In most cases, a sofa is a central piece around which the entire living room seems designed and decorated. Besides, this is where people spend most of their time when they are in the room. It shouldn’t surprise us, therefore, that so much attention is paid to this particular piece of furniture. As a matter of fact, by far the largest part of any shop is given to sofas. Another reason so much time is spent on deciding which sofa to buy is the incredible variety of its styles and shapes available.
It is the sectional sofa, however, that seems to become increasingly more popular in our days. In this article, we would like to share some ideas on choosing an appropriate sectional sofa for the overall style of the room, and mention some of the most important factors to keep in mind when choosing a sofa of the right size and shape for the total space of the room.
What is a sectional sofa
There are many types of sofas that differ from each other in terms of their styles, materials, and construction. The sectional sofa is unique in that it may be dismantled since it is actually made of several parts, or sections, that can be put together in different ways, which could partly explain its great popularity.
The pros and cons of sectional sofas
There is no doubt that the peculiar engineering design of a modern sectional sofa gives it several advantages over other types. Let’s have a brief look at two most immediate ones.
- It is multifunctional
By rearranging the pieces, you can change its shape and adjust it to the overall layout of the living room. And even though it won’t change the design or the decor of the room, it does give you some extra options, as compared with the regular couch.
- It is economical
You can disconnect the pieces and use them separately, so there is no need to buy additional furniture, and you can make sure everybody has a place to seat comfortably, keeping enough room to move around freely. Besides, it is a lot easier and cheaper to take care of when it needs some dry-cleaning or repair work, and should one piece get damaged beyound repair, you can simply replace it instead buying a new couch.
Nevertheless, a sectional sofa has its drawbacks too. It is usually quite large and may easily become a dominant instead of a central piece of the interior design. Besides, it is usually quite heavy, and moving the pieces around may become a convenient option in theory.
Important factors to consider
Still, it is the overall design and style of the living room that the couch should harmoniously blend with. When shopping for a sofa, therefore, you should keep in mind the spatial structure and the pattern of colours in the room, and even some individual pieces of furniture around it, like coffee tables, for example. You don’t really want to completely refurnish the house just for the sofa, and you can’t actually rebuild it anyway. And precisely which factors you have to keep in mind will depend on how you intend to use the room as well.
The spatial structure of the room
Considering the sizes of sectional sofas, it is very important make proper measurements of the room, including its height, before going to furniture shops. But the room’s size is not the only factor to consider. You should also think of the other items in the room, like the TV, tables, and armchairs.
The overall colour pattern
The perception of size is also affected by the colour of the sofa. Light colours, for example, make it look larger than it is. If the colours in your living room are mainly dark, a beige couch will make it impossible to see anything else. On the other hand, a darker tincture of even a light colour will help the sofa fit in tastefully, even if the room is not very big.
The shape of the sofa
Sectional sofas come in different shapes, and your ultimate choice will depend on the geometry and the decor of the room.
- L-shaped sofas may look great in the center, but you may also place it in the corner to free some space and make the room look mare spacious.
- U-shaped sofas, on the other hand, won’t look good near the walls, and they do look quite large. This shape is ideal if your living room is big enough to accommodate a massive sofa in its center, and especially if you often invite a lot of people to your house.
- A modular sofa is the most versatile of all types of sectional sofas. It generally consists of five pieces, which makes it possible for you to transform it into whatever shape seems most appropriate.
The sofa’s material
Finally, we should stress that the visual appearance is not the only thing that matters. After all, we buy furniture to use it, not to look at it only. The choice of fabric a sofa is made of becomes an equally important question: depending on your lifestyle, a couch made of the wrong material might not last long. Kids, pets, and what the sofa will most often be used for, should determine the choice of materials. And if housework is not something you intend to do very often, buying a stain-resistant sofa that will also be easy to clean may be a good idea.
Summary
Considering the overwhelming significance of a sofa in the interior design and the lifestyle of the house, it is crucial that you make the right choice. Fortunately, most shops offer you enough to choose from, and sectional sofas are excellent for their versatility. If you make all the necessary measurements and come to a furniture store with a clear vision of your room in mind, you will most certainly be able to find an ideal sectional sofa for your house.
