We bought a new sectional sofa! As a family of 5 with a small living room, we have always had a problem with seating, particularly when we have guests. I had been saying forever that we really needed to get a sectional because it made more sense in our space.
I wanted to get something that would be sturdy enough to last, but because we still have small children I didn't want to spend a fortune on high-end furniture..
I took to the blog world and the resounding recommendation for affordable, sturdy sectional sofas was Ikea's Ektorp. It's marketed as a "4 seat corner" but you can honestly seat six people comfortably (and several more, if needed). The best thing about this sofa is the fact that the whole thing is slip-covered, so I can literally wash my entire couch. With 5 of us around, there's bound to be accidents - and now I don't have to worry about them at all.