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Receiving a sofa as a gift, or buying it yourself, which is best?

For anyone furnishing a new home, sofas are generally the first item to consider. It’s not something they will choose to make do without; everyone needs to be able to sit down in comfort, at the end of a long hard day. The drawback with purchasing such a large piece of furniture is usually the price. Although seen as an investment, in terms of how long the householder would expect it to last; it is still a big initial outlay.

Many young couples who are struggling to get their first home together, will be able to save up to buy their sofa, or will be earning enough between them to be able to buy one on credit. For others, their parents, or another family member, may offer to buy one, rather than see them go without.

A sofa is seen as a personal item to buy but, if someone offers to buy one, and allows you to choose it, you would at least end up with one you like. However, the purchaser may decide to buy a sofa as a gift; if they then go ahead and choose it themselves; the recipient may well have to accept it, whether or not it is what they would have chosen themselves.

Ideally, everyone would be in a position to choose and buy their own furniture. Everyone has different ideas on design and style. In particular, the older generation with rather more conventional tastes may choose something just too traditional for a young modern couple, and that’s when purchasing a sofa on behalf of someone else would not be such a good idea. If someone finds themselves in the position of owner of a less-than-desirable sofa, rather than look a gift horse in the mouth, as they say, they could always cover the sofa with a large throw, that would hide the fabric completely, or dress it up with some contrasting cushions, or even throw caution to the wind and make a feature of it.

People have very definite ideas of what they are looking for in a sofa. If buying for someone else, it makes sense to consult them beforehand or, at least, to make a note of their taste by studying the other pieces of furniture they have already bought. That way, you will ensure that they appreciate your gift. If you also make sure that it is comfortable and easy to maintain, you will be safe in the knowledge that they will treasure it for years, and will always remember the kindness and generosity of the person who bought it for them.