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Sofas are, more times than not the focal point of most sitting rooms; therefore care needs to be taken when making your choice.

The main considerations when choosing sofas depend on your circumstances. Consider your home and family size and decide how the sofa will look and whether it will fit in with other furniture.
If space is limited as most homes are these days, size is a major factor. Measure how much room is available and don’t be tempted to buy anything too large, otherwise the room will look crowded and cluttered.

Sofas come in all colours and materials today, bright scarlet, zingy oranges and bold striking patterns are available, but if you run to traditional tastes it’s probably best to choose natural tones, such as beige, sand or mushroom. Neutral tones also tend to ‘date’ less quickly than bolder designs, which soon go out of fashion.

Sofas are available in many fabrics and leathers. Leather can improve over time and develop its own character. Leather wears in, fabric wears out! However leather needs regular nourishing and cleaning, and if there are children and pets in the house the leather can become scuffed or torn. It is also expensive to purchase good quality, hard-wearing leather.

For most families a sofa made of durable, hardwearing fabric such as microfiber, cotton or faux suede would be the most practical option. Choose a design with loose covers which can be machine or hand-washed for easy cleaning; this is far more practical than having to steam clean.
Sofas come in all shapes and sizes – from 2, 3 or 4 seater, also available with a chaise on the side, corner sofas and so forth. Modern furniture is flexible and versatile. Depending on your family’s requirements, it’s possible to add or remove additional units as required.

Price is often a major factor when choosing new furniture, and heavily discounted sales are often advertised, both in the media and shop windows of leading multi-national furniture retailers. A basic sofa can be bought for as little as £500 but you can expect to pay much more for a well made hard-wearing and durable item, which will last for a number of years.

When finding the ideal sofa, sit and check how comfortable it feels, whether the chair backs are too high or low. Check that the arm-rests don’t feel loose, but are firm and strong enough to withstand everyday use.

As the sofa is the central point of most sitting rooms, hopefully with these few basic tips you should make right choice.