With so many styles, colors and materials to choose
from, buying a new sofa can be overwhelming. Interior
designers; Cathi Marcoly and Mary Alice Slattery from
CM In The City helped put together this buying guide
that will have you sitting pretty on your new sofa in no
time.
A sofa is a major purchase. Not just monetarily, but
also about its impact on the room. The average sofa
measures between six and seven feet in length and be-
tween two and a half to three and a half feet in depth.
Mary Alice explained that a sofa can dominate the
room and when purchased right should last for years.
She continued, in addition to a sofa’s design appear-
ance; comfort and durability are key factors to consider
prior to making your purchase.
Cathi shared some thoughts on comfort as we ex-
plored the world of sofas at a few local design cen-
ters. She explained that comfort, when it comes to a
sofa, can be subjective. Location of the sofa has a lot
to do with the type of comfort you might prefer. For
example, a more straight line sofa with firmer cushions
could be preferred for a home office while in a family
room where you could be sitting for extended periods
of time a sofa with more yielding cushions, and a deep-
er seat might fit better, and so on.
There are thousands of sofas on the market, ranging
in price from under $600 at IKEA to well over $6,000 at
top-notch furniture stores. Since sofas are a long-term
investment, the price should not be the most decisive
factor. That being said if you have a more limited bud-
get it could be worth waiting for sales time, typically
the month of July in the North America. If you can find
a sofa that fits your taste and without issues, you could
save upwards of 50% on floor models. Before falling
for a bargain, be clear about what kind of sofa you’re
after. Work out what you want to do “on it”—sit and
talk? Curl up and read? Sprawl and watch movies? A
bargain is not a bargain if it does not fit your room or
have the look you wanted.
With family or great room sofas, you need somewhere
to put your feet, as it’s just not comfortable to sit for
hours with your knees lower than your hips—you need
either enough seat to stretch out on, or an ottoman/
footstool at matching height. Too high or vertical an
armrest can be hard to lean your head. Lower armrests
don’t strain the neck, and you can dangle your feet
over them. A sociable sofa should seat either two or
four: three people in a row are never going to have an
easy conversation.
For comfort, the deeper the sofa, the better. But con-
sider where exactly the sofa is to go—a sofa that’s too
bulky for its space will make the whole room feel awk-
ward. If space is tight, opt for a shallower model, with a
footstool. Keep in mind sofas on legs or with low arms
occupy less visual space.
Feather cushions are comfy, but need plumping, and
not everyone can be bothered. Foam alone is more
not comfortable. Cathi explained only foam cushions
could feel more like an ejector seat than a cushion.
Several high-end furniture designers use foam with a
feather wrap for clean-lined upholstery that recovers its
shape when the sitter gets up. At the high-end bench
made, i.e., in a workshop, by skilled craftsmen—allow
you to specify the filling of your choice.
Fabric makes a real difference. Loose covers can be
washed, but will never look “svelte”; if you take good
care of a fixed cover in a practical fabric may last just as
long. Velvets and linens give form to very squishy so-
fas and work better than wool, which pulls in too many
directions. Patterns or flecks are good for children and
dogs, but no sofa is going to survive a scratching cat.
Mary Alice shared that it is hard to imagine buying
a sofa without sitting on it first, but there are several
websites where you can do just that. There are dis-
count sites such as Wayfair.com and Overstock.com
and sites similar to Restoration Hardware and Pottery
Barn that allow you to pick a design, a size, and fabric,
and generate a realistic picture before you purchase.
Cathi said they would recommend using the online
store to put together various looks, but it would be
best to go to an actual store and sit on the exact sofa
style you are considering prior to ordering. Mary Alice
added that most good retailers have fabric samples
you can check out for free. It would be a great way to
see how the actual colors you are considering will look
in your room.
Now a bit about the frame ~ The CM IN The City de-
sign team had strong opinions on the type of frame
you should consider. Cathi said, “A solid hardwood
frame is paramount, to provide horizontal strength and
longevity,” she said. “If there are sew lines, you want
them straight. You don’t want to see any wiggles in
the lines as they will only get worse as the years go
by”. Mary Alice added, “pure lines demonstrate the
seamstress knew what she’s doing and that the people
in the workshop have pulled the fabric properly.”
Top-end hardwood frames are typically guaranteed for
life. If you plan to keep your new sofa for years and
especially if you have an active home, this would be
money well spent.