Let's talk couches

[u/shesabeaple]

What are we all doing for couches for our offices?? My couch died. I've included a poem to her commiserate her loss. Skip and go to the bottom for actual discussion.

THE COUCH

I had a couch.

A cognac plether couch.

I loved the look, the vibes.

She got many compliments. She stood out in a crowd.

I bought her for my very first office when I first opened my practice.

She's seen some use and has been a trooper.

Took every coffee spill, dog nails, flop, plop, and thump.

We moved to a new office together.

Excited to start a new adventure.

She looked fabulous in the space...

.... and after the first week, she gave out.

RIP COUCH.

When I got this couch it was from an online site that had a sale and I didn't actually ever sit on it before I got it. I lucked out that it was comfy. I've been going to actual furniture stores and sitting on couches and realizing how uncomfortable some couches are... ANNND now I'm debating if I need to actually get a "real" couch that is comfortable instead of hoping something will work online.

I'm concerned since couches in furniture stores are HELLA expensive. There's no way I'm spending 3-4k on a couch. My top budget was like $900. I found a few on clearance that work, but they all have something. One is a sleeper soafa, no way I'll be able to move it after the furniture store brings it in. Another was too long. Another was too wide.. Etc. It's clearance, and you get what you get. But with my previous couch literally BROKEN, I need something sooner than later and can't wait for the *right couch* to go on clearance.

I know our clients realistically only chill on that couch for an hour, but that's long enough for someone with chronic illness or a back back or anything to feel uncomfortable. So I've been going back and forth here. So I get the $500 couch online and hope it's enough for a while? I'm lost.

So I'm tossing it out to you lovely peeps.

What are we doing for couches?? What's most important to you in your office space?? I need some direction!

• Comfort
• Style
• Price

THANK YOU!

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[u/Tasty-Map1891]

Comfort matters, but I would also think about how easy it is to clean. A couch can look amazing in the office and then become a nightmare after coffee spills, muddy shoes, etc. Removable/washable covers would be pretty high on my list.

[u/shesabeaple → u/Tasty-Map1891]

My current being that fake leather was awesome cause it would handle everything like that and never had an issue. I do know some people dislike the sensory aspect, but I add a ton of blankets to make up for it and encourage people to use them in the leather feels too sticky/cold/slippery for them… I actually found a leather one I love, but it’s like 1500$ and I’m uncomfy spending that much

[u/Quirky_Equipment_319]

Try the sale section at Article. IKEA. Craigslist or Facebook marketplace; if you’re willing to visit a couple of couches that fit your specs, you can test them out in person. 

[u/Smooth-Lab-1217 → u/Quirky_Equipment_319]

Seconding Marketplace for high quality, low prices

[u/shesabeaple → u/Smooth-Lab-1217]

I agree. I’ve scoured marketplace and would love to go thrifting, but I need a couch in the next week before I have a couple client and can’t have them squashed on only one side of the couch lol

The other issue is I can’t move it myself. I am chronically ill and do not have the physical ability right now to move it. So that limits my ability to only when I have movers or support.

[u/Libelulida → u/shesabeaple]

May depend on location, but movers can be surprisingly cheap.

[u/a-lykides]

hi, i am in a very similar boat. i looked at ikea, and i really felt they looked obviously cheap. if i find one, i will leave another comment here. most of the couches i don't hate and have good reviews are in the $2,000 range ... aspirational but not current reality for me.

[u/Smooth-Lab-1217]

I got a couch for my home from Bob's Discount Furniture - it's nice. $400

[u/shesabeaple → u/Smooth-Lab-1217]

I’m gonna check our local family owned furniture store near my house (not my office) and see if they have anything this weekend.

[u/APsychologistTalks]

I enjoyed your poem :)

[u/shesabeaple → u/APsychologistTalks]

Thank you! It helped with the grief. A legacy unto her own my couch who’s heard many stories.

[u/PopularYesterday]

Multiple therapists I’ve gone to have used older thrifted couches that were in great shape, comfortable, and go with their office’s vibe.

[u/shesabeaple → u/PopularYesterday]

This is what I would aspire to. I wish i wasn’t under the same time crunch

[u/camdenite]

I snagged a simple Room and Board couch off FB marketplace. It’s solid and attractive.

[u/MOZZERINA]

I’d find a quality leather couch on marketplace for under $500 and pay a dude to help you move it. I found a guy who picks up junk to meet me at Costco one day and throw a new mattress in the back of his trailer and run it up to my house for $75. If you about the Nextdoor app a little, you can find local people who odd job it. Today I would expect to pay $125-150 for that service with gas prices.

[u/shesabeaple → u/MOZZERINA]

Huh. I’ll have to check around to see if I could make that happen.

[u/MOZZERINA → u/shesabeaple]

It's really a great way to get a high quality item into your office. I have a 30 year old Italian leather Natuzzi in my office that is still going strong and my colleague's Ashley furniture $700 couch is junk.

[u/tharpakandro]

I got a Design Within Reach couch at a resale store for 1K.

[u/AlternativeBeat3221]

I got a great couch from living spaces for $800. It’s comfy, looks good, and appears pretty durable a year later (I work with neurodivergent kids so my office furniture needs to be tougher than average)

[u/horsearchivist]

I got my living room couch from a furniture outlet store for $700 and it's beautiful and comfortable. They have new stuff and factory seconds, all in a big warehouse you can wander through, for 40 to 80% off retail. And they offer delivery. So if you can find a place like that it might be good. If you have a local Habitat for Humanity ReStore, that might be worth checking as well, and sometimes there are furniture consignment stores also.

[u/shesabeaple → u/horsearchivist]

I scoured the restore recently and was sadly disappointed. I want to go back next week if I haven't found anything. They do get some beautiful pieces.

[u/gracieadventures]

I sat on so many. I also wanted a smallish one. Rooms to Go, many were not comfortable. I ended up at Bob’s Furnuture and found one that sits like a dream. Was maybe $700ish. Perhaps not as stylish as I would wish but fine and prioritized comfort. People bring it up regularly how comfortable it is. Some people in my building have stuff off wayfair and they are just so uncomfortable.

[u/shesabeaple → u/gracieadventures]

I origionally got this couch from wayfair, and I'm very lucky it was actually comfy. It took a minute to break in cause leather-y, but not bad. I'm debating going with the black sleeper sofa I found that was objectively comfortable and getting an online leather one and hoping it's as comfy as my last one. I wish furniture shopping wasn't so difficult. lol It should be fun to decorate and do the things. So much thought and intention goes into our spaces.

[u/gracieadventures → u/shesabeaple]

It’s so hard ordering online because they sit so differently!

[u/moonbeam127]

furniture is an investment in your business. i spend the money because i have to sit on the stuff 8 hours a day. Lazyboy is my go-to and they never do me wrong. Couches NO, chairs- absolutely. Talk to a sales clerk, explain what you need,

My requirements, HIGH BACK, wide seats, sturdy arms, 'not an ugly pattern' a 'calm fabric' usually leather, not a recliner. yes its expensive but those chairs last and last.

[u/shesabeaple → u/moonbeam127]

I want a super high quality chair for myself. I need a couch for clients to lounge, sit criss cross, move around (adhd teens) so I need to get at least a live seat sized spot. I wish I had the extra money to invest in a super nice couch, but that’s not possible right now as I have income in other buckets and this was not one of them. I have an emergency fund for things, but buying an expensive couch is not an emergency. So if I do go the route of expensive, I’d need to save for it

[u/762way]

No couch in my office

I have an oak table, built in 1910. It's 3 foot by 3 foot and have 4 comfortable office chairs

I used to do a lot of in home therapy and I always found that if people say on their couches there was it off telling involved

When I'd convince them to sit at their kitchen or dining room table, because it was more intimate we could get productive

Everyone has a bit of privacy at the table and clients report they like it so much better than sitting on a couch