The sofa, a home's centerpiece seating space, is a reflection of how we greet our guests and how we cuddle with our families. Some are high-end pieces of art; others are simply a comfy place to park your rear.
When it's time to let go of a worn family favorite or create a new look, shoppers should start with four critical points: function, style, quality and value.
We talked to retailers for their best tips on how to buy a new sofa.
When shopping for one, it's important to do some research while keeping this golden rule in mind: Go with your gut — and your butt.
How will it be used?
Are you looking for a sofa for a formal living space or casual family room? Will it encounter pets and children in its daily use? Will it double as a bed for guests?
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The sofa's function will determine the type of upholstery fabric you select and what form the sofa takes. Polyester, acrylic and nylon fabrics work best for family-friendly rooms, according to Debra J. Snyder, manager for a Missouri La-Z-Boy store.
Rayon, cotton and tapestries tend to fit in more formal living spaces. For those looking for stain-, scratch- and puncture-resistant material, good luck. Nothing is indestructible, but you can order a swatch of the fabric you are considering and take it home to test. See how well your swatch holds up to various stains and scratches. This can be especially helpful in choosing between grades of microfiber and leather.
Always check the fabric's cleaning code, Snyder advised. This will determine how easily a fabric can be cleaned. If the store offers professional stain-guard treatment, it will be more effective than what you can apply at home.
Most important, you must take a couch for a road test: Sit in it. See how it supports your back and body. Shift positions. Don't worry about getting funny looks from other shoppers or the salesclerk.
What is your style?
Do some homework before heading out to stores, where you will see rows upon rows of couches. Vicky Smith, an executive with another Missouri retailer, suggests tagging pages in magazines and searching for images online to take along shopping.
Contemporary pieces will showcase clean, sleek lines, while traditional furniture tends to be more detailed and ornate. An armless or straight-arm sofa will favor a contemporary style, while a rolled or curved arm sofa complements a traditional look.
An unskirted sofa will look bigger in a small space, while a skirted sofa is a more classic look.
Consider the colors in the rest of your house and the surrounding furnishings. Buying a new couch is a great excuse to throw a new, vibrant paint color on your walls.
Some furniture stores employ interior designers, who will work with customers to help them define their style and choose wisely.
Will it fit?
You should measure the room and doorways and bring in their specifications to the store to see if a piece will fit.
Consider the maximum width, height and length that will fit in your space and through your entrance.
Will it last?
No one wants to invest in a new sofa that will sag or unravel in a few years.
There are four areas of a couch to examine for durability: the frame, seating support, cushions and fabric.
The best sofa frames are constructed from kiln-dried hardwood (oak, maple, poplar). Inexpensive furniture is typically made from soft pine lumber. There are also frames made with engineered laminated hardwood.
"A sturdy frame is not only essential for comfort but will ensure the sofa will maintain its shape and stability over time," Smith said. These are the "bones" of your support, so choose one with a strong skeleton.
And don't forget to examine how the frame is constructed.
Is it stapled together with poorly constructed corner bracing? More durable frames are screwed together. Find out if the corner blocks are glued or bolted or both. Check the leg attachments to see how stable and sturdy they are. The frame should not wobble.
The sofa coils are the internal organs of your sofa. Eight-way hand-tied springs are considered the premium choice in upholstered seating, but no-sag sinuous springs can also provide good support, Smith said.
The quality also depends on how well they are tied and how deep they go.
Most sofas are filled with foam for cushioning, and sofa foam comes in various thickness and weight.
Find out exactly what is used to stuff the seat cushions and back cushions. Remove the cushions and unzip the covers to check inside.
The fabric or upholstery holds the entire piece together. Check the quality of the seams and notice if anything is loose or unraveling.