Buying a sofa is an investment. My motto is ‘buy well, buy once’ and there is nothing that this applies to more that when investing in a new sofa. It is probably one of the most expensive items you will buy for your home. So it is really worth putting some time and thought into how best to spend your hard earned money.
Here are some of my tips for investing well
Never, ever, ever buy a sofa online - I know it may be tempting. You have had your eye on a gorgeous sofa in a fab fabric that you keep seeing online. It’s ‘only’ £990 and one of your favourite influencers has one! Well I urge you to reconsider. I have seen lots of these mistakes as I go to visit people in their homes. And trust me they are a mistake. It takes just a matter of months before these sofas are saggy and worn looking. And most people say that these sofas are uncomfortable from day one. Also, nearly £1,000 is not cheap. A proper sofa from a reputable company that specialises in sofa making will cost you from around £1,500. So instead of buying two sofas, buy well the first time. We all sit differently on our sofas, so take an afternoon to visit some quality sofa shops and go and find a style that suits you. Do you sit with your legs tucked under you, do you recline like a lounge lizard? You get the idea. Go and try them out and invest in what suits you.
Size is everything
Buying a sofa that is too big for your room is probably the most common design mistake that I see, almost everyone does it. Sofa companies tell you to measure well to ensure that a sofa can physically get into your property. And that’s obviously very important. But what I am talking about is making sure that the sofa doesn’t dominate the room. Something that is wedged wall to wall or something that has to be ‘negotiated around’ is not what you want. Often if you are stood in a room and something feels ‘off’, it is very likely to be that the proportions of the furniture, rugs, light fittings are wrong. So please, make sure that your sofa isn’t too large for the room and that the proportions are correct for your space.
Make sure your sofa has legs
This makes a huge difference. Lifting any piece of furniture from the floor allows the eye to travel further and makes the room feel lighter and airier. This is especially important with a sofa. There is nothing worse that the feeling of a giant boulder in the room. And please also consider the colour of those legs. On the whole, dark wood or black legs will always look better. There are obviously exceptions to this, as it can depend on the look you are going for. But light wood legs will often make a piece of furniture look cheap (true story).
And most importantly, have fun!
Accessorise with pattern, texture and colour to bring personality to your home. Life is too short for drab interiors, choose something that makes your heart sing. You won’t regret it!
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