Nothing lasts forever…
All good things come to an end…
Things aren’t what they used to be…
They don’t make them like they used to…
The endless list of cliches describing how things change over time. Furniture manufacturing has also changed dramatically in the last 100 years. Once hand-crafted and designed to be permanent pieces, handed down from generation to generation, furniture of today is made efficiently to keep prices down. As a result, today’s furniture is generally not built to endure decades of daily use. Let’s look at the average lifespans of common pieces of furniture and criteria for deciding when it’s time to replace a piece:
- Living Room
- Sofa – 7-15 years. Quality of construction and initial cost can be big indicators as to where your sofa will fall within that time frame. More specifically are the cushions sagging? Are there stains or smells? Is the upholstery starting to wear? These are all signs your sofa needs replacement.
- Side chairs – 7-10 years. The same criteria for sofas applies to upholstered chairs. For recliners, when the mechanism begins to fail, it is time to move on.
- Coffee and side tables – 5-10 years. These tables take a lot of abuse from feet, coffee cups, and water glasses. Replace them as they become unsightly or unsturdy.
- Dining Room
- Dining room table – 5-20 years. Exterior factors go a long way towards a dining room table’s lifespan. Regularly using a pad/cover and a tablecloth will help protect your table from burns, spills, stains, and sunlight. Leaving a bare table exposed will put your piece on the lower end of this timeline.
- Dining room chairs – 5-10 years. In a dining room suit, the chairs do all the heavy lifting… literally! Holding us daily as we eat, the wear and tear on chairs is great. It is not uncommon for chairs to begin to fail long before a table.
- Bedroom
- Mattress – 7-15 years. There is much discussion about the lifespan of a mattress. And the reality is most people continue to sleep on a worn out mattress long after it’s best years are over. When it comes to your bed, listen to your body. If you spend your nights restlessly tossing and turning, only to wake up achy and unrested, it is time to replace your mattress regardless of its age.
- Dresser/Chest of Drawers – 10-20 years. Chests are as good as their drawers. As long as the drawers are still functioning properly, your chest probably has life left. Want a new look? Replace the pulls and hardware to give your suit some new ‘pop’.
When you’re ready to replace that sagging couch, unsightly coffee table, or your entire bedroom suit, start your search at Furniture Solutions of Wilder, KY. We will work with you to find the pieces that fit your taste, needs, and space!