Hello World! When it’s time to choose a new sofa, it’s easy to just go with the one you’ve seen advertised on the TV at a special price. But, given the fact that your new sofa will be the center point of your living room, is it right to choose one on a whim, without even giving it a second thought? Nope, it’s definitely not a wise move to make.
There’s an infinite choice of styles, fabrics and colors available, and there are many considerations that need to be taken into account if you want to choose the right one. The following sofa selection tips will help you to save time, money and potential buyer’s remorse by helping you to get a clear idea of what you want before you start searching for your perfect sofa.
The amount of space in your living room will be a major factor when selecting a new sofa. There’s no point investing in an enormous corner unit if it means that you can’t open the door to the room so decide whether you’re going to include other furniture in the room, and then measure the space that you have left. If necessary, make a scale model so you can see exactly how much space you have.
How are you going to use your sofa?
It may sound like a silly question. How are you going to use your sofa? You’re going to sit on it of course, or maybe lie down on it too. However trivial it sounds, your choice of lifestyle will affect your choice of sofa. If you do love to lie down while relaxing at night, buying a formal stiff backed leather Chesterfield is not going to be the best choice. Are you an avid TV watcher? If yes, your sofa will need space to face the TV. Do you prefer intimate conversations? If so, you may prefer two small sofas that can be positioned opposite one another.
Decide which shape will best suit the room
Now that you know the function of your sofa, you need to decide on the best shape. An L-shaped sofa is great for areas that need to be divided up; for example, if you want to separate the living and dining room. Rounder shapes are more conducive for smaller rooms, especially if you like to invite friends and family round to socialize.
You can often get inspiration for sofa placement and styles in magazines, online sites and show homes. And don’t forget if you see a sofa you like in a show house, it may be possible to buy it through a show home furniture sale.
Choose an appropriate fabric
While we all like a comfy looking sofa, functionality should be a major consideration when it comes to choosing what your sofa will be made of. Leather is a fashionable choice; it’s practical, hard wearing and can be wiped down. Suede, on the other hand, should be avoided if you have small children or pets, and stain-proofed velour’s and chenille’s always remain to be popular choices.
Decide on a color
Color choice is really down to personal preference and your existing decor. Many people prefer to buy sofas in neutral colors that will fit into many color schemes, meaning that you don’t have to change your sofa every time you want to change the style of the room that it’s placed in. Others prefer to choose a bold color to contrast with a neutral decor. Light colors are probably not advisable if you have children or pets, unless the fabric is easy to clean of course.
As you can see, choosing the right sofa for your home should involve so much more than just purchasing the first one that you see advertised on the TV. By taking the above factors into consideration, you’ll have a sofa that will fit every one of your requirements allowing you to relax to the max!
Thanks for dropping in for a visit! Have a great day and remember to be kind to one another!
Toodles,
Great tips, thank you for sharing them!
Thanks for all the tips. I'd love to change my very old sofa and I can't make a decision.