4 Tips to Choosing A Suitable Sofa for Your Living Room

With so many different types of sofa out there for sale, it can be a mind-boggling effort to pick the perfect one for your home. Sofas are often the most outstanding feature in the living room, so take note of a few factors before you walk into a store and buy the first (or cheapest) one you see.  

Type of Usage

Determine the activities you're going to be carrying out on the sofa. Catching up on your drama series, playing DnD with your buddies or just want to use it as the base for overnight gossip sessions? How about the person who will be using it the most? Are they tall, have bad knees or elderly? All these factors should heavily influence your ultimate choice of seating in the living room. For example, getting a deep sofa will suit a tall person better. Love to hold gatherings? Then an L-shape or a curved sofa around a central table is a good choice. You can even throw in a few beanbags on the other side to accommodate more people.  

Craftsmanship

Don't just choose a sofa based on its design, its levels of comfort and support are just as important. If possible, get your family members to try out the sofa for at least 15 minutes. Look out for creaks when you sit on the corner to test for incorrect spring installation and make sure that the frame is constructed from a sturdy material such as oak or furniture-grade plywood. You can test its sturdiness by lifting one leg or corner of the sofa to about 6 inches. If the frame is a strong and sturdy one, the other leg will be lifted as well. The sofa should have well-padded arms and the material must be stitched on carefully. Last but not least, check that the legs are screwed or secured with pegs and NOT glued on.  

Type of Maintenance

There are mainly 2 types of sofas: fabric or leather. The fabric sofa is perfect for people who love its versatility of colours, designs and textures. It may, however, fade over time and requires a high level of maintenance against dust mites and stains. The leather sofa, on the other hand, is easier to maintain. Some leather materials, such as young cow hide, will even look better as they age. Others, like suede, is a poor choice in a household full of children, pets and careless family members. If budget is a problem, then faux leather can be your answer because they can also be dyed in a wide variety of colours.  

Size of living room

The size of your living room will inevitably determine the size of the sofa you should get. Getting a large sofa for a small space will only overwhelm the place and make it seem cramped. Want to create a tasteful yet non-obtrusive divider between your living and dining area? Then an L-shaped or round sofa will make a good option. With so important factors to consider, I wouldn't advise you to buy online unless you've seen and touched it for yourself. After all, the sofa will stay in your home for a few years. Why compromise the quality for a bargain you can only see online? Have fun shopping for your sofa and HAPPY 2014 by the way!