Sofa Basics

FashionMom and family are on the move and it is time for a new sofa.
We love the Charleston Sofa from Pottery Barn http://www.potterybarn.com/shop/furniture-upholstery/sofas/charleston-sofas/. It is a great sofa for everyday wear and tear, and it always looks great with a slipcover upgrade.

The Charleston has served us and our cats very well. We changed the slip covers once and it has been great but time has taken it's toll.
It is time for change and a new look, something a bit more formal.
I took some time to ensure that I had all of my sofa facts in order for our search.

These are the things that you will want to check for that next sofa purchase.


Is it well made?
Weight is a sign of quality. If a sofa feels light when you life it and it moves easily the frame is poorly made.
Hardwood frames are the best they will stand up to years of abuse.
Lift the cushions to see if the sofa has sprung base. Check to see how close the springs are together. 60mm to 75mm is ideal.
Check that the legs or feet or solid. Ball castors are the best, but nylon castors are fine if fitted properly (bun feet are better option on hard floors.

How is the filling?
Foam, fibre fill, feathers(down or regular, often used in combination) or a mixture. A good quality foam filling will give support and keep its shape.
A good quality foam filling will give support and retain its shape.
Fibre fill over foam core is probably the best option for the back of a sofa. It does not require a lot of plumping. Beware of too much plumping!
A fibre fill and feather mix is soft but, like feather fillings, will require regular plumping to look good, how would you do that if the section is fixed!

Fabric?
Chenille and acrylic velvets are timeless, but both will crease easily. They will show silver or dark patches depending on light.
Cotton and linen are hard wearing but stain easily and may not be easy to clean if not treated with some type of stain resistant protection.
I love fitted slip covers over to help protect the sofa, add a new look or color.


Sofabed?
Look for a sofa bed with metal action construction. Most sofabeds pull out from the seat, but a few work by flipping the back out and these tend to be less comfortable.
Test the smoothness of the action my pulling the bed our and the quality of the mattress my lying on it. A thicker mattress is likely to be more comfortable.
I think that some people always will buy a sofa bed,  just in case of family but they tend to be harder and not as comfortable as a sofa. If you can afford it or have enough rooms and space stick with a sofa for comfort.

Final note- Something else we learned, the middle seat of a three seat sofa is hardly ever used by a third person. People tend to sit as the ends and the middle is a waste. Consider a large two seater.



Happy Shopping!


DGW