In order to end up with the sofa best suited to your needs, you have to clearly understand what you are looking for and what options are available to you. This is done by researching in two areas.
Firstly, you research the market to find out what kinds of sofas are available, familiarizing yourself with the different features, styles and price ranges etc. Secondly, you examine your own unique requirements.
Research the market: Sofa essentials
The first part of the research step is to investigate just what's available in the sofa market. The range of options can seem daunting, but you can make a good start by understanding the following major features:
Styles: Sofas are available in a vast array of shapes, sizes, styles and colors. From vintage to executive or something more luxurious, you can find something to create or complement any decorating style. Specific considerations may include wicker or hardwood versus fully upholstered sofas, futon style, oversized with large fat cushions, or perhaps high or low back.
Purpose: You may want a sofa that fulfils more than one purpose. You could want a sofa bed or one that offers recliner seating. Sofas with additional functions can help you make the most of your furniture purchase, as well as make efficient use of your living space.
Materials: Leather, micro-suede, and a variety of other fabrics can lend a very different ambience to your décor, as well as suit different preferences in terms of comfort and durability.
Features: Look at stylistic features such as style of a sofa's arms and legs, the shape of the back, removable or semi-attached cushions, and other special design elements or functional considerations. Some sofas offer additional benefits such as hidden storage space. Others are more lightweight and easy to move.
Cost: Sofas will vary in price depending on quality, type of materials, size, and brand name. You may consider paying a bit more to ensure that you get a sofa that will serve you well for many years.
Research your needs: Questions to ask yourself:
Now it's time to determine what your requirements are in a sofa. For example, will you use the sofa only for your formal gatherings or will it do hard time in front of the television in the family room?
You can start this process by considering the following questions - as well as any others you think of yourself - and recording your answers.
| Have I owned a sofa before? |
| | If you have, work out what you did or didn't like about the sofa. You may be looking for one exactly like it, hoping to upgrade, or even trying to avoid any particular features that you found inconvenient. |
| How often will I use the sofa? |
| | You will need to decide if the sofa will be used in your living room, guest room, den or other space. Perhaps it is going to be used daily or only occasionally. These considerations will help you make decisions about size, cost and quality of your sofa. |
| Who else will use it? |
| | You might have a large family, lots of frequent visitors and houseguests. Loveseats, 3 or 4-person sofas, or sectionals can provide more or less seating depending on your available space and the number of people you need to accommodate. Consider your daily needs as well as how often you entertain. |
| Where will I put it? |
| | Having a specific location in mind for your sofa is important in order to choose an appropriate size, as well as design. Does it need to fit into a small room or is space not an issue? You may also want to consider how easy it will be to navigate the sofa into its chosen location if small doors or narrow stairways are involved. |
| What basic style of sofa do I like? |
| | You may already know what kind of sofa you are looking for. Perhaps you would like something plush and soft, or you could prefer a more tailored, supportive seat. Maybe you'd prefer something floral and country style. Then again you might want black leather in more of a sleek design. Having a clear idea of what you want can simplify your search process. |
| What will I use it for? |
| | Decide if the sofa will be used daily for watching TV, spending time together as a family, to provide an extra bed for houseguests, or for the kids to use while playing video games in the basement. The more specifically you are able to identify your needs, the more appropriate your choice is likely to be. |
Understanding your needs is the key to a successful purchase and you can revisit your list of needs at any time during the buying process.
Once you complete this Research step, having informed yourself about the essentials of sofas and identified your needs, you are ready to move on to the next step: Evaluation.
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