Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why are most sofas so bad?

dwell.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

431–440 of 762 posts

Re: Why are most sofas so bad?

#431

Post by salad-tycoon »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #382
hammock wrote: post #221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can still get made in the USA sofas with real hardwood, not rubber wood, which is fine, or worse, soft pine or particleboard or OSB) North Carolina was and is the center of solid wood furniture), and they still cost several to many thousands of dollars, and they will still last 100+ years with a couple reupholsterings or so, but most furniture comes from Asia now and is sold for 10x less, and is not worth reuphol…

>and you will be lucky if it lasts 10 years. I have at least 20 various pieces of furniture from IKEA that have lasted more than 10 years, some even closing on 20, even after multiple moves to various college dorms. Dresser drawers, dining table, sofa, bed platform, sit stand desk, etc. I do not think I have ever thrown something out for breaking. Maybe gets scuffed or scratched up or chipped, but you can mostly use…

I agree with the comments below but would like to add that the IKEA of 10-20 years ago is not the IKEA of today. Many of their product lines have been made “more eco friendly” per their argument but in reality are cost saving measures. E.g wood countertops are veneer now and other things that you could buy as solid wood are veneer.

You got in when the going was good. I think you can still buy decent enough stuff but having moved a few times myself and then friends and family a lot of the newer stuff is one time use, don’t pick it up, don’t look at it cross eyed, kinda stuff and it shows.

Re: Why are most sofas so bad?

#432

Post by HlessClaudesman »

m463 wrote: post #332
btbuildem wrote: post #181

Twenty some years ago I used to work at a business that made and delivered sofas. They've got showrooms in key large cities in North America, fancy schmancy top end stuff. The factory was a real place; the frames were made of solid wood and plywood, there was a sewing floor and even one (incredibly kooky) person whose sole job was to stuff the pillows. This guy was in a little room full of feathers all day, and they'…

I think the problem I've noticed is - the furniture that is built to last very frequently fails the partner test - "that looks like old fart stuff". Same sort of issue with cool remote controls. For example, la-z-boy has pretty good controls - remotes have better designs, have lots of adjustments, and motors seem to move faster. And they too fail the partner test - "that looks like old fart stuff" I kind of like some…

Even Ikea has a "granny shit" sofa selection.

Re: Why are most sofas so bad?

#433

Post by HlessClaudesman »

namaria wrote: post #410
m463 wrote: post #332

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the problem I've noticed is - the furniture that is built to last very frequently fails the partner test - "that looks like old fart stuff". Same sort of issue with cool remote controls. For example, la-z-boy has pretty good controls - remotes have better designs, have lots of adjustments, and motors seem to move faster. And they too fail the partner test - "that looks like old fart stuff" I kind of like some…

Partner sounds like a fashion victim. If social media consumption is making one's taste fond of low quality flashy crap I'd say grow some critical thinking skills.

Many furniture stores have a section with old timey stuff, I guess targeted at the 60+ market: ruffles and pleats and doily type shit. You can't expect anyone younger than a mummy to be enthused about buying that stuff new, whether or not it is better quality, and it's probably all the same cheap crap under the ruffles.

Re: Why are most sofas so bad?

#434

Post by thesaintlives »

salad-tycoon wrote: post #431
lotsofpulp wrote: post #382

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>and you will be lucky if it lasts 10 years. I have at least 20 various pieces of furniture from IKEA that have lasted more than 10 years, some even closing on 20, even after multiple moves to various college dorms. Dresser drawers, dining table, sofa, bed platform, sit stand desk, etc. I do not think I have ever thrown something out for breaking. Maybe gets scuffed or scratched up or chipped, but you can mostly use…

I agree with the comments below but would like to add that the IKEA of 10-20 years ago is not the IKEA of today. Many of their product lines have been made “more eco friendly” per their argument but in reality are cost saving measures. E.g wood countertops are veneer now and other things that you could buy as solid wood are veneer. You got in when the going was good. I think you can still buy decent enough stuff but…

More agreement! Ikea 20 years was twice the material you get today. Products could be taken apart and put back together multiple times. Not so today. Put together once, modify it if you want it to stay like that and if you really have to move it cross your fingers!

Re: Why are most sofas so bad?

#435

Post by generic92034 »

al_borland wrote: post #158

When I moved to an area for work I wasn’t planning to live long-term I ended up buying the cheapest sofa in the store. I think it was around $270. After a prolonged illness I grew more and more displeased with it, to the point that I went and bought a better one after I was better. I bought from a place that advertised the inside of the sofa more than the outside. It was all about the build quality and how long it wo…

On the other hand I bought the current sofa some 20 years ago for about 600 Euro and it is still performing like day one. Probably a design failure. ;)

Re: Why are most sofas so bad?

#436

Post by thesaintlives »

They are bad because they don't cost 10-15k. Human bodies are difficult. They weigh quite a bit and often move about. Put multiples of them onto the object then stresses and strains will add up. Want that object to look cool, perform perfectly for multiples of years then you have a challenge!

Re: Why are most sofas so bad?

#438

Post by graemep »

ajsnigrutin wrote: post #269
dylan604 wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quality ain't cheap, and cheap ain't quality. In furniture, you definitely get what you pay for...or not. I've found anything Anything decent doesn't really start until ~$1k, and anything in the $3k range you mentioned starts to become heirloom quality. As with anything, these are YMMV, but serves as a fast basis for my experience

> Quality ain't cheap, and cheap ain't quality. The problem here is, that expensive doesn't mean quality. Buying a cheap ikea piece and replacing it in a few years might still be a better choice than overpaying for an expensive piece, that's the same quality as ikea, but with a different tag on it (both 'brand tag' and 'price tag').

This is part of the enshittification of everything.

Not long ago you could be a good brand an rely on it being good. Now most of them are just charging for the brand and not providing higher quality.

I am in the UK, I have also inherited Sri Lankan furniture from my parents and grandparents and I have lived there as well. The decline in quality is the same in both those countries. I guess it is global.

Re: Why are most sofas so bad?

#439

Post by denton-scratch »

Not a sofa; but I'm sitting in an Ecornes Stressless recliner.

It's the best piece of furniture I've ever bought. It's made from "engineered wood", covered in quite good leather; I should have chosen a lower grade of leather, because hide isn't as easy to look after as some of the lower-grade leathers.

FTR, I've bought sofas and armchairs from artisan/craftsman makers, from junk shops, and I've also bought cheap disposable shit. After the Stressless, my best buys were all from junk shops. But this Stressless, I more-or-less live in it.

Re: Why are most sofas so bad?

#440

Post by graemep »

inglor_cz wrote: post #109
illiac786 wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a big range between 8 year old and average first year university student...

" after grade 8 " (the OPs concern) is more like 15 y.o., right?

So not far off compulsory school age in the UK, which is approximately 16. We do not get accused of child labour.

Until recently you could work once you left school. Now you cannot do a full time job until you are 18, but can become an apprentice (so you get some training as well as working). There is nothing to stop you doing nothing.

The requirement to not work until you are 18 has not been particularly beneficial. Brought to you (IIRC) by the same government that massively expanded the higher education system (a huge increase in the proportion of people going to university) for no real benefit.

Post reply on HN