Choosing a new sofa is hard. I know because we have just done it ourselves! There are so many things to consider, what size, what colour, what style? And then, how long does it take for it to be delivered, how long will it last? And finally, the possible deciding factor… how much does it cost?
As part of the move to our new house we realised that we could really do with a new sofa. The ones we have had for the past 3 years were 3rd hand from my step mum, and although they were lovely, we were finally ready for something of our own. In theory this sounds exciting, but choosing a new sofa suddenly became a massively daunting task. The idea of spending a massive amount of money on something that we would have to look at and sit on for many years to come was enough to get me very stressed. This in addition to the fact that I didn’t really have time to traipse around 100s of sofa showrooms and many companies are now based mainly online.
As moving day got closer and I REALLY needed to make a decision before we ended up paying a removal company to take two useless sofas to our new house. I am pleased to say, we did finally make a decision! Here are some of the lovely options I found and some tips to make choosing a new sofa a little easier.
I started by using google to see what was out there, as well as asking twitter if anyone had any recommendations. I then used online sites to populate a board on Pinterest which was a useful place to return back to for inspiration.Colour and Style
We are in the process of replacing much of our furniture, so we didn’t really have a preference of colour and style. I do think sofas can be a good focal point, but when you invest in something so expensive it is important to think about the longevity and adaptability of a piece. I really loved the idea of a fantastically bright sofa, in a bright green or red and luxury of a corner design to help create a cosy feel. Do you pick a colour, hoping you will love it until you need a new one? Go for something neutral?
Then there’s the actual size. Ebay is full of sofas that people are selling because they are moving and the sofas don’t fit. This was actually the case with us as a 2 and 3 seater sofa simply won’t fit in our new long thing living room without taking over. (We will be donating them to the British Heart Foundation.) In the end I think it comes down to having a statement sofa or statement accessories. The safe option is to go for the statement accessories that can be changed regularly and easily for little cost, but having a statement sofa can be a talking point for years to come!
Statement Sofa
Statement Accessories
Narrowing it down
In the end the choice was quite stark for me. I really loved the luxury and classic Bluebell Right-hand Chaise from sofa.com or the more economical, yet stylish Ektorp 2 seater chaise from Ikea. The bluebell corner sofa was going to cost at least £1,500 and I was unable to get to the showroom to see what it felt like to sit on. After much deliberation I thought I would head off to Ikea just to get an idea of the quality and size of the sofas there, as buying something cheaper meant we could then also afford an arm chair.
Fit for Family Living
The last sofa we had came with removable covers which for a family with a dog is vital. I couldn’t possibly count the amount of times I have shoved them into the washing machine and they still come out really well, not loosing their shape or colour. This was my biggest fear with the Ikea sofas as I could just imagine them sagging and fading quickly, and to be honest you cant really complain as their sofas are so affordable. Having said that, I heard from two separate ladies on twitter that their Ikea sofas were holding up well under family life and this really helped me feel more confident.
Find a Bargain
In all my searching I did find two find some fantastic resources of high quality sofas at good discounts which i was VERY tempted by.
I’ve also seen Trade Secret and Home Brands recommended on the Money Saving Expert website but haven’t been to any of their outlets.
What did we go for?
Yes, we gave into the temptation of Ikea. We even went for a gorgeous armchair in the matching fabric. Both pieces have so far been incredibly comfortable as well as looking stylish and having the sofa with chaise option creates a lovely family area to relax in, subtly diving the long room into a play area and lounge area.
Strandmon Wing Chair
Ektorp two seat sofa and chaise
Have you bought a new sofa recently? How did you find it and what did you go for?
DISCLOSURE:
This is not a sponsored post, just something I put together on my own experiences of choosing a new sofa.