Let's start with sofas
What is a home if not a place to collect memories
The sofa is one of the most expensive, hardest-working pieces you will ever buy so getting it right is key to creating the right vibe for your home. As the main place to hang out and relax they need to be both comfortable and stylish
And with so many styles to choose from its easy to feel overwhelmed when it comes to picking out the right piece for your home - from Chesterfields, chaises, corners, modulars, high backs, low backs, mid-century, scroll arms, button backs, deep seats, slim, clean lines, tapered legs, the list is endless
And not forgetting the fabric choices - velvet, leather, linen, wool, synthetics, natural fibres, I could go on and on
Kids, pets, sun exposure, space, amount of usage all are key factors when it comes to deciding on the right sofa. As too, of course, is the budget
From experience, where possible don't go for the cheapest option - a good quality sofa is an investment piece that will unify all the elements in your living room
The Magic Formula
The most important factor to consider when selecting a sofa is comfort, however we all have a different version of what is comfortable to us. Some of us need something low and squidgy to fall into after a hard days work, others need something with a higher back to relax their heads on, or narrower seats that are easy to get up from.
After comfort, the correct size of a sofa is important for a successful interior design, followed then by selecting its shape and colour. Remember, this piece of furniture is the main feature of most social spaces.
Make sure that any piece of furniture has enough circulation around it as well as space, so that it does not dwarf any design details or features in a room. A sofa that is too large will engulf the room disproportionately and one that is too small will not serve its function.
A sofa that’s the full length of the wall in front of which it is positioned could prove overbearing in a room scheme. But it’s also the case that a sofa can look too small.
One approach to getting the right proportions is to aim for a sofa that’s about two-thirds of the wall length. Accordingly, the wall length in question might fall between two standard sizes. If that’s the case in your room, there’s the option to go a little above two-thirds of the wall length with the larger sofa size in order to seat more people.
It is possible to choose a smaller sofa when influenced by pieces of furniture nearby. When scaling a smaller sofa to a room as a rule of thumb we tend to make the sofa half the size of the wall it is going on to allow the space around it to breathe and also to place side tables with lamps on either side
Beware the impact of colour
The colour and fabric you choose for the sofa will influence how commanding it appears in the room, so consider its tone in these terms as well as thinking about it as part of the space’s overall colour scheme.
For this space (see right), I wanted to maximise seating without having a sofa that dominated the space, I ensured the sofa filled almost all of the back wall, while leaving space for some greenery and side tables – which is important to bring cosiness to the arrangement and provide a location for drinks or a book while snuggled up.
Additional seating was added to compliment the main sofa and to add more textural elements.
Soft cream was a perfect colour for this space to continue the light, airy feel while contrasting with the rich, warm woods in the floor and coffee table.
For a snug, it might be desirable to choose a sofa colour that’s bolder. A large cozy sofa adorned with cushions can be a statement feature in a room, particularly if it is upholstered in a striking colour like blue. If the room is designed to be a comfortable space for relaxing or enjoying a film with the family then it stands to reason that the sofa should be a prominent feature of the room.
The Magic Formula
The most important factor to consider when selecting a sofa is comfort, however we all have a different version of what is comfortable to us. Some of us need something low and squidgy to fall into after a hard days work, others need something with a higher back to relax their heads on, or narrower seats that are easy to get up from.
After comfort, the correct size of a sofa is important for a successful interior design, followed then by selecting its shape and colour. Remember, this piece of furniture is the main feature of most social spaces.
Make sure that any piece of furniture has enough circulation around it as well as space, so that it does not dwarf any design details or features in a room. A sofa that is too large will engulf the room disproportionately and one that is too small will not serve its function.
A sofa that’s the full length of the wall in front of which it is positioned could prove overbearing in a room scheme. But it’s also the case that a sofa can look too small.
One approach to getting the right proportions is to aim for a sofa that’s about two-thirds of the wall length. Accordingly, the wall length in question might fall between two standard sizes. If that’s the case in your room, there’s the option to go a little above two-thirds of the wall length with the larger sofa size in order to seat more people.
It is possible to choose a smaller sofa when influenced by pieces of furniture nearby. When scaling a smaller sofa to a room as a rule of thumb we tend to make the sofa half the size of the wall it is going on to allow the space around it to breathe and also to place side tables with lamps on either side
Beware the impact of colour
The colour and fabric you choose for the sofa will influence how commanding it appears in the room, so consider its tone in these terms as well as thinking about it as part of the space’s overall colour scheme.
For this space (see right), I wanted to maximise seating without having a sofa that dominated the space, I ensured the sofa filled almost all of the back wall, while leaving space for some greenery and side tables – which is important to bring cosiness to the arrangement and provide a location for drinks or a book while snuggled up.
Additional seating was added to compliment the main sofa and to add more textural elements.
Soft cream was a perfect colour for this space to continue the light, airy feel while contrasting with the rich, warm woods in the floor and coffee table.
For a snug, it might be desirable to choose a sofa colour that’s bolder. A large cozy sofa adorned with cushions can be a statement feature in a room, particularly if it is upholstered in a striking colour like blue. If the room is designed to be a comfortable space for relaxing or enjoying a film with the family then it stands to reason that the sofa should be a prominent feature of the room.