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For the past, say, four weeks—I’ve truly lost count—I have been tirelessly trying to sell my vintage sofa on every possible online resale site known to man. (Yes, thank you, I tried Facebook Marketplace—of course I did!) What I thought would be a quick, easy sale because of my sofa’s sexy silhouette and trendy cream color has turned into a one-bedroom-apartment dweller’s worst nightmare: The new couch arrived, the old one hasn’t sold yet, and now I have two in my apartment.
The new one, a vintage-inspired piece from brand-new brand Retroloop, won’t ever give me that problem, though, and thank heavens. Because of the company’s forward-thinking business model, I can sell it back to Retroloop when I’m ready for a new sofa, and it will refurbish it for a new customer.
That’s not the only reason I was ready to make the switch, though. I’m a design editor, after all, and I was instantly caught up in the Retroloop sofa’s style: Chiclet arms, rounded seating, and a range of velvety fabrics made from 100% post-consumer recycled water bottles. (I went with olive.) It’s also modular, meaning it could be made into an armchair, an armless love seat, or, as I chose, a three-piece sofa. If we had room for the ottoman, I would have added it to my cart, too. The height (15.5 inches) was also a selling point because while our vintage couch was low-slung and cool-looking, it made it tough for a tall person like me to get out of it.
The modular nature of the pieces was especially appealing to me, the type of person who’s constantly redecorating and swapping in new furniture, but to be honest, it was also one of the most frustrating parts of the setup. I can’t technically blame Retroloop. Even though shipping is free, I opted for white-glove service, and because it was the first time the delivery people had ever assembled one, they asked the question you never want to hear when your sofa comes in eight pieces: “Do you know how it’s supposed to look?”
Eventually, the team put it together via the metal hooks, but still, it didn’t feel right, so a couple days later and with some instructions from the brand, my husband and I cranked up the AC and were able to reassemble it in about 15 minutes with the sofa (and our marriage) intact. Finally, we could fairly evaluate its comfort. The first sitting was a little stiff, but after three weeks, it’s softened up a bit, and the 24-inch depth and 99-inch length make it perfect for two people to spread out and shout at the TV during the Olympics.
The Loop Sofa With Arms
Retroloop
Still, the mission and style behind the brand make up for any assembly hiccups, and I can’t imagine tiring of this sofa anytime soon. I’m also toying with the idea of using the brand’s slipcovers to make a color-blocked version. And when I am read to say goodbye, it won’t be via a vintage marketplace—I’ll just sell it back to Retroloop (the buy-back program launches soon) and be on my way.