Choosing a Living Room Set That Stands Up to Children and Pets

Every parent, whether of a child or a pet, dreads buying new furniture. You come home one day, look at your living room furniture out of the corner of your eye, and are appalled at its condition. You are determined to buy new furnishings. You hop online and start browsing, and promptly close the browser upon seeing the price.

It’s a common tale that is often repeated. You don’t want to pay new furniture prices, but you also don’t want to throw your money away on low quality pieces that will be destroyed within months, weeks, or maybe even days.

But there is hope! There are some inexpensive living room sets that are still of a high quality. Here are some things to keep in mind while you browse.

Microfiber is the best choice for upholstery.

Microfiber is a synthetic fabric that is very hard to rip, scratch, or stain. It is easy to care for, easy to clean, and is really durable. But don’t get cocky and buy furniture in white or another light color. Every fabric has its limits!

Make that upholstery removable.

You’re not going to be able to remove the upholstery of the frame of the furniture, but you can usually get a living room set with zippered cushions. This is by far the best way to keep your living room furniture clean when you have children or pets. Instead of fighting with upholstery cleaner or steam cleaners, you can just unzip it, throw it in the wash, flat dry, and zip back on, good as new.

Choose furniture with solid wood arms.

When looking at sofas and accent chairs, consider getting styles that have exposed solid wood arms and legs. Children and pets are the hardest on these parts of the living room set, but wood can easily be refinished to look like new.

Buy furniture with a solid and sturdy foundation.

Your children and pets might tear up or stain your furniture, but they won’t be in the household forever. Spending a bit more to get higher-quality furniture with sturdier foundations of solid wood or strong metal will save you money in the long run. Wood can be refinished, and it is cheaper to reupholster furniture than to buy new.

Prioritize your needs.

You might be tempted to get that really beautiful (and really expensive) living room set with the perfect pattern, but is it really practical? Decide what you want your furniture to be, what your deal breakers are, and which features will be of the most importance. 

For most people, appearance and pattern are going to be low on the list, while things like comfort and functionality remain high. Other items often prioritized by consumers include durability, ease of maintenance, and weight. Size, of course, is also a factor. 

And, of course, the all important price. Thankfully, with online furniture stores you can now get reasonably priced but still durable furniture for home living spaces without waiting for sales.