Some things in life have an expiry date to make things easy for us. Like a date and time on a ticket so you don’t miss the gig, or the match or the start of the film. Even if you ignore the expiry date, a pint of milk gives a pretty clear indication after a few days that it’s time to buy another one. Looking at the humble sofa in comparison, and it’s completely open to subjective opinion when it needs to be replaced.
Even if your sofa is a little worn around the edges, or the cushions have sagged and the colour has faded, this doesn’t automatically mean you need to rush out and invest in a new one. “There’s another year left in that at least” is a familiar cry in households across the nation as couples drop hints and adopt selective hearing as applicable.
There is no definitive lifespan for a sofa as it depends on what quality it is, how you look after it, your dedication to passing trends and your tolerance towards it looking a little bit shabby. Many people love the well-worn look and it is certainly en vogue, but there comes a time when the lines between style, comfort and being an outright spendthrift become a little blurred.
A sofa as an investment
Of course most people view a sofa as an investment, and hence the more you spend on a sofa the longer you should expect it to last. There is no doubt that you pay for quality, and undoubtedly there is nothing wrong with buying a cheap sofa and being fully prepared to replace it every three or four years. This is still cost-efficient and it may also work for you personally if you become easily bored by a certain look, or shape or fabric.
Investing in a sofa is also an indication of how long you are prepared to keep your living room looking the same. But then you can buy a sofa where the fabric can be changed, or maybe it is a neutral colour that allows the décor to be changed around it? It is not unusual for a sofa to travel from house-to-house with you and it is that kind of prophetic thinking that can influence how much you spend on a sofa. So whether it is faux leather, suede or fabric, or a two-seater, three-seater or a corner sofa, your sofa is essentially your sofa as long as you want it.
How you can make your sofa live for longer
Generally-speaking you should expect to see over 10 years from an average sofa bought at an average price. But certainly this is routinely extended to 15-20 years with an astute purchase, and people do talk wistfully about the padded leather sofa that has seen off 35 years, three different houses, a lifetime of parties and has stayed loyal to the family like a faithful Collie.
There is plenty you can do to extend the life of a sofa:
- Vary the position you sit on it
- Pad or fluff the cushions up from time-to-time
- Turn the seat cushions over
- Clean the fabric or wash if the seat cushions are removable
- Use a throw on occasions to protect the fabric
- Implement rules about food and drink on the sofa
All this should help to avoid flat seat cushions, worn arms and bare fabric or scuff marks on the arms or legs of the sofa. General care and maintenance can certainly get another few years out of the average sofa, and you should look after it just like it is one of the family. Like the rest of us, the humble sofa has many stories to tell, there is no reason why it should be cut off in its prime and with general care and attention you should always get value for money.
Fancy an upgrade? Take a look at our ‘guaranteed to fit’ range of fabulous Nabru sofas.
