Buyers' guide to sofas
Seven tips to help you choose the perfect couch for your space, style and budget.
1. Fantastic Furniture general manager of products Candice Deale said that when selecting a sofa one of the most important considerations was the size of the room. “If you have a big family and do lots of home entertaining with friends or enjoy group movie nights, then a modular sofa is a great choice,” she said. “If you are a couple living in an inner-city apartment and are hardly ever home, then a neat two-seater may be all you need. Lifestyle is just as important as looks.”
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2. Likewise, Ms Deale said it was essential to ensure you can physically get your new couch in the door. “We receive so many calls from customers who have chosen the sofa of their dreams only to realise not only is it too big for their lounge-room, it can’t even get there in the first place,” she said. “Not only do you need to measure your lounge room, you need to make sure your sofa can be delivered to your home and can fit up stairs, in hallways and through doors.”
3. Andrew Thornton-Hick, creative director at Ultimo Interiors, said it was important to visualise the room — including its traffic and function — as these considerations would help ensure you don't select a product that will be out of scale with the space. “You can easily swamp a beautifully designed space with oversized furniture,” he said. “The ratio of the back and arm thicknesses to the usable seat surface is also something to consider. Don’t let the style of the sofa override the function required.”
4. When it comes to the style of sofa, Mr Thornton-Hick said there were four criteria that a piece should meet in order to be timeless. “It should fit the scale of the space, it should comfort the ergonomics of the client, it should reflect the mood and style of the interiors, and it should fit the purchaser's expected lifetime and budget,” he said. “Buying the cheapest, fastest solution for a sofa very often leads to disappointment, waste creation and a secondary purchase.”
5. Deborah Lonnie, of The General Store, said today's lifestyles meant sofas were more visible and more used than ever. “With West Australians' love of outdoor entertaining and (the) move to open-plan living, sofas are definitely no longer designated to the formal room,” she said. “Sofas now have pride and place in our high-traffic areas, and are an integral part of daily living.” She said that when choosing a sofa, there were three key things to look for. The first was a solid frame. “Let’s face it; anyone with kids knows they don’t do anything lightly. So preferably choose a sofa with hardwood main rails and at least a 10-year warranty to support the solid construction,” she said. She also recommended choosing durable fabrics. “Look closely at wear ratings, as there are more and more beautiful fabrics becoming available with commercial ratings,” she said. Finally, customise your sofa with comfort in mind. “If you can choose your cushion construction (e.g. feather, fibre or foam densities) this allows you to really personalise your sofa.”
6. When it comes to upholstery options, Ms Deale said lifestyle should be a key factor. “For example, if you are a family with young children, you may wish to opt for a darker colour in a hard-wearing textured weave that won’t easily show the dirt and can withstand wear and tear,” she said. “Have fun with fabrics — choose a pattern, a colour, a texture and then throw in some coordinating cushions to finish off the whole look.”
7. “Be informed — Australia does not have stringent regulations as in the European Union and this often leads to clients purchasing sofas that are not what they’d believed they were,” Mr Thornton-Hick said. “Ask where your sofa is made, where the coverings are from, is it genuine leather, grain-corrected, is it a surface hide? Insist on complete care instructions with your sofa which are specific to the covering or finish you have chosen.” Unless it is certified European-made or approved by the Western Australian Furniture Manufacturers Association, you could not be sure of where a sofa was made.
