For that cosy spot

There seems to be infinite options when it comes to choosing a sofa. You might think you know exactly what you want, but once you walk into a shop or browse images online, the styles, shapes, and customisation alternatives can become overwhelming.

There are certain points that should be kept in mind while choosing the correct sofa for one’s living room.

Consider size first. If you have a bigger living room, you’ll need to decide exactly how much of the living room you want your couch to fill. Do you want to include other couches or chairs? Do you want a coffee table? If so, a simple sofa, or one with a slight L-shape is probably the best fit. If you’re looking for a sofa that will be the focal point of your living room, look for rounder couch shapes that take up a bit more room and provide a lot of seating.

If you have a small living room, odds are you’ll need a smaller couch. With less space, any couch or sofa is going to be in the spotlight, so it’s important to pick something that is practical, but is also of a strong design that carries and complements the rest of the space.

Decide exactly how the sofa will be oriented. Successfully organising a living space starts with analysing your lifestyle. What do you do the most in that space? Do you like to wind down in front of the TV? Make sure your couch faces that direction. Love having people over? Create a semi-circle (or even full circle) around a central table.

Does your family use the living room to lounge, relax and read? Surround your sofa with chairs and cushions to create multiple seating areas that can be enjoyed individually, or as a large group.

Determine which shape will suit the room best - Now that you’ve decided your sofa’s function, it’s time to figure out which shape will help it fulfil that purpose. A clean L-shape is great for open areas that need to be divided — such as separating the living room from the dining room.

A rounder shape is a bit more conducive for a smaller space meant to serve as a gathering area for groups of people, but could also be perfect for a media room.

If you want to implement more chairs and tables in your living room, a lounger or a daybed could be a good alternative to a traditional couch. It still provides seating for several people, but is compact and can work as a more sophisticated version of the futon.

Research upholstery materials. Which will be best for you? Aesthetic is important, but functionality is key when it comes to choosing a material for your sofa. A lot of us that would love to indulge in a plush, white suede sofa — they’re so gorgeous, but so dangerous. Suede can be a poor choice if you have pets or small children who will cause some serious damage.

Leather — particularly in darker colours — is consistently in style, generally wears well with age, and can be fairly easy to clean.

Choose a style that complements your home. It can be a little hard to nail down your own personal style, but go with your gut instinct when picking the type of couch that will fit naturally in your home. If your style is sleek and modern, pick something that reflects that in clean lines and dramatic colours.

If your home is an eclectic mix of colours and designs, a couch that combines several styles (such as a vintage couch re-upholstered in a colourful fabric, or a more modern shape with traditional accents) could be the perfect expression of your taste.

If your look is a little more traditional, a classically structured sofa in a durable and neutral fabric will stand the test of time and will work well with various colours and complementing pieces.

Pick a colour: bright, printed, or neutral? Re-upholstering furniture has become a relatively inexpensive option for anyone who wants to personalise a piece of furniture.

By: Alok Duggal
The writer is COO of Homestudio.com