Gently used Quality Furniture or New average furniture?

[hotzcatz]

We basically furnish all of our houses with Craig's List or garage sale items unless we have it made by a local craftsperson or make it ourselves. Quality is quality no matter where it comes from and just because it has a name brand on it, doesn't always make it quality. Just because it's old, vintage or antique doesn't make it valuable either.

However, if you get a durable valuable antique item, generally it should hold it's value. So you can have it and use it for awhile and then sell it and recoup all the money. The right kind of antiques and artworks are kinda like a savings account in an odd way. However, you have to get the right ones and that can be difficult to figure out. Also, with young kids, there is the wear and tear factor to consider as well.

If you get a sturdy couch, it should be able to be reupholstered later if you like the couch and want to keep it after it's survived the various childhoods. Leather is probably the most durable couch covering.

[silibran]

I agree that leather is the most durable, and easy to keep upholstery. However leather does age--or at least it does for me. And not always in a desirable way. My light green leather LazyBoy recliner has developed wear on the head rest. The dye has come off there. This in a 15 year old chair. My 25 year old leather covered wing back has developed tiny white spots over the arms. This is where the dye has worn off. It looks like dandruff. It also needs new cushioning. My DH says the chair isn't worth have reupholstered, but I think it would benefit from work.

Our roughly 5 year old sofa and chair are doing well.

I think anything wears with daily use. I have seen in consignment shops pleasantly well worn leather chairs. Unfortunately, my stuff hasn't worn so pleasantly.

However, compared with the wear I experienced on other upholstery, leather is the clear winner for me. All my sofas, except for the plaid one that refused to wear out, got stains and fraying with the activities of a normal family.

Someone mentioned upthread about getting a sofa with washable slipcovers. I never did that. Has anyone had a good experience with washable slipcovers. That sounds as if it would be a good option for a young family.

[Sheepie2000]

Last year I bought a Bernhardt dining room set that seats 12 (but only 8 chairs) on Craigslist. I love it and I paid approximately 10% of what it cost new about 15 years ago. I was so happy with it that a few months later I bought a huge Thomasville four poster bed and 2 nightstands on Craigslist, again for about 10% of what I would have paid for new. I love my "new" furniture and I think the prices were a steal, even considering the price of the U-Hauls that we had to rent. I don't think I would ever buy upholstered furniture used because I'd be worried about bedbugs, although the dining chairs are upholstered and they were fine. I took a risk on the chairs, but the don't have the hiding places for bugs that a bigger piece would have. I have been completely satisfied with them, but it took months of waiting and watching and being disappointed before I found them.