Friday 15 April 2011

BUYING A CHESTERFIELD SOFA

 

 

Things to think about when buying a sofa


When the time comes to purchase a new sofa there are many things to consider before making the purchase. These things to consider are roughly broken down into groups pertaining to functionality, aesthetics, cost of ownership and space management. Before you head off to that furniture store, take a few minutes to think through the different areas of concern.

As far as functionality goes, a sofa is so much more than just a place to sit down and watch your favourite TV show. Consider for example what is the primary purpose of the room where you are going to place this new sofa. Is it the family den, used constantly by everyone from the toddler to the dog, or is it going into the formal sitting room used primarily to host guests for quiet get togethers? The family den may scream out for a sectional recliner sofa with rocking end sections that is covered in a neutral coloured microfiber. Your formal sitting room, however, might look stunning with a leather chesterfield sofa as its centerpiece.

Although the differences in functionality of a room do play a part in the aesthetics of choosing the proper sofa, nearly any style can be set in any room regardless of functionality and still look pleasing. The aesthetic marvel can be arranged by chosing wisely from the available coverings. There are literally hundreds of textures that can be mixed with thousands of colours, across tens of fabrics, incorporating any number of accents such as wood trim, deep buttons or ornamental hardware. The options are truly limited only by the sofa designer. So really think about what you want it to look like and if you don't see that in the store...ask for it. For example, if you have pink curtains that you really love and want to keep, you may need to go through a bit of effort to find the perfectly matched sofa.

When it comes to cost of ownership remember that this is a major purchase, but also that a chesterfield sofa is going to last you for 10 years or more depending on how well built it is. A new sofa can range from several hundred pounds to several thousand pounds. Even though the sticker shock of a stunning leather sofa may make your head swim, remember that the leather is going to improve with age whereas most fabric is slowly going to lose its appeal. Some sofas will have removable covers for some, if not all, of the cushions. This is a good thing for keeping them clean and fresh, or even changing the covers for a brand new look. It can be difficult to clean fabric sofas whereas a leather sofa is much easier to clean. Something to think about.

Finally, space management; you want your home to be functional and easy to get around in, so you would not want to put a huge sofa in a small room. You need to allow room around the sofa for circulation. There is also the issue of access, can your new sofa even make it through your door? You will need to take good measurements of the smallest opening in the smallest path to the room you are moving this new sofa into. Many sofas have detachable arms and backs to aid in this process. Remember that the sofa will look much smaller in the huge store than it will in your home.

Enjoy your shopping experience, you are going to spend your hard earned money on a new sofa and the store is going to be very happy for it. Also don't forget that you might want to accessorize your sofa with great accent pieces. Chesterfield stools tend to look very nice when paired with a chesterfield style sofa. So take your time, try out lots of styles, snuggle down into the ones you like and give them a good test. You are going to have it for a long time so be wise and take a fair amount of time making your decision.

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