In the picture above, see the grey sofa? It’s my favourite sofa, ever! I bought a floor model from Urban Barn when I first moved into that condo. That was about 15 years ago and I had nothing to sit on after moving.
Back then, I really didn’t give much thought to choosing a sofa for my new home. It seemed like a simple enogh decision. I liked the style, colour and it fit in my space. And it was a deal at $800. I figured I could buy it and toss it in a couple of years, if I didn’t really like it.
About a year later, I bought another sofa for $3500, this time. I liked the layout with two sofas and decided to keep the old sofa too. In the year that went by, I had completely fallen in love with that sofa. It was comfortable and easy to keep clean with a very naughty dog who thought he owned the sofa!
The more expensive sofa I bought was not as comfortable and definitely required much more effort to keep clean. It was white and my puppy has black hair. Not a great match.
So if the cost of the sofa isn’t really what makes one better than the other, what does? Read on, my friends. I have smartened up since my last sofa purchase and I’m happy to share my tips with you.
There are 3 things you need to know in order to choose the right sofa for your home.
The Role Sofa Style in Choosing the Right Sofa
As a design professional, this is what most people think we do everyday. Help clients choose items based on their style. While style is important in achieving a visually pleasing room, there’s a lot more that goes into selecting the right sofa for a client.
Check out this post for more info on sofa styles.
Why Size Matters in Sofa Selection
Size matters! When it comes to choosing a sofa that’s right for you, anyway. This should not be a big surprise, right?
Depth & Height
First, the depth and height of the sofa is directly realted to the comfort of the sofa.
If you are on the shorter side, you’re not going to love a sofa that you need to shuffle to sit back on. Especially when it makes your feet hang, right?
If you’re on the taller side, a sofa that’s too shallow isn’t ideal. Your sofa should support your body properly and that includes proper support for your legs!
Then there’s the size of your space that also contributes to the decision on what size sofa you need. With a lot of clients we work with, who live in condos and small urban spaces, we are often limited to choosing sofas with a narrower width in order to create proper flow in the space.
Length & Scale
The length of the sofa may also matter to you, if you are like me and like to lay down length wise to watch TV or for a quick nap.
As a design professional, I can’t emphasize enough how important size and scale of furniture is to the design of your space. This is often one of the biggest design mistakes we see around. Don’t choose a sofa that is too small or too big for your space.
Finally, one of the most overlooked things when it comes to choosing a sofa, is the inside measurements of the doorways and hallways leading to your living room or family room (or wherever the sofa ends up being).
If you don’t know what I’m talking about check out the Friends episode where Ross and friends try to navigate the stairs with a sofa! Hilarious, right? Not so much, when it happens to you.
The sofa you choose has to be the right size to be able to get to its final destination.
Size is one of the most important considerations when choosing a sofa that’s comfortable and the right scale for the living space you’re in.
Good Construction is Key to Choosing a Long Lasting Sofa
Learning all the details about how a sofa is made can get to be a bit of a complicated and let’s face it, it’s kinda dry topic. Since we don’t buy sofas every day, it’s something you might think you don’t need to know.
However, since a sofa is a high ticket item for most of us, your knowledge on how to choose a good sofa will pay off in spades, when you are finally ready to purchase one.
Frame
As with anything, a solid foundation is key to quality and a sofa is no different. A good frame is a must and solid wood tends to be more sturdy and long lasting compared to manufactured wood or MDF.
A sofa made with solid wood is much lighter and easier to move around. However, they are also more expensive than their MDF cousins.
More expensive sofas are typically made of oak, beach and ash and are preferably made of kiln dried wood whereas more economical versions will be made of pine. We also often see mango wood frames on sofas made in the far east.
Joints and Suspension
As part of the frame, pay attention to joints and suspension of the sofa, since these factors determine how sturdy the sofa is going to be.
Look for a sofa frame that is joined with one or more of the following: wooden dowels, double wooden dowels, wooden corner blocks, or metal screws and brackets.
While most product descriptions don’t include information about joints in the frame, give your retail store a quick call to get you the answers you need.
On the other hand, sofa suspension info is thankfully often included in the product descriptions. Most commonly, there are sinuous springs in the seating part of the sofa and webbing suspension on the back of the sofa. These elements are what gives you the bounce and comfort on a sofa.
It’s also important to consider the legs or feet of the sofa. Make sure they are attached to the frame by screws as this will give you the option to change the legs to suit your style requirements.
Yes, this is an option available to you! You can find sofa feet on Amazon, Etsy and even Home Depot.
Cushions
What goes inside the cushion is just as important as what’s on the outside (we’ll get to the fabric options next). First let’s get to know all the different fill types.
There’s feather filled cushions that give you that squishy comfy feel but leaves you fluffing them all day. Who has time for that?! The alternative options are either foam or fiber filled cushions that give you all the structure you need but flatten out over time.
You’ll even find some cushions that have springs in them but unless you’re looking for some major support, feather, fiber and foam should meet most of your needs.
So, what should you choose when it comes to the fill of the cushion? All the experts agree mixing is the best. A foam cushion wrapped in feathers is the ideal option to maximize support and comfort.
Fabric
Finally, let’s talk about fabric. And you thought it was all about the fabric, right?
Yes, the colour and the pattern are design choices but for the purpose of this article, we’re going to focus on the different types of fabrics you can choose from.
A long lasting sofa is one that can withstand the regular wear and tear. Lucky for you (and the rest of us!), this info is pretty widely available and easy to find a sofa description.
Look for the rub count in the product description. A higher rub count is always better and you should aim for a minimum 25,000 to help you withstand kids, pets, frequent visitors and more!
That’s it. Style, Size and Construction. These are the 3 things you need to remember next time you go sofa shopping!
Now that you have your sofa figured out, learn how to style that sofa to perfection.
