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What you should know before buying a sofa

Choose upholstered furniture to match the size of the room
Photo: Living idea
content
  1. construction
  2. buying Tips
  3. Fabric, leather, velor?
  4. Extendable, hinged, transformable?
  5. Matching feet

Ratgeber seating furniture

How big should it be? Do we need a guest bed? And how do I recognize quality? When you buy a sofa you come to brooding, because after all, upholstered furniture is an investment. Our tips and information will make your decision easier.

How big should my new couch be? An XXL seating landscape may look great in a furniture store, but in a small apartment it is often overwhelming. So choose upholstered furniture to match the size of the room : Is there enough room to move when the couch is standing? Helpful are photos and sketches with dimensions, if you get advice from a specialist in the trade.

Also height and age should be included in the purchase decision. Large people usually want to take up more space and need more seat depth. Even older people prefer higher models, because they are easier to get out of the cushions: For them, a seat height of 48 centimeters is recommended. Ask the seller for your ideal measurements. For comfortable sofas seat heights of 43 to 45 centimeters and seat depths of about 55 to 62 centimeters are possible.

Better to choose single sofa or Anreihmodell? This is a matter of taste, but above all a matter of life circumstances. If you later want to start a family or plan to buy a house, it is advisable to have a start-up model. At some point you can supplement this with lounge elements to create a large seating area. Provided there is a post-purchase guarantee. Therefore ask how long the upholstered furniture program will be available for sure.

Why are some sofas just so incredibly expensive? Do not be fooled: it is not always the case that all low-cost sofas are not worth anything and expensive ones last forever! Which is true, however: the processing determines the price. Upholstery construction and upholstery make up the quality of a sofa.

construction

Recommended are technically elaborate and particularly high-quality sandwich construction methods. The basis is a frame plus stable so-called Nosag spring suspension (wave springs). This is usually followed by a foam core, upholstery wadding or light foam, at the top a tension material (eg a polyester fleece) and finally the actual cover.

Some companies prefer a completely different, faster production method. In a sofa or chair shape made of metal to pour integral foam - finished is the seating.

buying Tips

In general: ask for a guarantee. There are foams that are still dimensionally stable even after ten years. Are there children or teenagers in the house who like to jump around on the cushions? Then a stable spring suspension pays off. If you want a new model every few years, a simple sofa is not a bad choice. Such a model can also have a long service life if its seating surfaces are rather quiet. Make a note of what you expect from your sofa and go with the list to a retailer. If he knows your wishes, he can advise you well. Before buying, you should definitely sample!

Fabric, leather, velor?

With the cover the effect of a sofa stands and falls! When choosing, you should consider your habits and family relationships. Ideal for children: leather, velor and microfibre fabrics made of an insensitive synthetic material, because they do not bend stains so easily. On the other hand, jacquards are highly sensitive: the intricately woven patterns are sensitive even to coarse denim seams - threading is the result.

Virgin wool is naturally dirt-repellent, dimensionally stable and hardly inflammable. It can absorb moisture well without feeling clammy - but the material is expensive.

The linen made of flax fibers is also a valuable natural product: it is breathable, cools in summer and warms in winter. Disadvantage: crease-prone, tends to pilling (pilling) and difficult to clean. Half linen is therefore better for sofa and armchair.

A popular upholstery fabric is also cotton : it has many facets - can appear silky shiny, delicate, casual or robust. Tear-resistant and abrasion resistant, too. As a sofa cover it is usually processed with other tissues, eg. B. with the easy-care chemical fiber viscose.

Extendable, hinged, transformable?

For most upholstered furniture, each additional function costs extra. Therefore, consider whether the multifunction pays off: Is the sofa used as a bed every day due to lack of space? Do you need storage space under the couch, for example for guest bed linen? How do you usually sit on the sofa? If you like to stretch out a long, stretchable seat makes perfect sense - or even a separate stool for the feet. Do you need a clip-on neck roll, should the armrests be fold-down, is a magazine compartment or an integrated tray in the back convenient for you? Test the adjustment techniques in the furniture shop: Are they easy to handle? Can you handle it easily?

Matching feet

With almost every sofa, you have the choice between several feet and sockets. See which version best suits your desired sofa and furnishings. Because even dark wooden feet or metal feet change the look.

A sofa bed depends not only on the taste, but always on the personal purchase attitude and life situation. Claims change over the years: What is enough for a young person does not necessarily correspond to the idea of ​​a mature one. So, are you more of a consistent guy who wants a sofa to last 20 years - and usually costs more? Or are you a person who loves change even in seating? Then maybe a cheaper model that only stays well in shape for two or three years will be enough.

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