Your sofa is an important furniture piece in your home. This is a piece that you are going to be using on an almost daily basis and will have to withstand few years. While most home décor pieces last five to six years, the shelf life of a sofa is typically much longer. Other than being the pivotal feature of family reunions to movie nights with the kids, the sofa is so much more than we give it credit for. Choosing the right sofa for your home can seem like Herculean task; in this era of infinite options picking just one is not easy. Though you may be sure of what you want, once you browse through the selections available online or walk into a furniture store the possibilities are immense.
We’ll help making your task easier with these six tips on choosing the right sofa.
- Size
A lot of times people make the mistake of buying a wrong sized sofa. A large sofa in a small room may make it appear to crowded and cluttered whereas a small sofa in a large room may appear too spacious. So to ensure you don’t make the same mistake, measure your room and the main door before-hand to determine the ideal sofa size and also to make sure that it fits through your door. Allow enough space for people to move about freely without bumping into the furniture. If you have a large room experts recommend L-shaped or sectional sofas as they provide adequate seating space. For smaller spaces split the seating between three-seater and two seater sofas.
- Budget
The budget for your sofa should be on top on your furniture list. This is probably the most used piece of furniture that you will keep around for more than 5-6 years. Today there are so many patterns and styles to choose from. You have a bevy of furniture stores and so many options online. If you’re too apprehensive to buy right away you can even rent a recliner or other pieces of furniture.
- Quality
When choosing a sofa, don’t sacrifice on the price or the quality. Here your family’s comfort is of paramount importance. A cheap couch that has to be replaced in a year, will land up being expensive for you in the long run. Usually lower priced sofas used poor quality fabric and filling and in time will start sagging or have broken springs or legs. So think of your sofa as an investment and check the quality before you buy it.
- Fabric and upholstery
While the aesthetic of the sofa is important for the overall look, functionality is also key when it comes to choosing the fabric for your sofa. If your sofa is used every day, then fabrics that are durable and easy to clean should be on the top of your list. Your family situation will also be deciding factor, if you have kids and pets that spend a lot of time on the sofa you might want to consider fabrics like cotton or linen. There are synthetic fabrics that can be made with anti-stain technology for homes with children, this is convenient.
Leather recliners give the room contemporary feel and you if you’re budget can stretch right now you can now rent a recliner in Bangalore. So depending on how your sofa is going to be used choose your upholstery fabric.
- Colour
When choosing the colour of your sofa, choose a shade that complements the other elements in your room. Neutral coloured sofas will allow you to incorporate bold colours in the form of cushions, throws rugs and other décor elements. Whereas, if you are going to choose a bold coloured sofa, you might want to keep the other decor elements in the room neutral. For example a White sofa is timeless and it allows you to play with a range of colours for rugs, curtains or cushions which can be changed frequently. The downside is that it requires a lot of maintenance. Different shades of Grey for a sofa is also ideal as it is neutral and suits almost every colour scheme.
- Frames and Fillings
If you’re looking for a sofa that is going to last avoid frames that are made of metal, particle board or plastic and these have shorter life spans. Choose durable frames made from hard-wood, though they are higher in price, these frames last. Also check the foam used for the cushion, high-density durable foam is harder whereas as the low-density foam tends to deteriorate faster.
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