The sofa is one of the major pieces of furniture that every living room has to accommodate. Choosing a sofa is a matter of carefully analyzing the room, the layout, design, décor, style and everything else. It’s important for all of these details to establish harmony in the room which is why you need to carefully examine each and every one of them.

Pick the right size

When deciding on the size of the sofa, you need to take into consideration a variety of aspects. For example, look at the whole room and figure out how much space are you willing to let the sofa occupy and whether or not there are other pieces of furniture that you need to include there. Perhaps you’d also like to have a couch in the room or a coffee table.

Figure out how the sofa will be oriented

Perhaps this should be the first step when choosing a sofa. Decide where the sofa will be placed so you know what to look for. If you usually enjoy sitting in front of the TV then that’s where you should place the sofa. But perhaps you enjoy entertaining guests and chatting with them in which case you should create a cozy lounge area in front of the fireplace or facing the bar. Be careful however because placing a sofa parallel to the fireplace in a long and narrow room can make the room even narrower.

Choose a shape

There are several different sofa shapes to choose from. Rectangular sofas are the most popular but L-shape sofas are also popular. Depending on how big you want the sofa to be and how you want it to be oriented, perhaps it could form a semi circle or even a circle around the coffee table.

Find the right upholstery material

It’s important to determine your priorities when selecting the upholstery material for a sofa. For example, if you want the living room to look elegant and classy, you can get a leather sofa. Fabric is considered more casual. The most durable fabric options include cotton, linen and synthetic microfiber. If you have pets or small kids, stay away from materials that stain easily or are difficult to maintain.

Find your style

The sofa should math the living room in terms of style. So if your living room is minimalist, the sofa should also feature the same characteristics. Of course, you can also try to mix and match different styles and, for example, put a Victorian sofa in a modern setting.

Pick a color and/or a pattern

The sofa itself shouldn’t be the center of attention in the living room. So don’t try to make it stand out more than it has to by choosing a very bold color. Also, trendy patterns are not a great option either. Pattern and color should come from the throw pillows or other accent elements.

Check the frame

This is an extra tip that will help you get a sofa that’s durable and well built. Check the frame to make sure it’s sturdy. Lift up one of the front legs and see if the other one lifts as well. If it’s still touching the ground then the frame is weak.