Would you do this at someone else's house?

Question

For several years now my wife and I have been discussing getting new living room furniture because the sofa and loveseat we have I've had since my daughter was a baby and she'll be 25 this year. We took care of it and so it's held up pretty well. We recently started looking for a new sofa and loveseat and found a really nice set that has powered headrest and powered recline on both the sofa and the loveseat. We purchased it and I told my wife that I do not expect anyone else to be reclining on it but us. All the kids are out of the house and when they come to visit they can sit down like normal folks without pushing buttons to recline the seats. She feels that if the object of the sofa and loveseat is to recline then why not let people recline. I said that people come to visit not relax. Her dad bought her mom one of those massaging chairs and I told her that when we go visit her parent's she doesn't jump in the chair and turn it on so why would any of our kids feel the need to recline on our furniture simply because it reclines. When you go to someone's house do you use their furniture like it's yours? If they have a fridge that has the built in ice maker and water dispenser on the door would you just willy nilly start using it? Or if they have one of those fridges that is a smart fridge with the tablet on the door would you just start pushing buttons to play with the tablet? Probably not. Am I wrong here?

Update:

@Anonymous,

When I go to my parent's house I don't lounge on their furniture or recline in their chairs, even though that's what it's supposed to do. When you move out then you sort of give up some of those rights to just come back and kick up your feet.

Update 2:

@ TJ

I think you understand what I'm talking about. Unless you're invited to do something don't just assume you can do it. Same thing with someone riding in your car. Don't sit in the passenger seat and start pushing buttons. I had a guy get in my truck a few weeks ago and we were only going about 2 miles down the road and he immediately hit my seat warmer button for the passenger side.

Foofa · Answer

If it was my parents' house I probably wouldn't think it was a big deal to recline on their reclining furniture. Traditionally the living room/parlor/lounge furniture was there to entertain guests. But it's also not considered good manners to make yourself too at home in someone else's house when you're a guest. So I suppose this depends on who the guests are. If it's your adult children cut them some slack. If it's truly someone you don't know all that well then it might be different. TBH and generally speaking furniture like this that's meant for maximum slothing wouldn't be appropriate for the place where you entertain guests anyway. There's a reason a formal living room usually looks a lot nicer than the den/family room where the family hangs out all the time.

T J · Answer

You are right. Unless im invited to try it out, I would not touch it.

? · Answer

I wouldn't do it but I'm sure other people will, sorry man, just let it go.

Anonymous · Answer

I think it's strange that you wouldn't allow your own kids to recline on your new furniture, because when they see it for the first time, that's exactly what they'll want to do!  Maybe you're overthinking things here....most people other than your kids, will simply sit down and not recline.  Overnight guests?  They may want to, just for the sake of relaxing.  But otherwise, you really shouldn't worry about it.  And most people DO use the icemaker when visiting other people's homes,  because it's quick and easy, and what's the harm?  I think you need to sit down on your new recliner, recline all the way back, and RELAX.

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Would you do this at someone else's house?

4 Answers