Item you wished you'd never bought

8 years ago

"Uh-oh, I shouldn't have bought that...." Do you recognise that thought? Perhaps you fell in love with a piece of furniture, a decorative object, or a gadget, bought it quickly, and when you got home you realised it wasn't such a good purchase after all - and then it's too late.

If you could, which item in your home would you return?

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Featured Answer

jamesandcat

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

I'm one worse. It's an item that I *designed* and *had made* and wish I'd never bought.

It's a 6 foot tall, extra deep cupboard with mid-century modern legs. It's made out of hardboard and cost £400. The plan was to do something nifty and creative with it.

It now dominates the lounge, looks like a giant wardrobe in the wrong place, and I never did the something nifty. Now I realise why furniture designers exist, and why I'm not one.

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Comments (35)

User
8 years ago
A floor to ceiling pair of red curtains (not my choice). Every time I drew them I felt like the previews @ the local flea pit were about to blast out. A deep fat fryer - total waste of space and money as I got much better results in the Wok I already had.
embzop
8 years ago
A used pine desk from an online auction site. It was shabby, but not chic, and just looked like a left over from the 1980s. It went to the recycling centre a few months later. I'm struggling to remember why I bought it in the first place.
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Chevan Chuenchomboon
8 years ago
Was some cheap very usable sidetable, but white and black was sold out, just orange left...i finally sold it after some years advertising haha
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Stella Michael
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
One of my current sofas ... I like the style, a type of modern chesterfield but it is far too short to lie on comfortably and the colour online (as in this photo) looked/s a brighter mauve whereas it's actually more muted with grey tones and isn't the best in my living room. I have made the colour work but the length is just annoying when you want to stretch out. I had planned to have one longer one but the other one is short too (long story) Anyone interested in a new sofa? ...
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Amber Jeavons Ltd
8 years ago
Hello Emmeline, I would have to say my sofa... I hate it with a passion... It was good in my last place but my cat has given it her upholstery touch and shredded the cover.. I tried to dye it along with the remaining covers a dark charcoal grey with bought dye and it ended up blue! I wanted to scream. What I need is a charcoal velvet chesterfield.... : ))
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Amber Jeavons Ltd
8 years ago
Oh Stellahome... If it were a darker charcoal..... Hmmmmm but I have no £ @tm.. .. :(
Catherine Hounslow
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
A coffee table from a well known Swedish company -it was much bigger when in situ than it appeared to be when it was in the shop. It swamped the room . I gave it to charity in the end.
chalkandbell
8 years ago
I'm sure I could think of oodles but at the moment that honour goes to the new divan bed I bought in March.
It was an investment in terms of cost and it's the most uncomfortable bed I've ever slept on! My husband and I both have back ache every morning.
So much for all that research and hours spent schlepping around showrooms lying on beds!
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Amber Jeavons Ltd
8 years ago
Hello chalkandbell, That sounds like a terrible shame... but it sounds to me like a mattress that's too hard or too soft.. Both are equally problematic but you may be able to do something about it.. Too many pillows can exacerbate the problem.. I too have an awful mattress that came with my bed from Lombok.. It's the most awful thing... All the springs dig into my back... It's like they gave me one they had used as a trampoline for 10 years and then sent it to me! Never again!! : ))
karicee
8 years ago
Hi chalkandbell. Try a memory foam topper; I have one on my bed and it's really comfortable.
chalkandbell
8 years ago
Hi Karicee

thanks, I probably will have to resort to that eventually. At the moment I'm using my old bed again!
bombel1972
8 years ago
funny. just this morning, as i pushed my superking bed with a bulldozer, so i can hoover behind it .....i was telling myself NEVER to buy a very heavy, deep-fitted mattress again.. ever!
chalkandbell
8 years ago
bombel1972, I have the same problem! Not only is my bed not comfy (see above!) but it also weighs about three quarters of a ton (or seems that way when you are following instructions to turn it monthly!)
Norma Wiles
8 years ago
Hi chalkandbell, my husband has severe back problems and after trying many different types of beds (including one with a costly posture sprung mattress ) we now have a Tempur memory foam mattress and it's the most comfortable bed yet . One our best investments .
Norma Wiles
8 years ago
The item I wish I had never bought has to be a large sofa made by Tetrad which looked great but was most uncomfortable . Fortunately I managed to sell it on ebay but still lost money .
Adam Ash
8 years ago
stellahome why not reupholster the sofa? Could make a big difference?
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Stella Michael
8 years ago
Adam Ash are you suggesting that will make it longer? As I said it is the length that is the main issue.
Jan Lustro
8 years ago
Almost everything I've ever bought from Ikea. A small kitchen table with wobbly legs, an oversized square armchair that has never fit any corner space, bedroom drawers on which the handles keep falling off, a bedside table that is too high, a daybed which can't be moved without falling apart, an office chair with wheels that won't glide on my carpet, and a king size bed, which is great, but for which I can never find bedding that fits quite right. Unless I go to Ikea again.
marivon1
8 years ago
Jan Lustro - and a trip to Ikea might be a thing of the past for new bedding too shortly - I stand to be corrected but had heard that they are now making all beds and bed linen to European measurements to keep in line with Europe!! My son bought a bed frame from there very recent, and having had an Ikea bed and mattress before just wanted to renew the frame, only to be told that he would have to get a new mattress to fit this frame as his old mattress would now be too big for the new one!! It does make sense I suppose, but a bit annoying if you had only recently purchased bed and frame and mattress in old measurements!
msecobabble
8 years ago
It's got to be the bed my husband and his dad chose. It's solid wood, the right size and should be wonderful but there's a bit of wood that sticks into my head whenever I try to read in bed and it does my head in (literally!). It cost a fair bit though so I'll probably have to die in it.
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Amber Jeavons Ltd
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
hahaha I did laugh msecobabble! Pretty awful especially when you'll have the bed for a long time!!.. Can you sand said piece of wood? I have springs on my mattress that dig into my ribs.. The only respite I get is when I turn the mattress round to July-Aug-September..... : ))
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Stella Michael
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
marivon1 what country are you in? In the UK we already have Ikea 'European' (metric) sizes which are different to the UK (Imperial) sizes so same problem. The UK is confusing as it uses a mix of metric and imperial sizes/measurements for different things rather than biting the bullet one way or the other.
Tani H-S
8 years ago
Also our sofa. Was a forced 2nd hand purchase as we didn't have anything and the one I REALLY wanted was on a 3 month order time. It is fairly comfy to be fair but is too slouchy looking and an awful mix of pale grey with blue tones. Not classy or stylish but I'm not allowed to buy another one now until we move
marivon1
8 years ago
stellahome I too am in the UK, yes I think I understand what you are saying, but I think they are doing away with the European then and sticking to UK imperial?? I am not too sure to be honest which way they are going - I only heard it second hand "chinese whispers" and all, so maybe have totally got it all wrong! All I know is, he bought a new bed frame and his already purchased Ikea mattress (with previous Ikea frame - only 2 years old I hasten to add) would not now fit so he had to buy another mattress?! Confused.com!
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Stella Michael
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
marivon1 helpful to know, thank you. The UK does not use European/metric sizes. I have not looked into buying Ikea beds in the past as I don't like being restricted to their bed linen, although in the end I don't find much I like in the UK anyway and end up buying linen in Europe, the US or Australia. I had a look and yes, you are right ... last year (2014) Ikea started to stock the smaller UK imperial sized beds but you can still get the European metric ones online. From what you say they have also changed their bed linen to the smaller UK sizes, which makes sense (kind of).

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jan/12/ikea-booms-britain-uk-size-smaller-beds-sales

http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_GB/pdf/bed_frame_%20size_%20guide.pdf
silyab53
8 years ago
@Jan Lustro. I buy my Emperor bedding from The White Company or The Linen Cupboard, the latter of which sells 'IKEA EUROPE' bedding as they are different to regular sizes. Hope that helps. B
marivon1
8 years ago
stellahome - it's amazing what conversations we get into! I don't actually have an Ikea bed either for the same reason as you - however - if I dare even broach the subject again - I have bought Ikea king size Linen bed set from Ikea to try and it is HUGE for a standard king size bed! I don't actually mind it being wider (its a good 8" either side - here we go again Imperial lol!) as being linen it drapes rather nicely! I bought linen sheets and pillowcases from Soak and Sleep as Ikea don't do linen sheets/pillowcases! There, do you think we have put this to bed now (no pun intended!!!)x
silyab53
8 years ago
........a final comment before we go to bed, I've just heard IKEA are standardising their bedding to 'normal' measurements. Not sure how that'll fare with folk who have already have Ikea beds.
marivon1
8 years ago
silyab53........in a nutshell I think that is exactly what I was trying to say lol!! Why say a few words when you can say a lot ha ha!! Sweet dreams! :)
honeyfieldsgraincompany
7 years ago
a juicer
silyab53
7 years ago
Too many to mention but my huge collection of Franz pottery is in the loft which is crammed full - really full - of 'stuff'. I've reigned myself in but I'll never have the minimalist home that I'd like. My intention is to sell all this brand new stuff to raise funds for my Church and another charity to be decided, when I get around to bringing it down from the loft - yeah! Bought a huge rug in BLACK (stupid, needs twice daily vacuuming, not happening) which is now rolled up in my sitting room. My 7 cats try to use the roll as a very expensive scratch post, hmm!
moiraford
7 years ago
Dukes of Hazzard door bell.....was funny at the time, don't Amazon and drink Rose.
Lauren
7 years ago
Hi Chalkandbell - I second Norma's suggestion of a memory foam topper. They're not very expensive on ebay now and make even the worst mattress a million times more comfortable. I suggest getting at 2" thick one and buying extra deep fitted sheets which also gives that luxurious hotel look!

My thing I wish I'd never bought is probably cheap bedding and towels. They're never worth it in the long run!
Rachel Riley
7 years ago
Years ago when I got my first flat and had no idea of what style I liked I made the mistake of buying a snot green tub sofa. The colour was alright in the catalog and was a bargain as I even got a matching tub chair. At some point I tried remodeling the sofa but ended up scrapping it. I still have the chair though, I'm actually sat on it right now.

Item you wished you'd never bought

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