In a marketplace that is getting louder and more cluttered by the day, there’s never been a better time to turn inwards and really consider what you want from your furniture. And that couldn’t be more true for the star of our living room – the sofa. Learning how to pick a sofa can feel like something of a chore, but when you put the effort into doing the research, you’ll be rewarded with a piece you can count on for the long haul.
Close your eyes. Are you imagining a jaw-dropping living space, complete with an L-shaped sofa made from the most luxurious materials? Perhaps you’re a homebody at heart and a scene of domestic bliss is unfurling around a cosy 2-seater.
However you figure yourself, the right furniture can deeply affect how we connect with a space, and ideally, it should embody something about the way you live your life from practical stuff like routines down to the nuances of your personal style. Hence, why we’ve pored over all of the different factors at play when choosing a couch – so you don’t have to.
Contents:
- The importance of getting your sofa right
- Pushing past decision fatigue
- 8 major considerations on how to pick a sofa
- Ordering swatches
- Picking cushions
- Pitfalls to avoid
- How to pick a sofa: the FAQs
The importance of getting your sofa right
Sofa. Couch. Settee. Whatever you call it – picking out the perfect one for your domestic needs isn’t as simple as clicking “add to basket” as soon as you see a model that tickles your fancy; after all, buying a vital piece of furniture is a significant investment. As this big purchase will likely form part of the largest financial load we have to bear (moving house), we might as well make it worth every penny.
This means selecting a sofa that is equally functional as it is stylish, comfy as it is wipeable. Beyond this handful of requirements, there are plenty of reasons why you shouldn’t sleep on these important considerations:
- Nowadays, Brits are more likely to eat on the sofa as opposed to the dining table, and spend a whopping 44 days a year sat on them.
- Choosing the right shape, design, upholstery and so on will determine how much you’ll enjoy your sofa and how long it will last.
- Your choice of seating can subtly impact your health in ways that might compound each other – from lumbar support to a healthy placement vis-à-vis the TV, you can relieve discomfort and pain, improving your posture and habits.
Pushing past decision fatigue
Another common topic of conversation that revolves around sofas, is the difficulty of singling out a specific make and model when there are so many possibilities available. We get it. With the ability to scroll through thousands of options in seconds, overwhelming feels like an understatement. To help you remove some of that choice overload, here’s a quick tip that has changed the life of many a homeowner.
Sometimes the best way of overcoming that initial sense of intimidation when redesigning an interior, or even simply redecorating a small corner of a room, is looking at your limitations. Maybe you’ve got an awkward living room layout or you're after something that will fit in with your well-lit, low-ceilinged space. In the prior instance, you might have to be creative with shapes and opt for a corner sofa. For the latter? You can play with sizing, exploring your options with lower, sleek designs that won’t make the space feel too cramped.
What’s true with both of these examples, is that these restrictions don’t curb creativity. Instead, they encourage thinking outside of the box. It’s all about changing your mindset and looking beyond the obvious. This way, you can add the character, depth and artistry that makes a house an expertly curated home.
8 major considerations on how to pick a sofa
1) Shape and design
When it comes to picking a sofa the shape and design should be top of mind. Not only does this impact logistics, ambience and functionality, but it can completely alter the way we perceive a space. For instance, if you’re suffering from a long, narrow living room, you can opt for a small sofa paired with a couple of armchairs placed perpendicular to break up the length of the room.
Even the smallest things like buttons and pleated covers can contribute towards the character-building of your decorating – particularly in rooms lacking architectural details that provide visual interest such as new builds.
To get your creative juices flowing, here are some of the most popular designs out there.
Chesterfield
Perhaps one of the most iconic sofa types of them all, Chesterfields are known for their formal design, rolled back and arms along with a distinctive section of deep buttoning.
Shop nowEnglish rolled arm
Our Horatio sofa is a good example of an English rolled arm sofa, with its high back and low, set-back arms. Something about its deep seat and simple silhouette exudes a level of comfort like no other.
Shop nowMid-century modern
Mid-century modern style sofas typically offer clean lines and small splayed legs. Sometimes you’ll see barrel arms and at other times you’ll see chunky square ones. Our Cotswold 2-seater shows this retro design in action.
Shop nowSectional
A sectional sofa refers to seating that looks like a regular sofa but with a long chaise attached in one modular unit. As an example, take a look at our York Corner Sofa with its conveniently attached chaise,
Shop nowLove seat
A love seat is a hybrid between a sofa and armchair, measure up to an average of 122 – 183cm long, which is the equivalent of a 1.5 seater.
2) Matching your style preferences
In today’s day and age, furniture retailers run the gamut from ultra-modern sofas that you’d imagine in the homes of tech CEOs to the classic snazzy teal sofa you often see at the heart of a mid-century living room. Picking your favourite style from the bunch and perhaps a similar armchair design to match, is the best way forward to a cohesive aesthetic.
3) Upholstery material
From grand living room focal points to dividers in a zoned, open-plan lounge, the sofa is the embodiment of comfort. At Evelyn Lily Interiors, we understand this well, so we strive to ensure that each in our range is snug as can be, no matter the style.
This means providing a range of sofa materials and upholstery from traditionally crafted fabrics like Harris Tweed to luxurious real leather. As well as these materials’ contribution to the overall look and feel of your sofa, it’s a good idea to consider how easy each is to take care of.
At a glance, cotton and wool blends are a lovely addition to any room, given their variety of colours and patterns, but there’s also pilling to worry about later down the line. In contrast, leather can age beautifully, softening with time, and it’s easy to wipe down and clean. The downside though, is that you’ve got to be careful about moisture as leather can be vulnerable to mould if neglected. There’s also the temperature factor; leather is much cooler to the touch than say velvet on colder days. For the best of both worlds, you could opt for a combo of materials like leather and tweed for the full artisan effect.
4) Sofa fillings
We’ve talked about the external materials, but about the internal ones? Although it’s not the most interesting part of how to pick a sofa, their fillings can have a tangible impact on the level of comfort and support you glean from the furniture. Before you nod off, let’s take a look at the basics. Here are three of the most common options:
- Feather – If you’re willing to commit to a bit of plumping every now and again, feather-filled sofas are well worth it. Thanks to this natural filling you can experience a sense of luxury along with a softer, less structured look.
- Fibre – This type of filling is made from hollow polyester strands that get pumped full of air. These clever little strands compress when pushed down, making sitting down feel like a gentle embrace. You’ll also benefit from a nice plump appearance for a soft, relaxed vibe.
- Foam – The last of our trio of material is foam, which provides a much more structure, neat look and feel. The foam will vary in terms of density from sofa to sofa, so be prepared to give a few different ones a try before committing to any pieces.
5) Leg types
Another thing to consider, which is sadly overlooked by many, are the legs or feet of your sofa. While you might be tempted to say that this element doesn’t matter, take them away and you’ll realise that they were integral to the design. In fact, these floor-level choices may be the central component tying your whole room together.
For instance, imagine you’re working from a loosely Georgian-inspired aesthetic and you have the floral curtains, decorative lamps, mirror centrepiece and colour scheme down to a T. A sofa with sleek, splayed legs is going to look out of place, whereas traditional cabriole legs are a match made in heaven. Get the design and material right and it can enhance what the interior is already doing well.
To give you a bit of further inspiration, here are some of the most common leg types:
- Block – Modern in aesthetic, this sofa foot type is simple, straight and unadorned, making it ideal for understated and cosy interiors.
- Bracket – Bracket feet have a distinctive upward curve that creates an unmistakable classic charm.
- Bun – Bun feet have been around since the 1700s and consist of a flattened sphere design that can feel modern, traditional or cutesy depending on its surrounding environment.
- Cabriole – Distinctly glitzy and in keeping with historic spaces, cabriole legs curve outward at the knee before sloping inward at the foot. The effect is a lovely double “S” shape that exudes period charm.
- Paw – Another more ornate design, paw feet resemble their namesake and create a sense of grandeur.
- Splayed – As you might guess from the name, these sofa feet splay outward – at more than 90 degrees from the sofa base, lending a mid-century modern feel.
6) Sofa colours
If you don’t know how to choose a sofa colour without falling into a state of puzzlement, we’re here to help with some suggestions. As with any other interior design enhancement, it’s best to start from what you already love.
Have some wooden furniture you simply can’t part with? Perhaps your walls have been recently decorated in a country style you adore. Here, you should take all of these details into account and clock whether they’re mostly neutrals, accent colours and whether they belong to a warm or cool palette. This is your ticket to choosing the best sofa colour.
Greys, beiges and navy are crowd-pleasers because they blend into most schemes, but don’t be afraid to go for a bolder palette. Jewel tones like emerald, reds, teal and burnt orange offer buckets of character and keep your living room dramatic, light or playful depending on how they accent or blend into the backdrop. For those sharing our penchant for oak furniture, head on over to our blog about finding the perfect palette to match this gorgeous wood.
7) Bonus features
When choosing a sofa, it's important to consider the diverse needs of your guests. Some may require special features to accommodate specific health concerns, such as back problems or mobility issues.
Look for models with built-in lumbar support or adjustable features to provide them the optimal level of comfort and support. After this, you might want to think about features like reclining mechanisms or integrated massage functions for added relaxation and therapeutic benefits. And, of course, if you can get a cheeky bit of storage in there too.
8) Customer reviews
Don’t just take the manufacturer’s word for it – have a gander at the customer reviews! This will allow you to more realistically weigh up the pros and cons, and align the sofa to your needs. Nowadays, review sites or features will often allow you to filter by phrases so you can find exactly what you’re looking for.
Ordering swatches
Now you know how to pick a sofa that is right for you and your interior, and you likely eyeing one up, the next step is to order your swatches. At Evelyn Lily, we’ll offer you a free fabric sample so you can narrow down your colour choice.
The best way to go is to do a bit of preliminary research, select a handful of your favourites and study them under different lights in the right room to suss them out. Really feel the texture and don’t forget to put the swatch up against your walls and any other primary colours in your interior’s palette to ensure it compliments everything as you expect.
Picking cushions
When it comes to picking cushions there are many routes you can go down. Decorative and busy, minimalist and pared-back or something in between. In our guide to choosing the best cushions for your sofa, we suggest tasteful combinations for different sofa colours. But as a rule of thumb, it’s always a good idea to reserve a few cushions as accents to build texture and allow your sofa to pop.
Pitfalls to avoid
Before we wrap up, we thought it best to leave you with a few words of wisdom that will make your consumer experience less stressful. Here are just a few things you should try to avoid whilst shopping around.
Forgetting to measure up
It’s an easy mistake to make and it does happen from time to time, so do be wary of measuring your space’s dimensions accurately. You’d be surprised at how often this occurs.
It’s not just a case of making sure that it fits through the door, but if it isn’t to scale, you can really throw off the cohesion of a room.
Sacrificing quality for price
We all love a good bargain, but there are some purchases (the big ones) that you really shouldn’t chance. In all likelihood, you’ll be using your sofa every day, so treat yourself to the quality you deserve. This way, you can enjoy it to the fullest without worrying about buying a new one any time soon.
Passing up a good guarantee
A guarantee can be a lifetime if you’re unlucky enough to be the misfortunate one to experience a product failure. While this is unlikely to happen, it does help.
How to pick a sofa: the FAQs
Trying before buying: is it a good idea?
Do you need to try a sofa before buying? Not necessarily, but it does put your top choices into perspective in a way that viewing product images simply can’t.
For the best possible chance of finding your dream sofa, you should take the time to try a handful of different options to puzzle out the density, firmness and deepness of the seats you enjoy. Then you can accurately select the one that offers the best balance of support versus softness according to your tastes.
If you’re keen on trying any of ours, come along to our Pickering showroom for the full experience.
Consumer rights when buying a sofa
Whether you’re hoping to choose a sofa online or in-store, knowing your rights as a consumer is always a good idea. As one of the pricier items of furniture, you don’t want to run into any problems if a fault leads to you initiating the returns procedure.
When you buy a sofa, two things can happen if it's faulty. First, if it's obviously damaged or doesn't work properly, you can return it to the store within 30 days. This is your right under The Consumer Rights Act 2015. Even if the sofa was on sale, you can still get a refund if it's faulty.
If you bought a sofa that broke or wore out within the first few months or couple of years of use, even if it's outside the standard returns period, you can still send it back. According to the Sale of Goods legislation, the retailer is responsible for providing you with goods of a certain standard of quality and durability.
For a more complete run-down, you should check out this in-depth article by Ideal Home.
Live up to your imagination
That was all we had on how to pick out a perfect sofa for your requirements. Whether you’re aiming for a showstopper like our Horatio Collection or a more humble piece to fit snugly into a disused corner, it’s time to explore our sofa range to bring out the full potential, depth and artistry of your living room. Follow all of our tips above and that shiny new sofa is sure to live up to your expectations.
