If we Americans know anything, it is to shop stuff. And when we buy something new, many times, that old TV that we are about to replace still works, or that sofa that already bores us is not necessarily damaged or old. That happened with this viral sofa that appeared on a street in New York and became a sensation on TikTok.
Amanda Joy, a TikTok content creator, had a wild encounter on the streets of New York: she just stumbled upon what she believed was her absolute dream couch, just waiting for her on the sidewalk. Amanda couldn’t contain her excitement, so she whipped out her phone and started filming right away. She wanted to share this magical moment with her TikTok followers. And she was not prepared for what was coming her way: within a day, her video racked up a whopping 30 million views.
The ultra expensive sofa from the street sparkled debates on TikTok and the whole internet
Before going on, we need a little of context. The couch Amanda found is called the “Bubble” sofa, and it’s from this fancy French brand called Roche Bobois. This brand is known for its luxurious and stylish furniture, and the Bubble sofa is no exception. It’s the kind of couch that oozes elegance and sophistication. The Bubble sofa usually comes with a hefty price tag of around $8,000. Yep, you read that right! Eight thousand bucks for a couch, and some people are willing to pay that.
“Who in their right mind would just abandon such a valuable piece of furniture on the sidewalk?,” you might ask. Well, that’s exactly what some internet commenters were wondering too. Some were genuinely amazed by her find and congratulated her on her stroke of luck. But, of course, the internet wouldn’t be the internet without a healthy dose of skepticism. Some commenters questioned whether the couch was actually an upgrade or a potential nightmare.
The TikTok debate: The potential horrors of bringing home furniture from the street
This whole situation brings up an interesting debate. On one hand, Amanda might have struck gold with this “dream couch” discovery, since it’s a pricey decor element. It’s like stumbling upon a hidden treasure, right there on the streets of NYC. On the other hand, some people wondered if there was a catch. They pondered whether the couch had some hidden issues, or if it was simply too good to be true.
Some TikTokers warned of the potential risk that the sofa was loaded with mites or bed bugs, or that it could have brought a gigantic bag of mold into their house. Of course, she was concerned about it too, and that’s why she showed herself cleaning the sofa with a steam machine.
“Do not pick up furniture from the street, and put it into your home,” one TikToker said in a response video. “Getting rid of bed bugs can cost thousands of dollars.”