1. Durability

One of the most important tips for finding the perfect couch is considering your household. Not only must a sofa be affordable but it should be an attractive décor item that can take wear and tear. Just how much wear and tear depends on your circumstances.

- If you have a young family then your sofa must be able to withstand kids constantly climbing and perhaps spilling stuff, so this calls for a sofa covered in tough upholstery.

- Patterned upholstery is better than a plain colour for hiding marks.

- Microfibre is a very tough fabric upholstery and suitable in a home with growing kids.

- Another good choice is leather effect because it looks like natural leather, but is cheaper and easier to clean.

- If your household is just you and your partner, then you could consider upholstery that is lighter and plainer for a more elegant sofa.

- You may even want to indulge in a luxury but long-lasting upholstery like mohair because it won’t crease, and feels very comfortable.

- A great choice for any home are slipcovers because they're washable, help protect upholstery and are an easy way to change your colour scheme.

2. Cushions

Upholstery is very important and so is the comfort provided by cushions. You like soft cushions but some people like firmer support.

- Fibre cushions are easy to plump up and shape and look as comfy and soft as they feel.

- Foam cushions don’t need special attention because they regain their form with ease.

3. Size

You are quite happy to curl up on a two-seater sofa but he loves stretching out full-length to watch telly and the kids are never happier than when they’re sitting in a row on the sofa while you read to them. Before you can even think of the size of your new sofa, you must know if it can fit through doorways, staircases and passages by taking the measurements. The next consideration is the size of the room and number of people to be seated. Also, you must have enough space for your other furniture and walking about the room.

4. Design

There are five main sofa designs to choose from.
- A lounger is very comfortable because you can stretch out.
- A sofa bed is a good space saver because it gives you seating and has spare bed.

- A corner sofa is very popular because it can be placed along walls or in the centre of the room.
- A sofa with a recliner (at either end or both)
- A sofa with extended end.

There are lots of formal and casual styles to suit different lifestyles. And within those key types there are also millions of variations in terms of shape, feet and legs, size, number of seats, colours, fabrics etc. so look around to find what you love best.

5. Making a Choice

When you visit a store to buy a new sofa, these are the questions you should ask:

Is it comfortable?
Is the height right?
Does the back give enough support?
Do you want the back to support your head?
Do the cushions move or are they fixed?
Do the cushion covers have zips for easy removal?
Does the upholstery feel comfortable on your skin?
Is the upholstery stain resistant?

6. Where to Buy

Yes, everything can be bought online these days and you could find a sofa online you love. My word of caution for this is that it might look fabulous and it might have the right dimensions to fit your space, but can you really tell you love it if you don’t sit on it to try? But don’t let it put you off – if the one you want is online, go for it. Just be prepared that it might not be exactly what you were looking for.

I’m sure my tips for buying a sofa will help you find one (or two) that looks like it was made for you and your family.