Buying a sofa can seem like an easy enough process, and it is, if you know what to look out for. It is a long-term investment, which is why sofas are expected fulfil a multitude of functions. A sofa should provide positive emotions; it is a lifestyle item, a decorative element, used equally for comfort, health, and relaxation, a place for bonding with your family and for surprising guests. Here are a few tips to consider to ensure that your sofa does all of this.
What kind of sofa do you need? This is probably the most important question. People’s lifestyles are different, and so are their needs. Do you see the sofa primarily as a decorative item, do you entertain guests often, will you be using it to spend time with your family in the evenings? How many guests, how big is your family? All of this determines how big the sofa should be, its shape and structure, the cover fabric – more on this below.
Comfort is probably the one criterion everyone can feel for themselves. The sofa should be comfortable to sit on, and when unfolded into a bed, it should also be comfortable to sleep on. The only way to make sure of it is to come to our showroom and try the sofa out yourself.
A sofa’s cushions are very important for comfort. A combination of polyurethane foam and feathers is generally considered the best filler – the feathers make the cushions comfortable to sit on and the foam ensures a beautiful appearance and structural integrity. Bellfire has employed this technology in a number of its sofa models, including the Plaza, the Mocca, and the Slim Line. Comfort has always been important to us when it comes to sofas.
When deciding on the size of your new sofa, you will also need to consider the dimensions of the room. Will the sofa actually fit in your living room? Is there enough space to open the sofa up or access the windows? Bellfire offers sofas of many different sizes, and often our sofas also come in smaller sizes or corner versions. We have tried to be as flexible as possible in regard to different room layouts. And if the doors of your apartment happen to be very narrow, you might want to consider getting a modular sofa that can be assembled on the spot.
The style of the sofa should generally match the rest of the interior as well as your lifestyle. Here, too, Bellfire has some excellent offers available, from modern sofas designed for a fast-paced lifestyle to vintage sofas that are perfect for the more nostalgically minded or those who wish to turn their living room into a peaceful and meditative island of rest separated from the turbulent world.
Storage is invaluable in smaller living rooms, although experience shows that there is no such thing as too much storage space even in larger homes. Sofas with storage make smart use of space that would otherwise go to waste, allowing you to minimise clutter in your home.
The fabric of your sofa should match the overall colour scheme, carpets, curtains, and other textiles in your home. Or, alternatively, it can be a standout piece of furniture that serves as the centrepiece of the living room. However, the quality and durability of the cover fabric should always be a consideration – a worn sofa will certainly stand out, but probably not in the way you want it to. If you have small children or pets in the house, there is a good chance that your sofa will get dirty. In that case, it might be better to choose a removable cover fabric that is easy to wash. Bellfire offers a number of such sofas too.
The material of the cover fabric is also worth considering. Textile fabrics are generally more pleasant to the touch, but harder to clean. Meanwhile, leather sofas are easier to clean, but not as comfortable, especially imitation leather.
Sturdy construction. In the past, it was said that the heavier the furniture, the better and more durable it is. This used to be the case, but nowadays modern materials and smart technical solutions are helping to reduce the weight of sofas without sacrificing structural integrity. We use high-quality birch plywood and pine wood. The result is a sound and sturdy sofa that you never have to worry will buckle under your weight.
The armrests of a sofa are rarely given much thought, although they can completely change the look and feel of the sofa. Wide and rectangular armrests are comfortable to rest your arms on, and can also be used to hold magazines, a laptop, or a cup of coffee. They are almost like a little extra table in your living room. Meanwhile, narrow or curved armrests can add a dash of elegance to the sofa and make an otherwise rough-looking design visually softer and lighter.
