Few things can compare to the versatility, comfort and overall function of a good sofa set. While bean bags may help you relax after a hard day’s work, it pales in comparison to the comfy and cosy feeling of sinking into a good sofa. In a larger space such as the living room, or your entertainment room, a sofa can bring in a sense of order, along with providing for seating arrangement options whether you’re a regular social butterfly or prefer to keep to yourself. Considering that sofas can also double up as beds in some variations, it makes good sense to invest in one that can last long.
If you are indeed planning to buy a sofa, have you ever considered going the eco-friendly way? Sustainable furniture that is built from reclaimed materials has a higher rate of standing up to quite a bit of roughhousing and doesn’t require as much care. Additionally, they provide a unique look to the décor as well. Considering a sofa or a settee, you can have brilliant options in eco-friendly furniture. Before choosing a piece or getting a custom one made for the living space, there are a few pointers that you might want to keep in mind.
First things first, just like a good foundation is important to have a sturdy house, a good frame is the basis of long-lasting furniture. The same holds true for sofas and couches as well. Frames can be made of soft wood like pine which will cost you less but last for fewer years. Soft wood is more prone to attacks by termite and levels of moisture. Hard wood frames made of kiln-dried oak, ash or beech might be more costly, but they are also quite durable and resistant to termites, ants and silverfish. Reclaimed wood generally belongs to the hardwood category and is mostly treated further to enhance its longevity. Frames made of bamboo and cane that have been prepared and treated well are quite sturdy as well. Plastic frames can tend to break or bend quite easily, and metal frames are heavier and prone to corrosion.
Joinery is a subset of the kind of frames you’re looking at. With wooden frames, make sure that the entire structure is fit perfectly primarily using wooden dowels, double wooden dowels and wooden corner blocks. The lesser the metal used in joints, the better. Some metal screws and brackets are okay, but don’t buy a sofa that is put together solely on metal fittings. With cane and bamboo frames, the pieces are mostly held together with glue, nails and strips of treated and reinforced cane. These are some of the toughest and lightest frames around.
Coming to the comfort, there are two aspects that can be brought to attention. The springs and the fillings used. Serpentine springs are the kind most used in sofas, but improper fitting or low-quality metal used can cause the sofa to sag over time. Try sitting on the corners to check for any creaks or squeaks. If present, it means the springs are fitted incorrectly. With fillings, based on how soft or firm you want the sofa to be, you can go with goose down, polyester, high-resilient foam, or coco fibre. In order of firmness, coco fibre is the most resilient and firm, lasting for years together. Cane and bamboo sofas can be made without the springs or filling and you can just have replaceable cushions as per your changing needs.
When getting a sofa with fillings and springs or when choosing the cushions, cotton and linen are the most comfortable as fabric options, but they are harder to clean. Jute fabric can be treated to be stain resistant as well. Synthetic microfibre is also a good option to consider and that lasts long. Unless you’re choosing materials like silk or ultra-thin fabric of any kind, you don’t really have to worry for a lot here.
Irrespective of the fact that you might be moving around every couple of years or have your roots set in a place forever, you need a sofa that can keep up with your daily pace, last long and stay comfy throughout. Then there’s also the aspect of your living room’s aesthetics to consider. If you are unsure of what colour or material to go with when choosing a sofa, Miradorlife will be happy to help in any way. Just speak to one of our experts at +918040909757, drop us a mail at support@15.207.253.145 or get some fresh new ideas at www.miradorlife.com.
