The sofa is the staple of the lounge in a home. It sees all the vagaries of family life, from the dog sneaking a snooze on its plump cushions to the family enjoying movie night every now and then. It is bounced on and sat on, lounged on and slept on. Thus, the need to get the right sofa is essential.
Choosing THE Sofa
Most people choose the sofa by price. You have a budget, if the sofa comes in under-budget, all is well. However, the price tag is not the only consideration to bear in mind…
#1 Shape
Sit for no longer than a few minutes, and the plethora of TV adverts for home furnishings will flash all kinds of sofas before your very eyes.
An on-trend sofa now is the large, corner sofa. In the show room, it looks fabulous, with plenty of seating for all family members (including the dog). Some corner sofas have reclining sections too.
Whilst this may look great and tick all the boxes, you need to be careful to…
Choose the sofa with the right corner angle and
Choose one that fits your lounge
All too often, sofas are chosen without the aide of a tape measures and how much space it will consume.
#2 Style
Every home has an individual interior that is created by the family that live there. It can be a busy household with a warm, traditional interior or it can be a bachelor pad, a modern space with minimalist, clean cut lines, or a mish-mash of everything.
The point is there is no right or wrong but you will want your sofa to complement the space – and your style.
There are great sofa shapes and styles, some with quirky modern twists…
The Chesterfield is a shape that has been around for centuries and a genuine Chesterfield sofa is at the top end of the budget. However, it is possible to emulate the look with a similar style sofa. Jazz it up with pretty cushions and throws.
The English Roll Arm sofa is exactly as you picture it: high back, big cushion and padded ‘rolled’ arms ideal for lounging against.
Mid-century sofa shape is common in minimalist collections, with harder lines and sharp angles. Ideal in all kinds of settings, from the family home to student digs.
There are other styles too – ring the changes by looking at a Chaise, Camelback or a settee.
#3 Three Seater Sofa Or Two-Seater?
We assume that a default setting sometimes that because we have always had something a certain way, it must stay that way.
If you are on the precipice of buying a new sofa, why not consider different combinations to those offered in packaged deals?
For example, two-seater sofas can work great in a space, allowing for more freedom when it comes to moving furniture around and offers more versatility that the three-seater sofa and armchair combination.
Likewise, in some settings, the three-seater sofa can be the star of the show either across a corner or along a straight wall.
#4 Fabric
Clearly, the fabric choice – including colour – will have a big impact. As much as you may love the looked of crushed velvet magenta for your next sofa, it doesn’t work well with sticky fingers and dog hair. There is merit for a crushed velvet chaise in the bedroom, however.
If the sofa is the main soft furnishing option in the lounge, you need to be uber-practical about the fabric choice, especially colour. Plain fabrics look great but are not so great at hiding a multitude of sins, like a ditsy print pattern can.
#5 Price
And finally, if it fits, the style is you, the fabric is practical you have the space and the price is right – you have your sofa!
To find your perfect sofa, visit CP Furniture.
