Sofa Purchasing Tips

In the sea of (usually neutral-colored) sofa, sectionals and loveseats you see online and in stores, it’s a challenge to know which sofa is right for your home. HomeYet.com asked two award-winning upholstery experts, Stefanie Lucas of Rowe Fine Furniture, and Rick Lovegrove of G. Romano to offer their best tips for how to shop for upholstery, as well as to reveal what’s new now.

What are the most important things consumers should look for and ask about when shopping for upholstery?
Rick Lovegrove: Asking where a sofa, sectional or chair is made is a great place to start. Ask the retail sales associate the following: Where is the product made? What’s the frame construction and warranty on the product? What can you tell me about the company that makes it? Are eco-friendly components being used in the construction? Our dealers love to tell their customers that G. Romano furniture is being made just for them by a family business that has been manufacturing upholstery since 1962.
Stefanie Lucas: Consumers want a combination of fashion for their home, good quality that will last and options that make the look of the furniture their own. Don’t be afraid to ask if there are alternate fabrics or options from what you see on the retailer’s floor. Remember, too, that there are many styles of sectionals and sofas that have size options or alternate configurations to fit your room exactly. At Rowe, we offer a great warranty to back up our products, plus we take environmental practices into account when making our furniture.

What are the most important trends in upholstery right now?
Lovegrove: We see two major design directions: Organic Modernism and Edgy Traditional. Organic Modernism is a clean, uncluttered look, yet with a softer, warmer approach to modern. Feather-filled seating is key. The look has an airy/loft feel. There are no matching sofa sets here—this is for a more eclectic setting. Meanwhile, Edgy Traditional looks of the past, yet offers an updated approach to scale and fabric application. Here, tufting is a key feature.
Lucas: We see a trend away from the standard “set.” Consumers aren’t buying the matching sofa, loveseat and chair. Now, it’s more about mixing and matching, and building an eclectic room that presents a unique style and point of view.

What about color and pattern … what looks right for 2012?
Lovegrove: Soft, linen neutrals and menswear flannels continue to lead the way. Color is creeping back in as an accent, however, with orange, citron and navy as complements to charcoal- and platinum-colored sofas.
Lucas: We see a trend toward making fashion statements by way of exciting textiles on accent chairs or ottomans. This is a great way to add a splash of color and liven up a room for a reasonable price. If you get tired of [the chair or ottoman] in a few years, it’s easy to bring in a new accent to change the look.