How To Choose A New Sofa | A Complete Guide
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The sofa lives in the heart of the home where family gather to tell stories and jokes, entertain guests, indulge in a Netflix marathon, surf the internet, take a nap or just cosy up with a loved one!
Choosing the right sofa doesn’t have to be complicated, but there are a few things to consider such as size, picking the right upholstery, choosing a style that suits your living space, choosing soft or firm, and deciding if you’d like a sofa with other functionalities.
OK, I take it back, there is a lot to consider!
In this post, I’ve narrowed it down to five top things to think about, so let’s explore what sofa would work best for you and your family.
1. SIZE
Knowing the space you have to play with can greatly influence what sofa you choose.
If your living room has an intricate shape or you are not quite sure if the sofa would fit nicely, you may need to get the measuring tape out!
It is also important that you measure everywhere that you’ll need to manoeuvre the sofa through for delivery i.e. the door, hallway, tight corners, stairway, etc to make sure you can get it in the room!
If it appears that access will be limited, you could opt for a sofa with removable feet/legs, a low-back design, or even a modular sofa which are sectional sofas that can be delivered in parts.
WHAT IS A MODULAR SOFA?
Modular (or sectional) sofas are made up of individual movable sections that are slotted together like a puzzle, allowing you to configure your sofa exactly the way you want it.
A clever and convenient option for small living spaces or awkward delivery points, the Boxit range by DFS are modular sofas that come delivered in a box and are easy to set up (no tools required), and luckily, they don’t skimp on style either!
Now, taking a look at the room itself, you’ll preferably want to place the sofa in an area away from radiators to avoid heat damage and have enough room for shelves, cabinets, or any other pieces of furniture, you’ll also want a comfortable pathway around the sofa for ease of access.
Quick tip: You could position a piece of string or twine on the ground where the sofa would be to check if it would fit well.
OTHER WAYS TO CHECK HOW A NEW SOFA WOULD LOOK
Room planner tools are easy-to-use software that allows you to see digital 2D or 3D renderings of how everything in a room will look from all angles when positioned the way you want, perfect for seeing how your new sofa would look around other items in your living room.
The top three popular room planning tools I found online are:
If you are lucky enough to have a generous amount of space at your disposal, a larger family to cater for or frequent visitors, you could consider a corner sofa or chaise sofa which can also be used to segment a room into two separate areas
This is a great option for an open plan living space and you want to define two different areas like a home office and a space for entertaining for e.g.
If you have a modest-sized living room, you can still benefit from a sofa that exudes style and comfortability without taking up too much space!
You may have heard of love seats, they are a neat and compact option that is halfway between a chair and a sofa and perfect for one or two people who love a snuggle (perhaps not to be used with a guest then!)
They are great for filling an awkward space, cosy nook, or in a bay window area.
Image | Cinema Love Seat from Loaf
There is also the option to get a bespoke sofa that is made-to-measure for the exact size you require.
2. STYLE
Style is the most exciting yet stressful part for me when buying something new for the home. I can easily find myself wanting to take everything home, like when I ended up buying four blankets from IKEA when I only needed one!
Unfortunately, having four sofas in your living room just wouldn’t work!
First, take a look at the decor of the room your sofa will be in. If this room already has bold or patterned wallpaper, accessories, or other furnishings, you may want to choose a sofa with subtle neutral colours or a plain colour that is patternless so it won’t overwhelm the overall look of the room.
On the other hand, if your room is pretty much a blank canvas, you can draw focus to your sofa like a centrepiece. But try to pick a colour or pattern you won’t easily tire of.
The sofa will most likely be the most expensive thing in the room so it’s worth being completely happy with that investment for a long time.
Image | Petworth Sofa from Sofas & Stuff
If you are not sure how a colour or pattern for a sofa will work among your other pieces of furniture and upholstery such as curtains, cushions, or rugs, or if you just want to feel the texture/material in the flesh first, many sofa retailers offer free fabric swatches.
Here are a few companies that I found offering free sofa fabric swatches:
Aside from colours and patterns, the design or shape of the sofa is important too but really comes down to your own personal style.
Just remember that high-back sofas look better when up against a wall rather than in the middle of a room where it will restrict the view.
A low-back sofa would look better if you’re positioning it away from the wall but it won’t give you the neck and back support you may need.
Here’s a quick run-through of some common sofa designs!
ENGLISH ROLL ARM
The English Roll Arm sofa is known for its large high-back, low-curved arms and gorgeous caster legs. The upholstery is tight-fitting.
It’s a timeless and classic design that would look lovely if you’re going for that British charm in a formal setting!
Pictured: Buoyant Helena Sofa from Kaleidoscope
TUXEDO
The ‘Tuxedo’ sofa was the name given from the village of tuxedo park in the 1920s which interestingly is the same place where the suit got its name.
Easily distinguished by its boxy shape, the streamlined and pared-back match the height of the arms.
Pictured: Lampert Sofa from Jonathan Adler
MID-CENTURY MODERN
As the name would suggest, Mid-century sofas were very popular between the 1940s to the 1970s. Its style is characterised by minimal and sleek lines, often with angled legs.
These stylishly funky sofas would look perfect in a bold or quirky-designed room.
CHAISE CORNER
Great for a larger family or someone who simply likes to sprawl out in style.
Chaise lounge sofas are luxurious L-shaped sofas that are perfect for maximising a living and lounging space.
Not to be confused with a corner sofa, a chaise lounge sofa has the extension of a seat at one end.
Pictured: Swoon Right-Hand Chaise Sofa from Very
CHAISE LOUNGE
Developed in the 18th century, ‘chaise lounge’ is the French term for ‘long chair’ which is essentially a long seat to lounge on.
This truly elegant and stylish sofa is commonly upholstered in velvet with an asymmetric-shaped backrest.
It may not be the everyday sofa but would work well in a bedroom or reading nook.
CHESTERFIELD
Similar to a tuxedo sofa only in shape as far as matching heights for the arms and backrest.
The classic Chesterfield sofa is a large sofa with rolled arms, deep button tufting, nailhead trimming, and is usually upholstered in rich dark leather.
3. MATERIAL
The best material for your sofa should be chosen based on your lifestyle and how much traffic there is in your living room.
For e.g, a living room space with pets or young children will be very busy, untidy and require a lot of cleaning (even without a sofa). Just imagine little sticky fingers on that brand new velvet or cotton sofa - disaster!
The selection of alluring materials to choose from is wide-ranging, but let’s take a look at six common choices for sofa fabrics and explore their pros and cons.
COTTON
If you want a 100% natural fabric for your sofa then cotton is the number one choice.
Pros:
Completely Natural — Cotton is a natural fibre and hypoallergenic, so it won’t harbour dust mites and pet hair, and won’t cause irritation if you suffer from sensitive skin. It’s a breathable material too that will keep you cool and refreshed in the summer and warm in the winter.
Strength & Durability — As long as it has a high thread count, cotton can be a durable option for a sofa. According to King of Cotton, “the thread count of basic or standard cotton is around 150 – good quality sheets start at 180 thread count and are considered percale.”
Design Versatility — Cotton is available in any colour and print, so you can get anything from crisp white to powder pink, mustard tartan to leopard print.
Cons:
Highly Absorbent — Owing to its very breathable quality, cotton absorbs liquid, so it not only stains very easily, but it can cause a long-lasting odour.
Easy-to-wrinkle — Cotton tends to wrinkle due to its lack of elasticity.
Absorbs Dyes — On one hand, this is great as it means you can style or palette-match your sofa to the room it will live in, but it also means that dyes from your clothes can be transferred onto it too.
Not Always Eco-friendly — Cotton contributes to environmental pollution through the use of pesticides and insecticides. But, if you really do want cotton, opt for organic cotton instead, organic cotton is renewable, biodegradable, and sustainable.
CHENILLE
Chenille fabric is a super-soft and raised tuft pile fabric. The tuft is made up of tiny fuzzy hair-like threads sticking out from all angles hence its name, which is the French word for ‘caterpillar’.
Pros:
Supremely Soft — Regarded as a fabric that is very soft to the touch.
Durable — Chenille is surprisingly durable and a common option for heavily-used sofas. It is made from a tight woven blend of materials including polyester, cotton, rayon wool, or olefin.
Pattern Versatility — Large selection of designs and colours.
Cons:
Hard To Clean — If the sofa will be frequently used by young children where spills may occur, chenille would not be the best fabric. If there is a stain on the fabric it would be very difficult to clean and may require a professional cleaner which can be expensive.
Attracts Dust — The pile tends to attract and hold dust and hairs/fur making it a hard maintenance fabric.
Pets Love It — The tiny loops in the pile, are unfortunately perfect for little claws to unravel, and once they are loosened - the damage can’t be reversed!
Fading — Modern blends of chenille fabric include rayon, which is a durable material but is sensitive to light, this will cause the shade to become uneven over time.
VELVET
Image | Isla Sofa from Sofa.com
Velvet is a gorgeous and luxurious fabric often overlooked as an everyday fabric option for a sofa. But aside from its beauty, velvet can be much more than an occasional accent to a room, it can also be considered a durable material when looked after properly.
Pros:
Super-soft & Luxurious — The most common type of velvet is cotton velvet, this type of velvet is very soft to the touch and can produce incredibly rich colours.
Timeless — Velvet is simply an ageless fabric. It will always be a staple for elegance and glamour. Velvet fabric colours also continue to evolve, a simple search online can find you anything from gorgeous cerise pinks and forest greens to sandstone orange and butterscotch yellows.
Quite Durable — Cotton velvet is more hard-wearing than silk velvet, but the most family-friendly velvet is polyester velvet. Not only is it the most durable velvet, but it is easier to clean and retains its softness much longer.
Somewhat Practical — Velvet has no raised weaves and is a flat pile so it does not snag on clothes.
Cons:
Stains Easily — Velvet is a thin material so in the event of a spill, you’ll need to act quickly.
Attracts Pet Hair, Lint & Dirt — This means it requires regular cleaning - using the soft brush attachment of a hoover would work best.
It Can Fade — The fibre can weaken and fade when exposed to direct sunlight, so be careful where you place a velvet sofa.
LEATHER
Image | Axel Leather Sofa from West Elm
Leather is an ancient, durable material that dates all the way back to 1300BC. It is created through a process of ‘tanning’ animal rawhide (which is a chemical treatment in the preservation process) to preserve it, making it suitable for shoes, bags, clothes, tools, and furniture.
Pros:
Durable By Nature — Leather is a very durable material that can last for decades if properly cared for.
Timeless Classic — Which works well in both classic and contemporary-styled rooms.
Easy To Clean — While many fabric sofas are made with stain-repellent treatment and can be steam-cleaned, leather sofas can simply be wiped clean, making them low maintenance and much more forgiving with young children and pets.
It Won’t Bobble — Unlike many fabrics, leather won’t bobble, but instead become richer in age (if only I could age backwards too!).
Cons:
Not Very Warm — Leather is not the warmest material, especially in the colder months, but you could just invest in a sofa throw and some cushions.
High Price Tag — Being such a high-quality material due in part to the process of it being made means it’s also expensive, and may hurt a frugal budget.
Not So Green — The process of manufacturing leather is a complicated and lengthy process, involving tanning, dyeing, crusting, plus much more. In all of these steps, there are numerous chemicals involved - which raise both environmental and ethical concerns.
MICROFIBRE
Microfibre fabric is a thin and very tightly woven material typically made from a blend of polyester and nylon.
Pros:
Durable & Resilient — The very fine tightly woven material is very resilient and strong.
Stain-resistant — Less liquid absorbs in the event of a spill, but your luck may differ depending on the colour of the fabric, type of microfibre you have, what liquid spilt (sugary liquids are far worse than water), and how quickly you deal with the spill. Not all microfibre fabrics are made equal, so do ensure you are getting high-quality microfibre when purchasing your sofa.
Soft-feel — Its plush feel and appearance make it very desirable for sofas.
Cons:
Attracts Pet Hair, Lint, And Dirt — Due to its plush finish, this fabric is static which is prone to gripping hair, lint and dirt. This can look especially bad on lighter-coloured microfibre sofas.
Sensitive To Heat — Microfibre is more sensitive to heat than many other fabrics. Continuous exposure to heat could lead to nap distortion (raised fuzzy surface of the fabric).
LINEN
The ultimate natural fabric, linen is 30% stronger than cotton and is appealing for both its functional and ethical properties.
Pros:
Breathable & Eco-friendly — Linen traps heat in the winter months and remains cool in the warmer months. It’s also super eco-friendly (when untreated i.e not dyed), and is completely biodegradable.
Popular as a Removable Sofa Cover — Typically bought as a removable sofa cover, making it a convenient and easy cleaning option for a busy home.
Naturally Anti-static — Unlike many synthetic fibre materials, linen will not cling onto hair, lint or dirt.
Durable — Made from flax plant fibres, linen is the strongest plant-based fabric.
Cons:
Crinkles Up — Unless you are going for that look, you will hate the crumpled-up look!
Non-organic Linen — If you are not choosing organic linen, there is no guarantee that harmful dyes haven’t been used.
Absorbs Stains Smells and Liquids — However, if you do get a serious stain, it can be spot cleaned (can be machine washable if using a slip-on cover, but may cause fading after a while).
4. COMFORT
No matter how good-looking a sofa is, ‘comfort’ has to be what’s really important right?
After all, it’s what’s on the inside that really counts! Luckily, you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other.
Generally, there are two levels of softness in a sofa which is:
Soft and Squishy — The super cosy kind of comfort you can ‘sink in’ to. For this type of softness, sofas are usually filled with fibre made from polyester or feather. Sofas filled with fibre may wear quicker as the fibres are thin and spaced out. Feather is the softest filling of all, luxurious (and expensive!) but requires a lot of maintenance.
Firm & Comfortable - The better choice for optimum back support and easier to get up from. Firm sofas are filled with foam and are the most common choice.
If you want the best of both worlds, opt for a sofa that is filled with a mix of foam and fibre or feather and foam.
Quick tip: Feather is not waterproof and will not forgive any spills, use a waterproof cover to protect it!
5. FUNCTIONALITY
Sofas can offer so much more than just comfortable seating, in fact, there are lots of extra discreet and hidden functions you can have with a sofa and you don’t have to hunt to find them either!
CLIC-CLAC SOFA BED
This Scandinavian-designed clic-clac sofa by Aosom is definitely multi-functional.
Not only is this sofa a clic-clac sofa bed which is adjustable to 115°, 145°and 180° angles, but it also has a middle flip-down table with two super cool cup holders…who needs the cinema right!?
The armrests are detachable to be used as pillows.
Pictured: Homcom 3-Seater Sofa Bed by Aosom
RECLINER
Reclining sofas remain popular in family homes as they provide varied seating positions. You can sit upright, lay down in a lounging position, or lay flat.
They are more comfortable for those who suffer from back pain. There are manual and electric versions for your convenience.
FOLD-OUT SOFA BED
There are many benefits to a sofa bed, they are ideal for frequent sleepovers, to be used in a guest room, or any areas where you need space-saving furniture.
Unlike clic-clac sofa beds, fold-out sofa beds look like ordinary sofas when the bed frame is retracted in. The mattress can also provide the same comfort as an actual bed!
Pictured: The Big Chill 3 Seater from Snug
EXTRA STORAGE
Sofas with hidden storage options like the Cloud Sundae sofa by Snug, is the ultimate space-saver.
An easy and discreet way to store all of the clutter you’d rather not see edged up in the corner of the room.
It could even mean you don’t actually need to buy that bulky storage cabinet you were thinking of after all!
I hope you now have some idea of what sofa you are looking for, let me know in the comments below!
