When choosing a sofa, ‘stick with what you love’
Because it is so big, and so frequently used, a sofa is not the place to experiment with trendy designs, Stanley said: “Stick with what you love, and know that you will still love it in five to 10 years.”
For different people, that means different things.
“A single guy might want to have the deepest, comfiest sofa,” Stanley said, “so all his friends can huddle together and watch football.”
But what if you have children? “A family of four might want it to be classic,” she said, “but not so precious that they have to worry when their kid smears chicken salad on it.”
How long should a sofa be? Somewhere between 7 and 9 feet is usually ideal for seating three or four people, Stanley said, although she sometimes goes longer with curved sofas.
Should it be on legs or not? It depends on the room, Stanley said, but “I love legs, so it doesn’t look as much like one big piece.”
Which upholstery is best if you have children? Stanley sometimes uses outdoor-grade fabric from companies like Perennials and Sunbrella on indoor sofas. “My clients can’t even tell the difference,” she said. And when spills happen, “they can just wipe it down.”
Button-tufted sofa with whitewashed acacia wood frame by Jannis Ellenberger. $1,999 at CB2: 800606-6252 or cb2.com.
Deep and cushy sofa with 16-inch seat height. From $2,295 at Hay: 833-849-3025 or us.hay.com.
Classic sofa with turned-wood legs by
Maxwell Ryan. From $1,795 at Interior Define: 872-8024119 or interiordefine.com.
Compact, flat-pack sofa. $699 at West Elm: 888-922-4119 or westelm.com.