cats and furniture don't mix, period.
unless you take their little claws out and keep them inside.
That's how mine (the cats) last 20 years or more.
My cat has run of the manor, including all furniture. Not the bathrooms, though. I never let him in the bathroom unless I'm there. Given an average bathroom, my cat could destroy the planet.
I do have a cat but she is almost always outside or in the garage. She comes in to sleep and thats about it.
These kind of things are why I hate buying new stuff. You have an obligation to take care of it. I'd rather have worn in stuff that you don't have to worry about.
My idea was to get some "disposable" furniture, like from Ikea or something -- something that would last us a few years until Mo got bigger but Mr. B thinks that is an unsound idea as you're just throwing money away and filling up the landfills at the same time. He believes in buying things that last.
I'll give him points for that.
You have an Ikea nearby?
Run, don't walk!!!
They're not nearly as disposable as you might think, and THEY have some very nice-looking leather couches that I seriously considered getting in Chicago before moving here (since there isn't one around here). Only thing that deterred me was that I was looking for a sleeper sofa, and the sleeper part of Ikea sofas wasn't so great. The sofa part was awesome, though, and if that's what you're looking for -- just a sofa, no sleeper -- do it, I say!!!
We have two Ikea armchairs that we adore, not throw-away at all. Got one about 8 years ago (same time as couch), it's withstood all kinds of stuff and is still going strong. The fabric print we chose is still appreciated, too (sometimes this stuff goes out of style fast). The other armchair is one I did get in Chicago before moving, so only a year or so old, but it's very, very useful and comfortable, and the thing cost $99!!
The idea of Ikea= throwaway is outdated, especially when it comes to their upholstered furniture. They certainly have cheap and cheaply made stuff, but their top-of-the-line stuff is very, very nice and durable while also way less than what you'd have to pay elsewhere.
Then there's always this:
http://portland.craigslist.org/fur/
Lots of couches there.
This is interesting! Seems like you could do something with it, great price:
http://portland.craigslist.org/fur/101750752.html
Not that exciting, but stain guard:
http://portland.craigslist.org/fur/101775905.html
(I adore shopping, especially if I don't actually have to spend money... :-))
There is an Ikea in Seattle, that's the closest one. I did look at their stuff online but they didn't have a huge selection. Maybe I'll look again.
I haven't been to Ikea in ages and the only thing I ever bought there was a plant. But I do still have the plant so that accounts for something.
Maybe I need to take a second look at them.
I have been checking out Craigslist but I haven't come across anything I really want and I don't really want to spend money on something that I don't want.
I keep thinking I'll come across something but honestly, it seems that most of those people value their furniture more than I do.
There is a really good consignment store I've been watching too.
I've got an Ikea chair that I bought in mmmmmmm 1983 - still holding up well. Shelves etc from the same time are in good shape - as long as they're the real wood ones. Some of the particle board ones I inherited from various friends and roommates fell apart over the years.
Both of my sofas are ancient. One, I bought at Goodwill for $35 in 1988, and had reupholstered with some amazingly durable Laura Ashley 1600's print. It was originally from the 1940's, and the upholsterer said the frame will outlive us both. The other is a sofa the hamburgers bought sometime in the late 1970's. It needs to be either reupholstered or turfed. Thing is, it's hard to find that kind of quality hardwood frame for the kind of money I'm willing to pay. I'll probably have to do a fabric search.
I hate dealing with sofas. The upside of reupholstering is that I'll end up with precisely what I'm after. The Goodwill catch was rebuilt from a George Jetson style sofa into something more Williamsburg/Shabby Chic.
Hey! I got a table and chairs! I feel so grown up and respectable. It was really nice to have a place to sit down and drink my coffee and read my newspaper. After 10 months of reading/drinking while standing at the kitchen counter I had forgotten how relaxing having a table could be.
It is probably from the 40s or so -- nice enough to like but not so nice you have to freak out about every single thing that might happen to it.
Maybe breaking down and buying a table will act as a laxitive towards actual sofas.
Thanks!
I'm very pleased with it. It's mahogany (even the inside of the drawers are mahogany) and it has a very nice pantina.
Unfortunately it has white panne velvet upholstry on the seats. I plan on hitting the fabric store this weekend to update their funeral home appearance.
Also, it is a drop leaf table and Mo is already eyeing it for its diving board potential.
Good news, boomer!
~~~~~~
This thread inspired me to talk to friends about locating a good upholsterer for my sofa. I've got a lead, and I'm finally getting my collection of fabric organized for the project <ticking fabric for the body of the sofa/a variety of toiles for the pillows>
My brother's grandmother made custom slip covers for people years and years ago. Fabulous things. Really wonderful and beautiful.
That and reupholstry seem to be dying arts. I think it says a lot about how disposable everything has become.
Now that I have a reasonable idea of what new sofas cost perhaps I'll check out some older ones -- look for some good bones -- and have them redone. Mr. B is pretty insistent on leather though and I think that option might cost a bundle. It might be less expensive to buy new.
Worth investigating anyway!
Oooh, I adore mahogany. And 40's stuff, too.
My favorite fabric store is going out of business, one of those good news/ bad news things -- sad that they can't stay in business, loving the discounts. Have gone in every week for the past several weeks and scored something great each time. Mmmm, fabric.
I like old things so much better than new.
There is one really incredible fabric store here in town called The Whole Nine Yards -- one of the few independantly owned fabric stores I've ever seen. They have stuff to die for. Of course, their prices nearly kill me too.
This table came with 8 chairs and even though it won't take much to recover them but I'll easily need two and a half yards. At $80 or so a yard it would cost me more for fabric than it would to buy the table!
I'll probably hit Calico Corners then go look for the knockoffs at Mill End.
Mmmmm fabric. I can spend the day in a good fabric store.
I could re-upholster those chair seats for ya, Boomer.
I've done some minor league <as in, more flat than curved> reupholstery. I've thought about taking one of the night courses that is offered at the local high schools and colleges so I could go a bit further with it.
Fabric and yarn.
<sigh>
Some of the fabric I got was for some very minor-league upholstery -- a cushion for sozlet's window seat. Got the foam from Jo-Ann fabrics, all set to go. Haven't decided yet if I want to go it Trading Spaces-style (get a board, put foam on board, stretch fabric over foam and board, staple fabric to the bottom of the board) or just make a case for the whole thing. Leaning towards the latter 'cause I don't have a board of the right size and also that provides washing opportunities (though this fabric is Scotchgarded! yay!).
I think I can handle the chairs seats. I did my old ones many times. I'll just have to find the staple gun!
The community college here offers classes too. I've always been tempted. A lot of times they're looking for furniture to work on -- you might want to contact them about doing your sofa!
I was at a trade show recently and a woman there was exhibiting her knitting store. Ohmanohmanoman, those yarns were unbelievable! Outrageous pretty.
I love being able to decide what fabric to use for things rather than having to settle for whatever the stores are selling. I'm not a great seamstress but I can handle basic home decore things.
My neighbors would be getting an eyeful if I had to rely on store-bought curtains. I do have some cool jute shades that I bought a Pier 1 -- they make a great backdrop to whatever you put in front of them.
Soz, I am a believer in the stretch and staple method!
But I think that's because I don't sew so swell.
