How to choose a sofa: top tips for buying a new sofa — the new hub of the home
Four things have changed sofas since homewares brand Loaf was set up in 2008, says founder Charlie Marshall: "The iPhone/iPad, Netflix, Deliveroo and Covid." So now people work, relax, watch TV and eat, all seated on the sofa while confined to home.
"They lie back to send an email, hug a cushion through a thriller and curl up to down a pasta," adds Marshall. "People want a deeper, slouchier sit. And they want to enjoy their homes — that's the bigger picture."
With stores in Battersea, Notting Hill and Spitalfields, Loaf has sofas from around £1,200. Watch out for the new "smart" fabrics, including velvets and cottons, that repel stains (loaf.com).
The rule of six
1. Expertise: book an initial video consultation, if available
2. Test drive: try before you buy.
3. Measure: cut the "footprint" of your sofa from newspaper. Place on floor. Check space around it for room to move — and to extend, in the case of sofa beds or recliners.
4. Access: check your doorways, passages and stairs to be sure you can get your sofa home. If it's a tight fit, get one with removable arms or a "partial assembly" type.
5. Samples: see fabrics in different lights. Check stain resistance.
6. Basics: check delivery times, guarantees, fabric rub tests.
"Yes, the sofa's the hub," confirms Clair Wilks, designer at sofa.com. "You'll be shopping for downtime lounging, binge watching, emails, nightcaps, naps and even the odd conference call." Sales of sofa beds at sofa.com are up by 50 per cent, "for that office-cum-den-cumspare bedroom".
According to Mark Reynolds, sofa buyer at Furniture Village: "Comfort and style will always come first." Sofas from the company, with stores in Friern Barnet, Enfield, Croydon and New Malden, come with a 20-year structural guarantee.
Get creative with small spaces
"Get a compact sofa to comfy-up your flat or studio. Or tailor a modular design to fit in a large room," advises Reynolds. Synthetic velvets are surprisingly practical (furniturevillage.co.uk).
Claire Hornby of family-run Barker & Stonehouse (barkerandstonehouse.co.uk) with a branch in Battersea, says: "Zone spaces with corner designs — and sectional designs are very flexible."
Go for quality, says Kris Manalo, senior sofa buyer at Heal's (heals.com). "Spend a little more initially. It pays off in the long run. You'll get a more robust structure and higher-quality materials." Check out bargains at the Chiswick outlet store.
Sofa shapes: comfort and cool
Many sofas have "put on weight" this season. Tom Dixon's new range is called Fat (tomdixon.net); Habitat has plump Layla, in fabrics that sponge clean with water (habitat.co.uk). Ligne Roset's classic all-foam portable Togo is an Instagram hit, with sales up nearly 80 per cent year on year.
Olivier Roset explains: "It's comfortable, cocooning and very, very cool." (ligne-roset-westend.co.uk).
In a Which? sofa survey last year, Ikea topped the bill for customer satisfaction followed closely by John Lewis.
Also highly rated were Barker & Stonehouse, sofa.com and Marks & Spencer. Find leading brands on one website at ufurnish.com with lots of filters for comparisons.
