How to pick just the right couch
Q: What should people keep in mind when shopping for a new couch?
A: The most important consideration is lifestyle, says Abigail Valladares, a design consultant at McElheran’s Fine Furniture.
How are you going to use the couch? Reading quietly with feet on the floor? Watching movies with kids and the dog?
“Most of the time, when people come in, they start with the wrong questions,” she says.
Be clear about your expectations, she adds.
“How long are you wanting to use this? If you’re saying, ‘This is a forever sofa,’ come with a forever budget. If you just want something that’s fun and functional for sticky kid fingers for the next five years, it’ll help determine what you’re looking for.”
Grey tones are the popular neutrals now, which can be dressed up with hits of colour in throw pillows, rugs and accessories.
“You can add in upholstered ottomans in really funky fabrics or really great lamps or paint on the walls,” Valladares adds.
But don’t be afraid to go bold, she says. “I really encourage people not to shy away from colour in their sofa. It’s really not something they should be afraid of.
“Sometimes less is more, and sometimes less is just less.”
In the same way a neutral couch can be brightened with colour, a bold or colourful couch can be toned down with the right accessories in the rest of the room, she says.
Accent colours such as purple are still popular, along with bright green, hot pink, deep orange and turquoise or teal. Neutral grey looks great with a pop of yellow, too.
Proportion and dimension are critical when choosing furniture for a room.
Make sure the sofa isn’t so big, you have to squeeze by it, or so small that it’s dwarfed in the space.
Consider the height of the walls, whether the room is open concept and how much sunlight it receives, she adds.
Also think about the room’s focal point, whether it’s a fireplace, a television or an antique desk, and work around that.
Fabric choice is important, especially for people looking for a long-lasting, durable couch.
No longer does that mean leather or microfibre, says Valladares. New technology makes some cotton and other fabrics virtually stain-proof.
Nor does durable have to mean rock-hard.
“You can get a really great, long-lasting sofa that’s fabric and that’s soft and that will last you 25 years and that won’t cost you an exorbitant amount of money.”
Don’t be afraid to ask an expert at the store to help you with those choices, she adds. “Design consultants are for any space. Sometimes when you have a smaller space and a smaller budget and a more awkward space, that’s when you really need the help.”
Ultimately, choose something you love and spend some time accessorizing and adjusting.
“You want, at the end of your work day, to smile and think about that room that you’re racing home to, or that book that you’re going to read there, or snuggling up and watching a movie in that space,” she says.
“You’re going to be making memories on it, so make sure you want it in your home.”