When shopping for a sofa, it can be easy to focus on design without considering comfort. It's helpful to imagine how you want to use your new furniture—and if your vision includes long, cozy lounge sessions, movie night hosting, or collapsing into a good midday snooze, there are a few things to consider.
Finding the right seat depth starts with thinking about how you like to sit. Do you mostly sit with your feet on the floor, or do you like to tuck your legs in?
If you like to sit upright, you'll likely respond well to a seat depth that supports your thighs, keeps your knees bent at a 90-degree angle, and allows your feet to comfortably touch the floor. For a person between 5'4 and 5'10, a seat depth of 21" to 22" will allow plenty of clearance between the legs and the front edge of the seat. For a taller person, a seat depth of 23" to 25" is a good option, and for a smaller person, a seat depth of about 20" could work well.
If you like to curl up rather than sit straight, you'll benefit from some extra room—a deep sofa would be a great choice here. You can start by adding a few inches to the standard measurements listed above; if you plan to add a lot of accent pillows, you can go a little deeper and factor that extra support in. Depending on what you're looking for, you might also consider opting for a sectional over a sofa to give yourself more space.
When purchasing a sofa, you might not put a lot of stock into what it is made of, especially if you’re just looking for something that will look appealing in your home. But if you want a quality couch that will last, you’ll want to find the best sofa fabric that suits your lifestyle.
Cotton: Probably the most popular option when considering different couch fabric types. Cotton is natural, durable, and can be easily dyed. In addition, it is breathable and soft, and it easily resists pilling and abrasion.
Linen: This couch material is smooth, soft, and comfortable. It’s one of the strongest fabrics because it’s often mixed with synthetic materials to improve the quality. Linen is also eco-friendly.
Silk: Long-lasting and luxurious. Silk is a more expensive sofa fabric option and comes in many different colors and patterns.
Wool: Wool is a natural fiber that is more expensive and highly durable, warm, and soft. There is a wide variety of wool options for couch material, and it’s environmentally friendly.
A soft sofa initially may be the obvious choice, but too comfortable a sofa may actually be ruining your back. Physiotherapists have warned against soft sofas with deep cushions as 20% of customers who have purchased soft sofas have complained of lower backache and shoulder strain. Soft sofas actually encourage people to slouch rather than facilitate good postural habits. “Soft upholstery may not give the spine and neck the support that is required,” notes Richard Evans, physiotherapist of the Back and Body Clinic, “by sitting for too long, especially in a poor postural or slumped position you can add a tremendous amount of pressure to your back, overstretch the spinal ligaments and increase the pressure on your intervertebral discs. This in turn can lead to on-going aches and pains.”
