Sofa or dinette?

[dlduke01]

Just wondering why one chooses a dinette over a sofa. I've had two previous tcs both the first two had dinettes, in my thinking only a dinette would work because there's three of us. We needed somewhere to eat and hang out. Now I have a slightly used lance 920 and my mind is completely changed. In my personal opinion there is so much more floor space and room to move about and still there's a table to eat. Now we're not in the TC much but when we're inside (pretty much only when it's raining or bedtime) there a nice sofa area to watch tv that is much more comfortable than hanging over a table and breaking your neck to watch tv. Just curious as to why more campers, slide outs and non slideouts don't use more sofas instead. What are your observations and why?

[sky_free]

I really like the ability to look out the window while sitting at the dinette in our AF990. If it was a sofa I would have the view to my back and would be looking at the kitchen, which is boring. We had both in our TT and almost never used the sofa for that reason.

[Oliver21]

We use a smaller table at the dinette, back to the circumference thing. Then we make the dinette into a bed and use foam wedges as backrests and create a comfortable, double-ended lounge for reading. We also place them against the outer wall and use a cooler as a footstool to watch movies on the computer sitting on the sink.

[hedgehopper]

At home, DW and I rarely watch TV. So we have no TV in the TC and no use for a couch. The dinette works well for us for eating, playing games, reading, using a computer, planning our route, etc.

[whizbang]

I agree with Jim. The very first mod I made on all 3 of our campers was a smaller table --- turn the dinette in to a sofa, sorta.

[skipbee]

We have a Lance fitted sofa. The advantages are: excellent comfort for TV viewing,
computer work, dining for 4 and sleeping for 1 and 1/2 it is convertible, but not as a double. We carry a roof pod with a tent and air mattress as a guest cottage.
It is in a slide out.

[brholt]

We avoid "trailer parks" and try and camp at sites with a view. The dinette lets us look out and enjoy.

[Bumpyroad]

my bounder had a dinette that was difficult to use for circumpherantly challenged individuals so I made a new table top out of a piece of 2 x 4 cut down to about 2 x 32" oak veneer plywood with solid oak edging. made it alot easier to use.
bumpy

[JacintoKid]

+1 for the sofa. We fish all day long so, when we get back to the camper for the evening, it's all about comfort. I ripped out the dinette and Installed an aftermarket leather sofa in my previous AF990. It really opened up the camper. I lost the table but used TV trays instead. The TV trays also worked well with a laptop. Brad

[Buzzcut1]

I don't watch TV but I do use my laptop while on the road so the dinette works for me. Heck even at home I sit at the kitchen table with the laptop and never use the couches in the "TV" room.

[trailgranny50]

Wish I'd had the money and room for a sofa when I did the U shaped dinette remodel. However, removing the cushions and rotating the table gave us the room we needed. Two gaming chairs allow for more comfortable TV viewing for the basketball games DH needs, really needs, to watch when camping during the season.

[mkirsch]

My dinette has been permanently configured in bed mode because it was useless as a dinette. No normal person could fit behind the table, let alone a fat guy. I'd say it was built for children but the bench and table are set too high for kids to use. You'd have to be about 6'6" tall, 120lbs, with three knees in each leg.

As a bed, the cushions would always squirt out from under you if you shifted at all. Tried everything, shelf liner, blankets on top... Couldn't keep the cushions in place.

Finally found a 3" memory foam mattress at Walmart that's the exact right size for the space. That on top of the dinette cushions makes for a nice comfortable place to lounge FINALLY.

I would rather have a couch.

[Bumpyroad]

on my first class A, a Flair, I had the option of a sofa or a dinette. based upon my BILs recommendation I got a sofa. hated it. had to put tables mounted in the bases to eat and ended up making two round tables by staining precut rounds so I could get by them.
bumpy

[Old_Days]

We like the dinette,we don't have a TV in the TC and probably will never get one. But we enjoy playing cards a lot so the dinette was a must have.

[jimh406]

We have a dinette and thought about a sofa. The problem with the sofa is we can no longer look out the window easily although it would be better to look at the bathroom. 🙂 We worked around it.

First, we built a small table that is a half round to replace the full size table. That was a big improvement since the leg was no longer in the way. Next, we added throw pillows. That makes leaning up the wall more comfortable as well. Then, we added a magazine rack to hold tablets/books. It's up against the outside wall. After that, the DW added triangle shaped foam behind the existing foam to angle the back for more comfort. Still tbd, is cutting some plywood and building supports so we can also make it a bed if needed.

Our small table gives us somewhere to set a drink or two. We use lap desks to eat if needed. We still have the full size table, but are much more comfortable without it.

I'm amazed that I don't have current pictures. Sorry about that.