How to buy a Sofa/Sectional from HomeCinemaCenter.com:
Couch, settee, richmond, divan, davenport, enterprise, oh my! No wonder choosing a sofa can seem intimidating! Never mind how many choices may come with selecting just the right piece for your home. Never fear, Home Cinema Center is here to help!
Here are a few pointers to get you started:
How will you use it and who will use the sofa?
Will you be purchasing a sofa for a family room or a living room setting? Is it the focal point? Will you use it for everyday activities in a family room such as watching TV, relaxing, sharing a cup of coffee with friends? Will the sofa be a launching pad for active kids and pets? Or will the sofa be the center piece of a more formal living room which seldom has visitors? Do you need space for a coffee table or end tables?
Shape: Have paint swatches and a measuring tape in hand. Measure your space and make a diagram of the room. Be sure to allow for flow of traffic around the pieces you select. If you are having a hard time fitting in enough pieces to seat the entire family, consider a sectional sofa which you can often configure to fit your space.
Style: Choose a sofa that echoes your personal style as well as the overall theme of your home. Is your style hip, contemporary, traditional, or somewhere in between? Remember the simpler, the more lasting the style.
Size & Scale: Choose deep seating, and good size arms for lounging and for family members with longer legs. For older folks who may have a difficult time climbing off a large sofa, consider a smaller scale, more shallow sofa with a tight back.
Fabric: Consider color and pattern. Are there pieces in the room you need to work around? Would you prefer a color statement or a neutral? To get the patterns and trends of the season into your décor, consider using them on an ottoman or as a pillow pattern rather than an allover fabric. A pattern may hide stains more easily and should be scaled to match the size of the sofa as well as the scale of the room. Choose the type of fabric for its durability, cleanability or for its tactile nature. For instance a chenille may be soft and durable and great for day to day living. Leather is consistently in style and just gets better with age. The Mayo Clinic has suggested leather furniture for folks with allergy issues. Kid and pet friendly options are microfibers, polyesters, performance leathers and leather alternatives such as polyurethane.
Cushions: Attached back cushions will require fluffing or rearranging. Loose back cushions allow for flipping pillows over. Seat cushions may be constructed differently from manufacturer to manufacturer. Inserspring/coil and foam seat cushions are the most common. Down cushions will make for a softer seat.
Arm Styles: Arms may vary from contemporary pleated to English, to square with nailheads. If you like to use the arms as a headrest perhaps you would enjoy a pillow style arm.
Base Styles: Skirted or exposed wood legs – the choice is yours. Exposed wood legs can range from delicate Queen Anne or delicately carved to chunky bun feet or more tapered modern. Wood finishes run the gammit. Skirts may be fabric or made of trim such as bullion.
Function (Sleep sofa): A sleeper sofa can change any room into a guest room in minutes. Perhaps you would like to recline while watching the big game – look for selections that include drink holders, iPod docking stations and massage!
Construction: A trait of a well-made sofa is the frame itself.
Budget: buy the best quality sofa that you can afford. A good sofa may last you 10 or more years if well taken care of.
The best tip of all: enjoy the process! In the end you will have a piece of furniture that reflects your lifestyle and makes it a pleasure every time you enter the room.
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