I must be absolutely nuts ...

donna723

Well-Known Member
... 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! :D
 

gottaloveem

Active Member
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

Well-Known Member
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.
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
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, by the way - 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

Crazy Cat Lady
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

Well-Known Member
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

Quid me anxia?
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

Nana's are Beautiful
I just got mother in law's 2 lovely matching loveseats and the antque endtables. husband 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.:faint:
 

donna723

Well-Known Member
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!
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
There is nothing that appeals to my need to create a nest for my family than freshening up a room with new furniture or even a new piece that then makes me paint and rethink the room. I look through magazines and find colors and looks I like and cut them out. I basically have no skill or imagination so I copy what appeals to me.
I would use either the cheap furniture covers or a big throw to keep things looking and smelling fresh. Febreeze on the furniture once in a while will help too. I'm more preoccupied with smell than dog hair although that's a problem around here.
Congratulations on the new purchases. You should feel tickled and enjoy every minute of your new room of furniture. The puppies will thank you too. They were probably tired of the old stuff. :rofl:(just teasing)
 

donna723

Well-Known Member
Fran, the old sofa was pretty much "theirs" anyway. Katy's favorite thing is to shove her beloved toy way down into the workings of the sleeper sofa - then she cries until I stick my arm down in there and get it for her. When I came home yesterday and let her out of her crate, she did it FOUR TIMES in the first hour that I was home! She will be heartbroken to see the old one go!
 

Abbey

Spork Queen
I always go neutral with colors...then highlight with small things that you can change inexpensively. As far as the dogs, you've got some good suggestions.

Kind of a yucky story - When I lived in Florida, our 'formal' living room was decked out as you described. Very light beige furniture. We had a couple come over for dinner one night and after dinner we retreated to the formal living room which rarely gets used. We have a glass of wine or two...chat, then they get ready to leave. The wife of the couple unfortunately got her period while sitting on the couch. She was ABSOLUTELY motified. I told her not to worry about it. No big deal.

Well, I tried and tried to get the large stain out to no avail. Imagine calling in a professional and explaining that it was a blood stain. I thought he was going to call the cops. So, I did what any logical thinking person would do...flip the cushion. No one knew otherwise.

I got an apology note in the mail a few days later. She felt so bad. Heck...sometimes it's just plain cruel to be a woman. Some things you just can't control.

Abbey
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
Abbey, that actually happened to ME on our NEW couch a couple years ago. :redface:

FYI to everyone: Peroxide poured directly on blood stains works wonders! It was like magic.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Got married
Survived word
Raises difficult children
Has dogs....
Became a long-time, well loved member of this family
and youre just NOW realized you are absolutely nuts?

Yeah oyster white couch. There WAS no other choice :tongue:
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
FYI to everyone: Peroxide poured directly on blood stains works wonders! It was like magic.


mother in law was kind enough to tell me this secret not long after husband and I married. You've no idea how many items it's saved over the years!!! :D
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
....um....Daissssee...y?? Weren't you just talking a few weeks ago about how you wanted to...um...wee....you know.....(makes sign across neck with finger) .:surprise:...husband? We were a little worried about him ya know...and now you come here and tell us this? ...:tongue: LOL - Does this girl have a sense of humor or WHAT? Gotta love those Ohio girls.
 

donna723

Well-Known Member
This is AWFUL but I have to pass along this story my cousin told me about one of her friends! If this happened to me I would just dig a big hole and crawl in it!

Her friend had gone with a group of church ladies to visit someone she didn't know very well - this person had a VERY nice house full of lovely old, expensive antique furniture and the friend ended up sitting in a beautiful old chair with light velvet upholstery. She was wearing a new black dress that she picked up at a discount store because it fit her well and looked really nice on her even though it was so cheap. Unfortunately, the friend had the beginnings of a cold, and even more unfortunate - she also had a bit of an incontinence problem - you can see this coming, can't you! First her throat started to tickle and pretty soon she was coughing and before she knew it, she had peed in the expensive antique chair! She had no idea what to do and just sat there in a panic while the other ladies chatted. When she finally had to get up, it was even worse than she thought. Once it got wet, the dye from the cheap black dress had come off all over the seat of the chair, so it was not only pee soaked, the whole seat of it was now stained black!

I've been really embarassed in my life, but I don't think I've have ever been quite THAT embarassed!
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
Oh, wow, Donna, that is horrible! I think I would have remained seated until everyone left and then begged the woman's mercy to not mention it and offer to pay for all repairs - how mortifying!!!

H just kept asking me, "But wouldn't you know???" He almost bit it that night.:mad:
 
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