The lounge is the soul of the house, the area where you spend more time with friends and family, and it largely reflects your tastes and style, so your sofa and armchair acquire great importance when it comes to designing and decorating this space. This is why we would like to give you some key tips when it comes to choosing your sofa, to prevent it from turning into a big problem.
The ideal sofa size
Lounge and dining room sizes are as variable as the sizes of armchairs and sofas. Before visiting the store, it is important to make sure that your new purchase will fit into the space you have chosen, and that it will not be too large or small for the area you want to use. Therefore, don't just go out shopping and buy the first thing that takes your fancy without having measured your available space. You wouldn't be first to get a sofa that simply won’t fit through your door.
So first decide where you want to place it, maybe up against a wall, or in the centre of the room, so you can separate different areas. Once you decide on this, take a tape measure and accurately measure the space you have available, bearing in mind that you might need to leave a space on either side of the sofa and in front of it. This may sound a little silly, but when you go to a store displaying sofas, they are usually placed in large settings and often give the impression of being smaller than they really are, so you can get a big surprise when you actually get it home.
If you're not sure about your measurements at home, you can give the room size to the store attendant so that she or he can advise you better.
Who will use the sofa and how?
Measurements are essential, but so is the question who is going to use the sofa and how. You may have to think about kids, pets, TV dinners, games, naps and all sorts of activities, before going to the store.
If you have children, you should think about fabrics that will resistant everything they might do: Sofa: Novara Collection | Cushions: Evora and Vera Collection by Rustika from Aquaclean, the fabric you can clean with water only.
Over the years, improvements in textile technologies have given us some amazing options to choose from. You can find thousands of types of upholstery with lots of special features, such as fabrics that repel dust or animal hair, fabrics that are easy to clean with water only, or fabrics that resist pet scratches and wear. It is recommendable to think about all this before going to the store, because in homes with children and pets, how easily you can clean your sofa makes a lot of difference to your happiness! Just think of the food, the marker pens and crayons, the hair from your pet, or in the worst-case scenario, your cat might throw up some hairballs, or your dog may lift his leg on your new sofa! The wrong upholstery can turn your sofa into your worst enemy!
Comfort above all
Once you're clear about the above points, it's time to try out your new sofa. Don’t think it's comfortable just because when you first sit down you like it. You have to consider other things too, like the height of possible users. To avoid back problems, it is recommended that our legs are at an angle of 90º when we are seated. Equally important is the height and softness of the armrests, which should stand 12 to 20cm above the seat for comfort, whether they just support the arms, or perhaps the head, if you are having a nap (especially important in summer).
The armrest height should stand 12 to 20cm above the seat for comfort. Sofa: Ática Collection | Cushions: Arla and Ática Collection by Visual Textures (Book 13) from Aquaclean, the fabric you can clean with water only.
Last but not least, you should look at the depth of the seat, because to provide proper support for your back, your feet have to be comfortably resting on the floor. If they aren't, you can't be comfortable for any amount of time. In addition to this, you have to inspect the lumbar area, where your kidneys are, as this must be soft and fluffy to protect this body region. Also important is the composition of the fabric. Avoid slippery fabrics, as this will allow your body to slide into a bad position and you can wind up with a back pain.
The style that suits you best
Now for the most creative time of day – when you can think about what style of sofa you really want, so that you can become the envy of your neighbours thanks to the decoration and layout of your lounge.
The first step is to analyse the decoration style of the rest of the room, which will help you to rule out certain choices and get closer to what you are looking for. If you remember all of the above steps, as well, you will be able to narrow down your choice considerably, and therefore it will be much easier to choose the style of your new sofa, based on measurements, users and comfort.
You can play around with colours, fabrics, textures, patterns and designs. Wooden or metal legs. Ethnic upholstery, in leather or synthetics. Modern or retro in style. The options are very extensive, so there are many ways to turn your living room into a true jewel.
The last few details
Finally, here are a few more general tips for choosing your new sofa.
When you buy something new, and especially something as special as a sofa, you always want to have it as soon as possible. Don’t let this lead you to a bad choice, as a sofa is intended to stick around for a number of years. Do not limit your choice to the ones that are immediately available, because most of the time, good things do come to those who wait.
Sofa: Eternity Collection | Cushions: Euforia and Eternity Collection by Visual Textures (Book 15) from Aquaclean, the fabric you can clean with water only.
Consider this too…
- The store price of a sofa usually includes transport, but some companies omit this expense, so remember to ask before you buy. You don't want the surprise of finding out that the sofa you thought was well priced turned out to be more expensive than you expected.
- Make sure you read the warranty for the sofa, and ask for it in writing, because if you don't comply with the guarantee terms, you may have no chance to exchange it or get your money back.
- Pretty simple, right? Follow these basic steps if you want a new sofa because there's lots of difference between being happy about your sofa or regretting the day you bought it every time you look at it. We hope this information will be useful and that your choice will be the perfect combination between heart and brain. Now all you have to do is sit back and enjoy your new sofa!
