November 16, 2009
Buying a Sofa Is an Important Decision
Did you know when buying a sofa it is important to first decide what functionality you want it to provide? Do you want to sit and chat? Curl up and read? Sprawl out and watch movies? Common criteria are comfort, durability, appearance and quality. While price is a factor, it should not be decisive, because a sofa is a long-term investment and it defines your space. If your sofa is primarily for socializing, it should seat either two or four: three people in a row are never going to have an easy conversation. More formal sofas can be deep—as long as they are low enough to perch on demurely at the start of the party and nestle into when the ice has broken. With TV sofas, you need somewhere to put your feet - either enough seat to stretch out on, or a footstool at matching height. For comfort, the deeper the sofa, the better. As for design fundamentals, sofa designer Russel Pinch says, “A solid hardwood frame is absolutely paramount, to provide horizontal rigidity, plus longevity. Also, all seats must have an inward rake on them, or the cushions will tip forward.”
