When shopping for a sofa, it’s easy to get confused or frustrated by the wide variety of colors, materials, and styles, not to mention the varying levels of quality and price. Be careful not to make a decision on impulse or out of frustration. Here are some tips to simplify the process and make sure you don’t end up regretting your purchase.
1. Buying a sofa of the wrong size and proportion
It is crucial that you measure your space and calculate the ideal size that your sofa should have. Think about how many people you need to seat on a regular basis and what would be the best location in the room (allowing for doors and other furniture). It’s a great idea to measure your current sofa to get an idea, or alternatively, measure on the floor using masking tape or different sized newspaper. This will help you visualize the item in the room and how you move through it. Second, even though it may fit within your required space, the overall proportion will affect the look of the room. A sofa with thicker, heavier, or overall proportions will appear larger in the room, while a sofa that is raised off the ground and has slimmer arms and seat proportions will appear lighter and visually consume less space. Use this to your advantage, go for heavier styles if you’re looking to fill a large room and vice versa, and keep in mind the impact the showroom has on the look of the sofa, in general showrooms will be very open and They will have high ceilings. , making all sofas appear smaller than they are.
2. Prefer looks over comfort
You may find the “perfect” sofa you’ve been looking for, but if it’s not comfortable, you’ll wish you had chosen something cozier. Although it may look cool, is it deep enough if you’re tall or too deep that your feet can’t touch the ground? Is it too firm or so soft that you have trouble getting up? If you like to lie on your sofa, are the arms at a comfortable height? Think about your requirements for the sofa before buying it, if it is to be used in the TV room buy something that is comfortable for the family, and think about durability if people are going to have their feet on the sofa or it is used a lot For a formal room, the aspect of the sofa will be more important, select something that is comfortable to sit on, but it does not necessarily have to be comfortable to lie on.
3. Buying the wrong configuration or style
The style of your sofa should complement the style of your home and your existing furniture. It should also work in a way that suits your lifestyle and functions for you. Buying a sleek, low-key sofa that looks great in the showroom among contemporary furniture is great if you have a modern home. But if you really prefer a comfortable, padded seat that you can sink into, keep looking for the one that suits you and your home. For configurations, will a simple 2 or 3 seater work in your space or can you take a larger corner or chaise lounge? Do you move house regularly? Sun loungers are a great solution for many modern apartments but if you move around a lot the sun lounger is fixed on that side so it may not work in your next home, a 3 seater and ottoman would be a better option. It is better to decide before going to the stores and let yourself be carried away by what is on display. In most cases, each sofa design is available in various sizes and configurations to suit your needs.
4. Choosing the wrong color or material
An important decision is whether you are going to opt for a leather or fabric sofa. Some questions to ask yourself are: how much use will this sofa get? What type of area are you in and therefore what type of spills will you be prone to? If it’s a high-use area, leather is durable, easy to clean, and non-absorbent of spills and odors. With professional help, minor tears or scratches can be repaired with excellent results. Fabric, on the other hand, requires a bit more maintenance. It can be protected with a
Scotchgard to protect from spills and can be vacuumed to keep clean. If you have young children and it’s going to be used in a crowded area, consider a darker color to hide some of the blemishes and keep your sofa pristine for longer. It is usually best to select a neutral color for your sofa and then add color to cushions, rugs and throws, the sofa will be the largest piece of furniture in the room and can overwhelm everything else if it has a bold color or pattern. . If you really want a feature piece in a bright color, go for a feature ottoman or chair, then have some matching cushions on the sofa to tie the look together. Remember that the sofa will be with you for years, avoid anything too modern or seasonal, modern classic sofas in fabric or leather will go a long way and can be updated as needed with new accessories.
5. Ignoring the signs of quality and longevity
When you buy a sofa, you expect it to last for several years. For this to happen, you need to make sure that you are buying a good quality product. This will also save you money in the long run, since you won’t need to replace parts or the entire sofa. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the quality of a sofa when you go shopping. Make sure that each part (internal and external) has a guarantee and that there are no shortcuts like real leather on the seats but artificial leather on the back of the sofa. If they’re taking shortcuts on the outside, you don’t know what shortcuts they’ve taken on the inside.
Quick tips for shopping for a sofa:
– Know the type of use that the sofa will receive, now and in the future.
– Measure the space and write down your ideal dimensions, take a shopping tape measure with you.
– Know the style you are looking for and what will work with your current furniture
– Take samples of the wall/floor colors if you have them, or take some photos with your phone and bring them with you so you can refer to them while looking at the color samples.
– Expect that the store probably doesn’t have your perfect size or color on display, it’s not possible to display everything in all different colors. Ask if they have photos of a sofa in your preferred color or size though, stores will often keep a database of photos of past orders.
– Try the sofa properly, many people sit on the sofa and judge you for that, but is this how you sit at home? If you lie down most of the time then lie down, the sofas are there to be tested so don’t feel like you can’t lie down or put your feet up!
– Sales assistants can be fantastic resources, they can often have design experience and at the very least have sold and seen a lot of sofas, they can recommend styles, colors and sizes for you.
