The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Luxury Sofa for your Dream Home

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Luxury Sofa for your Dream Home

Picking out a new sofa can be a haunting activity, especially if this is the first time you are doing it. You want it to be perfect, to match the room, to be comfortable and ultimately to look luxurious.

After all, buying a sofa is not like buying socks. It is one of the largest pieces of furniture you will ever buy for your home and a huge commitment. There are so many things that you need to make sure won’t ruin the whole experience. You need to nail the shape, color, type and so many other things. However, don’t despair. That’s why we have compiled this ultimate guide to ensure every decision you make is the right one and that you will have no regrets after you have purchased your luxury sofa.

Although it is primarily made for seating, a sofa can take on many hats. Depending on the type of sofa you have, it can be made to sleep even if it is not a sofa bed, some sofas are so comfortable that people prefer it to their own beds.

But sofas are most appreciated when placed in a living room, or a common area. Mainly to rest, but also to allow close interaction with other people that sit around. It is sort of a social hub, where people, especially when you invite someone over, sit and interact. Besides that, sofas can also serve as a guest’s bed for a friend or a family member that you have over.

Even though, when buying a sofa, you might not be sure about its style, you certainly have a few ideas of what it should look like. Especially if you consider your living room or the part of the house where you plan to place your new sofa.

Is it a contemporary style? Or more conventional? Is it a corner sofa, or stretching out through the whole room? What about its material and color? Some of these questions have crossed your mind by now.

The main types of sofas are usually divided into five different categories; mid-century, Chesterfield, contemporary, traditional and country.

Let us go through some of the most popular types of sofas out there to give you a better idea of what you are looking for.

• Mid-century Sofas- These types of sofas have a clear line defining them with clear cuts. They usually come with low arms for comfort, a connected shape, angled wooden legs and overall puffy. Even though it fits in modern homes, it usually also has a sort of retro look that allows an array of combinations. Certainly, a good choice if you are unsure about the style you want to give to your living room. This trend is going strong at the moment and more and more people are, once again, choosing to follow this style. This style emerged in Scandinavia and the U.S during the 20th century and even though it saw a sharp decline in popularity it seems to be coming back.
• Chesterfield Sofas- Chesterfield sofas are popular mainly because of their rolled back arms that gives them a peculiar style. Usually, the arms are at the same height as the back of the sofa and they are often made out of leather. This type of sofa is great if you want to give a vintage look to your room, however, it suits many other styles.
• Contemporary Sofas- These are modern sofas, have a loose sort of feel to them and are very simple, usually with single cushions covering one seat. Often people refer to this style as modern, mainly because “contemporary” is a word that you cannot use in 10 or 20 years because it won’t be contemporary in the future. These sofas have very particular characteristics such as the use of eco-friendly materials, curved lines, minimalistic, a mix of art deco and mid-century elements and steel legs.
• Traditional Sofas- Traditional sofa is a broad definition. These types of sofas come in the most varied sizes, shapes and color, however, the two most common styles of traditional sofas are ‘Howard’ and ‘Lawson’. These have round and minimalistic arms, usually lower than the back. This style was originally from the 18th and 19th centuries, and many times integrates well with an antique sort of look around the room. However, these are extremely versatile and can be placed in almost any setting. Their main characteristics are detailed fabric that covers every part of the sofa, including the legs, and expensive look, with golden outlines.
• Country Sofa- Also called ‘Bridgewater’, these sofas are very characteristic although can go well with any decoration. Usually have removable seats and back cushions, valances to cover their feet and low arms. This style has both modern as well as traditional features and it works extremely well in a minimalistic setting.

Identifying the perfect shape is also an important part of the process. You want it to be big enough to sit everyone, but also to fit and fill the entire room. 

Here you have many choices that will certainly match your needs.

• Two-Seater Sofa- A two-seater sofa is ideal for small spaces. These are characterized by having two seats and two back cushions. Usually, these are simple models where the most used style is modern, traditional or mid-century.
• Three-Seater Sofa- These are some of the most popular shapes of sofas in the market. Usually, they come with three seats and three back cushions and they are also perfect if you just want to stretch out your legs for a minute. Also ideal for a guest to sleep.
• Four-Seater Sofa- These are large sofas, and because of that, are slightly less popular than their three and two-seater counterparts. However, if you have the space, these sofas are just great additions. Ideal for large rooms where there is a lot of space to fill, and also great if you need to seat many people.
• L-Shape/ Corner Sofa- If you have a large living room, these are just great. Usually, these shapes of sofas have two different sections for better support. Besides that, because of their shape, they are extremely useful for social gatherings because everyone can face each other.
• Modular Sofa- These shapes of sofas are great if you like to change how your sofa looks every other month. These come in different sections so you can shape them as you please and adapt them to your needs. With these types of sofas, you can also start with a small two-seater and then expand it as you see fit.
• Chaise Sofa- Chaise sofa shapes usually come in a three-seater but one of the sections extends. The main difference between an L-shape is that a chaise sofa's back doesn’t continue after the curve. This can work great in some living rooms.
• Compact Sofa- These types of sofas are one of the smaller ones in the market. It is something between an armchair and a two-seater. Usually has a single seat and a single back cushion. Depending on the size of the living room, you can use it on its own, or as a complement for a bigger sofa.

Sofas can come in many different types of materials or fabrics and that is one of the characteristics that define their comfort. Let us have a look at the most popular materials for sofas in the market.

• Leather- Leather sofas get better with time, as the fabric stretches with use. It becomes softer and starts to shape properly. This type of material also lasts for a very long time and you can be sure that if you get a leather sofa, you won’t have to worry about getting another sofa anytime soon.
• Cotton Linen- These very comfortable sofa materials can make for great-looking sofas. However, the fabric might start to peel when in regular contact with clothes.
• Woven fabrics- These extremely durable fabrics are a great choice if you have children or pets around the house. It is very similar to cotton in its feel and usually shapes well after regular use.
• Velvet fabric- This is a material that comes and goes, and we seem to be on an uptrend at the moment. This material is extremely soft, however, they require intensive care to keep them at the best possible level.

Choosing a sofa is one of the hardest things to do when you are decorating your home. However, with this guide, we are sure that you will have the necessary knowledge to pick the perfect sofa for you.Just make sure you follow the tips and don’t rush such an important decision.