Did you know that the average person spends approximately 9 years of their life watching TV? I’d say that would make the couch one of the most important pieces of furniture in your home!
There are countless styles of sofa in today’s market, and choosing the right one can be a pretty daunting experience. Unfortunately, we can’t just close our eyes, point and hope for the best. Read through our guide to everything sofa-related to help you find the perfect sofa for your home.
Sofa Styles
The Traditional Look
The Club Sofa
– Square back – Low, square arms
– Plush seat and back cushions – Often leather
– Low clearance from floor – Also contemporary with different fabrics and accessories
The Camel-back Sofa
– Fixed back forms an arch shape resembling a camel’s hump – No back cushions
– Arms often set back from the front of the seat – Rolled arms
The Chesterfield Sofa
– Fixed scrolled back – Rolled arms
– Arms and back are the same height – Tufted (buttoned) upholstery
– Often leather – Round (disc) timber legs
– Also contemporary with different fabrics and accessories
– Cushioned back – Rolled arms
– Arms are half to 3/4 height of back – Often features piped or studded seams
– Fixed back with scatter cushions – Arms lower than back
– Square profile – Low-line
– Cushions can be contrasting fabric
The Contemporary Look
– Low cushioned back – Low square arms
– Square profile – Clean lines
– Stainless steel or timber legs without embellishment – Often upholstered in leather or plain fabrics
– Can be composed of multiple elements: chaise, ottoman, etc.
To pipe or not to pipe?
Are you feeling like your sofa needs a little extra definition? Piping around the seams could be the solution! A pipe of about 1cm can add interest to an otherwise simple couch design… even more so if you choose to pipe in a contrasting colour or tone.
On the other hand, if clean and simple is the look your sofa needs, then a flat seam is the perfect option. Flat seams are unobtrusive, fuss-free and ideal for patterned or bright fabrics.
Piping is far more common on traditional and classic sofas than on contemporary styles.
Legs or Skirts?
A skirt is typically a feature of traditional sofas; particularly the Rolled-arm and Scatter-back varieties. They function to hide the legs of the sofa from view and usually work best in larger rooms to create a cosy vibe. If your look is contemporary, show some leg!
Not a fan of the skirt? There’s a huge range of leg styles for your sofa: turned, long, short, narrow, wide, chunky, streamlined, and more! Generally timber is the most common material used for sofa legs, but they’re also widely available in stainless steel. The height of the leg is important in creating the overall proportions of any sofa. A lot of people tend to overlook the height and style of leg their sofa has, but it can make or break the overall look.
Handy Tip
There is no such thing as an ‘average sized sofa’. The only way to know exactly what you need is to measure the space and work out what size sofa will fit into that space BEFORE you go shopping. If you’ve seen something online with its dimensions listed, you can even try making a template from newspaper to the exact size of the sofa you’re interested in.
Need a little more help choosing your sofa? CLICK HERE for more handy hints about shopping for furniture!
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