5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a Sofa

There are some mistakes that people often make when buying a sofa. These are small things in themselves, and so are easily overlooked. But all sofa-buying mistakes featured here do end up having a big impact on your satisfaction with your sofa purchase.

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Buying a Sofa That Is Too Big or Too Small

This may be the most common mistake of them all. This happens when you don't measure your space or the sofa or sometimes neglect both. Don't go by how big the sofa looks in the store. A sofa might look deceptively small in a showroom but could end up being too big for your room or not being able to fit through doorways, so not measuring your space or your sofa can create many problems.

Other than measuring the size of your space, pay attention to the scale. Your sofa should be the same scale as your other furniture so it doesn’t seem too big or too small placed alongside the rest of it.

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Buying a Sofa Without Trying It Out

Just as your sofa shouldn’t be too big or too small for your space, it shouldn’t be too big or too small for you, either. If you are tall, make sure that the seat is deep enough to allow you to sit in comfort. If you are not very tall or have bad knees, look for a shallow seat that lets you rise out of it easily.

Where possible, don't buy a sofa without first trying it out. Sit on it, lie on it, try it out the way you would use it at home. If you like napping on your sofa, make sure that the arms are the right height. Make sure the cushions and the back are as soft or firm as you want them to be.

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Buying the Wrong Style Sofa

Your sofa should coordinate with the style of the rest of your furniture. It should be one that you are comfortable with, not just aesthetically, but also how that particular style functions for you. The way the sofa functions can be determined by trying it out but look carefully at the design to prevent buying something that is completely out of place in your home.

Each home has a predominant style, and if you buy a sofa that doesn’t go along with it, it could be a major eyesore unless you are especially skilled in merging different looks. If you want to be safe, pay close attention to how your sofa would look lined up with the rest of your furnishings.

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Selecting the Wrong Fabric or Color for Your Sofa

Selecting the wrong fabric for your sofa can be an expensive mistake. Make your fabric selection based on how the sofa will be used, and where you will be placing it. If you are buying your sofa for an area of your home that is heavily used, a delicate fabric or color would be destroyed even before you’ve had a chance to enjoy it.

Selecting the wrong color for your fabric can also be a serious mistake. It is always a good idea to bring a swatch home to look at it with all your other furnishings, wall color, and light.

Always choose a color you like and can live with. Don't pick colors based on trends or just a whim. You will have to live with that color choice for years.

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Buying a Poor Quality Sofa

There are always budget considerations to be sure, but buying a good quality sofa ensures that you don’t have to replace it within a couple of years.

Buying a good quality sofa saves you money in the long run. Buy the best quality you can afford as buying a poor quality sofa means that it will lose its shape, looks and comfort factor pretty quickly, sometimes within a matter of months. A poor quality frame can also cause it to break, and you will have arms that jiggle and legs that aren't steady.

5 Tips for Buying a Sofa

Whether you’re buying a sofa online or in a retail store, it’s essential to know what to look for. A sofa is a large purchase, and choosing wisely means you’ll be investing in a piece of furniture that will last you and your family for many years.

Here are 5 tips for buying a sofa:

STEP 1: Choose a sturdy frame

Hardwood construction like kiln-dried oak, beech, or ash is durable and long-lasting. It’s the most expensive option, but also the best investment. Softer wood like pine is a popular affordable option, but it may warp or buckle after a few years. A sofa frame made of particleboard, plastic, or metal is to be avoided, as it will likely warp or crack and is generally uncomfortable.

STEP 2: Know your joinery

The method in which the frame is joined at the corners is an important detail. Phrases to look for: wooden corner blocks, corner blocks glued and screwed, wooden dowels, double wooden dowels, or metal screws with brackets. These are quality joins. Avoid a sofa that’s solely held together with nails, staples, or glue. While these elements can often be used to reinforce a frame, they shouldn’t be the main feature of a sofa’s construction.

STEP 3: Hand-tied springs are best

Eight-way hand-tied springs are the creme-de-la-creme of sofa springs – they’re incredibly comfortable and durably constructed, with a price tag to match. A less expensive option are serpentine springs, which are pre-assembled segments of snaking, twisted wire. Heavily weighted serpentine springs are a great affordable option. Avoid cheap, lightweight serpentine springs which can press on the frame or sag.

STEP 4: Invest in quality fillings

Polyurethane foam is a common cushion filling that’s durable and easy to care for. But be selective: foam that’s too dense can feel hard, and foam that’s too soft can deteriorate quickly with regular use. Firm foam wrapped in polyester batting is an economical choice that’s also comfortable. For a top-of-the-line sofa, we recommend high-resilient (HR) foam wrapped in a down and feather combo. It’s lush, plump, and long-lasting.

STEP 5: Look for durable fabrics

Sofas in cotton or linen fabric, and leather sofas are classic upholstery materials that are worth investing in. Synthetic fabrics like microfiber are also great options that are durable and easy to clean. Fabrics with some irregularities in the surface (like a small-scale pattern or woven texture) are better at hiding dirt and wear than a smooth fabric like a plain linen. Choose a fabric that will work with your lifestyle.

Tip: Measure Carefully!

Make sure that the sofa will fit through any necessary doorway openings and hallways in your home. Often the legs will be removable to make it easier to move.

How to Buy a Sofa in 7 Steps

No matter what size home you have or what style decor you favor, sooner or later we all need to buy a sofa. It's the great equalizer.

And while buying a sofa seems like an easy task, there are actually quite a few things you need to consider before you pull out your credit card.

To help you on your sofa-buying journey, we've put together a step-by-step game plan that will guide you along the way.

Figure Out Your Budget

Before you start any of your prep work, you need to get clear about what your budget is. Even if you don't have much to spend, there are lots of options out there, so don't feel bad if you're not a lottery winner.

Remember that a good sofa is definitely an investment. However, if you plan to have it (and use it!) for many years to come, it helps to soften the blow of outlaying a big chunk of change.

Measure

Next, you'll need to measure your space. I find it's helpful to use some masking tape and actually tape out the footprint of the sofa you're envisioning on the floor. If you already have a sofa there that you need to replace, measure your existing sofa and take note of any additional space you might have to add to the length or width. If your sofa is going up against a wall, it's helpful to measure the wall.

Take note of any irregularities you might need to deal with, such as a narrow door, a narrow staircase or other potential obstacles.

Get Inspired

This next step is the really fun part. Spend time online looking around and getting inspired. Click around HGTV.com, Pinterest and your favorite design blogs to grab some pics of sofas and room setups that you like. You could even make a dedicated Pinterest board for all of your sofa pics.

If you're deciding on a sofa with a spouse, significant other or even a roommate, make sure you set up a system that lets everyone feel a part of the process. If you're taking the Pinterest board route, make sure you invite the other person to your sofa board so you can both pin together.

Here is some additional reading to help you on your sofa hunt:

Guide to Common Sofa Styles

Sofa Style Buying Tips

5 Things to Know Before Buying a Sofa

The Best Modern Leather Sofas

Design Mistake: The Generic Sofa

Decide What You're Looking For

Now it's time to start making some decisions. As you think through what might work best in your space, here are a few questions to ask yourself:

How many people do you want to seat?

Do you have pets? Kids?

What types of materials do you like?

What type of setup will work best for your home?

Do you need a sofa with a pull-out bed?

Will a sectional or L-shaped sofa work for your space?

What style sofa do you like best?

Will you be mostly sitting on the sofa, or do you plan to lay down and take naps, too?

After you answer these questions and feel a bit more clear on which direction you'd like to go in, start looking around online and researching all of your options.

Try to narrow down your choices to your top three favorites.

Here are some of my favorite sources for sofas online:

West Elm

Overstock

CB2

Ballard Designs

Wayfair

Anthropologie

Urban Outfitters

Pottery Barn

Target

Restoration Hardware

Watch Out for Discounts + Sales

As you look around online, take note of some of your favorite furniture sites, and sign up for their email newsletters. Most of them offer an immediate discount for just signing up, but you will soon start to see additional sales that will pop into your inbox every now and then. You can always cancel your subscription, but for now keep an eye out for any sales!

Go Shopping...Even if You Want to Buy Online

Now it's time to go shopping! Even if you think you might ultimately be purchasing your sofa online, you still need to get out there and do some in-person shopping. This will go a long way in helping you understand what you're really looking for.

If you found sofas online that are in your top three, try to visit them if you have a local retail outlet of that store. If not, try to find similar sofas just to get a feel. Department stores sometimes have larger furniture sections where you can test out a variety of different types of sofas.

Take note of how you feel toward different fabrics, cushion styles, arm styles, etc. You might love the look of Chesterfield sofas online, but once you see one in person, you might not feel the same. Or perhaps you were unsure of whether or not you actually liked the look of slipcovered sofas, but once you see one up close, you realize they could be a perfect option for your space.

Buy Your Sofa

You came, you saw, you seat tested…and now it's time to buy your sofa.

If you decide to purchase your sofa online, make sure to find out what the delivery charges will be, the timeline and what your options are in case you need to return it for any reason (and who will be responsible for the return shipping charges).

For local purchases, try to get the delivery charges waived, and make sure to let them know about any challenging staircases or doorways.

Once your new sofa's in place, then you can focus on the fun stuff, like using pillows and throws to style it.