Sofa
Buying
Guide

Buying a new sofa can be challenging.

Whether you plan to shop for a new sofa online or head to the furniture store, it’s easy to choose a sofa you think you’ll love. However, it’s equally easy to get that sofa into your house and decide it doesn’t work with your décor!

Avoid this scenario by carefully planning and figuring out precisely what sofa you want to buy.

In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about buying the perfect sofa. Whether you’re furnishing a lounge, your home theater, or another room in your home, we have you covered!

8 Key
Questions to
Consider
When
Choosing
a Sofa

There’s so much to think about when shopping for a new sofa. The best approach is to have these eight questions in mind before you start your search.

Otherwise, you’ll waste a lot of time looking at sofas you fall in love with, only to realize you can’t afford them or that they’re unsuitable for your home. Choosing a sofa with delicate fabric upholstery isn’t the best idea if you have young kids and two dogs! It pays to remember that before you shell out hundreds, potentially thousands, of dollars on a new sofa

1 Will Your Room Fit the Sofa, or Does
Your Sofa Need to Fit the Room?

Consider these two scenarios:

You have recently redecorated the room

You’re shopping for a new sofa for a room you don’t plan to change, or that you have recently redecorated.

You will redecorate the room soon

You’re shopping for a new sofa for a room you will redecorate soon.

Which scenario describes your situation?

Your answer will influence the types of sofa you consider.

You will need to think about the color of your sofa

For a recently redecorated room, as a minimum, you will need to think about the color of your sofa. If you’ve given a room a total overhaul and adopted a specific style or trend, you’ll also need to consider how your sofa will fit in.

Alternatively, if your new sofa will be the centerpiece of your room, or you’ll decorate around the sofa, you’ll have more flexibility around the sofa you buy. If you’re in this scenario, you can buy whatever sofa you want and worry about the other things later.

Go for a Classic style sofa, like a Lawson

2How Will You Use the Sofa?

Where is your sofa going, and how will you or visitors to your home use it?

For example, if you’re planning to put your new sofa into a room with a home theater setup, you’ll likely sit on it for hours at a time. Depending on your room configuration, you might look at a corner sofa, or choose a recliner for the ultimate in comfort.

Alternatively, if you’re buying a sofa more for decoration than usage, you might opt for a classic chaise or a two-seater settee.

3How Many People Will Sit
on the Sofa?

It’s time to think about comfort.

We’ve all sat on a three-seater sofa with two other people and found ourselves wishing for more room!

That’s not to say you shouldn’t buy a two-seater sofa if you live only with your partner and never have guests in your home. It’s about finding a sofa that works for you.

Think about the space you need for everyone in your household from a personal perspective. By considering this alongside the space you have in your room, you can choose the best-sized sofa for your lifestyle needs. You might even decide to buy two sofas instead of one!

4How Robust Does the Sofa
Need to Be?

Every sofa must be robust. You don’t want to get six-months’ use out of it before the frame gives way!
However, in this context, we’re looking at robustness around your new sofa’s finish and fabric.

If you have young children,

preventing them from clambering on the sofa with dirty or sticky hands will prove difficult.

The answer is to choose a sofa with a durable fabric finish, such as raw or faux leather, that easily wipes clean. If your pets can roam free indoors, you will also need harder wearing sofa cushions. Remember, you may need to clear and hoover pet hair from the sofa, too!

5Do You Have Any Medical Issues
to Consider?

Thinking about medical issues isn’t the most glamorous part of choosing a new sofa. However, it might be the difference between incredible comfort or unbearable pain and irritation.

If you suffer from Back Pain

If you suffer from back pain, find sofas where you can choose from a variety of cushion fillings to deliver the most comfortable seating experience for you. You can also select specific standalone cushions to help you maintain proper posture while sitting, regardless of the type and style of sofa you buy.

If you suffer from Allergies

One thing people often don’t think about is allergies. If feather filled cushions are going to make you sneeze every five minutes, you’ll need to opt for a foam alternative. Thankfully, you can even get memory foam filled sofa cushions these days. As well as removing the potential for allergic reactions, you’ll get a comfortable solution, too. You can also reduce exposure to allergens in your sofa fillings by opting for a leather upholstered model or a sofa with a tightly woven fabric finish.

6Are There Any Size
Constraints to Consider?

Even if you plan to make your new sofa the centerpiece of your room, you might still have to allow for size constraints.

If you’re buying a couch for a small room, you know immediately there’s no point in looking at corner sofas or four-seaters!

We’ll go into detail on how to measure your sofa later.

However, you’ll need to think about much more than whether your new sofa will fit through your door or windows.

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7What Type of Floors Do
You Have?

Even the heaviest sofas will move slightly through time as you get on and off it repeatedly.

If you have Wooden floors

You might need to discount certain types of sofas from your search if their legs will potentially scratch the floor. You can also opt to buy a rug on which to place the couch, although you need to make sure a rug then fits in around the rest of your décor.

If you have Rug on the floors

A rug may also be a useful solution if you have carpet but like to move your furniture around regularly. Your rug will reduce the amount your sofa crushes your carpet fibers. It will also make it easier for your carpet to take its natural structure once you place your sofa somewhere else.

8 What is Your Budget?

It isn’t always necessary to spend thousands of dollars to get a fantastic corner sofa. Likewise, opting for a budget sofa isn’t always the best choice if you need something durable and long-lasting.

We recommend that you set your budget after answering all the other questions above.

This approach might seem counterintuitive, but once you know the type of sofa you need to buy, you can set your budget based on this and other factors. The budget you need for an armchair will be vastly different from the one you need for a four-seater sofa!

What are the
9 Different
Types of
Sofa?

The space you have and how you plan to use your sofa will likely be the most significant influences over the type of sofa you choose.

Here’s a brief overview of the nine main sofa types you’ll have to choose from, and some further guidance to help you understand if they’re suitable for your home.

TWO SEATER

There are usually two reasons to buy a two-seater sofa:

You are putting your sofa into a smaller room, and you lack the space for anything bigger.
You live with your partner and decide you want to have a sofa each, so you buy two smaller sofas.

If you’re buying two two-seater sofas, you don’t have to buy the same sofa, although if you want to be consistent with your décor, this might be the best approach.

A three-seater is what most of us would associate as being a traditional type of sofa. If you have a three-seater sofa, it will usually be the main place to sit in your living room. A three-seater can also be a fantastic choice for a home theater, especially if you want to sit close together with others.

A standard three-seater sofa will be around two meters wide. However, not all three-seater sofas are equal when it comes to the space you’ll get.

Try and get the cushion sizes if you can. Some three-seaters will have enough space for four. Others you’ll find barely have enough room for two!

THREE SEATER

The biggest tip we can give you with three seaters is to get the measurements.

FOUR SEATER

Four-seaters will naturally take up more space anyway, so consider the additional space you may need if it has reclining or other elements.

Four-seaters are a fantastic choice if you have a large family and the space to put one in your room. Along with three-seaters, they’re also a brilliant option for a home theater.

The primary consideration if you’re looking for a four-seater sofa is what other features you want. For example, four-seater sofas where the two end seats recline are relatively common. Different four-seater sofa styles may also use cushions differently, such as having one long, shared seat cushion rather than individual ones.

The measurements and specific sizes of four-seater sofas tend to fluctuate even more than with three-seaters. Make these checks part of your search.

Corner sofas don’t just look great; they can serve practical functions, too:

They’re an ideal space saver
Used in the corner, they allow you to maximize the rest of the room
In an open plan living space connecting your living room with your kitchen or dining room, you can position your sofa to be a natural room divider

Depending on the space available and the size sofa you need, you’ll be able to find corner sofas ranging from three-seaters up to 10-seaters, and perhaps even bigger. You’ll also be able to find corner sofas with reclining seats, and some even double as a sofa bed!

CORNER SOFA

SOFA CHAISE

A sofa chaise is like a corner sofa and could save you even more space.

These are sofas with one or two regular seats and then an extended cushion. Sofa chaises are available with the chaise on either the right- or left-hand side. However, many sofa chaises do not have a fixed extended base. Instead, they use an extension that looks like a footstool. This feature enables you to change your sofa chaise to the right- or left-hand side if you decide to move your room around.

An armchair is an excellent choice if you have a limited amount of space and can’t get two sofas into a room. In specific room contexts, an armchair can also work as a piece of statement furniture either on its own or by matching the surrounding theme and décor.

Armchairs may also have a recliner feature. However, depending on the type of armchair and your room décor, you might find an armchair with a matching footstool a better choice than a reclining armchair.

ARMCHAIR

LOVE SEATS

Bigger than an armchair, but smaller than a two-seater sofa, a love seat or snug is excellent if you’re tight on space or have a gap that you don’t want to leave empty.

Love seats are ideal for sitting in yourself with loads of space or for cozying up with your partner or the kids.

Recliners can feel practical and always look comfortable, but they you need extra considerations around space. Most reclining seats and sofas work manually and give you three seating positions:

Upright
Raised footrest with partial back recline
Full recline, slightly above a lying down position

If you opt for a recliner sofa, decide whether you want all the seats to recline, or just the end seats. There are so many types of sofa available these days you’ll be able to find the exact one for your needs. Some sofa recliners offer wallaway or wall-hugger recline that only requires a 4 inch clearance from the back of the seat to wall to fully recline.

It’s also possible to find motor-powered recliner sofas. These can offer a greater range of seating positions. You’ll also be able to find recliners with a vast range of other features, including:

RECLINERS

SOFA BED

Buying a sofa bed can be challenging. However, remember the primary function of your piece of furniture is to be a sofa.

You can then decide on the type of sofa bed you go for depending on how often the bed will see use. Two-fold sofa beds are the most common type, and it’s often impossible to tell they’re a sofa bed. Foldaway sofa beds, like futons, make dual use of the cushion as seating and a mattress. These are less comfortable and often difficult to fit into a living room’s décor, so only use these in a bedroom rather than in your main living space.

The 8
Different
Styles of
Sofa?

If you have already finalized the décor for a room, there’ll be a sofa style, or styles, that are the perfect fit. If you’re choosing your sofa first, the style you select will undoubtedly influence the direction your décor takes.

The sofa style may also influence the type of sofa you buy, as specific styles won’t be available as a recliner or sofa chaise.

Here are eight different sofa styles to think about, and when they might suit you.

1

Mid-Century Modern

Sleek, straight lines and minimalist describe a mid-century modern sofa perfectly. Such sofas usually sit low to the ground and typically have metal legs, which is where thinking about the type of floor you have will come in. Some manufacturers do make mid-century modern sofas with wooden legs, too.

A mid-century modern sofa is ideal for a modern, minimalist room. It can also be an excellent fit for a home theater.

2

Lawson

The Lawson style is what most of us think about when we think of sofas. Low to the ground, sitting either on wheels or legs, two, three, and four-seater couches, as well as corner sofas, are typically Lawsons.

The perfect sofa for falling back into at the end of a long day, the Lawson has the versatility to fit into most rooms and is another good candidate for a home theater.

3

English Roll arm

English roll arm sofas have a distinctive shape, with a high back and low arms that typically lean away from the seat. Another distinguishing feature of English roll arm sofas is their firm cushions, which give a feel and type of comfort that admittedly might not work for everyone.

These sofas work best in traditionally decorated, darker rooms that make use of wooden floors and furniture.

4

Chaise

If you decorate your home in a modern style, your interaction with chaise style seating will be via a sofa chaise. However, if you have gone for a more traditional style, then an old-school style chaise can be a great fit. A classic chaise features one sidearm, but many modern designs that look traditional do not have any arms.

It is common to find a chaise used for decoration rather than for sitting. Chaises are a popular addition to bedrooms or dressing spaces, too.

5

Settee

Small and upright, the settee started life as an early version of the love seat. Although a settee has a traditional shape, modern versions look contemporary and easily fit in around current day interior design trends.

A settee is a fantastic candidate for smaller rooms or apartments, or to fill an unwanted space. If you have an abundance of space, two settees facing each other in a family space is a great look.

6

Tuxedo

A tuxedo sofa looks like a mid-century modern model. As such, they can work brilliantly in modern, stylish rooms and be a suitable choice for home theater spaces.

The main differences are that tuxedo sofas:

Usually have wooden rather than metal legs by default
Are the same height all the way around
Use tufting along the back and on the arms

7

Chesterfield

The Chesterfield sofa is a classic, traditional British design. Chesterfields are often the same height all the way around, which makes their arms feel high and the back feel low compared to models like the mid-century modern or Lawson.

Chesterfields typically have tufting at the back and on the arms and always finished in leather upholstery.

These sofas fit best in traditionally decorated rooms but look great on both wooden floors and carpet.

8

Camelback

One look at the hump on the back of a camelback sofa is enough to discover how it gets its name.

Another sofa that sits better in traditional-looking rooms, camelback sofas are available in a variety of finishes. Camelbacks typically stand on between four and eight wooden legs, depending on the specific style and design.

Making Sure
Your New
Sofa Will Fit
Your Home

Most of us know someone who has bought a piece of furniture to find they can’t get in their house.

An iconic scene from Friends saw Ross try to get a sofa up a set of stairs he hadn’t bothered to measure up. Don’t make a fool of yourself like Ross did trying to return his couch (after sawing it in half!).

Getting the Precise
Measurements of a Sofa

When measuring a sofa, remember to measure:

Many people forget about the arm height, which subsequently causes them problems when trying to turn corners or take their new sofa upstairs.

Measuring Your Room

The first thing to measure up is your room.

Consider:

How much space do you need for the sofa?
Does your sofa need to fit around other furniture, or is it going into your room first?
Does the shape of your room influence the type of sofa you can buy?
Where is your ideal position for the sofa? Does putting the couch under the window influence the type you can get? Does the location of doors limit the potential places you can put it?

Factors to Consider for
Unique Sofa Types

If you plan to buy a recliner or a sofa bed, you’ll need to take some additional measurements to ensure you can use your new sofa as you wish.

As well as thinking about the measurements, remember to consider how a recliner or sofa bed may influence other furniture. If you have a coffee table in front of your sofa bed, do you have adequate space to move it elsewhere when you unfold the bed? Do you need space at the sides of a recliner for a table to put your beer or snacks within reach while you’re laying back and watching a movie?

Recliners

When buying a recliner, its measurements when its upright are almost irrelevant. Instead, you need to know its depth when fully reclined. These measurements will tell you whether you’re going to be able to get full use of it in your home.

Sofa Beds

You might love how a sofa bed looks as a sofa anyway, so you should check its measurements when in “sofa mode.”

If you plan to use it as a sofa bed, you need to know its length to ensure you can open it correctly.

Two-fold sofa beds are easier to measure up for because to use the bed, you merely take the seat cushions off and fold out the bed.

In contrast, with a foldaway sofa bed, you might have to move the bed when it’s a sofa to open it out.

Ensuring the Sofa Can Get
into Your Property

DOORWAYS

Measure up all doorways your sofa will go through to get to its destination.

windows

It is also worth seeing if you’re able to remove windows if this will make it easier to get the sofa into your home.

stairwells

If your couch needs to go up any stairwells, measure them too, and remember to factor in banisters!

Sofa in the corner

If your sofa needs to go around any corners, measure these so you know how easy it will be.

Delivery Policies

Ask about the delivery policies of the seller, too.

Many furniture retailers guarantee delivery to the room where you want your sofa to go. While you will need to provide measurements and guidance, it isn’t down to you to get the couch into your place!

However, some companies will commit only to getting the sofa to your front door, so you may need to plan some help to get your couch where you want it.

Different
Sofa Sizes

We recommend you get the exact measurements for any sofa before you commit to a purchase. However, we also understand you might want to plan your room before you start shopping.

Use the below tips as a handy guide to help you with your initial space planning.

Depth and Width

More deep-seated sofas tend to be more comfortable. Expect to need at least 30 inches of space front to back for your sofa, and maybe 2 – 3 times that if you’re planning to buy a recliner.

A depth of around 40 inches is best for giving you space to either sit naturally or curl up with your legs off the floor.

The width of your sofa will largely depend on the model you buy. An armchair, love seat, or two-seater might be under six feet, but a 10-seater corner sofa could be well over nine feet in both directions!

Height and Back Support

While different sofa styles can look dramatically different in terms of their back height, most fall within a range of 30 to 40 inches.

What makes the visual difference is how the sofa’s legs affect its overall height.

Beware of this when measuring your space. This consideration is particularly important if you want to put your new sofa below a window.

If you want to buy a sofa with a slightly angled back, consider this when measuring the depth.

Materials
and
Upholstery
Choices &
Quality

Choosing the right type and style of sofa is essential in a décor context.

However, if you’re going to drop hundreds or thousands of dollars on a new couch, you want to ensure it will last. Investing in better standard materials should ensure your sofa lasts longer, giving you maximum enjoyment from your purchase.

Here’s what you need to look out for.

Sofa Frames

Most sofa frames are made of wood. The only exceptions will be if you opt for a sofa bed with a metal frame.

maple wood

maple Wood

pine Wood

oak Wood

Higher quality woods such as maple, oak, and pine have traditionally been the most robust in creating sofa frames. However, modern techniques of creating cheaper alternatives like plywood mean these frames are often just as good.

If your sofa’s sustainability and provenance matter to you, you can ask about and research where different manufacturers source their wood, too.

Joinery

You won’t be able to see the frame of most sofas, so this is where you will need to question the seller or check out their website.

Anyone selling a sofa should be able to tell you how it was made, what’s inside it, and what quality control measures have taken place.

Upholstery

Most people will judge a sofa’s looks from a distance. Make sure you check yours out up close before you decide to buy.

The overall quality of the stitching

Joins in the stitching to be straight

The fabric should fit the frame and not be loose, while also not being drawn too tightly and at potential risk of tearing

The best new sofas usually won’t feature staples holding the fabric in place. They’re usually a sign of a couch that has been re-upholstered.

Fabric Sofas

Fabric sofas are ideal if you want the flexibility of choosing patterns, colors, and styles of fabric on your couch without the need to invest in throws or other coverings. You can get sofas covered in a variety of materials, from crisp linen to warm and cozy wool.

While it’s easy to get drawn into your sofa’s aesthetic appeal, think about functionality here, too.

Will a fabric sofa be durable enough if you have kids or pets?

If people will sit on your sofa for hours at a time, how will wear and tear affect it?

How will you deal with stains if you spill drink or food on the sofa?

Lighter colored covers tend to wash better as their fade will be less noticeable, but does this fit with the décor of your room?

Leather Sofas

You will be able to find several types of leather sofa. We look at the five most common below.

Raw leather, or aniline leather

Raw leather, or aniline leather, is the most natural and pure type of leather. No pigments or other chemicals are used in the tanning process. Raw leather gives you the best look and is the most hardwearing. Wiping spillages off raw leather will leave a mark but not a noticeable or visible stain, it’ll just look like it’s part of the leather!

Pigmented leather, or protected leather

Pigmented leather, or protected leather, has a polymer coating. This treatment can increase the durability of your leather sofa even further but reduces the authenticity of its appearance.

Semi-raw leather

Semi-raw leather is a middle ground where the leather is partially treated.

Split leather sofas

Split leather sofas use cheaper leather on the back and sides of the couch, to reduce the production and retail cost. Treatment will be applied to this leather to ensure consistent coloring. However, the use of different leather may be noticeable, so split leather isn’t a great idea if your sofa will go in the middle of a room as a centerpiece.

all you need to know about spotting and buying quality leather

If you want to know more about Leather and Leather sofas, Know More Here

PVC Sofas

You will often see PVC sofas billed as “faux leather,” as they aim to imitate the appearance of leather, although in truth rarely come close!

PVC sofas are typically easy to wipe clean. They will usually be cheaper than even a bonded leather or split leather sofa.

If you’re looking for a PVC sofa, opt for one with a higher concentration of polyester. Polyester will make your couch more durable, ideal if you’ll have kids and pets jumping all over it!

Cushion
Choices

The final thing to consider when buying a sofa is your cushions. Whether you’re looking at the larger seat and back cushions or the smaller cushions that will support your back and maintain your posture, these will be integral to your comfort and overall enjoyment of your sofa.

Firmness

When buying a sofa, look for manufacturer and seller detail on cushion fillings and how firm they are. Like when you shop for a mattress, you can expect to see cushions labeled as soft, medium, or hard. If you’re not sure which firmness is for you, try different types of sofas at the store!

Fillings

The type of cushion filling may affect any allergies but will also dictate your comfort.

Look out for the following four types of cushion filling when choosing a new sofa or buying cushions individually:

Feather fillings

Feather fillings are the ones to look out for the most in terms of allergies but are less common than previously.

Foam

Foam is a popular choice of filling for manufacturers because they can tailor its shape to increase the aesthetic appeal of a sofa. High resilience foam is ideal as it won’t lose its shape as quickly as a standard type of foam. However, memory foam cushions are widely available if you’d prefer something that will adapt and fit your body shape over time.

Fiber-filled cushions

Fiber-filled cushions tend to be used on sofas that have a soft and cozy appearance. These cushions are ideal for adapting to your body shape. They’re also easy to reshape, plump, and refresh whenever they need sprucing up.

Pocket springs

Pocket springs are conventional in mattresses but are increasingly found in sofa cushions, too.

Choosing
Your Ideal
Sofa

There’s much to consider when you want to buy a new sofa.

However, it is 100% worth investing the time needed to do adequate research to ensure you get a sofa that fits your décor, your lifestyle, and will give you comfort and enjoyment for many years to come.

Start planning your new sofa purchase now. Whether you’re furnishing a home theater or any other space, using our guide, you’ll find the perfect model for your home.

Sofa Buying Guide