Finding The Best Sofa For Your Home

A sofa is one of the biggest furniture investments you can make – so it’s important to spend the time choosing the right one. With endless styles and sizes of sofa available, Lifestyle Furniture has created a sofa buying guide that you can use to help in the decision-making process.

How Big Should A Sofa Be?

By paying careful attention to the proportions of the room and its layout, you will be able to determine what height, length and depth of sofa can fit into the available space.

Once you’ve decided on the configuration, mark the sofa's measurements out by placing newspaper on the floor in the space you intend to put it. This will help you visualize it and ensure you have adequate walking space around the couch, space for additional pieces such as a coffee table and drawers/doors that will have to be opened and closed.

Don’t forget to consider whether you will be able to easily maneuver your sofa through the front door, patio door, up two flights of stairs or whatever the limited access situation may be.

Which Sofa Is The Most Comfortable?

You should consider how your sofa will be used and by whom in order to determine which sofa style will be most comfortable and durable for you. Once you determine the user then the important factors to consider for overall comfort are the sofa's back, depth and height.

There are three main types of sofa back, these are cushion-back, pillow-back and fixed-back.

Cushion-Back Sofas

Cushion-back sofas refer to those featuring cushions that are completely unattached to the sofa, which allows them to be turned and rotated. These are often the more casual and comfortable option although, a loose-cushion back offers less support than a fixed-back.

Pillow-Back Sofas

Pillow-back designs often have between five and seven fluffy pillows rather than two or three larger cushions. The pillows are not shaped to fit around the arms of the sofa.

Fixed-Back Sofas

Fixed-back means the back frame of the sofa is itself sprung and upholstered, rather than the cushions. Fixed-back sofas are often a more formal style of sofa and are great for people who may need extra lumbar back support, or prefer sitting in a more upright position.

Low Or High?

When making a decision on the type of sofa back you want, you should also consider whether you would prefer a low-back or high-back sofa.

High-Back Sofas

High-back sofas are the more supportive option and will help support your neck as well as your back. In terms of appearance, they tend to work best in spacious rooms with higher ceilings so that the room doesn’t look cluttered.

Low-Back Sofas

Low-back sofas work well in small rooms as they give the illusion of more space and are more compact. They can make the ceilings seem higher and the sofa feel less imposing.

Are Depth & Height Important?

Depth

The depth refers to the distance from the front edge of the seat to the back and will influence how comfortable you feel. If you are shorter in height and prefer sitting upright then a shallower option is advised to prevent your feet from dangling, alternatively, if you like leaning back or tucking your legs up, a deeper seat may be a more comfortable option for you.

Height

Mobility is an important factor when deciding the height of your sofa. If you find it difficult to get up and down from your sofa, consider a design that's slightly higher off the ground and design with armrests additional support.

What Type Of Sofa Is Best?

When choosing a fabric sofa, if you have children, pets or just a busy family home in general then a hard-wearing and durable fabric is the better option. Reversible/removable cushion covers help with ease of maintenance but leather is most advisable as it can be wiped clean and is not as prone to stains as fabric. The brighter the color you choose the harder it is to keep clean but remember it is important to choose a color sofa that you can live with for a considerable amount of time.

Lifestyle Furniture has a wide range of sofas, come to visit us at 21 E Shaw Ave, Fresno, CA or browse the website here to choose the best sofa for your home. We make sure that you will find the sofas you need!