Yes, You CAN Choose The Perfect Sofa!

Let's take a little quiz: What is probably the largest piece of furniture that you have in your home right now? What item of furniture in your home probably says more about you than any other? What item of furniture is usually the first item that guests will see - and use - when they are in your home?

Did you guess the answer -- it is the same for all the questions. The answer? The humble sofa! Did you get it right? That little quiz highlights the critical importance of a sofa as a home furnishing. For yourself, your family and your guests, you need a good sofa.

This means that when it comes time to buying a new sofa, you must make your choice carefully and thoughtfully. A sofa can make or break your home decorating efforts.

You know this well: No two homes are the same. And no two homeowners are the same, either. So it only stands to reason that there is no type of sofa that is 'right' for everyone - there is only the type that is right for YOU. Now when you shop for your new sofa, you can look at them from the design angle (how they look), or from a functional perspective (how they work and their components).

From a functional perspective, you have many choices in sofas. One that is ever-popular is the sectional sofa. With a sectional, you can adjust the placement of the individual units in your room to suit your fancy. If you like you can also buy recliner sofas (my uncle's favorite - great for napping), sleeper sofas - and even outdoor sofas that will handle inclement weather out on your back porch or deck area. I think that you should examine the functional aspect first: what do you need your sofa for? What will you need it to do? Where will it be used? How often will you use it - occasionally when guests come, or every day?

Once you have a handle on the type of sofa that you need, you can now move on to some design considerations. Basically you have two choices: traditional or contemporary styling. There are, of course, endless variations on these two, but nearly every sofa you see can be placed into one of these two categories.

A couple of recommendations: Always match your sofa style to your overall room style. If your room decor is contemporary, make sure your sofa is as well. If your room is decorated in a traditional flavor, then choose a sofa for it that keeps to that same design scheme. Clashing styles hurt my eyes!

A few remaining recommendations: If you need extra bed space occasionally, consider buying a sleeper sofa. If you are outfitting a den or playroom, and you have kids (or messy husbands), make sure that you buy one that is sturdy enough to handle the rough-and-tumble life. Kids inevitably turn sofas into trampolines - so make sure your sofa can handle it! As always, buy furniture from qualified, reliable dealers. Get a good warranty. Make sure your sofa is made from quality woods and fabrics - not some piece of crap that is simply stapled together. Pick a good one, and care for it -- and your sofa will give you many years of faithful service.

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About the author: Catherine Olivia knows all about sofas. To learn about sofas and leather sofas visit the ultimate sofa site.