Choosing a new sofa for your living room, lounge, or family room is a pretty big investment of both time and money. You’re going to have to love it and live with it for years to come—and we’re sure that by following these tips, you’ll do both!
1: Make Sure to Measure
Your new sofa will have to fit into your existing space, as well as look good in your existing space. You don’t want a sofa that is either too big and crammed-in looking, nor do you want a sofa that looks too small and out of place in a larger area. A low-backed option may look as out of place with vaulted cathedral ceilings as a 6-foot-long behemoth looks in a studio apartment.
2: Get the Right Shape and Color
Your new sofa will, as we said, have to fit its surroundings to a T (or should we say an L?). In order to do that, you’ll have to consider shape and color as well as size. An L-shaped sectional looks splendid in an open-plan family room, helping to define and delineate the space, but a smaller sofa with two separate sitting chairs will provide a more functional squarish shape for a small sitting room.
It can feel intimidating to choose an unusual color for a sofa since it’s a bigger investment. If flashy or quirky isn’t your thing, choose neutral color in the brown, beige, grey, or cream family, and accent with bolder throw pillows and blankets.
Craving some color? Take a look at
Pantone’s trending colors for 2014 for inspiration.
3: It’s All About the Upholstery
Some common sofa materials include:
Leather: Loved by many, leather is a tough natural material that can age beautifully. It can be kept clean with relative ease by vacuuming and wiping it down with a damp cloth. Periodic applications of leather conditioner are recommended.
Vinyl: Leather’s close competition, vinyl is easy to take care of and generally costs less than leather. Take good care of it and purchase high-quality items to ensure that they last.
Suede: Suede is a luxurious material to lounge upon, but be sure to have the fabric protected and allow no food or drinks on it—it’s not as easy to clean as leather and vinyl.
Polyester: Couches upholstered with polyester blend fabrics have the advantage of wrinkle resistance and reduced fading.
4: What’s Your Style?
When choosing a new sofa, most of us are trying to create, or at least match, a certain decorating style. Are you all about the curves and curlicues of French provincial, or English Victorian? The modest, simplistic stylings of American Shaker or Southwest Mission furniture? Perhaps you’re more the type for the sleek, sophisticated look of modern urban, like the
Ekornes Manhattan line? Or perhaps you prefer the eclectic look and feel of shabby chic? Whatever your choice, when choosing a new sofa for your home, keep it in mind. That lovely camel-backed Victorian may look out of place among your chrome and glass tables, leather side chairs, and black and white artwork. Don’t be afraid to express your quirky side, but consider the style of the other furniture already present in the room.
5: Creature Comforts
The last thing you want when choosing a new sofa is to find one that looks great, fits your space and style great, and is thoroughly kids, pets and hubby-proof, but feels like a rock when you sit upon it.
Make sure to consider the ergonomic qualities of the sofa. The only real way to determine comfort is to experience it. When in the showroom, sit down, lie down, recline, put your feet up. If it’s not comfortable there, it’s not going to be at home, either. You’re going to be spending a good deal of time on that sofa. The last thing you need is for it to give you a literal pain in the neck (or back or behind). So get up close and personal with your sofa of choice, before you choose it and take it home.
Choosing a new sofa can be a daunting task, but it can be an enjoyable one, too. Whether you’re creating a whole new look for your home, or simply replacing your faithful, worn-out friend, following these tips will help you select the perfect sofa for your home, your style, and your body. Good luck!
