What makes a quality couch

This did nothing for my fear of couch commitment. Couches in particular are a problem. All of this made us wonder: How can you tell if a couch will last before you buy it? What are the most durable materials to look for? And what red flags should make you put away your wallet and move onto the next? To help guide us, we asked London-based designer Rita Konig , who has sourced a few couches in her day, for her rules of thumb.

Consult this cheat sheet for making a good—comfortable, lasting—investment. Make sure your frame is percent hardwood. Avoid metal and soft woods. Fabrics like cotton and linen are ideal and holds out in tropical climates with high humidity as they do not trap as much heat.

However, these fabrics can snag and wear off quickly without proper maintenance. A better alternative would be to go for polyester. For leather options, if you are in an environment like Singapore with high humidity, forget about getting synthetic leather; these will flake after several months. If you are going to invest long term in a good quality sofa, it is highly recommended that the sofa comes with a comprehensive warranty. The longer the warranty period, the more confidence there is from the retailer about the quality materials used.

Most furniture companies offer 1 year, 15 years, to even limited lifetime warranty, subjected to conditions of normal wear. In retrospect, if the warranty period is less than 5 years, it remains a cause for concern. Keep in mind that if you choose a down filling for your seat cushion, you might sink a little more than a straight foam cushion.

Also, note that the down filling may shift which is totally normal! Check that your sofa cushions are constructed with baffling, which helps regulate the movement of the down filling to keep it in place under you.

If you need extra back support or prefer sitting up, a sofa that features a tight back and firm cushions would be an excellent option. On the flip side, you might like looser back cushions that you can shift around for support if you'll use your sofa to recline and take naps. If you plan to recline on your sofa regularly, you might consider opting for a 3-seat couch over a 2-seat couch.

A typical length for a 3-seat sofa is about 7 feet, or 84 inches, but you can go longer or shorter depending on how much you want to stretch out and how tall you are.

The ideal back height for your sofa will again depend on your own height. If you plan to place a tv in front of the sofa, consider if you'd like to have a head rest. In addition to impacting how comfortable your sofa feels to you, the back height will impact how comfortable the furniture feels in your space.

It all depends on your preferences and how much space you have to work with. Pitch sofas aka sofas with slightly angled backs are excellent if you mostly use your sofa to recline. Select personalised content.

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