One of the larger dents in your home design fund comes from the couch you plan to buy. It's tough to find a couch that checks all your boxes and is reasonably priced. Let’s be real, we end up compromising or misjudging the comfort, finish, texture, colour, or material when the first thing we look at is the price tag.
But if we know what we’re willing to compromise on, the decision making and subsequent possible regret can be managed much better.
You know buyer’s regret is a real thing, right!? Just an anecdote (totally free to skip this paragraph, it has nothing to do with couches); a few years ago, I met Dan, an American One-Man-Theatre performance artist visiting the city I was living in. I offered to take him around to see the city and understand the culture (that is what his plays were based on). And he had a small to-do list we decided to tackle. One of them was buying sunglasses for himself. We went to a store, tried a dozen of them or so and finalized one. He put it on after making the payment and asked me one last time if it looked okay. Now, I clearly was wondering why, and he said, ‘Now that I’ve paid for it, I think the other ones look better! Buyer’s regret is real, huh!?’
Coming back to couches, we may not be able to do away with buyers' regret, especially the one arising from comparison with others and/or compliments from others, but we can surely try to manage it.
So, what do you need to know about couch buying?
First things first. Figure your lifestyle. Understand how you actually live. Do you entertain often? Are there kids, or pets? Are you messy? Do you have a lot of traffic? How often do you use the couch? Do you need conversational seating? Or a comfortable seat? Asking these questions will help you determine the kind of fabric, cushions, and designs you should go for.
For instance, harder cushions with a narrower depth will provide a more conversational setting as the people will be sitting straighter and less casual. Deep seats make the seats comfortable and casual.
Another important factor to consider before you start the buying and narrowing process is what size you will be able to bring into the house. All too often do people assume the piece of furniture will fit through doors, staircase landings and entryways. Measure the areas, and ensure it fits.
Now that these basics are in place, let’s get down to brass tacks.
Our purchases are never logical. But that is for another blog post.
Here’s an obvious question. What do we consider before making a furniture purchase? How something looks and how something feels!
Check out the must-knows for couch purchasing below!
Colour
Choose your colour palette. Remember the couch is usually large. So don't use the accent colour of the scheme as the colour of the couch.
Shape
Sofas can be bulky or sleek, narrow or wide, curved or straight. See what shape suits your design style and matches your and your home's aesthetic.
Style
There are various styles of interior design. If you have a Brooklyn loft, industrial is your go-to. But if you have a Manhattan penthouse, It's all sleek and modern. The classic brownstone could perhaps see a sculptural art deco in it. Know the style. Not just any style. Know YOUR style!
Size
Scaled to the room and proportionate to other furniture around it. And as mentioned before. Most importantly, the size of your doorways!
Fabric
Does your living room see a lot of traffic? Do you have kids or pets? Are you good at maintaining the fabrics? Are you looking for something plush or comfortable or easy to maintain? Natural or synthetic? You need not choose just one characteristic. Leaving you plenty of options. Velvet, Silk, Leather, Twill, are just a few, to begin with
Filling
The cushion filling matters as much as, if not more than everything else. Feather, foam and fibre. These will impact the shape, the firmness, the comfort of the cushions on the couch.
Frame
While we are on the topic of things we can’t see, the frame of the couch is another important factor. Check on the material of the frame and avoid fiberboard and other composites. Treated and cured solid wood is the gold standard of couch frames.
Seat Size
Small-sized seats force the occupant to sit upright promoting conversations, and softer, deeper couches are more informal. Test the couch you're buying ánd know the kind of atmosphere you want in your family room.
Happy Buying!