After twenty plus years I have new couches

I come from parents who made big purchases and then used the hell out of those purchases for years and years until they got more than their money's worth on the items before replacing. My mother drove the same green station wagon all through my childhood, used the same appliances that came with the house, and other than recovering it we had the same furniture from the time I was born. That mentality has worn off on me, and I married a man who isn't keen on spending money when the items work "perfectly well".

Me: "Hey, can you throw this laundry hamper in the neighbor's trash since her garbage gets picked up this morning?"
Tom: "Why?"
Me: "Because the bottom is broken, it's too big, and I don't want it anymore, and I forgot that yesterday was our trash day."
Tom: "Then the neighbor will probably see it and pick it up and have a perfectly good hamper."

I drove the same vehicle for fifteen years before we replaced it. My couches have lasted twenty one years and would still be in my living room if I hadn't started whining and saying, "new couches" every time I was asked what I wanted for birthday, Christmas, Valentine's, and Mother's Day. But new couches I did get, and after several months of building the frame, tanning the leather, and stitching it all together in Italy, they arrived this week. On Saturday I suggested we move the old couches into the Steelers room the next day. Tom agreed, but on Sunday he got into the leaf raking project and was too tired to move couches and so I did it. With my bad back and my numb leg, and with the aid of my furniture movers, I moved the couches, the end table and the coffee table into the back room.

Darcy: "I hate it in here. It doesn't match and it is too crowded. Why do they both have to be in here?"
Me: "I like it. Makes the room cozy. We can get rid of those two entertainment chairs and this room will be nice."
Darcy: "I'm not getting rid of my chair! You can get rid of one of them."
Me: "Then put the other one in your room or stop whining about how crowded it is in this room."

When we first went furniture shopping I knew I wanted something light. I'm not much of a decorator, but when we first began fixing up the house I was pleased with the color scheme I came up with of reds, greens, and blues, and I made sure that we got blue couches to match. It looked very nice and when my decorator friend came in ten years later to give the room an update we kept the same color scheme so the couches would work. The room was dark and even with new lighting and nothing on the windows it is still darker than I would like it so I thought going light in a couch color would work. We ended up with a medium gray which the sales lady said was the new color because it went with everything. The floor sample was a dark gray, and I loved it, but it was very much like my navy blue couches. Another floor sample was a light gray, and I hated it. The only thing in the showroom that was in the medium gray was an ottoman and the saleslady also showed me a swatch of the color. I was hoping I was going to like it in a couch.

I told Tom I wanted him to be home when the furniture was delivered as there would be electric cords and stuff for him to handle. Plus, I wanted him to look it over too in case there was anything wrong with it. He and the furniture movers arrived at the same time on Monday. I was nervous about the color and peered out of the window as they unloaded. When I saw it for the first time I was thrilled. It looked more blue than gray, but it looked pretty. It wasn't until they hauled them into the house that I realized they were wrapped in blue blankets.

But it was fine. I loved the color when everything was unwrapped. We ordered a couch and a love seat, but they come in four pieces that are interchangeable. The guys showed us how to attach them and then plugged everything in and tested all of the mechanics. I went around looking for issues, discovered none, and the two men left us to our new couches. Tom and I played around with the arrangement and then he went back to work while I sat on all four pieces. I loved them!

Darcy: "I don't like them. They look too modern. Too weird. Why did we have to change?"
Me: "I like the modern look."
Darcy: "Ugh. And they are too firm. Why are they so firm? I liked our comfy couches."
Me: "Well then go sit on them in the other room. And just so everyone knows there will be no eating or drinking on these couches. And the dog isn't allowed on them either."
Darcy: "And I don't like those rules. Why did we have to get new couches?"
Me: "We asked you come with us to help pick out new couches and you didn't so you can't complain. You could have had a voice in the matter."
Darcy: "Pfft. You wouldn't have agreed with what I liked. Now we have to paint the walls. The couches don't match the walls."

She was right about that. With the lights on, the couches made the walls dingy. While the sales lady had told us the gold would be great with the gray she hadn't seen my walls in person. They went great with my red accent wall, but not so great with the gold.

Tom: "We can paint."
Me: "Really? You'll paint? Because I did the entire room last time and I know I can't do it alone this time."
Tom: "Let's live with it for a week before we decide."

So that's what we are doing. I've purchased some accent pillows to match the couches and the red wall. The couches are growing on Darcy.

Elliot was annoyed the first day, but caught on quickly that he was not allowed on the couches. He would give me a pitiful glance that said, "Really? You're really doing this? Sigh." By the next day he would come over to the couch, look at me, and ask, "Is that rule still in effect? I'm still not allowed? Really?" Then he would walk back to the kitchen or to the tile and sigh. By the end of that day I couldn't take the sad face. But it's just our little secret. When anyone else is home he isn't allowed.

Darcy: "He's just going to do it when you aren't home."

Me: "No, he isn't. He's a good boy. And you're a good girl so no eating or drinking on it. I'm serious."

And I am.