4 things to know when choosing a sofa

The sofa is the anchor of your living room. Choosing the right sofa can turn your space into the home you’ve always wanted, while choosing the wrong could lead to frustration and multiple purchases. We want to help you make the best choice from day one by picking out the sofa that’s right for you.

After thinking about it and consulting our experts, we’ve identified the 4 things you need to think about when choosing your next sofa.

1. When is a sofa too big?

While we would all love to have unlimited room to fit as many pieces of furniture as we’d like, there are always limitations. You may be a big fan of that Apollo 6-seater corner sofa but realistically, it’s not the best choice if you live in a studio apartment. On the other hand, if you have a massive living room, you may find the Brent 2-seater sofa to be a little small for your tastes. 

We’d recommend measuring your living room, specifically the space where you envision your sofa going, and then ask yourself how much of that space you want taken up by your sofa. Once that’s done, you can pick out the sofa you like and compared its length and width to the space you want to fill. It may take a bit of time to find that perfect fit but it will be worth it to ensure your living room is exactly how you want it.

2. What is my sofa style?

The sofa is a crucial part of your living room, however it doesn’t work in isolation. Your coffee table, your rug, your book shelves… there are many other factors to creating your ideal space. The goal is for each piece of living room furniture to complement the others.

If you’re just purchasing a sofa, you likely have your other living room furniture already set up. This is where you decide how you living room will ultimately look. The sofa needs to not look out of place with your rug and to fit neatly in front of your coffee table. Additionally, it needs to be an anchor with standing out too much. If all that’s been accomplished, you’ve definitely got a winner.

3. How important are the material and the colour?

At the end of the day, comfort is king when it comes to your sofa. You and your family will spend a lot of time sitting on it so you need to make sure that it’s comfortable. They key thought here is balancing leather (or faux leather) against fabric. For a modern apartment layout, leather likely looks better however it’s often less comfortable than fabric. Leather absorbs heat and is usually firmer. The downside of fabric is that it’s easier to stain and spills are harder to wash out.

Once you choose the material, all that’s left to decide is the colour. Here it’s simple – certain colours match better than others. For example, we wouldn’t recommend a yellow sofa with a green rug. Now consider a black sofa with a beige rug. It feels a lot more natural and works better. Colour matters so don’t neglect the extra minute it’ll take to consider which colour works for you.

4. What finishing touches can I add to my sofa?

Now that you’ve chosen the right sofa, you’re all done? Not quite. A main course is never as good without something on the side. To really turn your living room into the ideal space, you’ll need to think about the following finishing touches for your sofa.

First, the cushions. Whether you’re looking for fun, colourful patterns or plain, solid colours, our selection of comfortable cushions will ensure you always have somewhere comfortable to rest your head. As you get comfortable, you may find yourself reaching for a throw to stay warm. For an ideal look, try to find a throw that matches the cushions colour wise.

When laying down isn’t the goal and you just want to kick your feet up as you watch TV, that’s where an ottoman comes into play. They’re comfortable, aesthetically pleasing and don’t take up too much space. Just make sure to pick one that complements your sofa, both with its colour and with its height.

Finally, don’t neglect your curtains. Finding a set that suits your sofa may just be that final touch your living room needs.