How to choose a sofa to suit your style


Choosing a sofa is one of the biggest interior design decisions you’ll make. As the focal point of your living room and a piece of furniture that gets used every single day, making the wrong choice will be an expensive mistake.

In this article, Matt Deighton, Managing Director at Timeless Chesterfields, shares his advice for choosing a sofa that suits your style. Stick to these tips and you’re sure to end up with a piece of furniture that will fit right into your home, no matter what your taste.

Start with the size

Start with the size

When it comes to choosing a sofa, the first thing you need to settle on is the size. Measure where it’s going to go to find out how much room you have to play with. However, don’t fill this whole area with a chair — you don’t want the space to be cramped. The exception to this rule is when you’re choosing a sofa for a big, open-plan space, where a big sofa will have much more show.

Keep the size of your living room and the effect you’re trying to create in mind when choosing what size sofa to get. For example, if you have a smaller living room, your sofa is going to be one of only a few pieces of furniture. You might therefore want to pick a bold design that acts as the stylish focal point of the room. In a larger room where the chair is going to be sharing the spotlight with lots of other things, you might want to go for something a bit more neural so it’s easy to match with other pieces.

Choose your upholstery wisely

Choose your upholstery wisely

Now you know what size sofa will suit your space best, it’s time to think about the upholstery.

Today, you can get sofas in almost any colour and material under the sun. However, you need to make sure your choice suits your lifestyle. For example, while you might love the look of a white suede sofa, it’s a good idea to avoid this finish if you have kids or pets, as it won’t hold up for long.

It’s also important to know that different materials give a different effect. A leather sofa is quite formal, while fabric is more casual. Make sure the material you choose suits the look you’re going for with the rest of the room, as a mismatched sofa can ruin your style.

It’s important to keep your decorating habits in mind too. If you’re looking to buy a sofa that you won’t need to replace for years, go for a neutral, hardwearing fabric or leather that you won’t have to replace if you want to change the room’s colour scheme. You’ll be able to completely transform the look of a sofa like this with a throw and some cushions, so keep this in mind if you don’t want to blow the bank every time you redecorate the living room.

Do you want your home to flow?

Do you want your home to flow?

Some people like each room of their house to flow into the next with one uniform style, while others prefer each room to have its own identity. As the largest piece of furniture in your main living space, your sofa is going to have a big impact on whether your living room flows with the rest of your home.

So, to make sure you’re picking a sofa that suits your style, decide whether you want your living room to carry on the feel from the rest of your house. If you do, pick a suite that matches your existing décor. On the other hand, if you prefer to make each room unique, choose the opposite. For example, you might want to go for a modern chair in a patterned fabric if you have a leather chesterfield reading chair in your bedroom.

Both of these style choices look great when done well, and it really comes down to personal preference. Just be sure to make your decision before investing in a pricey three-piece.

So, there you have it: three things every homeowner should bear in mind if they want a sofa that matches their personal style. Stick to this advice and your new suite is sure to look the part as the centrepiece of your living room.