Best furniture for kids/pets?

**2boys2girls** · 08-16-2006, 06:27 PM

I am starting a new furniture fund. I am so tired of our old hand me down furniture. My Dh would be perfectly happy with crappy mismatched furniture, but I'm just not. It doesn't have to be top of the line, but I want sturdy, quality furniture that will last. (and look decent

)

I want leather. I think it will age well and spills will wipe off. My Dh is so against it. He thinks the kids and dog will ruin it immediately and he doesn't want to spend that much.

My next choice is a sturdy cloth, but what?

What type of furniture (sofas, chairs, ottoman etc) do you recommend?

I have 3 kids ages 7, 5, and 3 with one more on the way, and 1 big inside dog, and 1 cat.

Thanks for the help!

Whitney

**JustJoy** · 08-16-2006, 06:39 PM

I'd go for the leather. I have always had cloth and with 2 dogs it was awful. I was constantly vacuuming up hair, trying to clean off muddy paw tracks, not to mention the smell that wet dog leaves on cloth furniture and of course the occasional spills by me and DH. We bought a new leather living room set in June and I absolutely love it. I wish I had gotten it years earlier. No more vacuuming and scrubbing.....all I have to do is wipe it down with a damp cloth. And yes.... are dogs are allowed on them and there haven't been any problems. No rips or scratches and these guys can get crazy with their running and jumping.

**NoDebtMom** · 08-16-2006, 07:44 PM

I can't wait to see the answers to this, as I have the same questions! I hope to be 'new furniture shopping' within 6 mo to a year. I had thought about leather also. What about microfiber that I am seeing advertised?

**ktsmama** · 08-16-2006, 09:45 PM

This is too funny. I was just looking at furniture last week. After I saw the prices, I figured I better start a fund.

I leaning more toward the leather, also.

**kabin63** · 08-16-2006, 10:16 PM

I would buy leather for durability.

**3-boys-4-me** · 08-16-2006, 10:41 PM

In our main living room I have furniture from Ikea. It's from the Ektorp series. I have the couch, chair and ottoman. I have had them for about 3 years now and they look as good as the day I purchased them. I love this set because they come plain and you buy the fitted covers in the color you want. I have the beige covers. Everyone is blown away that they are "covered" because they fit so well. They are easy to take off and wash if the kids spill or the dog smells it all up. They are just as easy to put back on. Viola, clean great smelling furniture that's easy to care for/maintain.

The top of the ottoman lifts up for storage.
And, should you ever want to change the "look" of the room...you just buy new covers...not all new furniture.

**YankeeMom** · 08-16-2006, 10:44 PM

Oddly enough, I'm the odd man out lol. I do not like leather. I hate sticking to it, I hate worrying about something happening to it, I hate the huge initial investment it requires. Most of all, I hate having to clean it - I distinctly remember having to clean my parents' leather furniture as a kid/teen (we had 6 kids & at least 2 dogs at all times). It was so tedious. Of course, once one of the dogs gouged it, my mom got rid of it

I have 4 kids, 3 dogs (1 big, 1 medium, and 1 small) and 3 cats. My living room furniture is CHENILLE. You would think that is an odd material, a not very sturdy fabric. But it's not like the uber soft chenille sweaters or blankets that are all the rage right now. It is soft, but it has almost no "brush" or pile. It's more like corded material, but not. I have had this furniture for 4 yrs now and have had absolutely NO complaints about the wear showing, stains I can't get out (it's been scotchguarded), or anything. My youngest son (aka Messy Matthew) has spilled grape juice, peanut butter & jelly, coffee, ketchup, applesauce...you name it, he's spilled it. It literally just wipes right off (thank you Scotchguard inventor lol).

Anyhoo. My vote goes for chenille

**nodmicks** · 08-17-2006, 07:12 AM

We bought a burgundy leather sectional sleeper after the last New Years. Yes it does scratch. We have cats with rear claws and a 45 lb dog we catch up there. The dogs scratches are shallow and buff right off. The cats scratches from the rear claws when the jump off don't.

Also we do notice the light color pet hair very much but it wipes right off. We don't have any problem feeling like we stick to it in warm weather.

Definately get good quality leather so it lasts. We talked to lots of sales people who told us it wouldn't scratch etc. At Ashley furniture store we got the best sales men who set us straight with all the facts and actually showed us all the differences.

**frugalfarmwife** · 08-17-2006, 07:19 AM

Another vote for leather here and that's the vote of all my pet owning friends too, much easier to wipe off the couch than to have to vacuum or steam clean. I use Murphys oil soap occasionally on it and we've had our set for 10 years now, yes the cats leave a slightly deeper scratch when they get rough housing but it adds to the character of it (or so I tell the hubby to keep him from killing the cat, lol!)

kj

**Daisygirl** · 08-17-2006, 08:09 AM

I like leather too, especially the brown leather. When it gets a little banged up it has that cool bomber jacket look to it.

Now, I have chenille and have had excellent luck with it. I have a lighter olive green and it was treated with scotchguard. We have had it for a couple of years with no concerns at all.

I am also a fan of the ikea slipcovered stuff -- how great to be able to throw your couch in the washing machine!

Microfiber is awful. The first time you have to spot clean it the surface is ruined. It never looks like the rest. I have a friend with microfiber and she has no kids or pets and it is still a mess.

**NoDebtMom** · 08-17-2006, 09:37 AM

Leather may be a good option, as we have no cats or plans to get any. I also love IKEA, and would check them out too.

**Valerie in WA** · 08-17-2006, 12:01 PM

I've heard good things about leather, but don't like sticking to it, and have never owned it myself.

I've had my set for two or three years. It is microfiber. I have easily cleaned up: wine, salsa and cat puke. I just use a damp paper towel. Also cat fur. I bought a 'dry sponge' for $5 (www.GonzoCorp.com) and it just lifts the cat hair right off. I actually asked the saleslady 'Can I sit on this on a hot day and sweat on it and not ruin it?' and she said 'yes'. It looks as good as the day I bought it. I paid just under $2000 for a sleeper-sofa, loveseat, chair and huge ottoman.

One of the best things is that microfiber is so tightly woven that cats CANNOT get their claws into it. They can't scratch on it all. Even when they've done that scramble-in-place run on the ottoman, it just makes those little nap marks that you brush over with your hand (KWIM? You brush it one way & it looks lighter, the other way it looks darker.)

There are different levels of quality among microfibres, so do your homework and make sure you get a higher level one.

**Goodwin17** · 08-17-2006, 09:39 PM

Dh and I just recently bought a huge leather sectional with a pull out bed and recliner. We have the curve part of the sectional pulled out, and are using it as a seperate chair. We have two >25lbs cocker spaniels who jump up and down all the time. They also shed quiet a bit. I love that I don't have a bunch of dog hair stuck to the couch. I haven't stuck to it as much as I thought I would. It hasn't been scratched so far. It is really easy to clean.

**MarshHen** · 08-20-2006, 06:55 PM

O.K., LOL, paying close attention here since we will be buying a new livingroom suite for the new house. Have looked at the microfiber and the leather and haven't made up our minds yet. Friend has four small kids and two inside dogs and swears by her microfiber. We also went to the local Ashley Home Center and had a wonderful salesperson. He poured coffee on the microfiber and it cleaned up with no problem. I think the key is to catch the stain early on as with anything. Since we don't have small chldren (only 13 yr. old dd), and our little Chihuahua can't jump on the furniture (loves her own bed), we will probably go with the microfiber. A must for me is a big comfy chair with a big ottomon, LOL. Hubby has to have his big recliner and daughter usually winds up on the floor anyway, so she doesn't much care.

I'm also not a big fan of the sofa's with the loose pillows on the back cause I can never keep them straight.

**Valerie in WA** · 08-21-2006, 03:30 PM

Here's some info on the Durapella microfiber, which is what I got: http://www.ashleyhomestores.com/More...Durapella.aspx

This is my actual set: http://www.ashleyhomestores.com/Show...atPageNumber=4

The back and arm cushions do NOT come off. The seat cushions do, so that you can rotate them to keep wear even.

This was the set I really wanted, but the sofa didn't come with a sleeper option: http://www.ashleyhomestores.com/Show...atPageNumber=4 The back cushions are fixed on this one as well.