How to Find the Right Sofa for Your Home

Isn't it daunting about which type of sofa you'll purchase and from where? Does it fit our budget? Which color? Suede or leather?

Functionality and style without breaking the bank was our goal. Having moved to a new place in the tropical countryside a few years ago with no IKEA to run to, we were lost in the beginning.

This was the space before:

Here it is after:

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First, choose the right size. Space Planning

When planning your space, it's important to note that the sofa shouldn't be too large nor too small. It should be the right proportion. Which shape would be the best within the space? L-Shaped? Curved? Rectangular?

Are you placing a coffee table? Measure your space and leave some allowance. Make sure there is an 18'' (45 cm) distance from your coffee table to the sofa.

If you like lounging and watching movies sinking deep in the sofa, you can go for deeper ones roughly about 40" overall depth with back cushions. Provided your apartment has space for it. Before buying, you can mark the size of the sofa on the floor where you're placing it using masking tape or a cut to size paper.

The number of people living in your home + guests should be able to sit comfortably within the living room. Consider adding poufs and armchairs to accommodate them.

Select Ideal Orientation of your Sofa

Where will you place it?

The effective distance from the television screen is 3 meters. Anything beyond this distance makes TV viewing uncomfortable.

I decided to place our sofa where the bay window is. It gives visibility towards the main entrance and the adjacent areas. It is also the first thing you'll notice as soon as you enter. In this way, visitors get a welcoming feeling after you greet them. It's also next to the piano so guests can listen comfortably.

Move furniture around and see which orientation is best.

Budget

There are many shops in the Philippines, where you can purchase loose furniture or customized pieces. It all depends on your budget. Ours was a tight one. I didn't want to spend more than Php 25K for a 3 seater sofa. After visiting numerous shops, I had friends most of whom are also in the Interior Design and Architecture industry recommending Mandaue Foam

Re-upholstery of an existing sofa is also another budget-friendly route.

Functionality

Do you have kids at home? Fabric may pose a maintenance problem with those watercolor smeared hands of theirs. Leather is more durable and easy to handle with kids around but it is expensive.

Stain-resistant Fabric

There are high-quality fabrics available nowadays that are easy to clean and are stain-resistant like FibreGuard.

Martindale Test

When selecting fabric for a custom sofa, there is information at the back of each fabric specifying the Martindale Test. Martindale test is an abrasive test that determines the fabric rub count and measures the durability of a fabric. The higher the value, the better it is. For general domestic use, it is between 15,000 - 25,000 Martindale. For everyday main furniture use and high levels of usage, 25,000 -30,000 Martindale is recommended. In the U.S., Wyzenbeek Test is used instead.

Tufting will definitely store biscuit crumbs. A solid frame for occasional jumping on the sofa makes it sturdy.

Style

What's your home style? Modern, Contemporary, Traditional, Eclectic?

It takes commitment and boldness to go for a floral or striped sofa. I always choose a plain neutral-toned sofa with subtle fabric patterns for clients. I often play with fabric texture and material such as suede, velvet, etc.

I can always add color and patterns to liven it up with decorative throws and pillows. In this way, I can replace the sofa, later on, should the color and style fade. It's easier to buy new pillows for a look upgrade.

How to Get the Look:

Fabric Selection: There were plenty of styles to choose from at Mandaue Foam. The good news is, they have numerous fabric samples.

Selecting the right foot for your sofa.

I wanted the 2 x 4 x 4 Bunfoot but it's already discontinued. So I selected the plastic leg 204. I wanted a solid base that is not too high and it fits the Lindsay Sofa perfectly.

Confirmation and Delivery:

The sofa was priced at Php 17,500 which is a good deal! I bought a lifetime discount card from them to avail a 10% discount.

I confirmed the quotation with their customer service while giving them a sketch of the location map.

Customization normally takes 1 month and there's an additional delivery fee because we live 60 kilometers away from the city. However, to our surprise, it was delivered between 2 to 3 weeks upon placement of the order. It was properly packed and it arrived at home without any hassle.

Et voila!

I am not an ambassador nor affiliated with Mandaue Foam in any way. Everything I have written has been based on my experience, as well as those of my clients'. Finding the right furniture manufacturer and supplier from your country is key. Let's support local businesses.

When things get better after all the current free time we have at home, we can all figure out what suits our family best.

Thank you for reading!

Image by @aplusd

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Inspired by my original post