a little less boring shade of brown.
I love that! The thing is that as long as things are styled nicely, pretty much anything goes x
Aaf, you probably already know this but Bemz.com will make you new covers for your ikea sofas and have a wide range of fabrics to choose from. I love the one you’ve picked though.
Brilliant. Not least because I live in Gloucestershire (it doesn’t have many perks). I feel like we just need a year until potty training and early waking are well and truly nailed then can ditch the hideous (grey) playroom sofa. I can hardly bare to even look at it now. Just reminds me of being pregnant, or woken up painfully early.
omg do NOT do anything to your current sofa until you’re well out of nappies and/or 0530 wake ups. which for me (at least with the 0530 wake ups) might be never
My sofa is bright yellow. I loved it on arrival. It looked great for first 5 days and I hoped i could keep it pristine cos of no children. Then a bad boyfriend came over after fixing his bike and sat on it = covered in bike grease. Then a couple months later he disappeared and never answered my calls ever again. So now every time I look at my sofa I get a bewildering sad/mad/low self-esteem emotional onslaught. Which is not conducive to relaxation.
What I’m saying is: brown sounds sensible.
thanks Kate. if I ever meet that douchebag I’ll knock him out x
I’ve just made a curtain mistake and am so pissed off at myself. Honestly they make me feel a little bit angry every time I go into the bedroom.
when it goes wrong IT GOES SO WRONG. I have change the living room window coverings twice. TWICE