No matter if you’re a huge TV fan, a big reader or just love sitting around chatting with friends and family, couches are a must have piece of décor.  The couch has become the defacto center piece of American interior design and for good reason; they are just so wonderfully comfortable and functional.

Photo: freshome.com

If you’re looking to upgrade or just want to change from a tired and worn out look, you need to consider a lot of different factors before buying one on a whim because it looks good in the store display.  Let’s run through them:

Size

The first thing you need to consider is the space you have available for your sofa.  Buying one that is too big will make your living space feel crowded, while getting one that is too small will make the room feel barren.  Make sure to take measurements of the room you’re planning to put the couch in and know all of your placement options.  You’ll need to take into consideration how the couch will be placed in relation to other pieces of furniture and electronics.

With many larger televisions you need a certain amount of space between it and you to get an optimal viewing experience.  This measurement depends on the kind of TV you have and can be found in your user guide or online.  You’ll also want to have a decent amount of space to walk by or in between your couch and other pieces of furniture.  There is nothing worse than having an awesome couch that makes your room feel small and cramped.

Function

When deciding on a couch you’ll need to consider what you’re going to be using it for.  Some questions you might want to ask yourself:

• Are you looking for maximum comfort because you’ll be watching a lot of TV or reading in it?
• Will this couch be placed in a formal living room meant for entertaining?
• How many people do you want this couch to sit?
• What kind of back angle are you comfortable with considering your plans for it?

Style

The style of your couch really depends on your own taste and look of your space.  Often the style is subordinate to the function the couch will serve.  There many styles of couches but here are the most common you’ll have to choose from:

• Lawson:  One of the most popular styles of couches.  The high back and low arms are built for comfort and lounging.
• Tuxedo:  Don’t expect lounging or a lot of comfort from this one.  Usually works best in formal settings or as a center piece for interior design.
• Chippendale:  More formal with definite old world touches.
• Chesterfield:  These elegant couches will take you back to 19th century drawing rooms.
• Sectional:  Super comfortable and versatile, these couches work well in big spaces.
• Slipper:  With no arms and high back this is style of couch is strictly for entertaining or business.
• Bridgewater:  Made for comfort, if you’re looking t relax you can’t go wrong with this style of couch.

Material

After you have decided where your couch is going to go, what you can fit, what its purpose is and what style you like, you’re going to need to pick a fabric.  Not all styles of couches are made in all fabrics, so you’ll need to balance your stylistic needs with the practical realities of what your couch will endure.

If you have dogs, kids or love to eat on your sofa then you need to pass on anything suede.  If this couch is in a high traffic area and is going to be used a lot, you need to make sure you’re using a durable material like leather or a micro fiber.  These are easy to clean and maintain and will last you years.  Definitely consider fabric that is treated with a stain protector as this will keep your sofa looking like new, no matter what you dish out to it!

Choosing a couch is a big decision and like anything else you’ll need to balance your needs, wants, and budget to find the right one for you.  At the end of the day, make sure you have something that fits your lifestyle and room and you’ll enjoy it for years to come.

Tags: Couch, Interior Design, Living Room, Room Layout, Styles

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 at 9:24 am and is filed under Design Style. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.