How To Choose The Right Sofa For Your Home

When buying a new sofa there are a few things to keep in mind; 

style, comfort, fabric, size, and function. This is a lot to think about all at once, so take your time when selecting the best sofa for your home.

When shopping for the perfect sofa for your home, you want to first decide if 

you are looking for a forever piece of furniture or a "right now" sofa.

If you have kids and know in a few years you will want to update your couch, then it is better not to invest too much and think about durability. Lifestyles and daily activities in your home will be a big deciding factor when it comes to buying a couch that will work best for you and your family. 

 

Table Of Contents

• A Few Things To Think About

• Here Are A Few Tips

• Select The Sofa Style That FIts Your Needs

• What Makes A Couch Comfortable?

• What's The Best Sofa Fabric?

• What Size Sofa Do I Need?

• Are You Ready To Buy The Perfect Sofa?

 

Here are a few things to think about before you head out couch shopping;

Are you moving soon?

If so, what does that mean for you?

Does it mean you want to be able to get rid of your couch without any regret? Do you want a sturdy, quality sofa that will survive the moving truck and movers wear and tear?

Maybe you already have your forever home but you have kids, grandkids, or pets that will be spending quite a bit of time on this sofa. You will want to think about fabric and how soon you may need to replace the sofa.

If you like to change and redecorating every few years, then a middle of the line sofa will most likely suit your needs.

If you find a sale or floor model, then you may be able to get a quality couch without having to pay top dollar. Isn't that the dream? A top quality and stylish look without paying the full price.

Once you have made the decision of how long you want your sofa to last, set a budget, and determine what it will be used for in your home. With those things figured out, you are ready to shop. 

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Here are some little tips that will save you from making multiple trips.

You should measure your space, doorway, and any hallways this couch might have to travel through in order to get where you want it to live in your home. 

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How to Select the Sofa Style that Fits Your Needs

Like we mentioned above, you need to know the purpose of this sofa.

Do you want a lot of people to be able to sit together? Is this sofa for the family to lay around and watch movies together, or is it for guests to gather around and socialize. 

If you want a lot of people to gather around, and you have space, then a sectional may be the way to go.  

If you have room and want the seating but are not a fan of sectionals, then consider two or three sofas that sit three or four people each. 

Another combination that might work for you is a sofa, a love seat and an armchair or two. These are all options which will impact the style you choose. 

Watch this video on The Scene.

Here are some different sofa style options:

• Mid-century Modern

• English Rolled Arm

• Camelback

• Tuxedo Sofa 

• Recliner

• Divan 

• Loveseat

• Cabriole

• Bridgewater

• Chesterfield

• Lawson

• Sectional 

• Settee 

There are many types of sofas but those are some of the most popular styles. These will make your home function and still let your personality shine!

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What Makes a Couch Comfortable?

Depth, length, and filling are at the top of the list when it comes to finding a comfortable couch.

As always, functions play a role in this area as well.

Is your couch a cozy place to lay down and watch movies, or a place to sit with guests talking over some coffee or wine?

Keep these options in mind when deciding on what type of comfort you need for your sofa. 

Depth is often overlooked when purchasing your first sofa because you only sit in it for a few minutes in a showroom. The main concerns when it comes to the depth of your couch is your height and how you typically sit on your couch. 

In a showroom, or at a friends house, you may sit upright with your feet on the ground but when you are at home, you may lay down on your couch or put your legs up for some relaxing reading.

You may even like to snuggle laying down on the couch while watching TV with your family. Being comfortable while relaxing with your family is important, especially if you have little ones that want to be right beside you. 

Keeping those different sitting positions in mind, you may want to get a couch that is larger than the average 20-24" depth. However, if you have a theater room for these activities and the only need for your sofa is for entertaining, than the average depth may be preferred.

Length and comfort come into play if you want to gather a lot of people together to make sure you have enough room for everyone to sit comfortably. It also matters if you want to lay down.

A three-person couch distributes your weight more evenly when you're laying down and shows less wear and tear than if you lay on a two-person couch. 

Filling, just like a mattress, impacts your comfort level and this will vary some with personal preference. 

Common fillings include:

• CeriPur Poly Foam

• 100% Natural Latex

• Poly Fiber

• Down & Feathers

• Domestic Eco-Wool

Knowing the different filing options may help you decide which you prefer. For instance, down feathers will need to be fluffed often to retain shape or it can easily look messy. 

Also, the filling needs to be matched with the right type of covering to keep it looking stylish and new.

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What is the Best Sofa Fabric?

The best fabric for your sofa will be determined by your needs. What is the fabric's feel, look, durability and maintenance like? 

Here is a list of some different fabrics to consider:

• Cotton- Soft and Durable but wrinkles and fades 

• Linen- Resists spill but wrinkles easily

• Synthetics- Fade resistant and stain resistant

• Acrylic- Soft and resists wrinkles, fading and wearing

• Nylon- Durable but fades easily and needs solvent-based cleaners for maintenance

• Polyester- Durable and doesn't fade easily

• Leather- Strong and durable

Another option you may want to consider if you have pets, kids, or just insist on a white sofa is a slipcover. It is a casual look that goes great for the farmhouse, rustic or shabby chic look. You can take a slipcover off, wash it, and keep it looking fresh for years! 

When it comes to durability there is a term called the double rubs that is a test done on a fabric's durability.

 

This is where the fabric is rubbed back and forth, similar to the wear and tear that occurs from people sitting on it.

 

The higher the number of double rubs the more durable the fabric is. This means it will not show the wear and tear of use as fast.

 

It is also important to look at the maintenance plan on the tag before you buy a sofa. It will let you know if you need to vacuum it often, if spot cleaning is okay or if you need a special upholstery cleaner to get spots and stains out.

 

All are doable options, you just want to make sure it will work best for your lifestyle. 

 

As for the texture of the sofa, you mainly want to make sure your stain and fade resistant couch isn't itchy or scratchy. Lay your head and bare arm on the couch to ensure your skin isn't irritated by the fabric. This will ensure you are able to enjoy your time relaxing on your new sofa.

 

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What size sofa do I need?

The best way to determine what size sofa to buy is to measure your space and see what is going to fit best.

 

Think about navigating through your house, is your couch in the way?

 

As long as your sofa isn't blocking the natural walkways in the room or connecting rooms, then you're in good shape. 

 

A sectional is great for maximizing seating, but it is hard to reconfigure if you like to rearrange often or if you plan on moving.

 

A three-person couch is a typical size sofa for most living rooms, and for larger rooms, you can face two sofas that size towards each other to maximize your intimate setting, much like a sectional. 

Loveseats, oversized chairs, and recliners all play into what size sofa you buy. There is not one size fits all when it comes to sofas, but you do want a couch long enough to lay down on for those lazy days. 

 

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Are you Ready to Buy the Perfect Sofa for Your Home?

Furniture of Dalton has a variety of sofas and one is sure to fit your needs.

 

From quality, to comfort, to fair pricing, Furniture of Dalton has it all. Come visit our store today!

 

The fourth quarter clearance event has amazing sofas at unbeatable prices. Get the sofa of your dreams this holiday season. Call today to see if the sofa you are looking for is still available! 

 
Want to spruce up more than your living room? Check out these 14 Inexpensive Ways to Make Your Home Look Luxurious.