As exciting as going shopping for a new piece of furniture might sound, it can also be a stressful experience if you’re not sure want you want, and most important what you need. A bit of online research will offer you some insights into the “world of sofas”, and help you make a more informed decision.
We often choose a piece of upholstered furniture based on its appearance only, forgetting the importance of a sturdy frame, a good sitting support, configuration or cushion filling. Another thing to consider before buying a new sofa is the level of maintenance required to keep its “good look” and great form. No matter the type of fabric, your furniture should be professionally cleaned on a regular basis. This will not only maintain its appearance, but also prolong its life span. Happy Clean, which is a professional upholstery cleaning company with more than 6 years’ experience on the Irish market, uses the water extraction method for both sofa and carpet cleaning. This is the most effective cleaning technique, as it guarantees the complete removal of all the build-up of dust, debris and bacteria, leaving your couch dirt free and sanitised.
With so many styles, shapes, sizes available on the market, we’ve created a buying guide to help you with your decision making process. Find out which are the most important things to consider when choosing a new sofa, so you don’t waste your time and money on a piece that is not right for you.
- Configuration
A beautiful couch or armchair is not only enhancing the appearance of a room, bringing all the elements together, but its practicality is undeniable. Therefore, the questions you need to ask yourself are how many people you need to provide seating for, and also what is the most beneficial way to arrange your furniture to enable you to make the best use of the available space? For busy home environments, with kids, pets or lots of visitors, a good idea is to mix and match 2 or 3 smaller sofas, rather than a corner unit. While this might seem larger, corner units are actually a good fit for smaller rooms, as they make excellent use of the space. Another great option for when you don’t have enough room, are sofas with built in storage.
Modular designs are very practical as well, as they can be divided in two or three individual pieces and used as needed. The beauty of this type of sofas is their adaptability. The entire aesthetic of a room can change simply by altering the sectional layout.
Take note of the depth of the sofa if you’re buying for a smaller room, as the depth of the seat rarely changes from the larger to smaller size couches. Consider the height as well, particularly if your room has radiators or shelving.
- The frame
Whether your furniture will retain its shape over the years, depends mostly on the frame. One of the strongest and sturdiest frames available on the market, are the ones made out of Kiln-dried hardwood. The secret of its durability lies in the drying process, when up to 93% of wood’s moisture is removed. This means that the wood won’t be affected by changes in humidity and temperature. Hardwoods are usually obtained from trees such as oak, maple, or cherry walnut, which are known for being stronger and better suited for most type of furniture making. Frames made out of softwood (pines, cedar) can bend and break easily, while those made out of knotted wood are prone to cracks. The alternative to wood frames are metal sofa frames. However, these are not as elegant and they are prone to oxidation.
A good quality sofa frame has reinforced joints that are dowelled, glued and screwed. For extra support and strength, the corners should be further strengthened by the addition of reinforcing blocks.
- Seating Support
When testing the quality of a sofa, what you should pay attention to is that it doesn’t sag when you sit on it, and it provides good support in the seat and in the back.
There are a variety of different suspensions, each with its own advantages. The type of suspension you choose, will influence the nature of the seating support offered by your sofa.
The eight-way hand-tied springs system is one of the best support systems. The manufacturing process involves connecting each spring to the adjoining one with strong twine. The twine passes front to back, side to side, and then diagonally in both directions, thus tying each spring securely. Because it requires a lot of skill, time and labour, sofas featuring this type of suspension system are more expensive, however, totally worth the money.
Other types of support systems are coil springs, pocket springs, or zig zag springs. The first type incorporates a series of linked, coiled springs, similar to those found in mattresses, and offers excellent support and a good level of comfort. Similar to coil springs but individually pocketed in fabric sleeves, pocket springs offer the maximum support together with even weight distribution and durability. The last but not least, zig zag springs offer slightly firmer and more supportive seating than coils.
There is also the option of web suspension, however construction doesn’t offer very strong support, so it should be avoided on hard working sofas. If you buy a piece of furniture with this type of seating support, make sure it’s from a reputable manufacturer with a good warranty.
- Cushion filling
The type of filling you choose will determine the level of support your upholstery will deliver, as well as the level of maintenance required. A sturdy frame provides an anchor for good seating support and filling augments it. The most common cushion filling is foam, either on its own, or mixed with other materials. The high-density foam feels firm and supportive and creates a pleasing tailored appearance. Mixed with cotton or other soft fabric, it will offer a softer look and feel.
Feather filled cushions are a great option for a more relaxed appearance and soft seating, however, are more expensive and need to be plumed regularly to maintain their form and evenness. A combination of feathers and foam, will give you the best from both of them, the feel of a feather filled cushion, and the good support that foam offers.
For a more “sink-into” feeling, opt for fibre filled cushions. This is a more popular choice for back cushions and arm fillings, as it is versatile and cheaper than feather. Foam wrapped in a layer of fibre is the most recommended seat cushion filling as it provides the support of foam and the softness of fibre. The look of a foam and fibre cushion will be similar to foams clean lines but with the added plumpness of fibre.
A new sofa is one of the biggest investments you will be making for your home. Therefore, before making a decision, take some time and consider all aspects, from style, colour, size, to the type of fabric, the quality of the frame, or the cushion filling. And since you’re spending so much time and money, looking for the right piece of furniture for you and your family, it makes total sense to take good care of it. While vacuuming or wiping down your sofa may tackle day-to-day dirt and pet hair, for a thorough deep cleaning and stain removal, you should have it cleaned by a professional upholstery cleaning company every once in a while. With hundreds of 5 star reviews, Happy Clean is the best rated sofa cleaner in Dublin. All their agents are professionally trained, and can deal with high levels of dirt and the most stubborn stains.
