Whether you go with stylish modular sofas or just something small and simple, there are a variety of factors that go into your choice of couch. Choosing the right sofa set-up for your home is one of the biggest design choices we make.

The couch is without a doubt one of the most important pieces of furniture that we ever buy and for obvious reasons you’ll want to make the right choice. On average, people use the same sofa in their house for around 7 years so you not only want your couch to be comfortable, but long lasting as well.

Let’s take a look at some of the considerations you need to make when selecting the right sofa for your living room.

Size matters

Not to contradict a certain Jedi master, but size does matter in some cases. In particular, size matters when deciding on the couch you want to buy for your living room.

One of the most common mistakes that people make is that they buy a couch that is either too big or too small for the space they want it in. Even if it does technically fit, it might not be convenient if you have to squeeze past or around it.

Modular sofas are particularly useful in these cases as they can be changed to adapt to different surroundings, giving you far more choice than a static couch. Even so, consideration needs to be made beforehand using measurements of the room.

What is its function?

Before you say “to sit on”, consider the question more carefully. Do you have at least a broad idea of how the couch is going to be used on a daily or occasional basis?

If you normally have a lot of friends over each weekend or just have a large family, then you’ll want a larger couch with more seating space. Modular sofas are great in these situations as they can provide increased seating while fitting into small spaces.

Modular sofas also allow you to get creative with their layout to suit different uses. For example, the setup you use for a sports viewing party might be different to one used for board games and heavy conversation.

Making considerations based on the common and uncommon uses of the sofa will give you a clearer picture on what set to choose.

Leather vs fabric

A crisp white modular sofa might look amazing in the catalogue, but is it really a great choice if you have small children? A leather modular sofa might be a better option if you want a light colour that won’t stain as easily.

While leather is easier to clean, fabric can be far more comfortable depending on your tastes. It’s important to find out whether the couch has removable covers that you can wash regularly as well as knowing if the supports are made from metal or timber.

Colour and style

Since this factor is more about subjective appeal than practicality, you can go wild here. You may want to pick a modular sofa that has a style and colour that matches the existing aesthetics of the space.

Light colours go with other light colours, dark goes with dark. Try and create an even balance of shades so that the room doesn’t look too much one colour.

Apart from the television or other focal point, the couch is the main thing people see when they walk into the room. If you’re looking to impress, perhaps go with a bold colour that sticks out of the surrounding space without feeling miss-matched.