August 6, 2004

1:48 PM

Any advice for how to shop for a decent couch/sofa?
I know how much space I have for it (~7 feet), and that I want to be able to lie my 6 feet of body down on it to watch tv in comfort. What else does one look for?
posted by cardboard to (12 comments total)

Measure any doorways the couch will have to go through. (Very recent, very painful experience speaks here.)

Look for some means of keeping the cushions in place (if there are cushions) such as hidden zippers, velcro, etc.

Durable material is important, obviously. Do you have pets? If so, consider a type of leather or fabric that is forgiving in terms of showings claw-marks.

Look for styles/colors/patterns that are timeless, but not boring. If you intend to have the couch for more than a few years, stay away from trendy stuff like lime green.

Microfibre fabric can be a surprisingly good choice - it resists cat claws, it's soft (mimics suede), it lasts fairly well, and it comes in lots of colors. Same goes for leather, although that moves you into a different price range (if it doesn't, then it's shitty leather).

Solid wood frames with springs are good, as are cushions that have a foam core wrapped in soft material. It's good to have zippered cushions so you can refresh this material if it gets matted down.

You might also consider looking into a divan/daybed - something that has one arm, so you can support your head, but let your feet hang over rather than feeling boxed in.

There are a hundred other things to consider, but I'll leave them to others.
posted by stonerose at 2:10 PM on August 6, 2004

the covering. what the cushions are stuffed with. how the body is constructed (springs or straps in the base, for example). whether it is easy to reupholster. what it looks like.

i guess it might not be an option in the usa, but we just had a sofa made to our own design. solid wood frame. sprung base. not sure what the padding is - maybe feathers? it can be re-upholstered. we sprayed it with scotch-guard. it's great - coomfortable and looks perfect. it was expensive, but no more so than a sofa from an expensive shop.

the sofa we had in the uk was good in that you could remove the covers (a surprise, since they didn't look loose) and wash them. it was bad in that it didn't have springs or a very solid frame and started to sag.
posted by andrew cooke at 2:12 PM on August 6, 2004

Andrew, if you don't mind me asking, where did you have your sofa made?
posted by jazzkat11 at 2:38 PM on August 6, 2004

a little place in bellavista. not far from the neruda museum. i can get you the address if you want.

[whoa, on checking your home page - this is in santiago, chile!]
posted by andrew cooke at 2:48 PM on August 6, 2004

If the sofa is going to be exposed to direct sunlight, fading will be an issue. I have leather furniture and the back/side of one chair has faded to the point where it would look very bizarre should I try a different room arrangement.

This might sound silly, but also make sure you can get it in the house. I live in a small condo and my sofa (which has the cushions attached) barely squeezed through the front door.
posted by Sangre Azul at 3:31 PM on August 6, 2004

Measure any doorways the couch will have to go through. (Very recent, very painful experience speaks here.)

This might sound silly, but also make sure you can get it in the house. I live in a small condo and my sofa (which has the cushions attached) barely squeezed through the front door.

Amen. Here's a third vote for measuring. Don't forget to think about any tight corners, narrow stairways, and low ceilings on the way to the living room. That's how I got bit The sucker came through the door just fine but we had a second story flat in an house built around the turn of the century and there was simply no way to get it around the 90-degree turn on the staircase. That was an expensive lesson.

Stuff gets spilled. Also consider how well it resists staining and how easy it is to remove the stains that do develop. If accidents are likely in your house, find out whether the upholstery is removable and launderable.

Do you well settled in one spot? If you move around, think about whether weight is a factor.

If you have young kids ("let's jump on the couch) or heavyset friends/relatives, sturdiness of the frame and springs matters. Nothing like says "welcome!" like that collapsed spot in the middle of the couch. ;-)

If anyone in the household has feather allergies, check the list of fill materials.

COMFORT. Cushions vary a lot. It's gooing to be in your home a long time and set you back a tidy chunk of change, so make sure it feels really cozy to you. Spend time on it in the postures you really use, not just sitting up straight. Throw an arm over the back. Sling a leg over the arm. Slouch into the corner. Whatever you normally d.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 4:06 PM on August 6, 2004

Agh.

(Pretend all those typos didn't happen.)
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 4:09 PM on August 6, 2004

If you can't fit between the arms of the sofa when you lie down, consider the shape of the arms. If they are sloped back to front, your neck will get tired keeping your head from tending to roll or slide. Look for a sofa with arms that are parallel to the floor if you want to use them as a headrest.
posted by joaquim at 9:48 PM on August 6, 2004

whoa, on checking your home page - this is in santiago, chile!

That's just a hop, skip and a jump... er, well maybe not. Still, I love the idea of a local artisan custom crafting a sofa based on your design. Thanks for the idea!
posted by jazzkat11 at 5:24 AM on August 7, 2004

yeah, it's cool. one of the advantages of livining in a place where many people are paid way too little (of being relatively rich, even though i earn less than i did in the uk years ago).
posted by andrew cooke at 7:22 AM on August 7, 2004

Make sure you don't choose style over substance unless it's really you're thing and you're willing to toss it when the styles change.
posted by callmejay at 7:47 PM on August 7, 2004

first "you're" = "your."
posted by callmejay at 7:47 PM on August 7, 2004