What Do You Think Makes a Good Sofa?

...How to get what you want and what you need in a sofa.


Some people would rather go to the dentist than shop for a new sofa. Many more than that would certainly prefer a round of golf (in the rain) to spending a whole afternoon in furniture stores.

Why the anxiety? Why the hate?

Because we're all afraid of making a mistake (see my blog, My Biggest Mistake). Purchasing a sofa isn't rocket science or brain surgery, but I can make an educated guess that Neil Armstrong or Sanjay Gupta couldn't do it in an hour. You can, with my help, or the help of a good interior designer.

The layman decorator can't help but "think inside the box." She's looking at the new colours while he's imagining long naps on a leather couch that probably won't fit through the door.

Sad, buy very true.

Stop looking and touching and start sitting. Sofas are all about comfort--TRY 'EM OUT!!! And instead of pushing away that salesperson who wants to help, ASK QUESTIONS!!! Here's a few good ones:

1)"Why is that sofa $1599 and that one $3500?"

2)"Is this made in the United States?"

3)"What does, 'eight-way, hand-tied' mean?"

4)"Will this fabric wear well?"

Once you understand some of these things, and find a sofa frame that fits your body and fits your room and fits within your budget, the rest is easy. Your designer or salesperson proposes a fabric or leather (preferably from the same manufacturer as the sofa frame...to save you money...), and prices it out within minutes.

Order your new sofa, and within 2 or 3 months, you'll have a comfortable couch to come home to, ...without missing another round of golf.