Choosing a quality sofa that suits you is a serious matter, it is worth taking a responsible approach to this question. The right choice will not only determine our comfort and quality of life, but also affect the impression of the room. We offer simple recommendations that can facilitate your decision and make the choice more objective.
To begin with, let's say that when choosing, it is advisable to highlight four issues that will help to avoid serious mistakes. Below we will talk about each of them in more detail.
Have you decided on the type of sofa you want to buy?
What are the dimensions of the space in which you will place the sofa?
What color suits your senses and harmonizes with the color palette of space, what upholstery material do you like?
What fillings for the sofa do you prefer?
First about the types of sofas.
Double sofas. Obviously, they offer space for two people. These sofas usually have two back and seat cushions each, or one long seat cushion, and the back cushion has a fixed position. This type of sofa is designed for a small room, or for use as an additional sofa in a larger space.
Three-seaters. Two people are very free and comfortable to sit on such a sofa, but the three of them will not feel cramped. Typically, the sofa is equipped with three pairs of cushions, or just long cushions for the back and sitting.
Modular design sofas usually have three or more seats. The feature of this type is the ability to configure it to fit your space in the best way possible. Modular sofa is great for a big family, it is quite appropriate in a large space.
The perfect solution for a big family that wants to make rational use of space, will be a corner sofa. This type of sofa differs in two perpendicular seating areas. It is L-shaped, or symmetric design.
For those families where there is a fan of resting with outstretched legs, there are chaise-longue sofas. They come in different sizes. The difference between them is that one of the outermost seats has an extension for the legs. A person in this seat is almost half lying down. Because of this feature, the sofa chaise has an L-shaped shape.
Chaise longue will be appreciated by those who like to relax in a comfortable position, almost lying down, taking a nap in a comfortable chair and giving the legs a rest. Smoothly rounded backrest, leg extensions and, in some models, armrests make this design not only surprisingly comfortable, but elegant in its own way. In the design of the space Chaise longue may well serve as an interesting accent.
The sofa bed is attractive for its versatility. This type includes a wide variety of sizes from compact to traditional. There are several types of transformation mechanisms (for example, the well-known click-clack). These sofas can easily be transformed into a comfortable sleeping place. The manufacturer most often indicates whether the design involves occasional, or permanent use of the sofa bed.
How not to make a mistake with the size.
The most realistic idea of what size sofa is suitable for a particular room, you can get if you free up the space where you want to put it. Some people are more comfortable laying out cardboard, boxes or paper in the shape of the future couch. Someone easier to measure the distance with a tape measure. It is useful to take into account the mutual position of the sofa with other furniture, to provide convenient aisles, the availability of windows, outlets, lights.
It is very important to consider in advance the process of possible movements of the sofa, starting with delivery. If you know the dimensions of the package, you can assume whether there will be problems with doorways, stairs, or bottlenecks. The height of the ceiling can also be important. Be careful, it can save you a lot of headaches and unnecessary expenses.
Sometimes it is difficult to choose the right sofa for a small living room. If this is your case, this design trick can help. Look for sofas with a low back or sofas that have high legs. These sofas visually take up less space, leaving "more air" in the room.
If you are looking for a sofa for a very small living room, it may make sense to look at the sofa bed. So you get a versatile piece of furniture that can solve several problems at once, not a very large dwelling.
Now let's talk about upholstery materials for sofas.
There are a huge number of possible options. A competent salesman will undoubtedly offer you a palette of samples of colors, materials and textures. You want to find the best option for your living room both in color. and in pattern. Let's try to narrow down the choice and tell you briefly about the most commonly used materials.
Cotton. Natural, eco-friendly, ergonomic, soft, comfortable, expensive. Cotton is a wonderful material, but it requires care, as it is easy to form folds. For easier care and preservation of upholstery, it is better to use removable covers.
Linen. An excellent natural fiber, stronger than cotton. Linen has a higher abrasion resistance, it cannot be harmed by small children and pets. Linen is characterized by the formation of natural folds, they smooth out over time. Linen fabrics are hypoallergenic, and have a neutral natural pH. Material is resistant to sunlight, does not lose its color saturation. The structure of linen fiber and linen fabric is breathable, just like cotton. This fabric will not make you uncomfortable even on hot stuffy summer evenings. As with cotton sofas, it is better to use removable covers for linen sofas.
Wool itself is also a natural material, very high quality and pleasant. Wool is often blended with synthetic fibers to give it specific properties (increased strength, wear resistance, shrinkage-free and others). This group of materials has the widest range of colors and textures. The peculiarity of wool inherent in its specific pile. It is he who gives it charm, creating a sense of coziness. The pile helps the material to keep a feeling of coolness in the hot season.
Polyester is a very popular upholstery material. It is a synthetic fiber, durable and wear-resistant. It is not afraid of children and pets. There is a huge range of colors and shades on the market. Polyester is cheaper than natural materials, but for most characteristics is not inferior, and in many ways superior to them.
Velvet. This refined and elegant material is used less often. To keep its ideal look, it requires a little more attention and care, but in return it gives a sense of luxury, comfort and warmth, creates its own energy. Velvet is made of different materials - cotton, polyester, various blends of fibers. The surface of the fabric is a deep pliable pile. Due to the technology of weaving it easily changes its direction, creating a pearl effect. If you are ready to take care of such a covering (frankly, it's not that difficult), it is a luxurious solution.
Leather. A very popular material for furniture upholstery. It is natural, durable, very aesthetic and tends to get an even more interesting and noble appearance over time. Not every child or pet can seriously harm a leather sofa. Care for the leather covering is easy and unencumbered. However, usually leather is not cheap.
There are several types of leather coverings. They differ in the way the raw material is processed, some properties and price. What is useful to know about the main types of leather for furniture upholstery?
Full grain / aniline leather has the most authentic look. This look is given to it by noticeable natural spots and shade transitions. Its texture is natural. The peculiarity of this type of leather production is that before dyeing the upper layer is removed from the raw material. This technology makes the leather soft and "breathing". This type of material is subject to change over time, it is aging.
Semi-aniline leather is stronger than Full grain leather. When it is colored, a special thin layer is applied to increase the strength of the leather and protect it from external factors. Semi-aniline leather is soft enough. Transitions of color are visible on it due to the distribution of natural patina on the surface. Semi-aniline leather is also subject to aging.
Corrected grain leather is subjected to deeper processing.The surface is sanded, which allows you to remove some defects, then made embossing. As a result, the surface is homogenous, smooth and of a very high quality. Leather that has undergone this treatment is very durable, does not fade and has a high resistance to wear.
Bonded leather is obtained by joining the leather fibers in one cloth with simultaneous dyeing and additional treatments for strength, elasticity and durability. The material looks almost like real leather, but is significantly cheaper.
A little about sofa fillers.
Fillings for sofas significantly determine the properties of this furniture. You need to understand how often the sofa will be used. It is also important how much time you are willing to devote to the care of the sofa. The fact is that different fillings differ in both resilience and comfort feel, as well as in care to maintain their original properties.
Foam fillings are very resilient, create great volume and look wonderfully structured. When you are choosing a sofa in the showroom, be aware of the property of most foams to reduce resiliency in the first few months of use by 10-15%. Then this process almost stops for a long time.
Feather padding is a whole other level. It is a natural material. It is sensitively more expensive, but has certain advantages. Undoubtedly, this is a luxury choice. Sitting on such sofas is very comfortable, they are soft, but not spring like sofas with foam fillers. But you need to provide them with quality and proper care for the longevity of such sofas. The cushions of such sofas need to be fluffed gently at regular intervals to restore their shape. Down filler in sofas is contained in special bags with a down-proof lining. At the same time there is a completely normal effect of down items: the difference in size and density of feathers leads to periodic penetration of individual feathers through the inner lining. There is no need to get upset about this, it is an expected natural effect, which does not reduce the consumer qualities of fine feather sofas and cushions.