Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Chairless

The kids are mad at me. I took the big chair away.

With help from Luna, destroyer puppy extraordinaire, the big grey chair in our living room is finally headed for the trash. It’s been on its last legs for some time now - tired and threadbare. Once Luna got hold of a little string on the side, it was all over. She ripped it open like a sack of dog food, exposing all the foamy goodness.


My husband and I dragged the chair out to the garage. I called for it to be picked up on Thursday. The only trouble is: it’s the MOST COMFORTABLE CHAIR IN THE WORLD.


I have to admit, it’s like a giant hug. It’s the only chair in the house you can sink your whole body into. It’s the kind of chair you can flop into and sling your legs up over the side. Last night when I couldn’t sleep, I came downstairs to get a snack, walked to the living room, and immediately missed the comfy chair. I longed for the same chair that has been such a constant eyesore I’ve been just waiting for an excuse to get rid of it. What can I say…it is as comfortable as it is hideous.


It has such an odd shape I’d never attempt to try to sew a cover for it. It’d be ridiculous to reupholster it – it would probably cost three times what we paid for it. I once tried covering it in one of those ready-made slipcovers; it looked as though one of the hippos from Fantasia had been tranquilized and dumped in the middle of my living room.


So now the chair is torn, and so am I. Do I get rid of it, moving forward in the hopes of replacing it someday with a more eye-pleasing (and possibly even more comfy) one? Or do I hang on to it, slap a patch on it, and try to continue to look the other way as I flop myself into its weary but welcoming arms?

15 comments:

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Oh I feel your pain.
We've done the same thing, and I even sewed a slipcover for the monstrosity. It might make you feel better to know that Tanner the Slobber Dog destroyed that too.

Set Ugly Chair free. You'll be amazed how much lighter you feel. Or just keep it in the garage and make it your happy place.
I'm no help, aren't I?
Sorry. I'm clearly conflicted about this.

sruble said...

I'd be tempted to try to find a way to cover it, or paint it, or make it look presentable. Or shove it in the corner with a sheet over it and tell people that visit that it's going to be reupholstered, but they haven't come to pick it up yet.

(Can you tell our current furniture is uncomfortable?)

Kelly Polark said...

That is a bummer. We have a chair in our living room with a corner still tattered and chewed on (thanks to our now 12 year old dog..she was a destroyer as a pup, too!). Check the internet maybe for something similar? Good luck!!

Rena Jones said...

Oh no! Poor Chair! I blogged recently about leaving our old loveseat at the dump. I can't believe how bad I felt, leaving it there all alone, with mud on its arm. It was terrible -- sniff!

Brenda said...

Have you checked on what it would cost to get it reupholster? It might not be as costly as you think...

Otherwise, I agree with Rebecca...keep in it in the garage for your happy place...It can be your "timeout chair"...have you seen that commercial where the kids are arguing and the mom comes in and says, "That's it, someone needs to go to timeout." and then she leaves the room and sits down on a comfortable chair...she put herself in timeout...hahaha...you could do that...grin...

Anonymous said...

Ah, we have that chair--not in such bad shape, but we dont' have a dog. That is a tough call. Good luck.

Bish Denham said...

I know that chair. A dog ate mine too! I am sending you positive replace vibes, that you find the PERFECT chair to replace it.

Suzanne Casamento said...

I get what everybody's saying about leaving it in the garage, but who wants to take a comfy moment to yourself in the garage?

Think of a like dating. It's like breaking up. You just gotta do it. Get rid of the deliciously comfy eyesore and make room for its amazingly comfortable superhot (okay, maybe "stylish" is a better word than "hot" when we're talking about furniture) replacement.

Alexandra MacVean said...

There is alot of foamy goodness around here, too!! :)

Lily Cate said...

Ouch.
We got rid of this awesome old couch, big and wide and super comfy, when we couldn't stand to move it to a new place. It had a beat up hide-a-bed in it, making it weigh about four hundred thousand pounds.
We left it behind.
I've never found another peice of furniture so great for relaxing, but I'm so glad I never had to lift that huge couch again.

Kimbra Kasch said...

I just hate change. It seems like I just get used to something and it's time to replace it with something new... Hum...my husband should be careful ;-) we've been together 30 years - what's the normal expectancy for marriages, husbands, chairs?...

Adrienne said...

Boy, I've enjoyed the comments - I guess everyone can relate!

Definitely comfort has a value, but is it worth the constant irritation? I'm inclined to agree with Suzanne; it seems more forward-looking to just move on...

Stacy Nyikos said...

It's tough. I have a table in our breakfast room that I cannot wait to get rid of. The chair I sit in keeps falling apart. There is a burn hole in the table from fondu gone a little pyro-inferno. When it goes, though, and I can't wait for that day, I bet I'll miss it too. Maybe if you do a little looking around. Fall in love with a new chair. Maybe that will make it easier.

LW said...

A Hippos from Fantasia in my living room would make me cranky…
Get a new one…
I tossed away the most comfy sofa a few years back and have not found one as comfortable as of yet.
Nevertheless, my new one is so much more pleasing to the eye, I added a few comfortable pillows and I am happy with the results.

good luck, I know it's hard...

Louise

Adrienne said...

Stacy - Your house sounds a lot like mine! Our fondue incident just took some of the varnish off, though.

Louise - For now I'm kind of enjoying the empty space...at least til something better comes along :)