CHOOSING A SOFA 

IS A FUN problem to have – BUT OFTEN DAUNTING TASK!

HERE ARE 10  THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A SOFA.

1. LOCATION /ROOM SIZE – WHERE IS IT GOING AND WITH WHAT?

2. BUDGET

3. STYLE

4. ARMS

5. SEATS

6. PILLOWS

7. SKIRTED OR VISIBLE LEGS

8.DURABILITY

9. COLOR

10. SLIPCOVERED OR UPHOLSTERED

1. LOCATION / ROOM SIZE, LAYOUT, DOOR AND WINDOW LOCATIONS, other furniture and  AND FLOOR PLAN ALL PLAY A HUGE PART IS DECIDING WHICH OF THE SEEMINGLY MILLIONS OF SOFAS TO PURCHASE.

SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF : WHERE IS THIS SOFA GOING?

IS IT GOING TO BE ….IN THE FAMILY ROOM, LIVING ROOM, AND HOW MUCH TRAFFIC WILL IT NEED TO WITHSTAND?

WHAT ARE THE AGES OF THE PEOPLE (AND PETS) WHO WILL USE IT MOST? I remember watching as my toddler wiped her runny nose on the sofa cushions edge – which came conveniently to nose-height – and it was a blessing that those cushions could be laundered!

CONFIGURATION – DOES YOUR ROOM HAVE 4 WALLS? OR AN OPEN FLOOR PLAN?

WILL THE BACK OF THE SOFA BE VISIBLE?

WHERE IS THE LIGHTING IN THE ROOM?

IS THIS ROOM THE CENTER OF THE HOUSE…OF DOWN IN THE BASEMENT?

ALL IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU MAKE THE PURCHASE….AND FOR PETE’S SAKE – MEASURE YOUR DOORWAYS AND STAIRCASES!!!

3. BUDGET.  BUDGETS AND TASTES VARY AND CAN DICTATE OPTIONS.  BUT NOWADAYS – A TIGHT BUDGET IS NOT A BARRIER TO STYLE.

EMILY HENDERSON DID A GREAT “SOFA” POST WHICH INCLUDES AMONG OTHER VALUABLE ADVICE ” GENERIC SOFAS NOT TO BUY” AND A FEW DOZEN GREAT SOFAS UNDER $1000!!!!

THERE ARE SOFAS FOR EVERY BUDGET AND EVERY WEBSITE HAS SALES! WATCH FOR DISCOUNTS…AND COUPONS AND MARKDOWNS.

ONE of my ABSOLUTE favorite Furniture companies to come on the scene in the last few years is JOYBIRD! .

3. STYLE –   “STYLE” REFERS TO THE SOFA SHAPE. THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT STYLES WHICH REFLECT EVERYTHING FROM TRADITIONAL DECOR TO MORE CONTEMPORARY AND MODERN TYPES OF DECOR. THE BEST SOFA STYLES, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION ARE TIMELESS – NO MATTER WHAT STYLE THEY ARE…

..HERE ARE A FEW BASIC BIGGIES…FROM WHICH MOST SOFA STYLES ORIGINATE.(all the diagrams and descriptions below are from DOMINO)

HANDS DOWN THE BEST RESOURCE BOOK EVER!

 I ADORE This “ROBIN” sofa FROM JOYBIRD with English Arms below is GORGEOUS and I am dying to get is made up in pink!!!!

4. ARMS – 

…HERE ARE some TO MUDDLE THROUGH!

5. SEATS, CUSHIONS – NUMBER – HOW MANY??? DO YOU WANT ONE BENCH SEAT CUSHION, TWO CUSHIONS OR THREE…AND WOULD YOU LIKE “T” OR AN “L” CUSHION OR A “SQUARE/RECTANGLE”  STYLE? WHO KNEW IT COULD BE SO COMPLICATED.

6. PILLOWS – AND just as you can have NO pillows and a tight back you can have – 1, 2 , 3 or a bunch of back pillows –

7. SKIRTED OR VISIBLE LEGS, – I LIKE A MIXTURE OF BOTH ….LEGS ARE CONSIDERED A BIT MORE DRESSY…BUT LOVELY SKIRTED ONES ARE BEAUTIFUL TOO….DESIGNER TRACI ZELLER HAS A RULE OF THUMB THAT IF THE SOFAS ARE SKIRTED SHE SELECTS MORE LEGGY TABLES….

DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS THERE ARE KICK PLEATS, DRESSMAKER PLEATS, EVEN RUFFLES…YOU CAN CAVE MULTIPLE PLEATS, JUST CORNER PLEATS…OR A CENTER PLEAT…!!!!!

8. DURABILITY – THIS MAY SEEM LIKE AN OBVIOUS CATEGORY, WHO DOESN’T WANT A DURABLE SOFA?  BUT SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED A 3 YR SOFA, (THINK COLLEGE APARTMENT…) OR YOU KNOW YOU WILL SWAP IT OUT WHEN THE KIDS GET OUT OF DIAPERS AND YOU JUST WANT SOMETHING TO FILL THE SPACE …A SOFT PLACE FOR EVERYONE TO SIT …IN A ROOM WHERE ONLY YOUR FAMILY GOES. –

IN OTHER CASES, YOU CONSIDER THIS SOFA TO BE AN INVESTMENT, WORTHY OF EXTENDING YOUR BUDGET TO ACCOMODATE A PIECE OF FURNITURE THAT IS NOT ONLY WELL MADE AND STURDY, BUT CLASSIC VS TRENDY, WITH A TRADITIONALLY INSPIRED FRAME AND LINES, IN FABRICS WHICH ARE TIMELESS AND HOLD UP TO HEAVY WEAR.

9. COLOR/ FABRIC – AGAIN THIS IS NOT ALWAYS SOMETHING YOU HAVE LOTS OF FLEXIBILITY ON…BUT WILL THE SOFA BE YOUR POP OF COLOR? OR WILL IT SERVE AS A BACKDROP TO ALL OF THE OTHER COLORS IN THE ROOM – WITH ART, RUGS AND OTHER PIECES TAKING FOCUS?

10. SLIPCOVERED VS UPHOLSTERED –  I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY OPTION FOR YOUNG CHILDREN IS LEATHER… THERE AND SO MANY DURABLE FABRICS OUT THERE AND SUNBRELLA MAKES INCREDIBLE INDOOR OUTDOOR OPTIONS THAT THE POSSIBITIES ARE ENDLESS.AND I LOVE SLIPCOVERS!!!

AND FOR PETES SAKE – HAVE SOME FUN!

OVERWHELMED? YEAH, ME TOO!

BUT ISN’T IT BETTER TO CONSIDER ALL OF THE OPTIONS? I THINK SO, EVEN IF IT TAKES A LITTLE MORE TIME.

EMILY HENDERSON’S THEORY AS TO WHY SO MANY “MISTAKE” SOFAS GET PURCHASED IS BECAUSE THEY ARE 1.  IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE AND 2. INEXPENSIVE...BUT SHE AND I HAVE FOUND IS THAT IF YOU SHOP AROUND YOU CAN GET A GREAT SOFA FOR A DECENT PRICE…AND ONE YOU ACTUALLY LIKE – NOT SETTLE FOR!!!

SO HOW DO YOU CHOOSE A SOFA? WITH SO MANY CHOICES? AND SO FEW DECENT PLACES TO GO SHOP AROUND WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MIND?

MY SUGGESTION IS TO VISIT SITES LIKE PINTEREST, HOUZZ AND THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD ONES THAT FEATURE LOTS OF HOMES -…. I LIKE EMILY HENDERSON,  DESIGN CHIC,  AND OTHER STYLIST, DECORATORS AND DESIGNERS  – VISIT THEIR SITES AND JUST WANDER THROUGH THEIR ARCHIVES. PIN THE PHOTOS THAT SPEAK TO YOU – COLLECT PICTURES OF SOFAS THAT YOU LIKE!!!!

ONE OF MY PERSONAL FAVORITE “IDEA” RESOURCE IS THE BLOG  HOUSE OF TURQUOISE –  SHE FEATURES PRIMARILY DESIGNERS AND THE ROOMS AND HOMES THEY HAVE DESIGNED, SHE HAS THOUSANDS OF LIVING ROOMS FEATURED IN EVERY STYLE IMAGINABLE!!!!!

DO YOU HAVE ANY SOFA STORIES???? DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE STYLE??

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR SOFAS???

XO