What are your thoughts on this (PsIP) for a formal living?

[lolc]

Our formal living room still echoes because we have basically no furniture. A person I am acquainted with is getting ready to move and has offered to sell me her entire living room set for $400 (actually $300 if my husband does a little yard work... she's an elderly woman). She wants to keep her accent pillows (no problem, lol). But I'm wondering what your thoughts are? It's made of leather (or at the very least a bonded leather... it's very soft).

First question: Do you think the 4 pieces (sofa, loveseat, chair, ottoman) for $400 is a good price?

Second: Do you think it's good for a formal living room?

Third: Thoughts on the color?

Fourth: What style pieces are these if you had to name it? Traditional? "Old Lady?" Contemporary? 

What are your personal thoughts? What do you like/dislike about it? (Be honest!) 

[sierramist03]

I'm not sure I love the color I'd rather have a black or chocolate I think. I don't necessarily think its a bad set and it doesn't seem like a bad price. Do you have furniture now?

[tarheels]

I like it a bunch and think $400 is a great price and if I had a cavernous FLR, I'd jump on it. I guess I'd call it transitional. It doesn't seem old lady if that's what you're asking.

[prazenjc]

i agree w/tarheels. it is a good set and a good price for it. i definitely wouldn't pair it with the tables shown in the pix, as i don't think they work together with it. i would call it more transitional, too. like sierramist, i prefer a different color for leather (black, espresso, mahoganny/cognac-ish), but for that price could work with it and make a lovely room, i'm sure.

i say go for it!

[nessness]

I agree with PPs; that color wouldn't be my first choice, but for $400 I'd take it for sure. And I don't think it's "old lady" style at all.

[pamela]

I don't think it's my idea of formal LR, but most people want a living room they can sit in comfortably which my last formal LR didn't really fit. It looks nice and awesome price. Especially if you don't have a set yet. It looks more masculine than old lady.

[april37]

I love the style and $400 is a fantastic price. I would personally prefer a darker leather but overall that's a great deal.

[Deleted]

I really like it. Color and all. The color is still neutral but it's a bit different from the usual.
It's a really common style in my world so I find it normal. I don't think it's old lady, traditional or anything really. THR is probably right with the transitional. Some decent throw pillows and different end tables would also change the look of that.

However, make sure it's really leather. Bonded leather is crap for things you sit on and use everyday. It's fine for ottomans and the like, but actual furniture not so much.

[auntie]

If it's real leather it's a steal. If it's bonded and won't be getting daily use, it's still a good option until you're ready to go in another direction.

I'm not wild about the color, finding a wall color to go could be a challenge since it's a neutral midtone. It probably precludes taupes, tans and grays for the wall unless much darker/lighter. It would be real easy to change the look with cushions and throws. I think different tables would go along way to kill and residual old lady vibe.

I'd call it transitional.

[heygrey]

if you need furniture and it's real leather, it's a steal of a deal. if you like it even a little bit, i'd jump at that while you save up to replace (if that's what you'd ultimately like to do).

i actually really like the colour. you could do a lot with throw pillows and decor.

[munkii]

Since you say it's soft, my guess is that it's leather, but I can't imagine someone selling leather for that cheap! It could be a different type of manufactured leather too.

It's NMS since the design is very traditional. The color is very neutral, though, and that price is really too good to pass up. However, if it is bonded, only buy this if you plan to rarely use the furniture--too much body heat will cause bonded leather to crack.

[Deleted]

How old is the set, where did it come from, and how much use has it had? If it's been used a lot and held up well, great. If it's been lightly used, I'd probably be suspicious. We bought a very similar set at a big box furniture store, minus the loveseat for $3K when we didn't know what we were doing. However, it turned out to be terrible quality. The sofa started sagging in the middle after about 3 or 4 years, and we aren't super heavy people or anything. Also, the "leather" was terrible looking (pretty sure it was bonded) after a few years. It was just really poorly made and I wouldn't take it again for free, much less pay money for it. We have an oak settle now, but if I was shopping for a sofa with an internal frame again, I wouldn't get anything with a foreign-made frame. But if you aren't sure about the frame/leather quality and just want a Bandaid for a few years (bonus if it turns out to be good!), $400 isn't a lot of money for a full set of furniture.

ETA: I don't think it looks particularly formal, but I guess that just depends on your style.