Latest news with #sofa
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
I Lived Without a Sofa for 2 Months: These 3 Solutions Made It Work
Like many city dwellers, I've always had the problem of too little space in my Manhattan apartment. So when I found myself without a sofa for what I thought would be a week at most, I was thrilled. It felt like the scene in Step Brothers where Will Ferrell yells to John C. Reilly, 'So many activities!' It was the perfect time to declutter my living room before our new sofa arrived. But then a week turned into two months (hello, shipping delays and tariffs!), and I began to get a little antsy without the couch. There wasn't an estimated time for when the sofa would arrive, which made things worse. I thought, how long could we go without such an essential piece? I'm self-aware enough to admit patience is a virtue I lack. Still, after some griping to anyone who would listen, I finally decided that rather than grumbling about the missing couch, I would actually enjoy the free space and maybe even find another way to use it. Turns out, some people intentionally forgo sofas, so I thought I'd take a page out of their book for the time being. How to Adjust to a Living Room Without a Sofa Rethink Your Floor Plan Our previous sofa, which was a large, vintage corduroy sectional, took up most of the room. We actually had to hire a 'couch doctor' to disassemble it on the street and put it back together in our living room. So once it was in place, all the other furniture had to revolve around it. With this anchor piece gone, we had a great opportunity to rearrange things. Take the Opportunity to Declutter I'm a fan of regular decluttering and donating, but I'll admit that when I had a couch in this space, it felt a little overwhelming to do an inventory of the things I wasn't wearing or using anymore. It just felt like there wasn't a place to do that work. So, I took advantage of all the extra square feet to do a complete overhaul. I didn't even feel guilty about basically covering every inch of free floor space in our closet (when paring back my wardrobe) because I wasn't going to host guests anyway without a couch. And the couch-less area you see above also became a great staging area for decluttering other things in the apartment. Revel in the Free Space Channeling my original Step Brothers energy, I accepted what was and turned design lemons into personal lemonade, if you will. The couch-less living room became my rec room. It's somewhat embarrassing to admit this, but I don't usually have enough space to roll out a yoga mat and exercise, so that's exactly what I did. I also had several spontaneous dance parties when I needed a pick-me-up. Without the ability to sit on a sofa and watch television, I read more books than usual. And whenever I needed to sit in the room, I just pulled a chair in from the dining area and set up a desk at my dresser. In the end, our new sofa finally arrived. And while it was comfortable and pleasant for entertaining and relaxing, the room has become somewhat busy again. Even though I don't think I'd want to go that long without a sofa again, I'll admit sometimes I do miss those dance parties and decluttering sessions. Further Reading We Used Our New 'Room Plan' Tool to Give This Living Room 3 Distinct Styles — See How, Then Try It Yourself The Design Changemakers to Know in 2025 Create Your Own 3D Room Plan with Our New Tool
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Independent
8 best sofas, tried and tested by interior experts for style and comfort
The heart of the living room, the best sofas are the perfect place to unwind after a long day, gather with family and friends, or simply stretch out to watch your favourite show. A great sofa combines comfort, durability, and design. It needs to stand up to everyday wear and tear – whether that's kids jumping on cushions, pets claiming their favourite spot, or inevitable spills from snacks or drinks – and fabric choice is key, with stain-resistant materials that are easy to clean proving popular for busy households. But durability isn't everything. Sofas come in all shapes and sizes, from compact two-seaters to expansive sectionals designed for entertaining, and then there are cushion fillings to consider. Do you prefer something soft and sink-in or a firmer, more supportive style? The design factor also matters – whether you're drawn to minimalist modern lines, timeless traditional shapes, or cosy farmhouse aesthetics, there's a style to suit every taste. While it can be tempting to follow fast-moving trends, a sofa is a big investment, both financially and in terms of its place in your home. That's why we're on hand to help you choose one that will stand the test of time, in both quality and appearance. Here, we've curated a wide range of options to suit every need, from affordable buys to premium pieces built to last, to help you find the perfect sofa for your space. How we tested We lounged our way through a range of two, three and four-seater settees. We visited showrooms and tested sofas in real-world settings, using them as you would in everyday life and putting them through more than just a sit test. Each one survived snack-time chaos and the relentless enthusiasm of small children using cushions as trampolines. Add in a couple of fluffy cats with a flair for shedding, and you've got a full-on furniture obstacle course. We considered a number of factors during testing, including: Design: The sofa often serves as the focal point of a living space, so we considered whether each piece made a bold contemporary statement or offered a more timeless, versatile appeal. We looked at a variety of seating options, from compact two-seaters to large sectionals, to assess how well each sofa would fit into everyday life without compromising aesthetics. Quality: A well-made sofa should offer both comfort and durability. We examined everything from frame construction and joinery to materials, favouring solid woods, reinforced corners, and high-quality upholstery. Attention to detail, from even stitching to smooth, supportive cushioning, helped distinguish superior sofas from the rest. Fabric choices: We considered a wide range of materials – from luxurious velvet and classic linen to durable leather and high-performance weaves – evaluating not just their aesthetic appeal but also how they held up to daily life. Colour variation was also key, with many models offering versatile palettes to suit different interior styles. To assess stain resistance, we conducted at-home tests using common spills like wine and food, noting how easily the fabric could be cleaned. Assembly: While some sofa models arrive fully assembled, others require partial or full assembly, ranging from attaching legs to building entire sections. If a sofa required assembly, we assessed how clear the instructions were, the number of tools needed, and how long the process took from start to finish. Comfort and support: We evaluated different cushion filling types – from soft feather blends to firm foam cores – to understand how each impacted overall feel and firmness. Seat depth and back height were also key, influencing posture and how easily you could relax or sit upright. We paid attention to how easy each sofa was to get on and off, especially for different body types, and whether the armrests added to the comfort or felt awkwardly placed. Extra features: We considered etra features and finishing touches that add value and elevate a sofa beyond the basics. Modular designs scored well for their flexibility, while built-in storage – often cleverly hidden beneath seats or in chaise sections – was a practical bonus for smaller homes. Why you can trust IndyBest reviews Ali Howard is a writer and interiors editor with an eye for excellent home and garden finds. Having tested products for IndyBest since 2019, Ali has written about everything from dining tables and wardrobes to chimineas. Sarah Jones is IndyBest's assistant eCommerce editor and has nearly 10 years of experience when it comes to writing and editing shopping content. She has a particularly keen eye for homeware and furniture, and has reviewed everything from mattresses to kids' beds, storage beds and even home beer dispensers. Lesser-known names and the latest trends are always on these writers' radars, and you can rest assured every piece in their final edit has been used and approved by them. The best sofas for 2025 are:
The Sun
14-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
I took a risk and ordered a sofa from Shein – but I saved £274, it came in 3 days and I rate it a 9/10 for comfort
A BARGAIN hunter has revealed that she took a risk and ordered herself a sofa from Shein. Not only did Janai Shantrell save £274 on the homeware buy thanks to an epic discount, but it was delivered incredibly quickly too. 2 2 Eager to show off her new purchase, Janai, who is from the US, took to social media and posted a snap of her Shein buy, leaving many gobsmacked. Alongside the clip, the savvy shopper penned: 'POV: I bought a couch off Shein.' Janai ordered the Furmax Modern U-Shape Sectional Sofa, which was once priced at $769.99 [£570.99], but had then been slashed down to $399.99 [£296.62]. Thanks to the 48% off discount, Janai saved an impressive $370 [£274] on the corner sofa. For less than £300, not only was Janai thrilled with the price of her new white couch, but she was overjoyed with its comfort too. The sofa arrived to Janai's home in numerous boxes, but it didn't take long for her to put it together. She later described it as 'pretty comfortable' and beamed: 'I rate it a 9/10.' And while many shoppers can find themselves waiting weeks for Shein hauls to arrive, Janai acknowledged: '[It] came in three days.' Janai added a variety of cushions and a cosy throw to the white sofa and now it looks super cosy in her apartment. She stressed that it 'takes two days for the cushions to fluff out' but now thinks her sofa 'looks great.' I bought a Shein sofa - it arrived in a single box & took 72 hours to 'inflate' And Janai's TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ janaishantrell, has clearly impressed many, as it has quickly gone viral and racked up six million views. Not only this, but it's also amassed 222,000 likes, 633 comments and 37,100 shares. Social media users were stunned by Janai's 'cute' purchase and eagerly raced to the comments to express this. One person said: 'That's a bargain.' Another added: 'So cute!' What is Shein and is it legit? Shein is an online-only fast-fashion retailer, based out of China, that has become a number one shopping destination for many around the world. The company was valued at $66billion in 2023, dwarfing that of popular high street brands Zara and H&M. The fashion retailer was founded in late 2008, by entrepreneur and marketing specialist Xu Yangtian, also known as Chris Xu. Shein is a legitimate selling website and is not a phishing scam. But you may receive a disappointing order or run into shipping issues if you order from the site, according to reviews. There have been swathes of quality complaints, which makes sense when looking at the price tag. Whilst one Shein shopper beamed: 'Omg I neeeed.' Meanwhile, someone else asked: "Is it heavy?' To this, Janai confirmed: 'Yes, the boxes were heavy.' At the same time, one user penned: 'I will buy one off there but be scared it's a scam.' Janai then wrote back and admitted: 'I was scared too.' Not only this, but another asked: 'A full size? I know someone who ordered a sofa and it was for a doll's house.' In response, Janai explained: 'I was nervous about the size but it's bigger than I expected.'
The Sun
10-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
I bought a £103 sofa from Shein and it arrived in a tiny box but now it's built it looks stunning and so much bigger
WHILE many of us will buy holiday clothes, bags and even shoes from Shein, one woman has revealed that she took a risk and bought herself a brand new sofa. A bargain hunter named Martha spotted a gorgeous two seater sofa on the global e-commerce platform and decided to make an order. 3 3 Eager to share her thoughts on her bargain buy, which cost her just over £100, Martha took to social media to show off her new living room purchase. Posting online, Martha gave her followers a close-up look at the tiny box her sofa arrived in, as she wrote: 'What I ordered VS What I got.' Viewers then saw the content creator reading instructions and putting the sofa together. But before long, her new sofa was built and ready to be used. While the 'comfy' loveseat, which also has two storage pockets, was originally priced at £164.68, Martha managed to nab it for only £103.35, thanks to a 37% off discount. Now, the two seater velvet couch is priced at £123.48, as a result of a 25% off discount. Thrilled with her sofa, Martha furnished the living room buy with two spotted cushions and put it on top of a fluffy white rug. This Shein sofa is available in six different colours - flannel green, flannel grey, flannel blue, linen light green, linen grey and Martha's choice, linen beige. For just £103.35 (or £123.48 if you purchase it now), we think it looks great and is a real bargain. I bought a £315 sofa off Temu and it arrived in two small boxes - but it's HUGE, super sturdy & took minutes to assemble And it's clear that many others do too, as Martha's TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ doo_ronald, has quickly racked up 471,200 views. Not only this, but it's also amassed 10,600 likes, 19 comments, 1,467 saves and 1,801 shares. What is Shein and is it legit? Shein is an online-only fast-fashion retailer, based out of China, that has become a number one shopping destination for many around the world. The company was valued at $66billion in 2023, dwarfing that of popular high street brands Zara and H&M. The fashion retailer was founded in late 2008, by entrepreneur and marketing specialist Xu Yangtian, also known as Chris Xu. Shein is a legitimate selling website and is not a phishing scam. But you may receive a disappointing order or run into shipping issues if you order from the site, according to reviews. There have been swathes of quality complaints, which makes sense when looking at the price tag. Social media users loved the sofa and eagerly raced to the comments to express this. One person said: 'It's lush.' Another added: 'This is nice.' To this, Martha wrote back and responded: 'It really is.' And it's not just those on social media that are loving the affordable sofa, as Shein shoppers have eagerly flocked to the website to share their praise for the purse-friendly homeware buy. The sofa has amassed an average rating of 5 out of 5, as one shopper beamed: 'Great quality, fast delivery!' Meanwhile, a second wrote: 'A very beautiful and big sofa, bigger than my expectations.' Whilst someone else simply shared: 'Just what he wanted.' Dunelm's top interior design trends for 2025 Maximalism Maximalism is about unleashing your creativity and bringing joy to everything around you, day in and day out. Bold pattern combinations of florals, checks and geometrics set the tone with a bright joyous colour palette that holds everything together. Don't mistake Maximalism for having loads of stuff, it's about mixing and matching florals, layering key pieces and storytelling throughout your home, and ultimately doing things your own way. Dunelm's new collaboration with Sophie Robinson is all about that. Minimaluxe The interiors world has witnessed the evolution of "minimalism" into a richer, more luxurious iteration. The goal is quiet luxury - simplicity with a sense of sophistication. Minimaluxe focuses on creating spaces that are pared down yet warm, elegant, and inviting. Gloriously tactile textures, in a palette of warm neutrals, with hints of caramel and gold, complete the look. Introducing softer forms and round edges to avoid a space feeling overly stark The Edit Built on the philosophy that having fewer thoughtfully designed and well-made things helps us leave a lighter imprint on the earth. Interior design is shifting to be inspired by the natural world, and all its perfect imperfections. Take Dunelm's The Edited Life collection, it focuses on natural materials like wicker, jute and linens - as well as décor pieces and hand-thrown pottery vessels that feature forms dictated by the artisan's mark. Soft relaxed fabric textures mixed with uneven wood grains help bring this neutral, look together. New Nouveau Blending 19th century inspired maximalism with a contemporary colour palette this collection takes inspiration from the ornamental art form from the Nouveau era. Rich and luxurious, blending a little bit of history with a more modern aesthetic you can mix and layer into your home. Stylised Lily motifs adorn sumptuous textiles and wallpapers mixed with marbling & stained glass vintage style lighting for a vintage inspired look, with a modern twist.
CTV News
04-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
B.C. court awards damages over sofa cushions that need constant ‘fluffing'
A British Columbia furniture store was ordered to pay $500 in damages to a couple who bought a sofa without knowing it was stuffed with feathers, after a provincial court judge heard testimony the couple was 'not prepared to continually fluff the cushions.' Donna and Thomas Dobko filed the claim against the Muse & Merchant store in Coquitlam, where they purchased the sofa and two ottomans in November 2023. Seven months later, they went back to the store to complain the cushions were deflating after they were sat on for an hour or two. The store manager told them the feather-filled sofa was not defective but 'required regular maintenance by fluffing the cushions,' Judge Wilson Lee wrote in his decision, published online Thursday. This apparently came as a surprise to the couple, who demanded a refund. 'Ms. Dobko said she would not have purchased the sofa had she known it was stuffed with feathers,' the judge wrote. 'Mr. Dobko said he was not prepared to continually fluff the cushions.' The store management refused to refund the $5,608.95 the Dobkos paid for the sofa set, but did show the couple how to maintain the cushions. The management also suggested the feather stuffing could be replaced with a foam core at the couple's expense. The store provided a quote of $1,232 to complete the work, but the Dobkos declined. 'Buyer's remorse' In the days that followed, store owner Colin Knudsen paid a visit to the couple's home to inspect the sofa, confirming it was functioning as intended and was not defective. Knudsen testified that the sofa could not be returned for a refund after seven months of use. He told the court the Dobkos looked at several different couches in the store before deciding on the Kalie sofa set, suggesting their complaint stemmed not from a faulty product but from 'buyer's remorse,' the judge wrote. The couple countered that the store misrepresented the couch and unfairly induced them to buy it. 'The evidence of the Dobkos is that the salesperson told them the Kalie sofa would hold its shape and form,' the judge wrote. 'This evidence is not contradicted' by the store managers. The court turned its attention to the sofa's warranty, supplied by the manufacturer Stylus, which described the couch's 'Feathersoft' construction and, importantly, provided a warning to retailers. 'It is important to qualify your customers when selling a Feathersoft cushion,' the warranty advised. 'Consumers should be aware of the following characteristics of a Feathersoft cushion.' It went on to detail how 'a feather cushion requires more maintenance' than a foam cushion, and 'the feathers and fibre are free to shift.' The warranty stated the cushions are meant to have a 'shabby-chic' and 'lived-in look,' concluding: 'Fluffing and rotating the cushions frequently will be required.' 'Solid and not floppy' The judge found 'no evidence' the Muse & Merchant salesperson knew of the manufacturer's caution about the sofa set and therefore it was not relayed to the Dobkos when they bought it. 'The uncontradicted evidence is that the Dobkos told the salesperson what they were seeking,' the judge wrote. 'Ms. Dobko said they were seeking furniture that was solid and not floppy.' When the Dobkos chose the Kalie sofa in the store, they did so without knowing it might lose its shape after more than an hour of use. 'This is beyond the time a consumer may reasonably take to test out a sofa in a store,' the judge found. 'Put another way, there was an implied term of the contract between the parties that the sofa would hold its shape and form, and that requirement was not met.' 'Peace of mind' Given that the sofa was not necessarily defective, and had already been in the couple's home for several months when the grievance began, the judge found a simple return and refund was not appropriate. 'The Dobkos' claim is more in the nature of damages for the inconvenience and distress of having to maintain the sofa, which they did not want or expect when the sofa was purchased,' he wrote. 'The evidence is clear that when the Dobkos use the sofa, they must go through the inconvenience of maintaining it.' That inconvenience deprives the couple of 'the peace of mind of not having to maintain the sofa' and warrants a remedy, the judge ruled. 'Nevertheless, the sofa itself still functions in the manner that the manufacturer intended. It is not defective, nor has it lost its value.' The court ordered Muse & Merchant to pay the Dobkos $500 in damages, plus $75 to help cover the cost of their court fees.
