I must be absolutely nuts ...

[donna723]

... to buy a new WHITE sofa and matching recliner! I have THREE DOGS!!! And there is no keeping them off the furniture. It's not a white white, they call the color "Oyster", sort of an off-white cream color, like what they usually call "winter white" in clothing. What was I thinking? So I will have to buy something to put over them and then just whip it off when someone comes over!

But I am SO excited! It has been so long since I had decent furniture and my old stuff is so awful, I have been embarassed for anyone to see it. It was on sale and the sale ended last Saturday so I went in and put a deposit on it, then went back today and paid it off - it will be delivered next Friday. By doing it that way I saved $300 off the regular price! And when I went back today to pay it off, I found an absolutely perfect end table, way off in the back, marked down about $100 because it was "discontinued" so I got that too! My house is 160 years old and the living room has old fashioned tall, skinny windows, old fashioned woodwork, and a wood fireplace surround and mantel - all painted white. I'm going to repaint them white again and paint the walls a pale, pale, pale blue. How does that sound?

I know that getting new furniture is no big deal to a lot of people, but to poor little old me ... it's WHOOPIE time! So if any of you are ever in the neigihborhood, stop by and I might let you sit on my new sofa!

[gottaloveem]

the pledge fabric sweeper for pet hair works really well to remove pet hair. your supposed to throw it out after it gets filled with fur, but I just stick my vacuum cleaner hose in it, and it's good to go again.

your house sounds real neat. you must take a photo to share after you get it painted

[witzend]

I have a beige sofa that looks good as new even though Bubba is really the only one who ever sits on it. I keep a flat sheet on it and wash it every couple of weeks.

[donna723]

It's microfiber which is supposed to clean up well. I guess we shall see!

[hearts and roses]

I bought a large tablecloth in a floral design I liked at Target a few years ago - I put that over the wing chair (which is Nala's, btw - lol) and I keep a flat sheet (like Witz) over the mostly tan/burgundy couch. Shake it out weekly and vacuum, then throw it in the wash about once a month. It keeps our couch looking nice. When company is due, I uncover everything and keep the dogs blocked in the kitchen or in our bedroom.

Also, I have used the Pledge pet hair thingy and it works okay for me. I wouldn't rely on it for regular use, at least it doesn't work for me. I still have to vacuum my couch and chairs to really get the pet hair off. And my dogs are little!

[GoingNorth]

Donna, I hate to tell you this, but microfiber is a pet hair MAGNET. I HATE the stuff.

On the bright side, I suppose with your dogs being Bostons, only half the hair will show up the new furniture.

At least Bostons aren't double-coated dogs, so you don't have to deal with the "wool".

[donna723]

Ha! That's so true! If I wear dark colors it shows only the white hairs, if I wear light colors you can only see the black ones. Their hair is very short - looks like an eyelash, and no fuzzy under-coat with them either. They really don't shed that much though. I have two big white bookcases in my living room and the two bottom shelves seem to collect little black doggie hairs.

[ThreeShadows]

What your house is only 160 years old? That's a new home by New England standards!

I feel my creative juices flowing. How about painting the mantel and surround to look like gray marble?

As for the couches, at least you don't have a cat who vomits bile while struggling to pass those fur balls...Target sells some decent covers for sofas and love seats, but I like to live dangerously. I bought beige and had four dogs and three kids.

[Hound dog]

I just got MIL's 2 lovely matching loveseats and the antque endtables. Dh and I shampooed Nichole's old room (which was really the livingroom) and put the furniture in there. My house is also a very old Victorian.....it looks amazing in there. Once I get the windows decked out nice I'll take photos.

BUT Molly and Betsy have always been allowed on the furniture. I've had new furniture once in my life. Back when we bought this house. I tried to keep the animals off but gave up cuz the kids kept letting them up.

I use a flat sheet and wash it every week. It's more to protect from toe nails that fur. I can vacuum the fur, I also can shampoo the love seats. So not so worried about that.

Molly has been trying to sit on a love seat since they were put into the room. But I don't have sheets on them yet and I won't let her. Bruce has learned he's not allowed on those antique tables. I'm not nice about getting him off them either. He still has his claws. And there are antique gas lamps on them too. I don't want them broken.

I'll the dogs on the furniture once they're bathed again and the sheets are put down. Betsy has those darn indistructable toe nails that never wear down.

[donna723]

Glad to see they have furniture throws at Target! I've had a hard time finding some. The closest Target to me is still over 70 miles away but I guess I will have to make that trip.

I worry about the toenails too. With the two little dogs it is a constant battle of the toenails. They both hate to have them clipped. Ragan makes it a challenge but I can usually get hers done. But Katy is awful about it! When I first got her I had to take her to the vet where the whole staff would pin her down while he cut her toenails. I've finally got her where she will sort of let me do it, but it's still a struggle. With the new furniture, I worry about them taking slobbery dog toys up on the sofa and making a big wet spot, like they do now! It's always something, isn't it!