Today, I’d like to give you my best tips to choose your future sofa in size, color, style, etc.

It’s essential to spend some time on this question, as it will help you enjoy not only your home decor but also the comfort of your living room after a long day.
Personally, my couch is my tiny home inside my actual one. I spend a lot of time on it, working on my computer or my tablet, reading interior design magazines to get inspired, watching Netflix, having a snack, or resting at the end of the day.

That’s why it’s so crucial for me to find the right sofa, the one that will be both pretty and comfortable. And the one that will fit perfectly in my living room, being a focal point of the space, and nicely blending in my apartment decor.

Do I need to change my sofa?

Before starting to think about the way to choose your new sofa, the obvious first step is ‘do I need a new one?’
The answer is YES!
If you are asking yourself this question, it’s because it needs to be changed!

The sofa is the chore of your living room, one of the rooms where you spend most of your time. If you are willing to create a beautiful design in this space, you need to have a sofa that fits this project. And keeping an old sofa just because it is already here will prevent you from achieving this gorgeous living room decor.
Of course, if your sofa is pretty, if you like it, and if it’s comfortable, it can perfectly fit in your new design.
But you should ask yourself the question.

Because no matter how hard you will work around it to create a stunning design, you won’t achieve this effect with an old sofa in the middle.

Of course, there are options where you can keep your old sofa, like changing its cover. But again, be very careful with it.
You don’t want to spend energy, time, and money on redesigning the whole space to finally find you are still unsatisfied due to this tired couch.

Our goal: a comfortable & beautiful sofa

A quick reminder here, your couch needs to be both comfortable and pretty. Of course, if it is cozy but ugly, you’ll need to change it to fit your home design.
But don’t make the opposite mistake by buying a sofa only because it looks lovely. You will spend hours and hours on it, so it is crucial that you feel great when you lie down on it.

Let’s say that you decided to change this old and tired sofa for a gorgeous, clean and modern one. What happens next?
How to choose the perfect sofa? There are so many options out there, so many different prices, sizes, colors, styles, etc.
How to be sure not to make a mistake before committing?

I gathered all my best tips in this long but essential article to help you find the perfect sofa.

The budget

Your couch is the most crucial element of one of the most important rooms of your home.
If you can, you should invest in your sofa. There are other elements where you can easily save money (side tables or rugs, for instance), but the couch isn’t one of them.
A little tip for you: consider waiting a bit to buy your sofa if you have a limited budget. Hurrying to buy a cheap one may be pricier than you think, as you may be disappointed by the result and will need to purchase a new one a few months later.
But don’t worry, now we are lucky to have A LOT of affordable options that are both comfortable and pretty. Isn’t it great?
My fave is the Soderhamn from Ikea, starting at 600$, with many shapes and colors.
But this is not the only option. Consider checking Wayfair, for instance; you should find a lot of beautiful sofas around 600-700$.

The size

Adapt the size of your sofa to your room.

Okay, that sounds super basic, but this is the number one rule!
If you have a small living room, don’t choose a massive sectional. Space will feel cramped, and you won’t be able to relax at the end of a long day, whereas this is the main objective of your living room!
And if you have ample space, don’t choose a sofa too small. The room will feel awkward and empty, and you don’t want that either!

The 2/3 – 1/3 rule

To choose a sofa with the perfect size for the room, you can use the 2/3-1/3 rule.
This rule is super helpful in home decoration, especially when working on the layout of a room.
When you plan the decoration of your room, keep in mind that furniture and accessories should occupy 2/3 of the space, and 1/3 of the room should be negative space (= empty).
But be careful, these 2/3 of the space will be filled by the sofa, the coffee tables, the TV unit, the rug… So please don’t choose a couch that already occupies 2/3 of the room, or it would be too much!
Keeping in mind the list of items you will install in your room should help you evaluate this and choose the perfect sofa.

But don’t put too much pressure on yourself! You’ll often be able to feel the proportion of your room by yourself, and therefore choose the best size for the sofa.

Another great way to choose the size of your sofa is by taping its shape on the floor. This technique will let you feel the space around it. Is it enough? Can you circulate freely around it?
Does the sofa feel huge in your space? Or, on the contrary, way too small.
This way, you’d be sure that your future sofa will fit perfectly in your room before ordering it.

The style

Choosing the style of your sofa can be tricky. There as so many options!
When in doubt, I’d always advise going for something neutral and timeless.
You will purchase a sofa for years, so you don’t want it to bore you after only a few months.
Choose clean and simple lines. You don’t want to choose something too heavy or too complicated. You also should avoid selecting a patterned couch if you’re going to keep it for years.
The fabric is also essential. Don’t select a cheap one that won’t last time and prevent you from achieving the beautiful design you are dreaming of.

But if you have a significant budget and can afford to change your sofa every year, or if you have a straightforward style that you have been following for years, you could play with different styles of couches.
I’d still advise sticking with the clean lines and the quality fabric. These rules apply to every sofa (and nearly every furniture or accessory, actually).

The color

The primary rule here is that your sofa should blend in with the color scheme of your room. I’ll detail the different color schemes and how to choose the one in a future article.
But if you have a lovely monochromatic scheme, stick to a neutral color. And if you chose a bold complimentary scheme of blue and yellow, don’t choose a red sofa!
As for the style, in case of doubt, go neutral!

You can accessorize it and bring color with pillows and throws. Therefore, when you are tired of your current vibe, you will change it by updating some accessories and not your sofa.
You will never be wrong with a grey, cream, or white sofa. Even some light shades of blue, blush, or green can remain neutral if it fits the atmosphere of your space.
But, don’t be afraid to go for colors if you like them, and if it goes well with space! A colorful sofa can create a lovely focal point in the room.
And you can always change its color later by buying new covers later if you want.

These are my best tips to help you choose the best sofa for your home.
I hope you find them helpful.
If you have any other tips and tricks, or ideas, please comment on this post.
And send me pictures of the new sofa you chose thanks to this article!

If you want me to help you design your home, check my services here!