King Living
A sofa is one of those big investment purchases you don’t want to rush. There are many things to consider before you splash out on a new sofa, and while it’s tempting, it goes a lot deeper than just looks – and comfort – alone.
For instance, the sofa of your dreams may look amazing in your best friend’s living room – but that doesn’t mean that it will necessarily suit your space. Similarly, the cosiest sofa you’ve ever curled up in might look like a hulking behemoth in your modest sitting room.
So how do you ensure you get the perfect fit for your space? Here are the 7 things you need to consider first.
Measure up
It pays to carefully think through the size of your sofa. First, draw up a floor plan of your living room, marking down the room’s dimensions. If your sofa is going up against a wall or under window, take note of the height. Include the position of any long-term furniture items in your room in your floor plan, such as the TV unit. Take your floor plan shopping with you so you can measure up any potential sofas and see how they fit within your actual space.
Measure up your doorway and any stairwells in your home and make sure your sofa will fit through them. If you’re in an apartment, you should also get your elevator’s dimensions, especially if it’s older and smaller than average.
Room to move
Use masking tape to mark up the dimensions of your potential sofa on your living room floor. Alternatively, use newspaper or brown paper to map out the space. Now consider foot traffic – can you move comfortably from your doorway to the sofa, or do you have to manoeuvre around several pieces of furniture?
The size of your sofa isn’t just about the actual footprint. Consider how a wide or bulky arm will look in your space. Does it take up extra room and would you need to walk around it?
It’s all relative
Similarly, consider the space between your sofa and other items of furniture in your room. Can you comfortably reach the coffee table? Or will you need to use side tables? Is it the right distance from the TV? Consider seat width, too. If you like taking a nap, is it wide enough to stretch out – or curl up in?
Special technology
If space is limited, you might like to consider a sofa with technology to extend it when needed. King Living’s Felix sofa, for instance, uses TouchGlide® Control Technology to effortlessly extend the seat and chaise, for a relaxed lounging position with deeper seating. The seat and chaise retracts back into a flush position with the sofa arm to maximise living space when not in use.
Purpose built
Think about how you are going to use the room. If you’re looking to create an intimate conversational area in a formal lounge room, you might like to consider two compact sofas facing each other.
If, on the other hand, you want a casual seating area for lounging and watching TV, an L-shaped sofa or a chaise would be more suitable.
Style sense
Finding the perfect fit for your sofa is more than just size. You need to make sure the style fits in with the rest of your home. An ultra-traditional sofa like a Chesterfield might look at odds with your streamlined modern furniture.
Flexible arrangements
If you have different needs for your space, you might like to consider a modular design for a flexible layout. This is important if, for example, you entertain a lot and need to move your furniture around to make room for guests.
King Living’s Delta III provides an elegant approach to functional furniture, combining storage solutions and modular practicality. It can be reconfigured into many different settings and can even provide a luxurious bed for two.
A large modular sofa is perfect for large open-plan areas. Don’t fall into the trap of keeping your sofa positioned against a wall. Pull it out and place it in the middle of the room to create a divide between a dining zone and lounge zone, for example.
Need more help? Use an in-store planner like the King Living Space planner tool to help you customize a configuration to suit your home.
Visit your nearest Showroom for more information.
