Sofa: Buying Guide

Think about it: we live our whole lives around a sofa. As the centrepiece of a living room, it’s where we cosy up as a couple over a glass of wine; it’s where we chill-out by ourselves over a good book; and it’s where we catch-up with friends over gossip. Whether day or night, whatever the season, a sofa is designed for the moments that shape our lives. It’s hardly surprising, then, that the average sofa is part of a family for more than a decade. We come to cherish them. Familiarise ourselves with every comforting nook and cosy fold in their well-crafted frames and beautifully-made fabrics. A quality sofa is an investment piece, after all. So, knowing that it’s going to stick around for a while – a place for losing pennies and letting sleeping dogs lie – how do you make the right decision? Fear not: Case is on-hand to show you how to choose a sofa like an expert, every step of the way. Go on: take a seat.

Next, consider your taste and your space. Are you and your home contemporary and minimalist, or traditional and maximalist? Selecting a sofa that suits your interiors is imperative so it’s both sympathetic to its surroundings and reflective of your style. For modern rooms, a contemporary sofa can become a showstopping piece of art that pulls your scheme together, while classic rooms can be enriched by a heritage sofa that looks like an heirloom passed down from generation to generation. Alternatively, contrast can add welcome interest and character, so don’t be afraid to juxtapose styles, either. In this instance, simply be guided by your colour palette rather than your scheme to ensure cohesion, picking out a dominant or accent shade to complement. Remember: there really are no fixed rules. A sofa is a deeply personal choice that should make you happy when you see it and comfortable when you sit on it. A moodboard can be a valuable tool to help you visualise – whether in a scrapbook or on Pinterest. Explore, have fun and enjoy the process.

After you’ve ascertained what size you require, measure the space you want your sofa to sit in – not once, but twice – including the length and depth. To get a feel for how a preferred model will fit, mark the size you’re considering with masking tape or newspaper sheets. If it slots into place seamlessly – good news indeed – live with it marked-up for a few days to give you a sense of its presence in a room. It’s not just about the space itself, either – but, crucially, the access route. After all, there’s no point in ordering the sofa of your dreams only to discover it can’t be delivered because it doesn’t fit through the door. Narrow hallways, low ceilings, tight corners and awkward staircases can all result in disappointment on the day.

As a rule of thumb, the diagonal measurement from the back corner of a sofa to the top of the arm represents the minimum width that it will fit through, so check these dimensions against your doorways before ordering.  

With the biggest practicalities sorted, now comes the fun bit: the material. What the frame of your sofa is upholstered can change the whole look and feel of its style while accommodating the different needs of individual households (something hardwearing for children and pets, for example).

First-up, sing the praises of fabric: soft and sumptuous, it offers supreme tactility, superior cosiness and sublime colours, while nodding to the traditional coverings of times gone by. There are usually three choices: wool – natural and durable – a wool and synthetic blend, which is seriously tough, or linen, able to withstand pretty much anything thrown at it.

Next: go hell for leather, synonymous with luxury and deservedly so. Its character only accentuates and deepens over time – like the well-worn face of a weary traveller – while retaining its shape and strength. Better still, its surface means spills and scuffs can usually be wiped away with the brush of a cloth, keeping leather sofas looking like new for longer.

As with most things, a little TLC goes a long way, so show your sofa just how much it means to you. Life isn’t Instagram-perfect, so spills and scuffs will happen, no matter how careful you (or your friends) are. But such accidents don’t have to spell disaster. While many of our sofas come in materials that are stain-resistant and water-absorbent, others come with removable covers, meaning the material can be professionally-cleaned so it’s as good as new. Without these, when a spillage does occur, simply act speedily by blotting the stain out with a clean white cloth for best results. Never rub, as this may spread the stain further and deeper into the fabric, and always follow the cleaning instructions on the label of the sofa. Avoid pets on fabric sofas – no matter how enjoyable a sleeping cat or dog cosied up next to you can be – as their claws can pull at threads. If one does come loose, simply snip at the base and push it back into the weave, but never pull as this can worsen the damage. For leather sofas, a simple wipe should do the job for most spills, while plumping the cushions to stop them from creasing will increase their lifespan.  

1. We offers a range of free swatches in different colours and materials to give you confidence in your choice of upholstery, from cream leather to green bouclé.
2. Make the most of free delivery and get your sofa delivered to your doorstep without any money exchanging hands. Better still, our Price Match guarantee will give you peace of mind that if you find the same product at a lower price online or in-store elsewhere, we’ll match it. That’s a promise.
3. If you’re still struggling to select your sofa, try before you buy for the ultimate reassurance, at the Case showroom in Clapham.