Buying a sofa online can be a little tricky at times. In this post I’m sharing 5 top tips that might make the process a little easier!
This post has been sponsored by DFS.
Buying your first sofa (or any sofa for that matter) is kind of a big deal. It’s a stepping stone into adulthood (not that there isn’t ever a moment that you wish you could step right back into childhood). An investment, some might say.
Sort of like buying a new car. . . or a house. The risks are often insanely high, the buying process a little drawn out, so you’d better choose wisely.
THAT TIME I BOUGHT MY FIRST SOFA . . .
When it came down to buying my own sofa at aged 21, I did what any sensible adult would do. I called mum.
That’s right.
I picked up the phone (landline at the time, you see they weren’t extinct back then), dialed home, and got ready to adopt the’ I-know-you think-I’m-clueless-about-these-things ( I am)-so-that’s-what-I’m going-to-be’ voice
‘Um, hello, Mum’ I said rather tentatively . ‘Do you mind coming with me to buy a sofa tomorrow? I have no idea what I should be choosing . . . what I need ..? ‘
Of course, she came.
However, even with Mum present to share ALL the sofa buying wisdom, making the final decision still felt so overwhelming. I left the store that day feeling very apprehensive about the choice I had made, but also slightly reassured that even if I had gotten it all wrong, I’d still have something to sit on in a few weeks. It’s the little things in life right (or in this case, the big things?)
The sofa, when it arrived was a little too big for my humble living room, and the colour a little dull against the magnolia walls, but I liked it. And over the years, I grew to love it. (It was my first and you cant help but love your firsts right?)
But I mean imagine a world where sofa buying was much less complicated and you could shop online without feeling like you were about to say ‘ I do’ to a person you weren’t quite sure ever left the friend zone.
Cue the So Simple range.
A few months ago DFS got in touch, asking if I would like to get involved with the launch of their new range called So Simple. In short, this collection is a curated range of eight contemporary styles of sofas, armchairs and footstools that can be bought online, in three simple steps. DFS wanted to collaborate with myself and 3 other influencers to design a space around one of their sofa’s in a way that reflected each of our own individual styles and personality.
Of course, I jumped at the chance to decorate a room that wasn’t in my home. And true to branding, I didn’t stray too far away from the colours, and themes I knew and loved. Here is the space I created alongside their design team
SOURCES: VASE | OLA SOFA | RUG | TASSELED CUSHION
Dark Feature walls to add drama and interest Check
Cactus Plants that are impossible to kill. Check
All the textured monochrome cushions . Check
And let’s not forget, the sofa itself which was the So Simple Ola 2 -seater sofa leather look fabric and the grey footstool , (gosh I did almost forget about the stool. I feel like the sofa kind of steals the show here). Check Check
Let’s talk a little about that actually .
About sofa online shopping in general .
You know, the things you should probably consider when buying your own sofa. And how the So Simple range incorporates all of that!
5 THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN BUYING A SOFA.
1. AFFORDABILITY VS QUALITY
I’m repeating myself here but as I said earlier, sofas are an investment. And usually investments require a large sum of cash upfront (the kind that might make your stomach do somersaults and your mouth go dry with apprehension). Affordability looks different to every one though which is why it’s important to figure out your budget before you even start searching.
I know the standard thought is that the higher the price, the better the sofa, which in most cases is true. However, there are many stores that sells high quality sofas at reasonable prices, DFS being one of them, who hand make their sofas to order.
The sofas in the So Simple collection vary from £449 – £699 (depending on size, style and fabric) so you aren’t at risk of breaking the bank here (especially if you decide go down the 0 % interest free credit)
Regardless, its best not to scrimp too much on the price (remember the life of a good quality sofa may very well outlive the life of other living things in you home -not to be morbid or anything), but equally don’t get yourself into debt over it.
Debt is not fun.
2. SIZING IS A DEAL BREAKER
Always double, (triple measure even) the height, depth and width of the sofa measurements before committing.
Size is so important. Mostly because you need said sofa to fit through the doors of your house on delivery day (no so fun fact, 90% of sofa returns are due to people not measuring the space it’s going into) and also because you really don’t want your new sofa to look out of place in its new home. Which can happen if the sofa is too small, or too large in relation to other furniture in your room.
Thankfully the So Simple range has sofas available in 5 different sizes and all are quite compact in their design.
We all love the idea of a big sofa, but unfortunately they sometimes don’t work for British homes that seem to drop a few 100 square meters every year.
3 CHOOSE WHAT YOU LIKE AND DON’T FOLLOW TRENDS
Your sofa should coordinate with the style of the rest of your furniture. It should be one that you are comfortable with, and not one that is purely trend driven. Sofas can last an average of 5 -10 years so you don’t want one that might look dated in a few years.
If you know the things you like to have in your home – then this part is easy.
But if you don’t, and are still figuring it all out, it’s better to be safe than sorry (I think is the expression). Something to remember If you’re unsure: stick to classic shapes, and clean lines for flexibility. You can always change out pillows, rugs, and accessories as your tastes change.
The So Simple range offer a choice of 8 styles of sofa. For something more traditional, choose sofas with decorative legs, curvy arms and button backs like The Viv, The Ola, The Edd or The Guy
For more modular homes, sofas with boxed arms, and mid century modern design like The Tom and The Mya are great options.
However, it’s important to remember that traditional and modern styles can be merged together depending on how effectively you accessorise (as seen above in the room I styled)
4. HAVE A REALLY GOOD THINK ABOUT THE FABRIC (AND COLOUR)
Choose your fabric and colours based on how the sofa will be used, and where you will be placing it. Take into account factors like
- Children and/or pets:
- Lighter fabrics may show up marks easily as opposed to darker tones.
- Linens, heavy cotton and leather (or leather look) fabrics are more hard wearing.
- Velvet is stylish and hugely on trend at the minute but requires a little more maintenance than other fabrics. For example, if there are any spills, some fabrics can be wiped clean while others might stain.
It’s always a good idea to order fabric samples before making a decision. Fabric samples give you a feel for the texture, and allow you to see first hand how the colour might look against other existing furnishings in the space.
The So Simple range offers a choice of four different fabric types with a range of colours too choose from in each. I personally love the leather look fabric – which is the fabric I chose for my sofa. I was pleasantly surprised by the feel and quality of it.
5. Try it out
Ideally if you were buying a sofa in store you would sit on it, lie on it, try it out the way you would use it at home. However, online purchases don’t give you that option.
Aside from ordering fabric samples, a great way to try a sofa out virtually is by looking at the reviews. I am 100% the kind of person who will read through all the reviews before buying something online. Often you will pick up a common theme in customers comments if you search long enough – and these don’t necessarily have to be negative ones. It could result in a much appreciated heads up for areas like product design, comfortableness, durability etc.
Another useful tip, is to read the terms and conditions of the sofa . The So Simple range, like all other DFS sofas, come with a 15 year guarantee which I’ll admit, kind of takes some of the pressure out of the purchase.
Did I miss anything ? Not rhetorical at all, so please share any sofa tips of your own in the comments below and I’ll add them in!
***This post was sponsored by DFS. I received payment for creating this post. I only partner with brands I LOVE and think you will LOVE too! All ideas and opinions are 100% my own.
