Living rooms are all about comfort. Sure, they’re a nice place for your treasured ornaments and a TV looks better in there than it does in a hall, but the main function of your living room is to provide a place where you can kick off your shoes and relax in soft cushiony delight.
Another function of course is to act as a socialising space. Unless you want to keep all that comfort to yourself, you’re going to want to invest in sofa seating that can accommodate more than just you and your current page turner. Seating that will chime with your lounge vibe. And seating that will make your bottom feel like it’s its birthday.
The signs are, the UK is busily spending more money than ever on furnishing itself with lovely lounge pieces, so if you’re thinking of getting yourself a new sofa you’re super on-trend.
Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin.
Couch coaching
Start with the main event. People love a settee. They’re sociable and they can really make a statement. Before you buy the great sofa you’ve always dreamed of, however, stop, take a seat and look around your lounge.
What kind of room is it? Is it flooded with light and as airy as a mid-size cathedral? Or is it more at what you might call the cosy end of the spectrum?
All kinds of lounges have their virtues – we’re not here to judge. But they do have very different natures. Natures that are made yet more different by décor. What have you got in there already? Is it chintzy chic or scandi-clean? Unless you’re heavily into glaring contrast it’s no good whacking a hyper-happening Nordic number into an olde worlde cottage.
Think about colour and texture too. Sofa solutions come in all varieties.
So, think carefully before you take the plunge. Don’t be too hasty. Did you know that people in the UK take longer to decide on a sofa than on a new house? So, you’re in good company.
A perch apart
Individual chairs are nice extras to feature in your lounge. They can squeeze nicely into a snug corner and can look terrific under a standard lamp.
They also add an option to somebody who just wants to sit by themselves for a while. Nothing wrong with that. If they always make a point of sitting as far away from you as possible however, you might want to explore the issue with them at some point.
The point is, we all like to have options. Talking of options…
Ottoman ottoman ottoman otto mighty good man
Don’t be afraid to be adventurous. A well placed pouffe can give character to a patch of carpet just crying out for embellishment (and are good at covering stains too). Or you might want to give your guests the option of staying over, with the addition of a fabulous futon.
Don’t just sit there
When you’ve done your thinking about what sort of room it is, get looking – there’s so much choice available that you’re bound to find what you’re looking for. Before you know it, you’ll have put some deliciously upholstered uplift into your life.
