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Things to consider when aiming for a truly comfortable Christmas.

Christmas is an occasion for families to gather and celebrate. With time away from work and school, plenty to eat and drink, presents to open and, best of all, your loved ones close by, where you spend most of the time is crucial. For most people, the sitting room is the most important room in the house; somewhere for them and their guests to relax in and enjoy each other’s company.

As people look forward to Christmas, they always cast an eye on their home and furniture, and it is a popular time for deciding that certain things need brightening up or replacing. Imagining the whole family together, giving and receiving presents that have been stacked up around the Christmas tree, thoughts inevitably go to the sofa.

The most important factor in choosing the perfect sofa must, of course, be comfort. It’s impossible to relax in a sofa that has been designed simply to look good with no consideration given to what it’s like to sit on. The perfect sofa must be firm but not hard, with soft yielding cushions to rest on, comfortable but practical arm rests, and in a pattern and fabric that is easy on the eye. If children are going to be using it, it has to be well-made because they will not be able to resist the urge to jump up and down on it, and it also has to be able to shrug off stains – worrying about the furniture is the last thing someone wants to be doing at this time of year.

When choosing a sofa in the furniture store, it’s important to sit, and even lie on it, if this is how you would normally use it at home. Most stores will not mind customers doing this – as long as they have removed their shoes, of course. Test the height of the back to ensure that it accommodates tall guests and the depth and height of the seat, also. Some sofas are so small that either the head cannot relax or the legs can be left dangling above the floor, neither of which is comfortable. Check that the fabric does not contain any fibres that would irritate the skin, and that any buttons or zips used in the construction are in areas that won’t impact on anyone sitting in it. Another very important consideration is how easy it is to get on and off, especially if you are expecting guests who are elderly or have limited mobility. They won’t feel relaxed if they find it difficult to sit down or get up without a struggle.

Time taken when choosing the perfect sofa for your home will be well spent when you see your guests relaxing after their Christmas dinner.