Everything I learnt from buying and reupholstering a second-hand sofa and what I'd do differently next time

Plus lots of tips on how to be more cost-effective!

Our second-hand sofa was one of the first things I bought for our house (back in 2020), before we'd even started renovations. It might have even been before we got the keys. I was punch drunk on the fact that I could finally start purchasing things for the home that I'd been furnishing in my head for so long. The sofa was £10 on Gumtree and I bought it without much hesitation, thrilled with the shape of its cute wavy back and the idea of undertaking a reupholstery project to bring it back to life.

Whilst I have absolutely no regrets and would still urge anyone and everyone to buy a second-hand sofa, if I had my time again I'd definitely go about it a little differently. Do I wish I'd put a bit more thought into how it would feel to sit on, not just how it would look in the space, yes. Do I wish I'd checked how much it would cost to reupholster before I purchased a project sofa, yes. Would I do it all again? Yes! I just wish I'd been a bit more prepared. So, here's what I learnt and what I wish I'd known beforehand.

News flash, reupholstering is probably more expensive than you think once you’ve factored in labour and the cost of the fabric. So if you’re looking for the cheapest option, you want a second-hand sofa that doesn't need recovering or reupholstering. Or at least one that doesn’t need doing straight away giving you time to save up and to decide on your fabric which can be a bit of a minefield - in retrospect this is what I wish I’d done. In the meantime, if it’s not very pleasing to the eye, throw a dust sheet or big piece of fabric over it, which I think can look very chic.

Buying second-hand doesn't mean you need to buy an ‘old’ sofa. Often people are selling sofas that are only 6 months old or barely been used, or in really great condition despite being used. Don’t be afraid to message the seller and ask for more measurements and information, including why they’re selling it. It’s also worth bearing in mind that because sofas are large items, people are often looking to get rid of them quickly meaning it’s worth putting a lower offer in - you’ll be doing them a favour if you can collect fast and you might get even more of a bargain. Quality wise, second-hand is also how you’ll get the best bang for your buck and means you’ll miss the crazy lead times that come with buying a new sofa - sometimes 3-6 months!