I'm in love with the chesterfield sofas. We're moving in a couple months so we've been casually looking. I've always loved the comfort of PB... but wonder if the price tag is really worth it.
We would need/want two sofas for the size of our space and it would be 6-7k(depending on fabric choice) 
What's been your experience? Any suggestions for nice sofas that won't break the bank?
grapefruit / 4045 posts
I don't know, but Crate and Barrel sofas are. Good luck with your purchase! Couches are something you sit on every day so I think its worth it to get one that is comfortable and will last.
pineapple / 12566 posts
I don't know. The dream sofa that I have been lusting over for a few years is in that price range and my DH would never let me spend that kind of money on a sofa. Good luck though!
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@lamariniere: DH actually sat in them with me at PB and he loves them too! But yeah he definitely thinks the price is insane... especially with all the updates we want to do to the house, it's hard to justify spending that much on sofas. But like @agold: said, these would be used daily in the family room and we want high quality and something we love looking at and these are my dream sofas. I love the tufted look. RH has basically the same sofa, and price is pretty much the same.
grapefruit / 4649 posts
We have a pricey couch from RH and I'm not sure it's worth it to be honest- but I think that may be partially due to our life stage. The fabric has held up beautifully but it generally looks grumpy very frequently because it needs to be fluffed a lot because of the down. My friend's IKEA couch looks fine despite her kid running all over it but mine is way now comfortable.
persimmon / 1005 posts
I remember a blog post on Young House Love several years ago where they talked about finding out the actual company who makes the PB couches and buying one from that company without the PB branding, saving a lot of money. It might be worth checking out to see if they make the couch you like!
kiwi / 649 posts
My bosses have two PB couches and one has a pull out bed. I love them and think they're super comfortable. We've had multiple people sleep on the bed and they've all said it was great. I would love to buy one for my own house.
pomegranate / 3350 posts
@Jennibenni: do you mean west elm? I think they are owned by the same company.
We have a West Elmo sofa that we bought barely used and it's fine. The covers come off easily and wash well but the fabric has gotten scratched up from my mom's dog and other parts of the couches have stains. But fabric aside, it is still in good shape. We bought it in 2011 and it's been through 2 or 3 moves.
clementine / 955 posts
@agold: I second this! I love my crate and barrel couch and it was around 4.5k, but it was exacly what I wanted. I honestly hate microfiber,(had a microfiber couch before) and it seems that everything in major furniture stores are either microfiber, faux leather, or the ugliest colors on earth. I like that at C&B I got to choose from a wide variety of colors and fabrics, also the sofa is almost 4ft. Deep, which I couldn't find anywhere else. To me a couch is a investment piece, I plan to have it for 10 to 15yrs and I love to nap on my couch. I think it just depends on how important having exacly what you want in a couch is?
ETA: I forgot also sometimes you can find PB and C&B couches slightly used on Craigslist for several thousand less.
pomegranate / 3895 posts
I have two Pottery Barn couches. They have held up very well (2 large dogs and a toddler) and still look new. I'm currently lounging on one. We moved right before buying them and got a 20% coupon for moving and free shipping / delivery. We did custom Sunbrella fabric which I think has made a difference in durability.
FWIW, I don't think Pottery Barn automatically equates nice / quality though. These just happened to be the sofas that fit our very specific needs. They were price wise comparable to sofas we selected at Macy's and West Elm. I also made sure to google the type of sofa we got to read tons of reviews and also check to see what people considered to be knock offs. I also checked various city's Craigslist for my particular sofa to see how they held up / resale value.
ETA: we have the PB Tudor sofa so similar look to the one you like.
GOLD / watermelon / 14076 posts
With small kids I think no. If I'm spending 6-7k on a couch it's when I won't have to worry about stains and all that. We got a large sectional from Costco for $900 and love it.
clementine / 824 posts
I haven't had one, but an interior designer / home stager we used in the past said they aren't worth the price for the quality.
There is a local store here that claims to have essentially the same stuff from the same manufacturers at a lower price. My sister has ordered from there and hers have held up well.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
For me personally, there is no way I could spend $7k on a sofa. I just don't live in the kind of house that warrants it! I prefer to buy furniture from places like Ethan Allen and Thomasville. Our sofa is from EA and there were a ton of styles and fabrics to choose from, plus they're local so if I have a problem with a piece (which I did) I feel comfortable with the customer service.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@looch: @lawbee11: to be fair, it'd be 6-7k for TWO grand sofas. Depending on fabric selections, they started around 2k... but still makes me hesitate for sure!! Like I said, after buying a house we can't afford an extravagant expense right away, or for awhile. And we're willing to keep our home a little bare for awhile while we decide how to furnish it.
The lady at PB did say that if we selected the premium thicker fabric, it's stain resistant and includes warranty for stains/cleaning.
With where we would put these, they'd get a lot of use! So we need something that will hold up. And yes, two small kids (boys!!), so definitely a factor! But I want something really comfortable and like @Jackiedavis87: I love deep couches! I think the one we sat in at PB was also 42".
apricot / 308 posts
@Mrs. Pen: We bought a sectional from Bassett Furniture (if that's an option for you). We were able to pick filling/firmness, fabric, style (including arms, legs etc). We spent a little more because we wanted a firmer couch, but even with all our customizations we only spent $3500.
They have sales where things at 35% off so if it's an option hold out for the sales and either pay cash or use their Year interest free financing.
Attaching our sectional-excuse the mess I was painting our kitchen cabinets when it was delivered.
cantaloupe / 6751 posts
At this point with two little kids, I wouldn't spend more than $1000 on a couch. I don't want to stress about stains, marks, grime, etc.
We will probably go get our next sofa from Costco - their fuetniture is great quality without the hefty price tag.
And Im torn on PB's quality - some of the stuff I've gotten has lasted (anywhere chair, blankets) but other stuff has been sorely lacking and doesn't justify the $$$$$ price tag.
pomegranate / 3355 posts
We splurged on a lovesac sactional and don't regret it at all! I never would have imagined spending so much but after having it for six months I can say the cost was totally worth it.
pomegranate / 3983 posts
I can't imagine spending that much on couches. I do agree that it is worth spending more to have comfortable couches, the question is how much more. Ours are a local brand we got 6 years ago and holding up really well. They didn't cost anywhere near that amount.
cantaloupe / 6131 posts
My SIL just got this sofa from wayfair and it was very cushy and comfortable. It's not the button tufted look but perhaps this manufacturer might have options:
pineapple / 12053 posts
Have you checked out article or joybird? I couldn't spend that kind of money on a couch! Especially with kids. I have things I love but I couldn't deal with something that costly and actually using!
cantaloupe / 6131 posts
Oh yep for the money looks like you could get the leather (the model comes in fabric too)
https://www.wayfair.com/Birch-Lane-Hawthorn-Leather-Sofa-BL6397.html
eggplant / 11716 posts
I couldn't spend that kind of money on couches and still stay married, haha. It would just never happen, especially not if we were in the market for two matching couches.
I don't think there's anything wrong with paying for nice furniture, though, if people have the money. It's just that in my husband's world, having the money to spend that on 2 couches would involve having 1 mil in retirement accounts, a paid off house, totally filled college funds, etc. And until all of the above happen, he is a Craigslist-Ikea kind of guy.
I did have a nice Crate and Barrel couch from my single days when I was a little more fast and loose with my cash. I did love the style, but I don't think it held up any more than a cheaper couch would have. This was pre-kids so we didn't have issues with staining. It was a Crate and Barrel Sidecar sectional. It was maybe 2500, a few years back. I'm pretty sure with kids, we would have had a lot more sagging and staining of the upholstery. Great for no kid situations though.
eggplant / 11716 posts
I should also say, I had an Ikea couch that was the "high traffic" couch, because it was in front of the TV. It's faux leather and cleaned like a dream. And there was no sagging. It was the Ikea Kramfors and I got it on craigslist. We liked it to much we bought another when we moved to the NYC area and we still have it, 2 kids later. I'm super glad we have a faux leather cheap couch because our kids definitely try to wreck it. They've colored with marker on it, gotten paint on it, thrown up on it, had pee accidents on it--and it wipes up so easily.
persimmon / 1270 posts
We spent about $2,000 on our sofa but we live in an apartment and needed something small, but a sleeper with a small footprint. I look at it all day everyday and need it to be comfortable. We got our before kids and I really wish it had covers that come off... So much spot cleaning..........
pear / 1586 posts
We have a PB couch (the Buchanan) and it's held up well for almost 8 years, 6 of which have included a 65-lb dog pit mix jumping up on it and sleeping for a large portion of the day, and now with a toddler. We are looking for a sectional soon and will probably get another PB couch.
grapefruit / 4584 posts
I was also going to recommend Ethan Allen if you want nice, high end sofas. I was considering a huge custom sectional from there and it was going to be $6600 in sunbrella or a very tough chenille, or $8800 in top grain leather. I personally feel that for pottery barn you're paying more for branding than quality. I've not been that impressed with our pottery barn items and don't consider them things we will keep forever.
persimmon / 1483 posts
@PinkElephant: yes to Ethan Allen as an option. I don't think it's crazy to spend that much of 2 sofas that you love and are high quality but I wouldn't spend that much just because it's PB (my experience with their quality is hit or miss - I've never been disappointed but we have some pieces that I'm not blown away with). You can find that tufted style elsewhere so I'd definitely shop around and compare fabrics, framing, etc...
grapefruit / 4045 posts
@Jackiedavis87: So glad someone agrees with me! We are fairly frugal about most things. Its just that the couch was nearly as important as the mattress purchase. I've had mine for nearly 8 years. It is holding up amazingly! My mom has a pricey sofa from macy's for less time and it looks horribly worn. I"ve spilled all sorts of things on mine and it still looks amazing! I never regret buying it.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@gingerbebe: ah thanks for the rec! I pulled up al couches by birch lane and they are really nice and so much more affordable! I'll be considering those for sure.
@birdofafeather: yes! I like several on article, DH isn't as much a fan but I love the thought of getting two couches for 2k instead of not even one
@Anagram: yeah absolutely. The fact that we want two couches makes it harder. I'm all about paying for quality, but it needs to be realistically affordable too. Like @Baby Boy Mom: said, it's worth it to have quality and comfort, but how much more of the question.
@Ajsmommy: oh gosh I do love lovesac. We'll have an unfinished basement and if we do a media/family room, I'd consider love sac!
pear / 1677 posts
This really helped me too! DH and I have been couch shopping for a year!
blogger / persimmon / 1231 posts
Following as we need to purchase another couch set (or sectional) soon! I'm all about spending more if it means higher quality, but still I think our max would be 3k. There's way to much to do and fix up with our home to spend any more.
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
I'm also a EA fan. I think it's better quality than PB. I wouldn't spend that much for PB, but I would for EA.
pear / 1521 posts
We also love our c&b sofa. However, I am SO glad we got it prekid bc I don't think I could ever spend that money on a couch these days. However, we will have it for at least a decade and it's holding up great is far. It's performance velvet or something like that is cleans up easily but not microfiber.
Also I'm sure down the line when we're ready for a new family room couch that it will become the basement couch so we'll prob have it for twenty years, ha!
Also environmentally , it's better to invest in a quality piece that you don't have to replace a few years from now.. but yea I understand being unable or unwilling to spend that much!
nectarine / 2243 posts
We bought a sectional from Room and Board. It ended up being close to $3000 after we did a custom fabric. It was worth it several times over, and I would spend the money again and again when the time comes. We think of how often we sit on the sofa, how much our kid loves the sofa, and we wanted it to be just right (I wanted a tight back, that is hard to find in a sofa). Microfiber/suede wouldn't have been my first choice, but we have cats and kids so we needed something without a weave and easily cleanable.
If I were to change one thing, I'd buy another room and board sofa but the model that allows me to change what side the sectional chaise goes on. It allows more flexibility in more spaces.
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts
We spent about 3k on a leather sectional from a local retailer that has held up great so far. Thank god we went with leather with two little boys. I don't think I would spend a lot on anything upholstered with little kids ... just too many variables.
grapefruit / 4545 posts
@Mrs. Pen: We have two PB sofas (Classic Grand) and the coordinating chairs. I think they are worth it. Sure there are equal options as different price points but if the Charleston is what you have decided you like I 100% think it is worth the money.
I am surprised to hear negative comments about the quality. They are made by a good furniture company (branded as PB after the fact). We have a dog and two small children - are couches are 7 years old and in great shape still. Ours have slip covers and the ability to wash them is phenomenal. They look brand new again after a good washing. Our back pillows show some wear but my dog thinks shes a cat and lays back there ALL DAMN DAY!
As for customer service and delivery - I truly think they are phenomenal at this. Some examples:
1) Delivery will bring it in, set it up, move it around however many times you ask and take all the packaging with them when they go. The only piece they will not "build" on site is the crib I bought.
2) We had a piece delivered damaged - I contacted PB and had a brand new replacement one delivered within 10 days (it was a custom fabric - not quick delivery).
3) When they delivered some pieces for us the delivery guy bumped our wall - it was an honest mistake. The piece was large and awkward - he did minimal damage. He did his best to repair it. When I got a survey I noted it - more that I was please how he handled it not to blow up his spot. PB contacted me and apologized and issues me a $100 gift card to apologize.
4) We purchased from them while we were waiting for out reno to be done. The pieces arrived at the warehouse 2 weeks before we could move in (they came faster than expected). We scheduled the delivery - but had to reschedule 3 times delaying it (reno issues) their delivery service never complained once and did not charge us anything for the 6 weeks they stored our furniture.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@Mrs D: thanks for the review! I actually saw a couple PB basic sofas on CL and have been considering those! While I love the tufted look of the chesterfield, $$ comes into play and like you said- it's enticing to have slip covers that are easily washable with two little boys and we do want to get a dog this year too!
I've been appreciating everyone's recommendations! I have so many options to sift through- so thank you to everyone who has commented 
cantaloupe / 6131 posts
@Mrs. Pen: By the way, this site is supposed to be like one of the same manufacturers of the PB sofas - perhaps you can find the one you like that's similar. We had considered a custom sectional from them and even ordered the swatches to look at but ended up finding something else.
http://www.clubfurniture.com/upstyl1.html
ETA: Oh yep, its even called the same thing.
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
I was just turned on to Interior Define @Mrs.Pen: not sure how it stacks up against PB in terms of comfort or cost. The company says they are step up from West Elm and just below my fav C+B. Since you order the sofa online you have a year to determine if you want to keep it.
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