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I have just about done gone lost my mind. I think I am going to order a white sofa for our much lived-in living room.
“Well”, I tell myself, “It’s not bright white, it’s more of a cream, or a coffee cream, or a linen.”
But the fact of the matter is, no matter what shade I want to call it, it is white. Can someone tell me why a Mom with kids, husband, pets and currently no cleaning lady (or man for that matter) longs for a white sofa?
I have courted the brown sofas, gazed at the gray sofas, but my heart belongs to the white sofa. It’s just so crisp and pristine, and paired with sassy area rug it would make my living room look oh so trendy. Why is it in the middle of this fantasy that my dog walks in the scene and jumps on my fabulous white sofa? Dogs are overrated. I am sure he would enjoy a new home with a nice family in the country where there are no white sofas and there is plenty of green, green grass for him to romp around. I jest. Bailey is a part of the family and he will be with us until he is called up to that great dog park in the sky.
I am not completely quixotic when it comes to sofas. Yes I want it to be stylish, but it must be comfortable, wear well, and above all it can’t be expensive. That way I won’t be too guilty when in a few years I fall in love with a new sofa. I am a fickle lover when it comes to home furnishings.
Frankly I think the internet has made sofa shopping more complicated. I remember going sofa shopping with my Mom when I was a girl. There was only one place in our tiny town to buy furniture. There was a green one and another green one. The other green one was too big to fit through the front door so she bought the green one. I think she had that sofa for 20 years. In fact she might still have it.
As I write this I am still completely undecided. I could always buy a nice 1970’s vintage plastic cover for my white sofa. My white sofa. Look at me, I have already become attached to it.
I will think on it a while longer. The sale doesn’t end for another week. I will let you know what I decide. In the meantime, let me know what your perfect sofa looks like.
Ann says
January 22, 2013 at 3:57 pmGet it! (But you WILL regret it.)
I think we had that green sofa too. It replaced the orange plaid one, right?
BlogHawg says
January 22, 2013 at 4:28 pmYes, get it, but you can’t sit on it after Labor Day.
snickers says
January 22, 2013 at 5:19 pmGo for it, just tell the kids and the dog the rug is reserved for them. 🙂
Pam@IW says
January 22, 2013 at 6:00 pmI love everything in this picture. It is beautiful but I think you are crazy, girl. Forget what the dogs would do to it…my sons and husband would have it look a nice dingy brown with multiple food stains on it in short of one week.
Pam@IW says
January 22, 2013 at 6:00 pmLMAO BlogHawg.
Pam@IW says
January 22, 2013 at 6:01 pmAlso, I would stay off of it if it was that time of the month too. 😉
Lily@IW says
January 22, 2013 at 6:09 pmLMAO at Bloghawg and Pam. White is very pretty, brings that nice touch of elegance. I could never have one. Besides the dogs and the kids, there’s also me being accident prone. Oh, the heart-break of the first spill. It wouldn’t take long at all, prob the first hour.
Pattypie says
January 22, 2013 at 6:26 pmA sofa you can’t sit on! LOL I like it! 😉 I talk myself in and out of it every day!
Pattypie says
January 22, 2013 at 6:30 pmAnn, yes it was to replace the orange one. LOL Maybe we are sisters after all? 😉
Did anyone have the plastic covers on their sofas? We didn’t but I had a good friend and we often went to visit her Grandma, and Grandma had those plastic covers!
snickers says
January 22, 2013 at 6:30 pmBuy a slip cover for it, you can whip if off when company is coming over, just seat them in another room. LOL.
snickers says
January 22, 2013 at 6:34 pmNo, we did not have plastic but we did have green couch and graduatated to a brown plaid, with those huge ugly wood arms on it. They made them to last forever!
stxmom says
January 22, 2013 at 7:09 pmI love the look of white furniture but it wouldn’t last 30 seconds in my house. We have nice brown microfiber sofa, before that we had a nice brown leather sofa. One day when my kids (2 legged & 4 legged) have moved on I’m going to have a room with beautiful furniture that no one uses.
Pattypie says
January 22, 2013 at 7:32 pmMaybe I will just buy the owl and the lamp 😉
Hannah says
January 22, 2013 at 8:16 pmPie, I love the design board u put together but no way white would work in my house.
Sage says
January 22, 2013 at 8:22 pmI love the IDEA of a white sofa…the reality, not so much.
Pattypie says
January 22, 2013 at 9:02 pmMe too Sage. Me too! 😉
HB says
January 23, 2013 at 4:10 amPatty, go for it! A few years ago I all but moved into Calico Corners for a total room redo & did the sofas in white…but slip covered. They look as good as the day delivered. Surviving dog, grandchildren & t.v. watching munchies. No plastic but w. lose cushions, saving one side for quick company clean-ups. Calico made armrest covers for greasy palms… ;0) (Washed about 4 x’s & per their instructions – come out looking pristine!) I too thought white the ultimate NO, but freed me up to go wild w. patterns & color w. throw pillows & other chairs that don’t cost an arm & leg as sofas do!
Roozerdo says
January 23, 2013 at 6:26 amI love white furniture. My dinning room set is all white funiture and it has stayed stain free for years. We sit on the brown sofa in the living room to eat….
Ashley says
January 23, 2013 at 7:26 amLove it! Those are the colors of my living room 🙂 Love the Owl. Pier 1 always have the cutest stuff.
Mojito says
January 23, 2013 at 7:28 amThere is no way a white sofa would last in my house. 2 kids, 2 cats, 2 dogs and 1 husband would have is destroyed in 3.5 seconds.
I love the look of it though!!
Kelly R says
January 23, 2013 at 7:31 amI would love to have a white sofa, but not in my house… 🙁
Pattypie says
January 23, 2013 at 8:39 amLOL Rooz, great idea! Someone needs to make a disposable white sofa. You can have it for a few months and when it gets dirty it makes some nice compost for the roses!
Pattypie says
January 23, 2013 at 9:18 amHB – Slipcovers are a great idea. It’s so good to hear from someone who has used Calico Corners! I think that just might be the way to get my white sofa!
Jennie says
January 23, 2013 at 9:45 amI have four cats. And a tendency to spill things. A white sofa would be a no-go for me. Now maybe a nice charcoal gray…
I love the owl (vase?) – I’m kind of obsessed with owls right now. I have to stop buying owl-themed stuff so my place doesn’t look like some bizarre owl tchotchke sanctuary.
Nickida says
January 23, 2013 at 9:58 amI know that a white sofa wouldn’t stand a chance in our house. Maybe if we had a (no one can enter this room) you know the ones people have with stuff you just walk past and watch through the halls but you can’t enter only to dust and clean. LOL. Maybe save it for later down the road.
PattyPie says
January 23, 2013 at 11:31 amJennie I could be owl obsessed too. They are just so darn cute! Sad thing is I don’t have one owl in my house.
I used to have an apple motifs in my kitchen. Until the apples took over! I had apples on handles of knives and potato peelers. I had apples on the tiles. Apples on the paper towel holder. Apples on tea towels. Apples on bowls. And on and on and on. I got sick of the apples!
brenda says
January 23, 2013 at 2:37 pmdont you will regret it …………..i had a white sofa and love seat and it was the worst mistake i ever made
PattyPie says
January 23, 2013 at 3:05 pmThanks Brenda! I have a feeling that is very good advice!
Regina says
January 23, 2013 at 3:57 pmGet it and right along with it get a spot bot or hand held steam cleaner of some type. I had a white sofa for 11 years but it was a white pattern and it was in our good living room not our family room. I loved it until I came home from work and one of my kids had their moped battery setting on it. The just could not understand why I would be upset. They fell asleep on it with cuts on their legs and bled all over it to. The cover was very sturdy and steam cleaned well. Always looked like new afterwards and at that time we were a smoking house. My mother is currently using the sofa and let me tell you that after 18 years the cover is still pretty good on it – the springs are way to soft for me to sit in anymore.
Lily@IW says
January 23, 2013 at 4:12 pmLol Roozerdo, that’s funny. I agree PP, disposable is the way to go. At least I wouldn’t feel bad about it being ruined so quickly.
GeeWhiz says
January 23, 2013 at 4:56 pmI love your design board! That would be one sharp looking room. Could you use Scotchgard on the couch?
Pam@IW says
January 23, 2013 at 5:01 pmMaybe slather it with lacquer first.
Pattypie says
January 23, 2013 at 6:27 pmRegina you are giving me hope! A spot bot with scotch guard and lacquer and I am good to go! 😉
michelec says
January 23, 2013 at 6:30 pmLmao at the story and comments. A certain SEX IN THE CITY scene comes to mind.
Jennifer Williams says
January 23, 2013 at 6:51 pmI am not good at the decorating of anything. We have a room that we never furnished because I could not find anything I liked. I finally put a Step 2 Climb on toy in it for my son and it is now the play room, lol. Good luck in your search.
Roozerdo says
January 24, 2013 at 8:05 amLOL Nickida, you could put up one of those Velvet Ropes like in the Museum. Look but don’t touch…
Anya@IW says
January 24, 2013 at 12:34 pmI say go for it! You only live once. I love the idea that everything (pillows, throws) in all shades and patterns will go with it. I’m fickle (or just easily bored) and I would be changing out those suckers monthly (weekly?). Honestly though, if it’s not too too (too!?) expensive, I would buy it and also invest in a good steam cleaner and some nice throws to toss on it during the time the family is using it. Can’t wait to hear what you decide!
snickers says
January 24, 2013 at 3:47 pmI say go for it also, except it would have to be a cheap line for me so if it was ruined, no crys over the $ spent. So light and fresh looking.
Serena @ Thrift Diving says
January 24, 2013 at 6:34 pmThat rug is gorgeous! I’m in love with blue and turquoise! I would paint my whole house these colors if I could! 🙂 (Then again, what’s stopping me??) LOL Thanks for sharing!
PattyPie says
January 24, 2013 at 9:52 pmI am over thinking the sofa thing! And I am spending altogether too much time shopping! At this rate the kids will be gone to college before I make a decision.
Lynn says
January 24, 2013 at 10:01 pmMy opinion would be if you want a white couch go for leather otherwise go for something darker.
BlogHawg says
January 25, 2013 at 6:32 amI say live a little ! If you can buy it and enjoy it without stressing the whole family out -then go for it!
I know I love the couch & its been fun hearing every ones opinion on it.
Holly says
March 27, 2013 at 12:44 pmI have had a white sofa and i absolutely loved it. Even now i wish i had it, but it sure didnt last long with the kids.
Laura Johnston says
January 27, 2014 at 9:05 amI purchased an ivory leather circular sectional in 1991 and have never stopped loving it. In fact, last week, I took the cushions in to have them re-upholstered – in the same colour…wouldn’t change it for the world, and, the leather is easy to keep clean!
Anya@IW says
January 27, 2014 at 9:57 amPatty, did you ever make a decision? I’m looking at sofas too right now and when I saw this article pop up on the front page I laughed all over again. Your sofa wish list looks a lot like mine. 🙂