Sofas
Sofa buying guide
Need some help finding a new sofa? Choose your perfect sofa with the help of my sofa buying guide
20th November 2023
It’s great to have a lot of choice when choosing your dream sofa.
From scatter-backed styles to recliner options, traditional versus contemporary designs, material options and different colourways -
there are many considerations when choosing the perfect sofa for you and your home.
To help you make your decision, I’ve put together this helpful guide to explore the different fabrics, features and functions to look out for when shopping for a new sofa.
Choose your size carefully
One of the most important things to consider is whether your new sofa will fit into the space you have.
The last thing you want is to choose a large, luxurious sofa, to then find that it doesn’t fit into the room you want it in, or through any entryways that the sofa will have to move through to get to your room of choice.
Measure your space carefully, including any doorways, hallways or staircases and consider things that may be an obstruction, such as radiators, shelving or skirting boards.
When measuring your sofa, remember to take dimensions of all sides of the sofa, including the seat depth.
You can find dimensions for all of our sofas on the product’s designated Product Description Page.
To help you with your measurements, we also have a Fitting Guide with helpful advice about measuring up for your new sofa.
To ensure the sofa you love will fit into your home, all of our products will have the following measurements broken down on the website:
- height (A)
- width (B)
- depth (C)
- seat height (E)
- seat depth (F)
- arm height (G)
Once you’ve measured your space, you’ll know how big you can go with your sofa.
If you have a small room, consider choosing a small sofa, such as 2 seater or a chaise.
A 3 seater sofa will offer more seating room or a larger 4 seater sofa will allow lots of extra leg room.
A corner sofa or L-shaped sofa is a fantastic choice for making the most of your space.
With different sizes and configurations, you can tailor your sofa to fit to your space, whether it be snug to the corner of the room or used as a partition in the middle of an open-plan living space.
Soft or supportive
Ask yourself how much support you want to have from your sofa.
Do you want a soft sofa or a supportive sofa?
If you require additional support, look out for sofa styles that have foam interiors as standard or offer an upgrade to foam.
Whereas fibre filled seats are soft and squashy, foam interiors offer a firmer sit and provide more support.
They also require less maintenance than fibre filled sofas, and can be kept plump with occasional smoothing and straightening of seamlines.
An ideal choice if you require that extra bit of support are styles with fixed, high back cushions, which will help support your neck and back.
Be sure to browse our range of manual or power recliner sofas, which offer adjustable seating mechanisms so you can find the most comfortable seating position.
We also sell specialist elevate chairs, which provide full body support and may be purchased VAT free if your personal circumstances allow.
For further details, you can get in touch with our Online Sales Team, or if you’d prefer, call into your nearest ScS store to chat to a personal shopping advisor.
If you’d prefer a softer sofa, a fibre filled sofa will offer a more relaxed and cosy sit.
We also have a wide range of sofas with scatter back cushions, perfect to sink into after a long day.
Fibre filled sofas require more regular and vigorous maintenance in order to keep it in good shape.
Have a look at our Sofa Plumping Guide for instructions on how to keep your sofa looking great and feeling comfortable.
A day in the life of your sofa
Once you’ve decided on the size and comfort of your sofa, one of the first things to think about when shopping for your new sofa is how you use your current one.
For example, when you get up in the morning, do you sit on the sofa while you eat your breakfast?
Do you like to lounge on it at the end of a busy day?
Do any children or pets use your sofa?
Think about how much use your sofa goes through every day and who uses it.
This will help you decide which type of sofa to look for.
Choose your fabric
The material you choose will not only impact the look and feel of your sofa, but also how easy it is to maintain.
There are many different types of fabrics to choose from.
From the comfort of smooth, cosy fabric to sleek, luxurious leather and even a combination of leather and fabric choices, offering incredible quality at amazing value.
The type of fabric you choose will depend on the look you want your sofa to have and how durable you need it to be.
For example, if you have children, you may want to opt for a hardwearing material, that’s easy to clean, such as leather.
Or, if you have pets, a durable fabric sofa may be more suitable in order to avoid scratches to leather.
Fabric sofas
Each fabric type has it’s own special characteristics and maintenance methods.
Chenille
- A beautifully soft yet durable woven fabric
- Has a relaxed, casual appearance
- Is prone to flattening so will require regular smoothing and brushing to revive its pile
Velvet
- Silky soft with a natural sheen
- Durable yet with a luxurious look
- Offers variation in shading which will depend on the pile direction. Requires regular smoothing
Corduroy
- A tough yet wonderfully soft upholstery
- Features distinctive cord panel details
- Requires regular brushing in the direction of the nap to revive the pile
Jacquard
- Features a distinctive design which is woven into the fabric
- Made with a combination of different yarns to create different decorative effects
- Durability will depend on the type of weave. Longer weaves could be more susceptible to snagging
Flatweave
- A very durable and hardwearing type of fabric
- Features a tight weave structure which it easy to keep clean
- Has a longer lifespan compared to other fabrics
Boucle
- A heavy woven fabric made from looped yarn, creating a highly textured surface
- Beautifully soft yet durable fabric
- Is not susceptible to sun fading
If you’re looking for a highly durable, easy to clean fabric sofa,
our range of Aquaclean sofas are made using innovative technology which allows you to clean up spills and stains quickly and easily using only water –
a great choice for family homes.
Leather sofas
Leather behaves differently from one variant to the next and it is important to know how to properly care for them in order to keep them in great condition for as long as possible.
Semi-aniline leather
- A very natural, untreated leather
- A very authentic look, with natural marks and lines visible, making each piece unique
- Has a light surface finish to maintain its natural appearance, which may scratch
Corrected and pigmented leather
- Coated with a pigmented finish, it is one of the more durable types of leather
- Pigmented leather receives a process of being sanded then printed for a uniform and blemish-free surface
- The pigmented finish also makes it more resistant to stains
Nubuck and Suede
- Nubuke and Suede are buffed to create a velvet-like nap
- Created with no surface coating, they are more likely to show up stains and marks
- Nubuke and suede upholstery need careful maintenance with specialist products and need to be brushed regularly to keep their appearance
Antique leather
- Made with a two-tone effect, antique leather has a lighter base colour and darker top coat
- Features unique characteristics and is meant to develop a ‘live in’ look over time to enhance its character
- Can be cleaned with mild, leather specific products and conditioner
You can explore the different types of fabrics and their care requirements in our guides, Caring for your fabric sofa and Caring for your leather sofa.
Choose your style and colour
Once you know how big your sofa needs to be and the type of fabric that will suit your lifestyle, you can start having a look at the many different styles and colours.
When it comes to sofas, there are a myriad of styles to choose from.
Whether you want a traditional looking sofa, with a classic square design and casual feel, or a more modern one with interesting features, there are plenty of designs to choose from, making it easy to find the one that’s just right for you and your home.
It all comes down to your personal style and whether you want to choose function or design.
For example, you may like the look of an elegant Chesterfield Sofa, with its scrolled arms, distinguished back-button detailing and low frame but, if you like to sit back, you may want to opt for a high-backed option that offers more support.
There are also different types of backs to consider as they can make all the difference to the overall comfort of your sofa.
A fixed back offers rigidity and clean lines, whereas a scatter back option consists of loose cushions hiding the back frame for an informal look.
A cushion-backed sofa offers a conventional look with two or three, often removable and reversible, cushions placed across the back.
The colour you choose for your sofa will be down to personal preference.
When choosing your favoured shade, try not to be tempted to choose one based on your current décor as this will likely change in the years that you will have your sofa.
I hope this guide has given you a good starting point for choosing your dream sofa. If you would like any further advice or would like to discuss some option, visit one of stores where our helpful staff will be happy to help you choose the perfect sofa.
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