How often do you replace your family/great room furniture?

[DancingWaters]

Shoppimg for new furniture for the family room. Found out our furniture is only 11 years old. I’m shocked it’s not older and feeling it didn’t last long. We do use our furniture excessfully with company and grandkids but wow.....we went through that fast.

 

[Talent312]

DW wants to replace ours.
But then, DW wants to spend $35K remodeling the kitchen, so...
.

 

[Glynda]

I just ordered two Hancock & Moore leather chairs to replace the pair we have been using multiple times a day for 25 years. A bit of the leather on the arm where hubby props his elbow has worn through to the lining but we lived with that awhile. Then abut a month ago, the bottom fell to the floor under the same one. Hubby fixed it but agreed to go with me to High Point to choose a new pair.

 

[pittle]

We have had 5 different sofas in 50 years. So, I guess every 10-12 years. I change chairs when they start looking "sad". When I retired January 2002, and we sold our house, we got rid of most of our "stuff" and started with new in our condo. Then we moved to AZ in 2007 and bought a larger house needed more. We bought a new Lazy Boy leather recliner-sofa 4 years ago, and it may be our last one to buy. Sometimes, I just want something different and will add some new pieces in and give the old away. Grandson will be moving into an apartment this summer for his last 2 years of college. I may offer to give him a leather recliner that I would like to replace.

 

[Tacoma]

I am awful at replacing anything that is not broken. Both sets of furniture upstairs and down are around 17 years old. Upstairs where we rarely sit is looking worn. Leather couches from Costco. Downstairs is probably looking worn too but are still comfortable so no rush to replace.

Joan

 

[controller1]

We're on our 4th set of family room furniture in 41 years of marriage.

 

[DancingWaters]

I’m happy to hear that some of you replace furniture every 10-12 years. I buy good products: lazyboy, flexsteel but either the fabric or springs wear out. The couch we have now has a huge dip in the springs which makes it really hard to get off of it....... so since I don’t feel so bad anymore, picking out new furniture could be fun!!! Thanks!!

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Wow. Never thought about this. We purchased high quality leather sofas and high-end chairs and they look great after 16 years of daily use by teenagers. Like with cars, we buy high quality brands and then try to keep them going as long as possible.

We would rather spend the money on travel and college bills right now. When our kids graduate from college, we have a long list of home improvements to tackle.

 

[WinniWoman]

In 41 years of marriage we have rarely replaced ANY of our furniture. We don't have a great room. We have a den/tv area off our kitchen.

When we first moved here 31 years ago, we used my parents old porch furniture in there. Then I purchased a colonial pull -out sleeper couch and recliner for it. After quite a number of years, we sold it and we bought another couch. Now we have leather theater seating/recliners that I ordered on line.

But really, I only replaced the sleeper sofa because I felt it was too bulky and I got tired of it taking up so much room. It was in great shape when I sold it. The recliner we had - the material was wearing out. The other couch was in good shape also, but was starting to wear a bit and fade/discolor (it was a mix if colors with off white). Plus, I had dogs at the time.

I would say this all adds up to maybe every 10 years, though I think we might be keeping this set longer. In fact, the mechanisms in the recliners break every so often and we have to replace the parts. We get them on Amazon. Glad hubby is handy.

We hope to move in a year or so, so no sense in replacing it.

Just about 2 years ago I finally replaced my living room furniture. It was like 35 years old.

 

[Passepartout]

My parents were in the furniture 'game'. So I got Drexel and Heritage overstuffed and case (wood) goods. Our leather sectional looks like it did in 2003, and the Drexel Declaraton (Danish modern) bedroom suite look like 1965. We've re-upholstered the Heritage couch in a seldom-used living room, and it will outlast us- unless we are shuttled off to the 'home'. In which case the grown kids will need to hire help and a bigger dumpster to haul it all to the landfill.

Along with the crystal, china and sterling flatware, nobody wants that 'stuff' anymore.

Jim

 

[joestein]

We moved into our house in 2001 and bought new living room and family room couches/chairs within a year or two. We still have our living room furniture. It is good quality leather furniture by Natuzzi.

We recently had to get rid of our family room furniture because the contractors who are redoing our entire first floor, ruined the couch. It was fabric furniture, but very good quality by Flex Steel.

Lastly, we bought a new bedroom set 3 years ago, this is the replacement we got for the one we purchased at the time we got married. So, we had that set for around 20-21 years. Also a good brand, Kincaid. Bought a replacement set by the same brand.

I think that if you buy quality stuff it can last for many years.

Now, we need to buy new family room furniture to replace the ones that the contractors ruined. We saw leather couches at BOBs that we love. The Kennedy leather sofa in Gray (has a pebble type leather) I am hesitant to buy anything from BOB. Not expensive, but not cheap. Still thinking it over.

 

[elaine]

I have a fabulous Century sofa that is 25 years old. I so regret picking an in fashion fabric (jewel tone stripes) which became dated 15 years ago. I couldn’t justify getting a new sofa so it has had 3 different slip covers. New mantra is to buy neutral for $ pieces.
Also had a flexsteel sofa that withstood 20 years of kids and teens doing front flips onto it. Loved it but fabric (tapestry weave) also out in my decor book. Went to ds’s basement. Replaced it with cream pottery barn style sectional from havertys-but made in USA. Will be happy to get 7 years out of it and then give away. 1/3 of the price of higher end stuff so I’m happy with 7 years. Havertys leather recliner wing chairs are 20 years old and bottom somewhat falling out. Love those things. DH rigged to last a bit longer.
When we move to retire, virtually nothing is coming with us. Going to coastal area and want a lighter look.

 

[1st Class]

We're on our 3rd set of FR furniture in 35 years. Also reupholstered two of the original chairs, because I couldn't find suitable replacements as good as what we have. We still have our original sleeper sofa which was moved to the kids playroom after we had been in the house about 10 years. Surprisingly, it still looks good even after what the kids and their friends put it through!! The 2nd sofa went to DD and is still going strong. We bought high quality and I had no idea it would outlive its usefulness. It didn't really wear out, so much as I tired of the style. I think about 10-12 years is a good life for furniture and after that point I'm ready for something fresh and new.

 

[bluehende]

To answer this question I still describe our furniture style as early marriage.

 

[AnnaS]

Almost 37 years of marriage. We are on our second bedroom set and third living room set, and third small kitchen table (we barely use it/just changed for different style/inexpensive). The table I do use everyday - second one.

Spare couch we use often - down the finished basement - I think we are also on our third one.

We raised three children in our home and three different dogs.

We are definitely ready for a new L.R. and new mattress.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Furniture seems to be one of the few household items that has become less expensive compared to 30 years ago thanks to the China trade. I remember couches costing upwards of $3000+. Now it seems you can buy a nice leather sectional sofa set from Costco for about $1000.

Note to self: Might be optimal to replace items soon before tariffs and trade tensions increase prices.

 

[AJCts411]

How often..depends on how soon the cats and dogs tear it up. LOL.

 

[PigsDad]

We've averaged about 10 years with our family room furniture. We don't care for leather furniture, so I'm sure that shortens the replacement time a bit as we will replace when the fabric starts showing wear. We usually buy medium-good quality furniture, but the family room furniture is by far the most used in the house. We do have a formal living room, and that furniture is about 25 years old but still in great shape.

Kurt

 

[VacationForever]

Our recently deceased cat tore up every fabric furniture that we have, valued around $60K. We have one more cat and after that cat goes, we are planning to replace all furniture in the living and dining room area to get rid of shredded fabric and cat hair. Oh, we have to replace shredded carpet and rugs too. The cat who passed away loved to shred furniture while the other loves to shred carpet and rugs.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

That's why I like leather. We have cats that dislike the leather. For fabric chairs, we use sticky paws. Breaks them of the habit very quickly. We also have plenty of cat scratchers too.

 

[VacationForever]

That's why I like leather. We have cats that dislike the leather. For fabric chairs, we use sticky paws. Breaks them of the habit very quickly. We also have plenty of cat scratchers too.

I wanted to use sticky paws from day one but my husband said they looked tacky and then he is upset with how every piece of furniture gets destroyed. We also use a bitter spray that seemed to be somewhat effective. We have enough scratchers to have our own section in a pet supply store...

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Agree that sticky paws are not optimal. However having shredded couches looks tacky too. Once the pets habits are broken, you can remove the sticky paws.

This is why I prefer leather because the cats do not like.

 

[WinniWoman]

Our new living room furniture is a brown, stain resistant microfiber and one chair is light gray. I expect this furniture to last until we are dead. Same goes with the giant rustic coffee table.

When we move- no bedroom furniture is coming with us. We will buy a new mattress and frame and small end tables and lighting and that’s it. Everything we own clothes wise will have to be organized into the closet area.

Not sure about anything else because it will depend where and what we are moving into.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Our family room furniture is also microfiber. It's Lazy Boy reclining furniture, and I love it. The kids couldn't believe I got sage green furniture 12 years ago. They give me a hard time about the color, but it was either this or off-white without a special order, and I didn't want to pay more or wait a long time to get it. Besides, I thought. Rick had to replace the parachute handle on my loveseat. My loveseat cushion also looks pretty squished in the place I always sit. That drives Rick crazy because he walks by the cushion and pulls the top little pillow part back up out of the sinkhole it's settling into every day.

 

[clifffaith]

We move often (first home bought 1984, then 1991, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2011), all homes within a few minutes of each other. We have had two living room sofas (each one reupholstered once) and three family room sofas during that time. The current home has an oversized living room, so the main area holds the reupolstered sofa and the extra sitting/library area holds the rattan furniture that was in the turret room at our previous home. We haven't got a den or family room in this home because in theory the room off the kitchen is supposed to be the family room, but I set it up with a humongous dining room table that seats ten. The area off the living room we use as sitting/library (used even less than the living room) was the dining room when we moved in.

We miss the days we had cats that shredded sofa fabric -- JB, nick named the Orange Menace, has instead destroyed all the door jambs and the side of the dresser. In the hallway outside the master bedroom he has also destroyed the sheet rock next to the jamb. We stole him from his previous owner when we found him locked in the garage with no water -- he was about a year old at the time and I think he spent his days clawing the wood in the garage which started him on his wood destroying habit. (I'd paid to have him neutered, then for another vet visit when I found him with a hurt leg because I knew the old man he was living with couldn't afford it, so when I found him locked up because the man's son didn't want the cat in the house, I just took him. He'd go back to visit the old man, but quickly figured out he was better fed at our house. If we bring Mexican food or donuts in to this day JB is right there demanding a bite because apparently he was fed table scraps).