A sofa is like a good friend. The one that always returns your calls. It’s a haven. A place to feel cosy, safe, and nurtured. A place to tell stories, deliver big news, unwind, reset, cuddle the ones you love, and a place to snooze on a Sunday afternoon.
When it comes to how to pick the right sofa, it’s about really tuning in to how you want it to feel, how you’re going to use it and what’s going to suit your space. So, pull up a cushion and get comfy, our sofa buying guide will take you through the A’s to the Z’s of buying your ultimate sofa.
How to Choose a Sofa That Fits Your Life? Know Your Non-Negotiables
From cosy chats to cocktail-clinking dinner party banter and family movie nights, how to choose a sofa is about working out how you want to use it. In order to zero in on the best sofa for your lifestyle, you first need to decipher the way it fits into your space, your comfort preferences and functional needs. Here are some key questions to ask yourself:
Who’s using it daily? Is it just you? Do you have flatmates? Furry friends? Kids? The answers to these will not only help you determine the size of sofa you need to buy, but will also help you decide on the best fabric types for your sofa and durability needs.
How will you use it? Think about how you will use your sofa. Do you mostly lounge or watch TV? Do you nap on your sofa? Are there occasional house guests who need somewhere to snooze? Are you hosting? Or all of the above? The answers to these questions will help you decide on your size and configuration needs, and whether or not you need special features, such as reclining functionality or a sofa bed style.
How is the space arranged? Consider the size of your space. Is the sofa meant for open-plan living or a closed-off lounge room? Larger spaces can handle big, sprawling sectional or modular set-ups with room to stretch out. Smaller spaces, on the other hand, tend to shine more with clever chaise styles or two-seaters with slim arms and raised legs.
Best Sofas for Small Spaces & Apartments
Not all of us live in a sprawling home with room for a sectional 12 seater and a grand piano. Some of us (hi!) are working with compact apartments where every centimetre is valuable real estate. In these spatially challenged homes, choosing the best sofa for small spaces can make all the difference.
2-seaters, Loveseats, and Chaise sofas
2-seaters, loveseats, and chaise sofas are ideal for tight spots. These small space superstars offer the ideal middle ground, big enough to stretch out and read a good book and small enough not to dominate the room.
Chaise sofas are like a power move for the space-conscious lounger. They are particularly good at making good use of space, with their lovely L-shape, they can hug the wall while giving you the option to put your feet up.
Space-saving design features
Little tweaks in sofa design can make a big impact on the look and feel of a smaller room.
Slim arms - Slimline arms not only look sleek and modern but can save valuable space in your living room, allowing room for bigger sitting space.
Raised legs - A sofa that’s slightly raised off the floor keeps the room feeling airy and open.
Sofa beds - Multifunctional design at its best, sofa beds provide dual-purpose magic. A good-looking sofa, and also a comfortable bed fit for your overnight guests.
Placement
Once you’ve selected the best sofa for small spaces, the right placement is key. If possible, float your sofa slightly off the wall to help the room breathe. Consider placing a lightweight coffee table or side table in front of your sofa to complete the space. If things are really tight, consider nested tables or stools that can double as extra seating.
Modular, Recliner, or Sofa Bed? Find What’s Best for You
When it comes to choosing the best sofa for your lifestyle, you can have the cosiness, the striking design and the stretch-out-and-snooze potential without overcrowding your living room. Think clever designs, flexible layouts and features that work hard while still looking good.
Modular Sofas
Modular sofas are your ticket to living room freedom, made to be pulled apart, flipped, shifted and reconfigured on a whim. Want a corner set up today and an open-ended chaise tomorrow? That’s the magic of modular. These sofas are ideal for small or large spaces because they allow you to work with your layout and change it up anytime to keep your space fresh.
Recliner Sofas
Perfect for movie marathons, power naps, or just kicking back after a long day, recliner sofas give you full-body bliss with the touch of a button. And for those of you thinking of recliners as giant overstuffed sofa-thrones taking over your floor plan, think again. Today’s recliner sofas are sleek, modern and wonderfully unassuming.
Sofa Beds
For apartment dwellers and spare-room-less hosts, a sofa bed is nothing short of a miracle. By day, it’s a chic little perch for coffee sipping and contemplating life, by night, a comfy bed for overnight guests. If you’re looking for the best sofa bed for NZ, here’s what to keep in mind:
- Go for one that’s easy to unfold and put away.
- Look for designs that blend with your style.
- Concealed storage is a bonus.
What’s the Best Fabric or Material for a Sofa?
Choosing the best fabric for a sofa is all about your lifestyle, tastes and tolerance for cleaning. Take into account your usage habits. Do you have children or pets? Do you have the ability to handle spills without bursting into tears? (If so, we’re jealous.)
Leather
The ultimate in luxury, leather sofas are sleek, durable and excellent at handling the chaos of family life. You can wipe spills clean, and the best leather sofas tend to age beautifully. The downside? It can feel a bit cool in the winter months and isn’t quite as cosy as a fabric sofa can be for snuggling up on.
Fabric
Fabric sofas are typically warm, inviting and tactile and span a wide variety of finishes and blends. Fabric sofas can be more high-maintenance than leather, depending on the material, and some fabrics cling to pet hair. The best couch fabric for families or pets is tightly woven fabrics like performance blends or microfibres that are stain resistant, easy to clean and don’t give fur a lot to cling to. Avoid anything too textured, like chunky weaves or velvet finishes.
Colours
Lighter shades such as creams, greys and soft pastels can make your space feel more open and breezy and are great for smaller spaces, but they can be more high-maintenance unless you opt for a stain-resistant fabric.
Darker colours like charcoal, navy and dark green can be moodier, cosier and a little more forgiving of spills. If you’re making a style statement, go for a bold hue like mustard or teal so your sofa can be the star of the room.
Sizing Guide: Will Your Sofa Fit Within Your Space?
You’ve chosen your sofa, amazing! Our sofa size guide can help you confirm if your new sofa will work in your space.
Measure everything
Grab your tape measure and jot down the dimensions of the room, length, width and height. Don’t forget to measure doorways, stairwells, hallways, elevators and any area your sofa will need to pass through on its way to your living room.
Visualise it
Use masking tape or painters’ tape to outline the sofa’s dimensions on the floor; this helps you see exactly how much space it will use and how much you have left to play with. AR (Augmented Reality) tools can also help by letting you ‘drop’ an image of the sofa into your living room picture using your phone camera.
Allow space
Even the comfiest of sofas need room to shine. Allow enough room for walkways so people can move comfortably around the space without having to turn themselves sideways. Coffee tables should ideally sit about 45-50 cm from the front of the sofa, and ottomans need enough clearance so you can comfortably stretch your legs out.
Build a Living Room You’ll Love Coming Home To
Build the ultimate living room space by pairing your sofa with ottomans, bean bags and side tables, the secret sauce for both cosiness and practicality. Finish it off with textured throws, cushions, feature lamps and meaningful art to create a personalised and cohesive look. Add a rocking chair in the corner as a gorgeous reading nook finishing touch, and you’re happy to be home.
Your Perfect Sofa Is Waiting: Let’s Help You Find It
When you arrive home to your perfect sofa, the world can wait. You can unmask, unwind and exhale the day away. No matter if you’re after a reclining couch to kick back on, the best sofa bed for surprise guests or a cosy settee for Sunday naps and cuppas, Urban Sales has got the perfect setup to transform your living room. Let’s get comfortable.
