In our last post, we looked at the first steps to buying a sofa: making sure you can get it through the front door and it fits in the space you have for it. This time, we're going to take a closer look at that space you've assigned to your sofa and its placement in the wider room.
Buying a Sofa for Large Rooms and Open Spaces
If you have a large, open plan living room, it’s important to choose something that has a higher back. This helps break up the space in the room. In addition, consider questions like: How much space do I want the sofa to take up? Are you looking to furnish with chairs too? Do you want a coffee table? Depending on your answers to these questions, a three or four seat sofa may be most suitable,as well as a Corner Sofa. If you’re looking for a sofa to be a focal point of the room, a rounder shaped sofa that takes slightly more space would be best.
Buying a Sofa for Small Rooms and Tight Spaces
Just as large sofas are best suited for big spaces, the right sized sofa will enhance a smaller room. For example, a large sofa in a smaller room tends to make a room look small and cramped. On the other hand, smaller sofas can add a more spacious feel to a room.
Sofa Placement in Your Space
Our in-house interior designer, Valerie Jackson, says "In Britain, we're used to having small spaces, so sofas end up with their backs to the wall. Don't forget that this isn't the only configuration! But it really does depend on your space."
There are some rules of thumb to sofa placement, says Jackson. Many people start to choose the sofa by considering the way that they will be using it and the atmosphere they would like to create. Is the sofa going to be used for formal occasions or for chatting with friends? Will you want to use the sofa everyday to watch TV? Or will it be a mixture of both?
For example,"An L-shaped sofa is great for open spaces that you may want to divide, such as separating a living room from a dining room" says Jackson. A rounder sofa works well as a gathering space for groups of people. Or, if you’d like more chairs and tables in the same space, a sofa with a chaise long might be the answer.
"Taller sofas with an adjustable reclining headrest is perfect for those who want to sit or lay down while reading or watching TV, for instance. If you prefer to rest your head against the arms, then a sofa with wider arms would be more comfortable for that."
You can also use lighting to great effect for creating different moods, so consider the area's access to both natural light in the day time and electric lighting in the evening.
Next Steps
Explore the next piece in the Picking Your Perfect Sofa series, Choosing a Comfortable Sofa. All our sofas come in a range of different sizes and configurations. We can also take bespoke orders, made by hand in the world's most famous sofa-making regions in Italy. Contact us for more details