The living room is the centre of every home and for a good reason. It’s where you unwind after a long day by watching TV or reading a book and where you can host occasional wine night get-together with friends. Hence, you obviously want to make sure it’s comfortable and appealing.

And while many people concentrate on the décor, be it by adding contemporary curtains or decorative plants and planters, in the end, comfort is what really matters. That being said, let’s talk about everyone’s favourite piece of furniture when comfort’s concerned, her majesty, the sofa.

When looking for a sofa, it’s best to invest in a quality one. After all, it’s one of the most expensive purchases for your living room and you want it to be able to last, both in looks and functionality. To adequately judge the quality of a sofa, there are some key elements to consider when you start your shopping journey.

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Frame & Support

To buy a sofa that will last for years to come, the fundamental thing to check is the frame. Pieces that are built to be durable will have a hard frame. Within the frame, kiln-dried wood is held together with screws to achieve a secure structure, rather than just being glued or stapled together.

The sitting support works together with the frame and the filling to provide a comfortable experience. When it comes to support, springs are the recommended choice as well as pocket coils, sinuous springs and web suspension.

Filling

As sofas are used every day and by many family members – the filling needs to be of good quality. Be it a black, white or a grey modern sofa from a designer furniture store, comfort is a key. Usually, the best filling option is polyurethane foam, preferably one with higher density. High-density polyurethane foam is known to mould around the body of the person sitting on the sofa while still providing support, thus creating a truly relaxing experience. On the other hand, foam with lower density will break down faster and cause sagging.

Another great option is down feathers. Feathers completely change how the sofa looks and feels – they deliver the best from both worlds. Many also go for a combination – weathers for back cushions and foam for sitting cushions. The feathers in back cushions will deliver much-needed cosiness while the foam offers great sitting support. Hardly anything else can beat this combination of luxurious comfort.

Design Decisions

Sofas usually come with attached or unattached cushions. A sofa which has cushions attached has a so-called tight back design. Every attached pillow is bound to the sofa frame which gives a more formal look. A great advantage of this model is that grime and dust will settle less because there is no excess space between the cushions. Back support is firmer and fixed in one place ensuring that you feel comfortable.

A huge disadvantage of this model is that cleaning will be a hassle. You can’t remove the covers and toss them in the washing machine. So, after a while, you might have to change the whole fabric.

On another hand, most of the high-end brands today sell unattached sofa cushions because of the multiple advantages. This sofa design is called a loose back. Loose back sofas have removable cushion covers and often also have sitting pad covers, which allow you to easily clean your sofa and keep it fresh like new for years to come. You can either clean it at home, or dry clean it – if the label says so, and do it as often as recommended.

• There are other few advantages of loose back sofas:
  Back pillows can be removed to provide extra space when you have guests. Place them on the floor and they will serve as seats themselves.
• Cushions can be fluffed up to achieve additional height;
• Removable cushions can be turned over to hide any stains;
• When the cushions are removed, the sofa can serve as a guest bed;
  If you want, after some time you can change cushions and get a completely new sofa look.

The only downside of loose sofa design might be the perfect hiding spot for your kids’ snacks or toys. Therefore you need to check your sofa regularly. If you have loose cushions, there are chances that over time stitches may start to tear off, but again it depends on the overall sofa’s quality.

Material

What material should your new sofa be made of? Leather is a very durable choice, but there are other high-quality options are as well. If you don’t like the sweaty feel leather often creates, opt for fabric upholstering. Fabrics with woven patterns will last longer than printed. Also, higher thread counts with tight weaves are of a higher quality. If your home is pet-friendly, maybe you would like to choose microfiber – as that fabric is stain-resistant and lasts a long time.

Colour

After you’ve considered materials, you’ll definitely look for the right colour. Can’t decide? Go for a neutral option such as a designer grey sofa. This is often the right fit as it can blend in with any decorative theme. Grey goes well with darker tones as well as with colourful splashes of orange and green. When you include a grey modern sofa, you have a variety of rug options to choose from.