As much as I love stiletto shoes, I know I can't run very far in them. So, as for buying shoes, when buying my furniture, I consider functionality as much as I do style.
A few things I consider when buying a sofa:
- How am I going to use it? Do I want something formal or relaxed? Do I prefer soft or firm support?
- Who will be using it? I have pets and little boys, so I need something I can easily clean. Thanks to modern fabrics, I don't have to sacrifice style any longer, there are plenty of gorgeous fabric designs with kids and pets in mind. (Don't be fooled into thinking that leather is the only way to go. You'll find that even leather can stretch, mark, scratch and stain - fabric is usually more forgiving.)
- To get the right sized sofa, I measure my room and existing furniture, then draw them to scale. Then I can play around with the layout and get a feel for what size sofa I should buy.
- What look am I trying to achieve? The style, shape, colour and covering material will absolutely make a difference. If I'm going for a Scandinavian look, I'll go for a sofa like Urban Rhythm's Melba or Nellie with their lightly stained slender legs, perhaps a neutral or pastel hue, in a soft feeling fabric.
- Can I see the sofa in person? I always visit the sofa store to actually sit in the sofa, to get a feel for the depth of the seat and the back support. I also sit in it the same way I sit at home, I lounge around at home quite differently to sitting in public. (Just don't go so far as to putting your feet up on the sofa in the showroom!)
- I bring photos of my existing furniture and room with me when I go shopping. It helps me to visualise better... I also share the photo with the store consultant, so they can guide me better. I've even brought in a cushion from my existing furniture to help me work with colours.
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