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Choosing the Right Sofa for your Room
I work as a blogger for businesses although I do a variety of different types of writing. I particularly enjoy writing about all aspects of design and creativity. I think that your home should reflect your personality and that it should change as you change. More about me at www.kathrynvercillo.com and http://diaryofasmartchick.com.
I work as a blogger for businesses although I do a variety of different... More »
I have had the same sofa in my home for the entire time that I have rented this apartment. I didn't ever like this sofa. I got it because a friend was getting rid of it at the same time that I was moving in to my place. It was free and convenient so I took it. I've finally gotten to the point where I don't want to own things that I don't truly love so it's time for the sofa to go. However, I'm having a tough time trying to decide what should go in its place.
I'm definitely going to get another full-size sofa. I like to lounge around on the couch so it has to be something that is comfortable. However, I also want to choose a sofa that compliments my existing decor. And I'd love a sofa that really makes a statement.
What I've found when looking at sofas is that there are five main things to consider. First is size. Second is color. Third is shape. Fourth is material. Fifth is placement. If you get a great sofa that is the right size, color, shape and texture then you're going to love it but it has to be placed correctly in the room for you to really pull it all together.
I'm definitely going to get another full-size sofa. I like to lounge around on the couch so it has to be something that is comfortable. However, I also want to choose a sofa that compliments my existing decor. And I'd love a sofa that really makes a statement.
What I've found when looking at sofas is that there are five main things to consider. First is size. Second is color. Third is shape. Fourth is material. Fifth is placement. If you get a great sofa that is the right size, color, shape and texture then you're going to love it but it has to be placed correctly in the room for you to really pull it all together.
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One option is to go with a boldly-colored sofa that specifically compliments the rest of the room's decor. Here we have a gorgeous pink sofa that exactly matches the pink paint on the walls. I love this option but I think it's a little bit too bold for my apartment.
by schristen.com
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I do think that it's possible to choose a bold sofa that isn't totally overwhelming, though. I love the great solid colors seen here. These are really stand-out sofas that still offer a lot of options for decorating around them.
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Some people like to choose a print sofa. I think that this only works when the rest of your room is neutral in color like we see here. My rooms are really colorful so I don't think that I can pull off a print.
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| I do think that I could probably make a print work on a small chair like is seen here. The sofa here is a simple grey that is beautiful but your eye is caught by the chair here instead. I think that's great when you've got such a big sofa. You need to draw the eye to other things in the room too! |
by flickr.com
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One way to make a sofa stand out without it being "too much" is to use pillows to add prints and colors to the sofa. If it gets to be too much, you can just take the pillows off or change them out.
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Color isn't the only thing to take into consideration with your sofa. You also want to think about shape. I love the slightly curved shape of this sofa. It's almost like a classic sofa but it has that slight twist to it that keeps things interesting.
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Here we see an even more unusual shape for a sofa. This one is large and really artsy in design. I would think that this would have to be the centerpiece of your room. I don't want that to be the case for me so I'm not going to choose a sofa like this but I can see rooms (like this one) where it would look great.
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There are smaller sofas with unique shapes as well. Sometimes you just need to change your expectations a little bit. Get a sofa with only one arm or with a taller back than normal.
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| In addition to color and shape, you also have to think about the material that your sofa is made of. Here we see a leather sofa which is a popular alternative to the fabric sofas that most people get. More adventurous people could choose from other modern materials as well. |
It's important to consider the placement of your sofa. Most sofas will be put into living rooms. However, there are some sofas that go well in bedrooms. This needs to be considered when choosing your design.
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There are even sofas that are designed to go outside. Here the most important thing to think about is the material of the sofa since it needs to be weather-proof but you don't want to neglect design in the meantime!
Ideabook updated on Sept. 6, 2009.
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