Adding a Sofa To Your Home

Purchasing indoor sofas for your home, an outdoor sofa for the porch, a sleeper sofa for the occasional guest or a sprawling sofa sectional to watch the big game on the tube is a big purchase. So how do you know exactly what sofa to get? There are so many choices at so many price points that you can quickly become overwhelmed.

Comfort is key

No matter how much you love the look of a sofa, couch sofa bed or sleeper, it has to be comfortable. Otherwise, you’ll never enjoy the room it’s in. Instead, you’ll head to another space where you can find greater comfort, even if you dropped a small fortune on the sofa in your living room or family room. Be sure the cushions are not too soft or too hard, that the back is supportive and that the arms aren’t too high or too low for your body shape. Remember, you’re buying a sofa for you and your family, not visitors.

Factor in your age

This may seem a bit strange, but people have different needs as they age. If you’re a young couple with a new child, sofas with soft edges and rounded corners is important. If you or a family member is getting on in years, you want to find a sofa that isn’t difficult to get in or out of.

Size things up

Scale is very important. You don’t want a sofa, reclining sofa, sleeper or reclining sofa to overwhelm the room it’s in. This is particularly true if you want to add a coffee table or end table to your home décor. It’s better to go with something a bit smaller than something too big. When in doubt, measure the space you have and take the tape measure with you to the store or pay attention to dimensions if you’re shopping online.

Make sure it fits

We’re not talking size here. We’re talking about making sure the fabric, color and style fit the rest of the décor you have. Nothing’s worse than having a brand new mauve modern sofa when all your other furnishings are Early American. They just won’t live in harmony, no matter what you do.

Finally, make sure you like what you buy. If you’re buying a sleeper sofa, don’t just be content with sitting in it. Unfold the bed so you can see if it’s comfortable and if the mechanism is solid. If you’re buying a recliner sofa, see if the reclining portions extend outward rather than backward so you don’t have to leave space behind your sofa for the recliner function.

The sofas you buy, whether it’s an indoor sofa or an outdoor sofa, will last many years to come. So you want to be sure it’s a wise purchasing decision in terms of comfort, scale, fit and function.