I’ve been making slow changes to our front room over the past 6 months. I sold our secondhand tufted Victorian-style couch [the Victorian’s were not known for comfort. This couch really just served as comfort for the cats. I never sat in it] and was soon on the lookout for a replacement sofa or set of armchairs.

I searched secondhand websites [Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace] for a month or two and anything I suggested, Robert vetoed. Hunting secondhand online can be hit or miss, and I was finding a lot of misses. I then turned to mainstream big box stores for an armchair [or two].

When I found the REVO velvet swivel armchairs by Structube I was in love. I loved the modern shape, the velvet and that mossy olive colour. I showed Robert, he equally loved them and before I knew it we had two in our virtual shopping carts. This was late January 2022. It took them 4 months to arrive [which I know is not bad at all when it comes to pandemic online orders]. I tore open the boxes when they arrived, but my excitement fell short; what was olive-mossy green online was in reality a much colder winter green set of chairs.

Womp, womp. It was not what we [I] was hoping for at all. Why didn’t you check the fabric in-store or order a sample online?, I hear you say. Well, I ordered the chairs during the peak of the Omicron wave, and Structube don’t sell swatches of their fabric. It was a risk I was willing to take, and as it turns out, was too risky for me. I put the chairs in place and thought about it for a few days, but knew deep down I couldn’t keep them. The colour was too cold. I went through the return procedure and packed them up to be collected.

I’m back to square one, but I’m not upset about that. I’d have been more upset forcing myself to like them. I do know that thanks to having them in our front room, even if for a few days, I realized I want bigger, comfier chairs. Think 90’s huge, overstuffed, patterned armchairs. You’ve Got Mail levels of comfort, emotionally and physically.