Buying Guide to Sofas
Sofa Basics:
Most are made to order leaving the door wide open to explore the possibilities. Look for sofas crafted with quality and product integrity. A vast variety of styles may boggle the mind, but once your particular style is pinpointed the selection process will be smoother. Buying options may include the following. Most companies offer so many choices that you may wish that there were fewer alternatives. Some options are an assortment of stain colors for legs and decorative wood. You can choose a pleated or ruffled skirt or no skirt at all. You can often select bun feet or turned legs. There are couches with rolled arms and no arms. Backs come attached, semi-attached or simply large pillows that sit loose on the cushions. Choose from loads of styles, colors, patterns, and textures to create a sofa that fits your lifestyle.
Sofa Buying – The FRAME:
The frame of a sofa is the skeleton. Frames must be able to withstand a substantial amount of weight and use. Maple and oak provide durability and strength to sofa frames and should be considered the top choices. Pine and spruce are softer and lack the enduring quality of harder woods, but are still reliable as a sofa frame. Stay away from plywood, particle board, steel or plastic. Frames made from these products tend to warp or crack and won’t go the distance. If the skeleton is sturdy the possibility of having it reupholstered when the fabric wears out offers added value to the purchase.
Sofa Buying – The JOINERY:
How the sofa is put together tells a lot about the quality and its potential for a long existence in your home. Look for dovetailing or the use of wooden dowels and metal screws to fit corners and joints together. If you find nails that aren’t just decorative, walk away. If you discover a hang tag that proclaims “corner blocks glued and screwed,” you’re in the presence of fine furniture craftsmanship.
Sofa Buying – The SPRINGS:
The comfort of a sofa relies much on the cushions and the deck. The deck is the part that the cushions rest on. Rip off the fabric covering and beneath you’ll find the springs or coils. Well made couches usually include 8 way hand tied coils. Some companies use pre-assembled coil units or sinuous wire that is stapled or nailed to the frame.
Sofa Buying – The CUSHIONS:
The cushions are all about comfort. Down filled cushions, while comfortable, tip the price scales to the high end and have a draw back. Down tends to lose shape easily requiring frequent plumping. Foam wrapped in down gives a similar feel to down but creates a more stable cushion. Other options for cushions are blown fiber, polyester fiberfill, or polyurethane foam. When it comes to sofa cushions it’s all about the comfort and the price.
Sofa Buying – The FABRIC:
Fabric plays a big role in how long upholstered furniture looks good. A fabric may look handsome on the sofa but if it’s not made to withstand bouncing children, it will age rapidly. Fabric makes the upholstered piece aesthetically pleasing, but take into consideration the placement and what the sofa will be used for. Tightly woven fabrics will hold up longer and take more abuse. Pull the fabric lightly to test the give. If pilling bothers you stay away from materials that lean toward pilling. Light colors show dirt and spills. Patterns can hide a myriad of accidents. In the end it’s your unique taste that determines the fabric choice.
Homework:
Answer a few basic questions about your life before heading off to stores on a sofa buying excursion.
1.What kind of life do you lead? Are you a couch potato who loves spending hours watching movies? Do you like to entertain? Are you more active outdoors or inside? What are your hobbies?
2.What are you going to with the sofa? Is it for a family room or a seldom used living room?
3.How many people are in your family? Do you have children? Do you have pets?
4.What’s your style? Contemporary, traditional, French country, minimalist, eclectic?
5. Do you lead an informal life or does formal describe your lifestyle best?
6.Pay close attention to how you sit on a sofa. Do you prefer sit “in” or “on” the sofa? There is a difference. People who sit “in” a sofa tend to like to curl up in a corner with feet tucked under them sinking into the cushions and back. Sitting “on” a sofa means just that. Feet touching the floor with a straighter back and in essence sitting on the cushions not in them. Make note of how everyone in the family sits on the current couch before buying.
7.How large is the room that will be home to your new sofa? This is the time to take accurate measurements. Measure the room. Measure the couch you currently own. Do not forget to measure doorways that lead to the room. If you can’t get the sofa inside once purchased you’re out a lot of money.
8.Go online to checkout the websites of various furniture companies to peruse the sofas before heading for the gallery.
9.Toss into your purse or pocket a small tape measure, a small notebook that you jotted down the measurements in, and a pen.
Getting Down to Business:
Ask for a catalog. Look around. Seriously look at each sofa on display no matter what store you’re shopping in. Be prepared to ask the sales associates or designer plenty of questions. Take out the notebook and pen for jotting down notes. Do not be swayed by the fabrics or colors, remember you can choose the fabric you want on the style you select.
Kicking the Tires:
Now’s the time to be proactive and put all the information gathered thus far to good use. It’s time to take a few sofas for a test drive.
1.Press the arm of the sofa. Can you feel the frame through the cushioning? If you can, move on.
2.A well constructed frame is heavy. Try to lift one corner of the sofa. If it’s a cinch to lift, the frame will not hold up for long.
3.Lift a front leg of the sofa. Can you lift it higher than one inch? If you can, the frame has too much flex and is likely weak. Move on.
4.Stand about 3 feet back from the piece of furniture and with a critical eye give the sofa an overall look. Check the welting. If there’s a pattern does the welting match or coordinate with the rest of the upholstery. Do you see puckers or pulls? If the chair is a stripe, do the stripes of the seat cushion align with the back? If a large pattern such as a flower was used has the piece been upholstered in a pleasing manner? All these little details give you clues to the quality of the workmanship.
5.Take a good look at the cushions. The cushions should fit snug and tight together. Remove a cushion and give the deck a good push. The deck should not have too much give. Think of how you want a mattress to feel.
6.The final test is actually sitting in it. Sit the way you would at home. If you prefer sitting in a sofa then tuck yourself into the corner after taking off your shoes, and give it a good go. Lie down on the sofa for several minutes to get a real feel for it. Wiggle, squirm and get up only to sit down again. Sofa buying is costly business; make sure it feels just the way you want it to.
7.Go home and take with you all the information you’ve gathered. Using masking tape or blue painting tape out line the size of the new sofa. Does it fit? Is the size of the sofa in relationship to the room pleasing?
8.Love it! If you don’t love it don’t purchase it. This is a big ticket item that you’ll live with many years, don’t even consider buying it unless you really love it.
The sale is in the detail:
Ask questions. Ask lots of questions. You’re about to make a major sofa buying decision. Ask about cushion options. Ask the sales associate to explain the construction of the sofa including materials used. Is there a warranty? What about care and cleaning? Does it come with arm covers? Is it scotch guarded to protect the fabric? Do they have swatches you can take home to give you an idea of how it will look at home? If you’re not sure it will fit through a doorway, do they have a delivery man available to check it out for you? Do they deliver? How much does delivery cost? What is the approximate date of delivery? If a problem should arise is there a return policy? Do they have someone who can take care of small scratches or tears that occur during delivery? Ask questions until your satisfied that you have gathered all the information necessary to make a well grounded consumer decision.
Buying a sofa takes time. Follow this buying guide to sofas to give you a heads up in regards to what to look for and what to ask. A sofa is a piece of furniture from the high end of the spectrum. Expect to spend time shopping about until you fall in love so after the purchase there will be no regrets; only fabulous comfort and beautiful living
