The 5 Top Tips To Look Out For When Buying A New Sofa

 Whether you are redecorating your home or just giving it a ‘touch up’, the furniture you buy is important. It is an investment that leaves a lasting impression on family, friends, and co-workers. More importantly, it is your comfort zone, and it should fit your desires and needs. So, to guarantee a successful investment here is a list of 5 things to look out for when buying a sofa. 

 

Number 1: The Right Size

Are you a football or rugby fan who frequently have your friends over to watch a game? Or are you in a close-knit circle enjoying discussions of the heart, especially one-on-one?

When buying a sofa, your seating needs, and the size of the room should be considered. We at SofaScene have a variety of sizes to choose from.

• Seating needs: If a 2-seater sofa will not be big enough to accommodate a group of guests, then it’s best to get the right size from the get-go to avoid disappointment later on.
• Size of the room: We do not want to feel as though we have to squeeze through our living room to get to the other side, nor do we want our home to look empty and deserted. To be safe it’s best to take measurements before buying your sofa. 

 

Number 2: A Sturdy Frame

A well-built frame can make or break any sofa. It’s good to obtain knowledge about the type of material and joints of your sofa. These two components will determine the durability of your sofa’s construction. However, keep in mind that cost and quality go hand-in-hand. SofaScene offers valued furniture of high quality at a comfortable price. Buying the best quality that you can afford is always the best option.

Here are the 5 types of materials that sofas are made of and which to choose:

• Hardwood frames are made of Maple, Walnut, or Oak of which the Kiln-dried hardwood is the strongest. It is durable and long-lasting.
• Softer wood, such as Pine, is a popular option at a low-cost rate, but it generally starts to wobble after five years.
• Metal frames are robust and strong but usually more expensive.
• Overall, it is best to avoid particleboard and
• plastic frames as it is likely to crack.

 

Quality joints are a key factor when it comes to the durability of furniture

• Corner blocks, wooden dowels, double wooden dowels, mortise and tenons combined with glue, nails or staples are quality joints. They strengthen the primary areas of restraint on sofas and other large furniture.
• Thus, it is best to avoid frames joined solely through nails, staples, or glue as they are not likely to last long.
• Hardwood or metal frames with reinforced joints have a high endurance rate and is perfect for frequent use.
• SofaScene, for example, handcrafts its furniture and does not fall into the fast-mass-producing industry. 

Number 3: Supportive Filings

Your filling provides the actual comfort. Most sofas have a combination of fillings.

The three main types of fillings used are:

1. Foam
2. Fibre
3. Feather

 

• Foam is the most affordable and widely used. It is low-maintenance and keeps the shape of the sofa cushions. Here you have options:
• High-density foam is firm and withstands pressure but may be too hard for some people.
• Low-density foam on-the-other-hand, is softer, cannot withstand a lot of pressure and degrades faster than high-density foam.
• Memory foam leaves an impression of the weight of an object or body part (it’s all in the name). This foam is best recommended for people with injuries, or muscle and joint pains.
• Lastly, there is the highly resilient foam, resistant to wear-and-tear and sagging. 

• Fibre is generally made of polyester strands compacted with air, so when you sit down, the air pushes outward and it gives you the ‘sinking into’ feeling. There are two main types of fibre:
• These are the blown fibre, which feels soft; and the pocket fibre, which is bouncier and fluffy.

Polyester fibres are smooth, bouncy and durable. There are several types of polyester:

• Ply-a soft polyester has a limp structure and does not bounce when you sit on it.
• Faux-down polyester mimics the look and feel of traditional down natural softness. It is recommended for people who has feather allergies.
• Cluster-polyester have small balls of fibre which makes it the most durable polyester filling. 

• Feathers (usually duck feathers) are the softest sofa filling, however feathers clump together, often resulting in loss of shape so they would need plumping.

 

Number 4: Fabrics

The fabric you choose is not just important for aesthetic purposes, but also for the level of comfort it provides. Insight into the types of fabric available can help you choose the most durable and long-lasting fabrics to fit your lifestyle. SofaScene has a wide range of fabric to choose from.

• Natural fabrics are sourced from animals and plants. These fabrics are usually mixed with synthetic fibres to increase its durability and tends to be softer than man-made fibres. It is less performance based and can be high maintenance. This means if you have kids, pets or basically live and snack on your sofa, choosing natural fabrics might not be in your best interest, unless it’s leather.

• Cotton is the most affordable and commonly used natural fibre. It’s soft, durable but vulnerable to stains and gathering dust and dirt.
• Silk is probably the most fragile natural fibre and is best used in formal places of lesser use. It can be expensive and needs to be professionally cleaned if something spills on it.
• Wool is strong, warm and resistant, however if it gets wet, it can be difficult to get rid of the odour.
• Linen dries easily, is resistant to fading, but can wrinkle, stain and shrink easily in a wash. That is why it has to be professionally cleaned to avoid damage.
• Leather is one of the most durable fabrics for upholstery and is recommended for families with children. It is easy to clean, water-resistant and durable under normal wear and tear. However, it can be vulnerable to scratches and heat. Heat and humidity can cause leather to feel sticky.

• Synthetic fabrics are man-made fibres that brings a new overall resistant quality. It is more high performance based than natural fabrics.

• Polyester is blended with other fibres to make it resistant to wrinkling and fading. It is stretchy, strong, easy to clean and maintains its shape.
• Nylon is one of the strongest fabrics. It is resistant to staining, wrinkling, fading and is lightweight.
• Acrylic is an imitation of wool that is resistant to wrinkling, soiling, and fading.
• Olefin is resistant to abrasions, water, fading, stains, chemicals, and sunlight. It can easily be cleaned but probably have a rough surface. It is a recommended material for frequent heavy use.
• Vinyl is an alternative for leather that is more affordable but just as tough.
• Rayon was made as an imitation of other natural fibres such as cotton, linen, and silk. It can be strong, but it is prone to wrinkling and staining. 

 

Number 5: Style, Colour and Pattern

Finally, the most exciting part you have been waiting for!

• The room. When buying a sofa, picturing what your cushions will look like, it’s best to first think about the area your sofa will be part of. You may see a sofa, fitting your needs and in a preferable style, but it may not blend in with the rest of your home. For example, you see an elegant, sleek and modern sofa - minimalistic and black - but the rest of your home is an array of brown vintage picture frames, cupboards and staircases. Browns and vintage versus black and modern are two different combinations of style that rarely look good together.

• Playing it safe. If you want to play it safe, then the best option would be to go with neutral colours and minimalistic patterns. Monochromatic shades with a minimalistic pattern are neater, ‘cleaner’ and easier to work with. It will be easier to buy other furniture in the future that might fit in with this ‘template’ of your home. Although bold, vibrant colours and patterns can be exciting, it can be harder to purchase matching furniture and decorate it tastefully at the same time.

• Selecting two or three bold or vibrant colours, combined with darker or more neutral colours, can help create a beautiful contrast in your home, if that is what you want.

• Detachable cushions. You can always liven up your living room or touch it up a little by changing the cushions. For this reason, buying detachable cushions is highly recommended. It may come as a surprise how different textures and prints may just fit together with the perfect colour or ‘plain’ texture to combine them.

• Shapes and sizes.

Lastly, use different shapes and sizes cushions to place on your sofa. This creates more ‘rhythm’ to the environment unlike a monotonous arrangement of shapes that your eyes just skim over. Remember it is your home, be creative and try different combinations to suit your taste.

 

In Conclusion:

When purchasing a sofa, it is best to look out for the right size (your seating needs and the size of the environment); a sturdy frame (the material and joints used); the filling (the best quality most affordable and beneficial to you); the fabric (most suited to your lifestyle) and the style (monochromatic shades or a contrast between neutral and bold colours, with added textiles).

Do not rush this process, and hastily buy what’s in front of you. It’s an investment that should fit your needs. 

 

 

 

Reference List:

1. Bassett Blog, (2022, January 17), ‘Sofa materials - fabric vs leather sofas’,https://www.bassettfurniture.com/blog/performance-fabrics.aspx

2. Casper Editorial Team, (2021, March 31), ‘ Down vs. Down Alternative: Everything you need to know’, https://casper.com/blog/down-vs-down-alternative/#:~:text=down%20alternative%20is%20the%20filling,types%20for%20pillows%20and%20duvets. 

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7. Gibbons, J. (2019, October 17), ‘Types of Upholstery Fabric’, Revolution, https://revolutionfabrics.com/blogs/gotcha-covered/upholstery-fabric-types 

8. King, M. (2018, December 28), ‘The Best Sofa Cushion Filling’, SFGATE, https://homeguides.sfgate.com/sofa-cushion-filling-10211.html 

9. Komar, M. (2020, Apr 10), ‘7 Ways to Judge the Quality of a Living Room Sofa Before You Buy It, According to Experts’. Apartment Therapy,https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sofa-buying-tips-36740254

10. Livspace Editorial Team, (2021, October 27), ‘The Different Kinds of Soft Material & the Right One’, Livespace,https://www.livspace.com/in/magazine/design-sofa-material 

11. Mesann, T. (2021, February 24), ‘10 tips to mix and match cushions like a pro’, Homes to Love, https://www.homestolove.com.au/10-tips-to-mix-and-match-cushions-like-a-pro-10483 

12. Noyed, D. (2022, March 11), ‘How is Foam Density Measured?’, Sleep Foundation, https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mattress-information/foam-density#:~:text=Foams%20with%20a%20high%20density,pressure%20is%20applied%20to%20it. 

13. The Stated Home. (2020, April 5), ‘Sofa Frames: What Kind Are the Best?’https://blog.thestatedhome.com/sofa-frames-what-kind-best/ 

14. Vila, B. (2016, November 15), ‘How To: Make a Mortise and Tenon Joint’. Bob Vila https://www.bobvila.com/articles/2138-how-to-make-a-mortise-and-tenon-joint/ 

15. Wayside, (2022, June 19), ‘Sofa Frame and Support Construction’, https://www.wayside-furniture.com/p/sofa-construction-and-support

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