It’ll be the piece of furniture that the family will snuggle and sit on for many years to come so getting the right one is essential. Just how do you make the choice of the right family sofa?
1 Measure, measure, measure
Before we plunge into the long list of ‘what to consider’ we need to start with THE most important aspect of choosing a family sofa – size.
You need to consider the dimensions of the space in which it will sit and what arrangement will work best for your family AND the room.
For example, would two smaller sofas work better in your living room than one large three-sofa? What about a small leather sofa and armchair combination?
Consider all the options before you order a large, L-shaped sofa that seats 10 because the smaller sofa and armchair combination could work just as well, if not better in terms of versatility and style.
2 Do consider fabrics and colours
Patterned fabrics will hide a myriad of stains and spills whilst a block colour can be a little more unforgiving in this aspect.
You might also consider that a brown leather sofa would work best, especially as it can be wiped over with nourishing leather wipes from time to time to keep blemishes at bay.
Leather also ages beautifully, and so the brown leather sofa you choose now could well last throughout the entire childhood and teenage years of your children and still look just as fabulous!
Fabric, on the other hand, can give a very sumptuous and plush look to a room. Some fabrics can also be pre-treated with a stain-repelling substance so that any spills in the early years of its life won’t affect the look of your modern sofa. And don’t forget you could reupholster the sofa, leather included, if the frame remains in good condition.
3 Don’t choose fabrics that date
Colour and pattern are fantastic in any living room, but they are subject to the whim and changes in interior design trends.
For example, a mustard yellow upholstered fabric sofa may look fantastic and on-trend now but what about five- or 10-years time? Will it look old and jaded, clearly belonging to another era?
Choose colour wisely, maximising the longevity of your sofa for years to come by choosing a colour, pattern and style that is modern and in keeping with your taste but is not too specific or tied to a certain trend.
Having said that, there are some trends that last the test of time. A plush velvet armchair or sofa, for example, will always remain at the height of glamour and sophistication with both dusky pink with gold-effect frames remaining in vogue as too will dark green velvet.
4 Extend legroom with a footstool
All too often we are so fixated on buying the sofa that we forget the other important components of relaxing on it – stretching out our legs.
This is impossible to do when you have family sitting with you but if you need to stretch your tired legs, it makes sense to opt for a matching footstool.
Some designs are bijou and compact – the small leather footstool is ideal for most people – although there are other much larger footstools that can, if you want, also act as a ‘coffee table’. Simply balance your tray on its vast top and you have a piece of furniture that is both comfortable for your feet and also ideal as an occasional table. Why not consider a leather sofa set, for example, that includes both stylish sofa and matching footstool?
