Choosing the right sofa: 5 practical and foolproof tips

How to choose a sofa: the tricks to know to find the perfect model

How annoying would it be to buy a sofa and then regret having made that choice? Even if you invest in a good sofa, there is no single model that suits everyone. Indeed, a sofa must fit harmoniously into the spaces and dimensions of your house (both in size and colour), be comfortable, be versatile enough to meet personal and family needs that can change over time and be easily washable and functional. In short, your choice of sofa is very personal and should be well thought through – especially considering that it is a long-term purchase that will have a major impact on the furnishings of your living area. This is why we have put together five tips to help you choose the best model for you!

If you would like to have an in-depth and detailed guide on how to choose a sofa, please check out our guide here:

• How to choose a sofa: the 2021 guide

Corner, linear or modular sofas? Choose the shape according to the size and space of your home

The first question that usually comes up when choosing a sofa relates to its composition. For example, is it better to have a corner, linear or modular sofa? There is no universal answer to this but we must always take into account the space and dimensions of the living room or room in which the sofa is to be placed. Generally speaking, corner sofas are an excellent choice in large houses with open spaces where they can be used to ideally define the space. In smaller rooms, where you do not want to insert other furnishing accessories, a corner sofa can become the star of the room or even create a cosy corner-sitting room.

Linear sofas, however, lend themselves well to almost any space – especially small rooms or those with a free wall to exploit. You must  pay attention to the number of seats in large rooms, making sure you choose wisely. A sofa that is too small runs the risk of not enhancing your living area and making your sofa secondary to other furnishings.

A suitable choice for all environments are modular sofas. If you regularly like to change furniture and the position of your furnishing accessories, this is the ideal solution as you can create a customised sofa that can be modified as needed. An example is the ‘Fox Trot’ model by Calia Italia, which is composed of linear and corner elements, a chaise-longe and a footstool that allow you to create the perfect composition for your desires and comfort experience.

What colour sofa? Choose according to your taste

Once you have thought about the composition and measurements, another aspect to consider is your choice of colour. The colour of your sofa has an impact on the style of the furnishings in your home, so it is essential to make a considered decision. The important thing  here is to be inspired by your own personal taste and the style of the environment you want to create. If you prefer contemporary, minimal and very airy living rooms, you should opt for a sofa in neutral or light colours.

On the other hand, if you want to give character to your furniture you can focus on bright colours and on creating a chromatic contrast with the rest of the furniture. You might even choose a multicoloured sofa, such as the modular ‘Hip Hop’ model by Calia Italia, which would make your sofa the absolute star of your home. A more classic alternative is the tone on tone approach.

Which sofa covering? The rules to follow

Another big question when choosing a sofa is which type of covering to choose. In this case, it is not only style that counts but also practicality of use. It is certainly the case that opting for a sofa with a removable cover, perhaps in a resistant, stain-resistant and easily machine-washable fabric such as microfibre, is a wise choice if you have (or plan to have) pets or small children – or if you have little time to dedicate to the daily cleaning of the sofa. Instead, a sofa with no removable cover will require a lot more careful and frequent cleaning to avoid the creation of difficult to remove marks and stains.

Leather sofas, such as the ‘Modern_o’ model by Calia Italia, are very well suited to contemporary furnishings which create warm colour contrasts. You should remember though that leather sofas are not ideal for those of you who have pets or small children because in order to remove scratches and stains, it is often necessary to request specialised assistance.

Even more care is required when choosing velvet sofas as they must be brushed frequently and are difficult to wash in the event of stains. The advice here is to only choose these if you are very tidy, live alone or at most in a couple.

How to choose a comfortable sofa: important features

We all want a comfortable sofa on which to relax and forget about all the stress we accumulate on a daily basis. To make sure you don’t get any nasty surprises, you’ll need to consider the number of seats and any technological extras.

If you have a large family, you should consider (house size permitting) buying a large sofa with several seats, so that all family members have their own space on the sofa. Otherwise, you risk fighting or being too cramped!

One excellent example to consider is the ‘Matheola’ model by Calia Italia. Thisimpressive sofa allows you to live a comfort experience together with the whole family thanks to a wide and welcoming seat and the possibility to increase its depth, as well as the height of the back, through a mechanism that repositions it towards the back.

Finally, there are sofas that have a recliner function or that allow you to increase the depth of the seats or the height of the backrest. The most technological models also have drink holders, containers, USB ports and bases for PCs and tablets, as well as LED lamps for reading or working at your best.

Sofa functionality: this choice depends on how you use it

Finally, there is also the intended use of the sofa to consider. For example, if you need an office sofa, it’s best to go for models with more sustained comfort so that the person sitting on it doesn’t sink into the cushions while talking about formal or business matters.

For those looking for a living room sofa on which to spend evenings in front of the TV or take a nap, we obviously recommend selecting a model with comfortable seats and a chaise-longe. A great example here is ‘Toby Wing’ by Calia Italia, which allows you to considerably extend the seat and create an actual day-bed. The backrest allows you to extend the depth of the seat by 42 centimetres, while the armrest increases the width of the seat by 25 centimetres. The ‘Toby Wing’ takes you off to another place, an island on which to rest, dream, take a break and relax. 

If you want to work on your sofa, given the prevailing smart-working trend, it could be useful to have supports for PCs and tablets as well as an adjustable back and headrest.

If you are in the habit of inviting people to your home, a corner sofa can be very useful for having better conversations – perhaps combined with footstools and armchairs to welcome guests. A sofa bed is great in a second home or if you know that you will frequently welcome friends or family who will be staying for a few nights.