Has your sofa seen better days? If the cushions are losing their plumpness and the seams are splitting, you might want to just throw it out. Or do you? That sofa has sentimental value: it was the very first piece furniture you bought with your first salary, it was where you usually have popcorn dates with your spouse, and it’s the most comfortable place in your home. Yes, it might be thread-bare and worn, but you just do not have the heart to get rid of it. That’s how I feel about my old battered leather sofa (that I bought second-hand in the first place) because even though it’s old and a bit saggy, it’s still my dream sofa – the kind that you sink into in coffee shops! – and that kind of comfort only comes from usage over the years.
Well, if your old couch really is that comfortable or sentimental and you cannot stand to be parted from it, you can give it a makeover to get it looking good again. You can still get yourself a new sofa and move the old couch into a different part of the house of course, but there are a lot of different options that you can look at when you are looking to renovate your favourite place to sit.
Reupholstering your old couch
One way that you can get your old couch looking like new is to get it reupholstered. Go to a home-improvement store or a large furniture shop and choose the type of material you are going to use. Preferably, use the same kind of upholstery material that your old couch is originally made of When choosing colours and patterns, ensure that the material you choose does not clash with the colours and patterns of the room where your couch is placed. Is the couch too bouncy and has lost its firmness? Then perhaps you might want to replace any dodgy springs at the same time to restore its firmness. The leather upholstery on my sofa is fine as it is so I’ll just be giving it a wipe over with some leather treatment and buff it up to restore shine. The problem with my sofa is that the base is a bit saggy from years of use and it certainly needs fixing or a little extra reinforcement!
Dressing up your sofa
Once you have fixed the base (i.e. you have reupholstered it or replaced the faulty springs), then you can dress up your old sofa yourself and transform it into something which looks good and feels comfortable again. In fact, you may even find that this option is a lot cheaper than having your old couch reupholstered, especially if yours is not seriously tattered and battered.
An easy way to cover up any unsightly rips in the fabric or stains that can’t be removed is to use a sofa cover. If you have any sewing skills, you can even make one yourself to fit your sofa exactly. And if you’re really desperate for a quick fix, use a colorful blanket; just tuck the blanket tightly into the sofa seats. This is a quick and easy way to bring back life to your old couch.
Getting some new cushions
Another great way to add some pizzazz to your old couch is to get some new cushions for it. If you throw a coloured blanket over your couch and then add some cushions which complement the colours, you can roll away the years of your longtime seating partner. This is an inexpensive way to bring a breath of fresh air to your living room, whilst preserving your favourite couch and making sure that it has a use for many more years to come. Again, you can easily make your own cushions – see my DIY efforts here and here.
Saying Goodbye
However, you may find that your old couch is just too old or damaged to be reused. For this, the most cost effective solution is to replace your favourite seat in your home. You may still be able to preserve your old couch in some way, perhaps using it in your garage or patio, but also remember that you get a chance to choose a new sofa which is going to make your living room even more comfortable! It’s even possible to rent furniture in London so have a look around at what options there are for dressing your living room in a more modern style.
Why not go for a nice L-shaped sofa to make the most of the space in your living room or even go for a reclining sofa? There are lots of options out there when you need to find a new sofa. So, when you are sitting in your living room with your feet up on your new sofa, you may just forget about your old couch completely!