A season for sofas: how to choose the best one for your living space
B&B Italia Charles Corner Sofa, Corner with Chaise from £5990, NW3 Interiors - Credit: Archant
From dark leather to soft pastel, a sofa is the centrepiece of the home. Sit back and cosy up in this season’s comfy couches.
Barber and Osgerby Sofa in Velvet, Corner with Chaise from £6250, NW3 Interiors - Credit: Archant
Colour
A splash of colour creates energy and warmth. Go wild with a bold sofa that catches the eye and pulls together a neutral interior. Bright colours are the word of the day, so don’t be afraid to take a risk and go for vivid yellow, green or red.
Corner
Whether it’s creating space in compact rooms or dividing an open plan space, a corner sofa is a versatile presence in the home — and a joy to stretch out on. Available in every colour, fabric and style imaginable, there’s a corner sofa for every household.
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Leather
Dark, comfortable leather sofas are the ultimate lounging material. Cuddle up with a blanket or keep it slick with a statement cushion. Rustic and stately, leather sofas are the perfect option for blending the traditional and the modern.
Florence Knoll Sofa in White Leather, 3 seater from £8000.00, NW3 Interiors - Credit: Archant
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Vintage
With soft curves and clean lines, nothing brings elegance into the room like a vintage-style pastel sofa. Create a sleek Georgian look with velvet fabric or ribbed linen, adding a timeless piece to your interior.
Practicality
The size and shape of your sofa should come from how many ‘bums-on-seats’ you need in relation to the proportion of the room. A sofa should never be more than 25 per cent of the space available. If you have high ceilings, buy a sofa with tall, narrow legs. If your ceiling is low, look for no-leg sofas.
Get the measure
Measure the door width and height and consider sharp angles. Take the plan or dimensions to the retail shop to guarantee installation success! Buy a modular sofa if space is an issue and make sure the legs are removable – usually they are.
Barber and Osgerby Sofa in Velvet, Corner with Chaise from £6250, NW3 Interiors - Credit: Archant
Consider fabric
Fabric is the more popular choice, albeit less practical than leather. Not only can you enjoy the comfort of durable fabrics, but due to the vast area of a flat surface, the weave of fabric can really give the look of movement. It’s also possible to include your interior colour pallet with fabric, whereas with leather you’re limited to a singular colour.
Function
All sofas are made with a practical use in mind, for example the Barber and Osgerby sofa was designed to be used as a family movie sofa and the Florence Knoll sofa is for sitting and waiting. Always buy for the purpose the designer intended.
Plump for love
Sofa and dining chairs are where you should put your money first. It’s where we sit the most so they need to be comfortable. A three-seater fabric sofa for less than £2,000 could be comfortable for maybe two years, but after this the stitching will start to lose its straightness and it will start looking more tired. Expect to pay around £5,000 for a high-quality, three-seater sofa which will last for over 10 years.
