At the end of a long and stressful day, there aren’t many more relaxing things than curling up on the sofa at home. Your sofa is one of the most heavily used items of furniture in your home and for this reason, it’s vital you choose the right sofa for you. However, with all the options and choices available, choosing the right sofa can be daunting. To help get you prepared, we have teamed up with Robinson of England, who produce handmade Chesterfield Sofas, to give you some tips on how to find the best sofa option for you.
Know your materials
One of the most important aspects of choosing a new sofa is understanding what kind of material you need or want. Certain materials will be easier to live with than others and depending on what factors you have at home, some can be better in the long run. One example of this is if you have pets. Dogs and cats can have sharp claws, and if you allow them up onto the sofa you could see materials such as leather become damaged. If leather is the material you really want, you can protect it with a blanket for your pets to sit on.
One way to help make the decision on which material to choose is by visiting local furniture shops and taking a look at the fabric samples. By doing so, you can get a sense of how the fabric will look and feel. It also allows you to possibly see a sofa made in the material you’re interested in, even if it’s of a different sofa. Buying online makes this process harder, but you can usually request samples to be sent out to you to help make the decision.
Understand your space limitations
Making sure you choose a sofa that will fit into your room is crucial. For this reason, taking accurate measurements before even going to look at sofas will help you eliminate options which will be too big. It’s imperative you can also get the sofa into your home when it’s delivered. If you can’t get the sofa inside through the door, you may need to have windows taken out which can be expensive. When you find a sofa you like, take the measurements home and check it against your space. If you’re ever in doubt, it’s better to look elsewhere because taking the risk that ‘it will probably fit’ can be very dangerous.
Check the cushions
Depending on the type of sofa you choose the cushions will have different maintenance requirements. Some cushions are very soft and will need to be reshaped regularly to keep their shape and stay comfortable. If you’re looking for a sofa where you don’t have to worry about maintaining the cushions or material, it could be worth looking at other firmer cushion options. Being aware of this is vital before you buy, so ask the sales consultant about things such as maintenance of cushions. Returning a sofa is extremely difficult unless there is something clearly wrong. Asking to return it simply because you don’t like the way it feels will often get you nowhere, and you will be stuck with a sofa you don’t like and out of pocket for hundreds if not thousands of pounds.
Be sure on the style
Sofas, like anything else, go through design trends and you want to be sure that the one you’re buying will be something you’ll like for years to come. There are ways to avoid falling into the trap of just buying the latest design trend. Some sofa styles are classics and will always be available, such as the Chesterfield sofa. Also, you have to remember, when buying a sofa from a showroom the layout has been designed to make the sofas look as good as possible. You need to really think about how it will look in your home and if it will fit with your other furniture.
We hope these tips help you if you’re choosing a new sofa and good luck finding a great deal on a sofa you love!