New Sofa And/or Sectional

-We have two long leather (or you can get pleather) couches w/lazy-boy type kick outs for for legs at each end. They are easy to clean formula, milk spit up, toddler messy/dirty hands, dog hair etc.
-Then we have a nice comfy green fabric small couch. Warm, cozy. I flip the cushion, unzip the over to throw in washer dryer, use a dog hair rolly-sticky thing to pick up dog hair. Love these types for comfort and ease of cleaning. All comfy to sit in!

Ours is Eddie Bauer Lifestyles, by Lane.
We bought a full sofa, matching love seat, chair, and ottoman. (the chair and ottoman are in a different coordinating pattern/fabric).
We got them before our daughter was born, when our son was around 2, I think? So they are around 11 years old now. Still in fantastic shape!

The material for the sofa/love seat is a sort of brushed woven material, almost like a very very very fine cordoroy, but it isn't actually cordoroy (sp?). They have solid wood frame/build, and the metal tacks along the edges of the arm rests/ bottom edge. The cushions are reversible, and are filled with a down center fill, that has stayed in EXCELLENT condition. I just vacuum it periodically and have used a citrus spray for any spills. It really doesn't have any stains-- and that is through my son's toddler years and my daughter's entire LIFE. Plus, we have a 7 yr old german shepherd (who isn't and never has been allowed on the furniture though). She does sometimes take naps on it if we aren't home and she thinks we won't notice, lol. The cushions/bottom bracing don't even squeak when you sit down on it. My husband sleeps on the sofa from about 2 am - 6:30 am a few times a week (he wakes up in the middle of the night and comes out to the family room and turns on the TV until he falls back asleep).
Honestly, they still look practically brand new. And FEEL that way, too. They are a forest green color. (The chair and ottoman are a sort of plaid weave with burgundy, moss and gold/brown tones).

We ordered them (customized the fabric) without ever having sat on them (no store displays--saw them in a Lane magazine while shopping furniture stores). They were pricier than "Rooms to Go" furniture, of course, but you get what you pay for when it comes to furniture. I think we paid around $1800 for the sofa and love seat. Then went back and ordered the chair and ottoman after we fell in love with the quality of the sofa.

We live in a different house now, and keep thinking we need to buy different furniture for the room, since it doesn't work that well with the oddities of the family room we have. But I can't justify buying anything when this stuff is still in such wonderful condition. It has a LOT of years left in it.

Hope this helps. Happy shopping!

oh.. we bought it at Jesup Furniture Outlet. But I don't know if they deliver to TX. LOL
http://www.jesupfurnitureoutlet.net/Jesup.htm

pps. I just went to Lane's website and they don't seem to carry the Eddie Bauer pieces anymore (not in sofas). But this looks similar to the style we have. Our sofa (full length, 90") only has 2 cushions on the bottom, not divided into thirds. And the back (like the photo) has no pillows, it is solid across the back with a seam down the middle, not in thirds.
http://www.lanefurniture.com/Furniture/Living-Room-Furnit...

I know you want comments from those who bought their sectionals within the year, but I have to say "why?" You probably want to hear from people who have sectionals that have been put to the test, and still look good!

With that said, I have two sets of brand name furniture, both purchased 9 years ago, and they look as good as the day we bought them. And I have a house of all males (even the 2 80 lb hunting dogs)! I paid a hefty price for them, but was told they would be worth the investment, because the manufacturers had a reputation for quality furniture.

One set (not a sectional) was from a furniture designer called Bauhaus. It's a German company and they specialize in contemporary/modern style furniture. Macy's and Room and Board carry this brand for sure, but do a google search if this interests you.

Our other sectional (in the family room where it takes a daily beating) was designed by Broyhill and was purchased at JC Penney's furniture gallery (I don't think they have these anymore).

Both are cotton synthetic blend fabric...and very easy to keep clean. The Bauhaus set is an olive green (more on the bright side) and repels stains very well. This is in our more formal sitting/living room and has had coffee and wine spilled on it, and you'd never know. While mostly adult visitors use this room and sit on this furniture, the kids have jumped on it in their shoes, ate and spilled food on it, and even a couple of friends have spent the night on it, and the look as good as they day they were delivered by the store.

The Broyhill is a deep Forest Green, and with the exception of ocassional blond dog hair (which easily vacuums up), also looks like the day we bought it. This couch takes a total beating regularly. The kids always make the cushions into a fort, hop, sleep, eat, roll on it. The hide a bed gets used regularly for sleepovers and out of towners (which by the way everyone says the matress is very nice).

Once a year, I use our shampooer with the furniture attachment and clean the furniture. Otherwise weekly vacuuming is all they need. The cushions have held up fantastically on both sets of furniture. The designs were classic so as trends and decor has changed in popularity, these pieces have held their own style-wise.

My mother had a Lane couch that I inherited but gave to a friend that also made it several decades in mint condition, despite kids and pets. My friend loves this couch (vintage 1960's) and has no plans to ditch it anytime soon. I say look for a company that has a reputation for quality...you cant go wrong.

see; http://www.lanefurniture.com/Default.aspx

As an aside to make a point about quality...we also have an IKEA sectional in another room (it's a guest room/den) that is only 4 years old and it looks like it is ready to be left on the side of the curb. For the money we paid, the quality stinks! The fabric faded within 3 months of purchase making it look really tacky. The cushions lost their shape, and the foam seat (which isn't removable) has started taking on the shape of the many "butts" that have been planted on it. Really too bad, since no one in the house is really heavy enough to to do this on any other furniture in the house...so obviously the couch is junk.

So I say from my own personal experience, go with anything from Bau Haus, Broyhill or Lane. These companies have a track record for quality. If you stick with traditional or classic styles, they'll stand up to the test of time in both looks and style. Yes, they are an investment costwise, but if they last for a longtime, despite kids and day to day life, it is well worth it and more cost effective in the long run.

See:
http://www.bauhaususa.com/
http://www.bauhaus2yourhouse.com/collections/by-type
http://www.broyhillfurniture.com/Furniture/Living-Room-Fu...

One of my friends swears by her Amish made custom furniture she bought in Wisconsin 6 years ago. She had a mission style couch and chairs made for her family room and a dining room table. She paid some serious dollars, but the quality is soo good, they're certainly heirloom pieces she'll be able to leave for her kids someday. Just some food for thought.

See: http://www.amishfurniturewarehouse.biz/

I would highly recommend the Flexsteel brand of sofas/sectionals (flexsteel.com). We bought ours in 1998 and the darn thing is still going strong. Seriously, it still looks and feels brand new after very heavy use (it is the main source of seating in my LR). My mom also had one for many many years - that's where I first heard of this brand. We are moving soon - I would like to get a new couch, but hard to justify since this one is still in such great shape!

Well I went to Furniture Row 5 years ago and my sofa is still great. its leather its easier to clean if you spill something. just ve careful with writting on it with pens or markers.wipe it immediately and cleans well.its very comftythe leather adjust to the climate. if its hot its fresh if its cold it gets warm right away when you seat on it and you can put your feet up with every seat it has like a recliner seats . it also has a slot to place drinks. I love it. worth the money!

We have a Sactional, made by a company called Love Sac. They make bean-bag type chairs in addition to the sectional sofa. We have loved ours. We bought it online after "trying it out" in the store. If you're in Frisco, there's a store at the Stonebriar mall. It's very comfy and versatile. And what we love is that the cushions have removable, washable covers. Perfect for our messy kids! We have microfiber covers on ours. It's a lot of fun to mix up the sofa configurations, it's like we have new furniture everytime we change it.

IKEA has sofas and sectionals with removable slip covers. I had the sectional for nearly 10 years and it held up pretty well. I had 2 slipcovers so I could change the look, and they were washable, great with all the dirt my boys brought in on their clothes.

watch out for Microfibre- we thought it would be perfect with two boys easy to clean all that. The problem is we have two dogs- they are never allowed on the furnitur- but you wouldnt know with the microfibre it was always covered in hair I bought a huge lint roller and would have to roll it everyday, Honestly all furniture in my house is leather usually well made durable and despite what people think very very easy to keep up.