The sofa and recliner are the centre pieces of the living room. It’s the most important part of the living room, where all the family and guests gather. It is where people lounge, read, eat, entertain, watch TV, and even take a quick nap. Choosing the right sofa or recliners for your living room is important. It is more than just picking your favourite colour sofa and recliner and packing them home! You need to look into the quality of the material, the guarantee of the seller, etc. Sofa and recliner sets are large pieces of furniture you will want to use for years; hence, you must buy quality stuff.
A sense of scale, the space’s shape, traffic flow, the furniture’s intended use, etc., are the features you need to keep in mind before fixing a sofa and recliner. Let’s have a brief look at each point and its importance.
Read your Space
Buying a large 3-seater sofa set might be comfortable, but if your space is limited, the sofa will end up taking up the whole living room space leaving no space for other furniture. Similarly, your space may be shaped in such a way that you may be required to opt for an L Shape Sofa set to make optimum use of the space. This might seem too obvious, but many people choose a sofa that is too big or too small for their space. Make sure no in-built arrangements in your space, like windows, fireplaces, cupboards, etc., are blocked out by your sofa.
Use the Two-thirds Rule
A sofa that’s full length of the wall can look overbearing. One approach to avoid this is to use the two-thirds rule, where your sofa is about two-thirds of the wall. This will ensure the whole room does not look overpowered by the size of the sofa set. To get this right, measure the wall and keep it in mind while looking for a sofa set and recliner.
Depth of the Sofa
Another point to keep in mind is the depth of the sofa. Standard sofa depth (from the very front to the very back) is 35″, but most are 32″ -40″ in depth. Sometimes sizing down a sofa might not prove any merit because the depth remains the same. So if you are looking for different depths, consider a different shape that makes the seating more upright and traditional as opposed to the slouchy touch.
Pay Attention to the Sofa’s Armrest
The armrest is an important part of a sofa set. The too-bulky armrest can obscure the flow of the room. Pay attention to how the armrest affects the sightlines through the room. They shouldn’t block the window’s view or another room’s feature.
Choosing the Colour
The colour of the sofa and recliner you choose will affect how commanding it appears in the room. Sometimes the colour can make the sofa look bigger than it is and vice versa. So pay attention to the colour scheme of your room, the natural light your room gets, etc., before deciding on what colour hue to go with for the sofa.
Shape & Style of your Sofa
There are a variety of sofa styles that comes in different sizes. All living rooms are not created equal. Open floor plans have huge expanses to fill; renovated loft might have exposed pipes and pillars getting in the way of the furniture, while an apartment might be a simple square area or a long narrow room to work with. Finding the right shape of sofa and recliner is as essential as finding the right size. According to your interior design, you may choose between a leatherette sofa, ottoman, sofa cum bed, etc. A sectional sofa is great for open floor plans because it gives shape and separation to the space. A strategically placed sofa can help divide a living room into sections by creating a dining area. All this depends on the space, idea, and imagination of the person.
Traffic Flow
What most people overlook is the people who move around in their space while buying a sofa and recliner. The furniture in your space shouldn’t make movements restricted. There should be a free energy flow in and out of the living room. Hence, the sofa and recliner you place shouldn’t restrict the movement of people living and visiting your home. It should be placed strategically in a way that allows the free flow of energy.
Intended Use
You need to be straightforward and realistic while buying a sofa and recliner about its use. In the age of consumerism, you need to be vigilant that you are not simply splurging on a sofa set just for show. You may intend to buy a sofa to have a place to read and entertain your friends, while in reality, you may spend the whole day curled up here watching movies with your family. If you are not a person who entertains a lot of guests, let go of the entertaining friends’ notion and stick to a set that is enough for your family.
You should also consider how you like to sit on the couch. Are you a lounger,, or do you sit upright? This can determine the type of fabric and depth of sofa cushion cloth you want.
You may opt for a sofa cum bed option if you constantly have people staying over. Ottomans make a great multipurpose sofa cum storage unit. Explore the uses and purposes of each style of sofa and recliner set before making your final decision.
The lighting fixtures and coffee table in the living room give a visual treat, but it’s the couch that anchors the room. Further, it’s a meaningful spot because it is where family and friends gather to have a good time. Those looking to buy a new couch might have a lot of questions and doubts because it’s a significant piece of furniture with a higher price tag. By paying a little attention to the points mentioned above, you can ensure you find the right sofa and recliner that suits your living room the best.
