UncategorizedFinally…Our New Sofa Story and the End to a Long Drama-Filled Saga August 28, 2013Alright, longest title in history award goes to yours truly. But if y’all have been around here for very long, you know that finding the right new sofa has about killed us. Remember the epic sofa saga? And then the one that we got for $130 at a thrift store to reupholster? Yes, I know. I thought we were done there too. Well, done until it got reupholstered. But if you follow me on Instagram (lifeofsplendor), you know that two weeks ago, we took a little trip. Yes, we drove 2.5 hours each way the night before I started back to school for a sofa that we’d seen a picture of on Craigslist. Crazy? Maybe. Okay, yes definitely crazy, but that’s what design does to me, y’all! Some of you asked why we went looking for another couch in the first place. Didn’t we have one that I loved? Yes, I adored the couch above. I adored the shape, the comfort, and how I knew it would look reupholstered. What I didn’t love was the quote that I got for reupholstering it. I had been given a cheaper quote when I bought this and then that one fell through. After that, the cheapest quote I got including fabric was $700. Now, I recognize that probably isn’t that unreasonable for re-upholstery. But for this bargain hunter, I couldn’t do it. I want a nice and comfy couch, but there is still so much I want to do in our house now that it’s finally ready for decorating and furnishing after all of our renovations. We’re on a budget and $700 could go a long way… I actually considered reupholstering it myself. I’m a DIYer, right? How hard could it be? I’ve got to be honest…I was too scared to try. And I want a couch so I can finish the living room like yesterday and I know I won’t have time to tackle that kind of project for a while. So, I just started looking. I wasn’t sold on buying a new one and selling the striped one, but I wanted to see what was out there. I was looking for either mid-century style like this one or something lovely and leather and tufted like this beauty from Little Green Notebook. Within a few days, I found her. Genuine Australian leather, lots of tufting, nailhead trim, only two months old without a bit of wear, and the “worn” leather look that I love (think Pottery Barn leather – not perfectly smooth and new looking on purpose!). They said that it was a custom designed Bernhardt sofa. Have y’all heard of that brand? I hadn’t, so I did some research. Their website reminds me a lot of Restoration Hardware. There were no prices, but I could tell these are seriously nice sofas. I thought, “surely there has to be a catch!” She was asking $500. I thought by looking that this sofa retailed for at least twice that and she said she’d only had it for two months. We had to go check it out… So off we went and what an adventure it was to bring this beauty home. I apologize for the long-winded story that follows, but I’m still in disbelief about what it took to get a couch. We drove, and drove, and drove deep into the mountains of North Carolina. The last e-mail I’d gotten from the sofa owner said they were the second house after you went through the gate. We were assuming a gated community. Well, about thirty minutes after we lost cell phone signal, we came to the gate. This was no gated community. It was a gravel road with a metal gate used to block off the road. It wasn’t that we needed some place “nice” or that we were being judgmental, but Chris and I both got a little weary. This was a Craigslist deal after all, and we were out in the middle of nowhere with no way to reach anyone. Against our better judgement, we continued through the gate and came to the house with children playing out front and the nicest lady you’ll ever meet sitting on the front porch. We immediately felt better. We walked in, LOVED the couch, and paid her. She did tell us that her mother in law works for Bernhardt and got this sofa after someone custom ordered it and then didn’t want it, so they got it on a huge discount. It was even nicer in person that we expected and weren’t shocked at all when the lady told us it retailed for $2,000. What?! We loaded it up and headed home. Well, here’s where it got really interesting…we got lost in the mountains. With no cell phone signal. Our GPS must’ve been feeling adventurous that night because it took us home a different way than we came. This different way included a one hour trek up the scariest road I’ve ever been on: gravel, climbing up a mountain, huge drop off on either side, extremely windy, you get the picture. Every minute I knew that we were either going to drive off one of the sides and be killed or at least stranded without a phone or someone was going to run out of the woods and block the road and who knows… I didn’t let myself think further. That is until Chris goes, “This reminds me of a serial killer movie I’ve seen….” My quick response was, “That is not helpful right now.” Ha. Looking back, that’s exactly what it felt like. And would you believe during this that my recurring thought was, “Gosh I hope the sofa doesn’t fall off the back of the truck. Oh and Lord please don’t let it rain because we forgot a tarp and this sofa’s leather and they’re calling for a 40% chance of showers.” Crazy I tell you… After an hour of this, we came back to the lady’s road. Right.where.we.started. That was fun. We kept going, found the right turn this time, and finally found our way home by around 12:30pm. But y’all, she made it home. And I seriously love her. Here she is in her new home in our living room. Now, I know what y’all long-time readers are thinking. Girl, you are seriously crazy. In the last house, I swore I’d never have anything but a white couch and here is a dark brown beauty in all her glory. I know, I know. Maybe my husband is right…I do change my mind quite a bit. I have a lot of plans to lighten up the room in other ways. I have to compensate for this new dark addition 🙂 I’ll talk about those tomorrow. But for now, here’s a few more couch photos. Oh what we went through to bring you home. Tomorrow, I’m going to talk about that rug that you spy in these pictures as well as reveal some of my plans for FINALLY finishing up our first and most important room! *** Oh and sorry for my unusual absence at the beginning of this week. I’ve been swamped working on something BIG I’m unveiling really soon. Hopefully next week!!! I can’t wait to share. I hinted at it here in maybe my most popular post of all time. Who knew a motivational post about buffaloes would get such a reaction? Thanks for all of your sweet feedback 🙂
Julia @Cuckoo4Design says August 28, 2013 at 4:54 pm LOL, serial killer movie! But I don’t think you are crazy at all, not one minute. You are one lucky girl to have found this amazing sofa and I would totally drive 2.5 hours for it, now my husband on the other hand wouldn’t at all. I’ve always wanted a couch like that. Love it so much! Reply
Lindsay says August 29, 2013 at 8:47 am So glad you like it, Julia! I was really shocked my husband went for it. He’s supportive for sure 🙂 Reply
Manda Wolf says August 28, 2013 at 5:17 pm Nice!!! I really like it, much better than the other sofa (and let work too!). I would love to have a leather sofa, but I know my dogs would tear it up, heck they are really rough on the microfiber. Reply
Lindsay says August 29, 2013 at 8:46 am Thanks Manda! I was SO worried about Gracie ripping it up or scratching it because she lived on the other couch. Surprisingly, she’s barely gone near it…somehow the leather turns her off. I’m so grateful! Reply
Jennifer says August 28, 2013 at 7:01 pm I love it! I’m so glad you guys made it home alright. It reminds me of this time we were meeting some friends at a campsite in the mountains, we got lost and our car was slipping down the side of a mountain on a sheet of rock before we got rescued by someone who could tow us out. But we didn’t have a gorgeous couch to show for it! What a great deal. Still looking forward to your big announcement ; ] Reply
Lindsay says August 29, 2013 at 8:46 am Ummm…your story just scared me! Sliding down a rock?! Crazy! So glad y’all were okay and glad you like the sofa 😉 Announcement coming soon I hope 🙂 Reply
Jenn @ HomeStyleReport says August 28, 2013 at 7:50 pm What an amazing couch and boy is she pretty! That was some adventure in getting her home – you have a saint of a husband, mine would have been going absolute crazy. We had one of those “serial killer” moments one time when we went hiking with friends, we may or may not have gotten lost and we may or may not have been scared…:) Reply
Lindsay says August 29, 2013 at 8:45 am Oh, my husband was going crazy on the we’re lost and can’t find our way part. It’s amazing how many of us have had those kinds of moments. You feel so helpless! Reply
cassie says August 28, 2013 at 8:34 pm i would drive to the corner of the earth for that! LOVE! Reply
Kayla says August 29, 2013 at 1:53 am That is a beauty for sure! I cannot believe you husband made that trek! Mine would say “no way”. We ice traveled on a road similar on our honeymoon in Hawaii since a fire had closed down the main road and we had a flight to catch. I literally thought I would die! Seeing the “honk before you turn” sign around a drop-off corner didn’t help much! Glad you guys all got home safe!!! Blessings, Kayla Reply
Lindsay says August 29, 2013 at 8:44 am My husband was a really, really good sport. I will say the whole way there, though, he kept saying that we were coming home with a sofa after driving that far, so he really hoped I liked it 🙂 Reply
Jesse @ Scout & Nimble says August 29, 2013 at 8:27 am I LOVE it!!!! Like L-O-V-E it!!! I also am a huge fan of Bernhardt…if you catch my drift. 😉 What an unbelievable deal and I am so happy that you scored the deal of the century! 😉 Reply
Lindsay says August 29, 2013 at 8:43 am Thank you Jesse! Bernhardt is awesome and I do catch your drift – yay!!! So glad you like it 🙂 Reply
Angie says August 29, 2013 at 8:58 am Sweet couch score! I’m glad you survived your Craigslist adventure. I would have really missed you! Reply
Jennifer from Chesapeake, VA says August 29, 2013 at 9:05 am I LOVE it!!!! Great find!!!! I love the thrill of the find……great job!!!! Reply
Kristin @ bliss-athome.com says August 29, 2013 at 9:08 am That looks awesome there Lindsay! Such a great find! xo Kristin Reply
Jennifer @ Dimples and Tangles says August 29, 2013 at 9:50 am You got a s.t.e.a.l! Bernhardt is a great brand. There’s nothing better than a fun story behind a bargain! Well, now it’s fun that it’s over with and you’re not stranded in a mountain ravine with a beautiful leather couch, right? 🙂 It’s looks awesome in your space! Reply
Lindsay says August 29, 2013 at 3:30 pm Thanks Jennifer!!! I still can’t believe what we got that for 😉 Reply
Bethany @ Dwellings by DeVore says August 29, 2013 at 7:58 pm What a great story and a great couch! It looks great in your home! Reply
Bev says February 26, 2016 at 5:55 am I loved this story. Just went through chemo and then broke my ankle. I needed cheering up. Heres the funny part…how i came across your story. I googled craigslist bernhardt thinking i would drive anywhere in the southeast from saint paul, mn to pick up a loveseat like the one i got rid of 6 years back (because i thought i couldnt pay so much for reupohlstery.) It was such a well designed beautiful loveseat and cant find anything on the current market that comes close. I purchased it used maybe 15 years ago so its likely a model from 20 – 30 years ago. See your not the only design crazed person. Reply
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