How to choose a sofa for the living room: varieties, recommendations, fashion news in the photo

The living room is rightfully considered the calling card of the home. After all, this is where the whole family gathers in the evenings to discuss important decisions and just have a good time. Therefore, it must be designed especially carefully, taking into account all the features of the room and personal preferences. Upholstered furniture plays an important role in the design. After all, it must be comfortable for all family members. The features of the choice, as well as current varieties of sofas, are discussed further in the article.

Living room design features

Despite the fact that not only the owners, but also friends spend a lot of time in the kitchen, the main room in the apartment remains the living room. This is where family holidays are celebrated, invited guests are received, and the most comfortable atmosphere is created, conducive to friendly communication.

The living room is the main room in the house, so much attention is paid to its design.

It is customary to attach special importance to the design of the living room: it is distinguished by expressive decorative accents, which can be paintings or reproductions from them by favorite artists, photographs of loved ones, a fireplace and carpet that create coziness, and a piano or stereo system.

When decorating a living room, the layout of the room, its lighting, and the presence of windows are taken into account. According to this:

• wallpaper is selected: plain or with patterns, light or dark colors;
• curtains are selected;
• the possibilities and need for general and local lighting are determined;
• furniture arrangement is planned;
• carpet is selected.

If the living room is combined with another room, the room is zoned using partitions, including mirror ones, as well as a large aquarium, an arch, a column, a bar counter, and a multi-level floor. A sofa, as well as a pair of armchairs, can become zoning elements. You can add a small coffee table and an impressive floor covering to them.

Using a sofa you can divide the living room into zones.

The arrangement and choice of furniture is another condition for a cozy and pleasant-looking living room.

The living room can be decorated in various style solutions, focusing on your own ideas about beauty, convenience and comfort.

Material

Particular attention should be paid to the upholstery. It should not only be practical, but also have a pleasant appearance.

There are several options for upholstery of sofas:

• Fabric – has a variety of colors and is highly wear-resistant. Suitable for those who have pets.

• Eco-leather is a high-quality analogue of genuine leather. The material does not wash out, but if it is of poor quality, it will crack quickly.

• Genuine leather is the most expensive upholstery material. Has high wear resistance. Requires careful care.

Why do you need a sofa in the living room?

Before buying a sofa, you need to ask yourself the main question: what exactly is the sofa that is being purchased for the living room intended for:

1. for receiving and accommodating guests;
2. watching TV, reading or doing something you love;
3. completing the equipment of the room and equipping the soft corner;
4. as an extra bed.

You should decide for what purpose you need a sofa in the first place.

Folding mechanism: which one is better?

If you plan to organize a sleeping place on a sofa on a permanent or temporary basis, then you can’t do without a folding model. There are a lot of options for folding mechanisms.

Dolphin layout

Let's look at those that are popular:

Dolphin Often used in corner models, additional sleeping space is “hidden” inside the structure;

Folding bed The sleeping place is unfolded in such a way that the sleeping person's head is located towards the backrest;

The book is a familiar model; when the structure is unfolded, the person sleeps along the wall.

Daily unfolding puts a strain on the mechanism, so you need to select the most reliable model.

“Folding bed” mechanism

The simpler the mechanism, the higher the reliability and the lower the likelihood of breakdown.

Sofa in the same style as the living room interior

We do it tastefully for comfort

How to choose a sofa for the living room

To make the room cozy and comfortable, it is important to know how to choose a sofa for the living room and be guided by certain criteria:

• purpose;
• taking into account the area of ​​the room, on which the dimensions of the furniture depend;
• interior features.

There are several factors to consider when choosing a sofa.
If the sofa is chosen correctly, you can visually expand or reduce the space. To increase it, double or corner and modular designs are suitable. It is important to understand that the best sofas for the living room are those that customers like.

Style selection

The choice of style when purchasing a sofa is no less important than its size, color and shape.

Upholstered furniture is made in classic and modern style solutions, of which the following are distinguished:

1. minimalism is characterized by simplicity of form and the ability to use the sofa in any furniture combination;
2. French style is a triumph of luxury and beauty; a sofa with luxurious upholstery, curved backs and legs, decorated with gilding will suit it;
3. for the English style, massive structures with round armrests and wooden legs are suitable;
4. German assumes laconic forms of the 50s of the last century.

The style of the sofa is selected in accordance with the overall design of the room.
If you cannot purchase retro-style furniture, it can be made to order.

Modern furniture is distinguished by simplicity and softness of lines, neutrality of colors. The furniture is, as a rule, plain and simple, the lamps are tabletop, with a metal finish.

The rustic (country) style, not often used by Russians, involves a large number of antique items in the design, and a sofa here can become the center of the composition.

When purchasing a sofa that is to be “fitted” into the Art Nouveau style, it is worth considering that it requires a minimum of furniture. And if the living room already has several armchairs, it’s worth considering whether another “soft element” is needed.

And the timeless classic, with its comfort and homeliness, will require a soft, large sofa, next to which you can install a bronze candlestick.

For a classic style, a large and soft sofa is suitable.

Selection of size and shape

The shape and dimensions of upholstered furniture are essential for proper interior design. They depend on the number of households expected to be accommodated and the size of the living room itself.

Many years of practice have determined that the most popular are three-seater models. At the same time, a corner sofa is very comfortable: it is roomy and quite compact. In addition, it can be used as an extra bed.

For a studio apartment and if there is a bay window, a semicircular sofa is suitable; it can be used for zoning or placed in a niche.

A semicircular sofa is suitable for a studio.

Small-sized apartments do not allow placing large, heavy sofas: they will visually reduce an already small space. In such rooms, it is advisable to choose a multifunctional sofa with secret drawers or a cabinet for storing bed linen, which is part of the furniture structure. Neat small sofas without decorative elements fit perfectly into a limited space.

Depending on the shape and design, the sofas are presented in the following options:

• classic design: it is most advisable to place them along the walls if the living room is small in size, and in the middle - in a spacious room;
• modular and corner structures;
• a sofa island is suitable for zoning.

Upholstery material and color

Upholstery is an important element in the design of upholstered furniture and can play a decisive role in bringing harmony to the interior or completely disrupting it. Information about the upholstery material will tell you how to choose the right beautiful sofa for the living room.

Sofa upholstery is divided into three categories:

1. Fabric, durable, available in a wide range of colors and textures; some types have anti-vandal properties that protect against damage by cats. The most commonly used are chenille, velor, folk, and jacquard.
2. Eco-leather can give not only a sofa, but the entire room a luxurious look, as it is very similar to natural leather. But this will only happen if high-quality material is initially selected. Otherwise, not only aesthetic disappointments are possible, but also serious material losses: a cheap coating will very soon crack, fade and look extremely sloppy.
3. Genuine leather upholstery will last a long time and at the same time maintain a presentable appearance of the product, but only with regular proper care.
   Leather upholstery is expensive, but longevity can be a deciding factor when choosing a sofa. One thing worth remembering is that on a hot day you should not sit on it without first covering it with a blanket: when sweaty parts of the body come into contact with the upholstery, they will leave stains on it, and the person sitting will experience discomfort.

The color and material of the sofa upholstery can visually adjust the size of the living room:

• light colors will visually increase the dimensions of the furniture and the size of the room itself;
• a large “cage” and a small floral pattern will equally visually increase the massive structure;
• jacquard has a rather rough texture; it will also give the furniture a feeling of heaviness and massiveness.

Using a color scheme, you can visually change the size of the room.

The choice is up to the transformation mechanism

The market offers a large selection of upholstered furniture with various types of transformation, the most popular of which are:

1. “Elf” seem to be the simplest: they can be easily unfolded and fixed in the desired position;
2. sofa-book, durable transformer;
3. a Euro-book differs from a “just book” and is laid out differently;
4. “Tango” is a version of the “book”: it has a different layout principle and the ability to be used in a half-opened state;
5. “Pantograph” and “Puma” are similar to the Eurobook, but have a slightly modified transformation system and take up little space;
6. The “Accordion” is considered a universal model and unfolds according to the “accordion” principle, pushing out one structural element after another, and when assembled it is quite compact.

There are other types of transformation mechanisms, but they are much less common.

Style

Let's move on to aesthetics. A modern, classic or Scandinavian sofa is an opportunity to create a unique universe in the living room. Choosing a style is a great way to determine the vibe of your space. But remember that the sofa should harmonize with or contrast with the style of your living room. For example, if your home has a modern vibe, a minimalist model with clean lines will fit perfectly into the interior. And these are the bestsellers from our catalog - sofas in a modern style.

• Sofa Barcelona 2-seater OGOGO

  RUB 69,190

• Bestseller
  For daily sleep

  Corner sofa Jardin 3

  RUB 55,640

How to place a sofa in the living room

The location of the sofa can play an important role: visually enlarge or reduce the room, bringing comfort and coziness. Experienced designers use three main methods of arranging furniture, including combinatorial.

• The symmetrical method is suitable for a square or rectangular room. In the first case, it is advisable to place a standard-shaped sofa in the center. The rectangle shape allows you to choose a comfortable corner sofa for the living room.
• A sofa is placed asymmetrically in a passageway or an irregularly shaped room.
• Circular furniture will create cozy areas. The center of the design solution can be a carpet, fireplace or TV, around which all the furniture is installed.

Upholstery

No one needs stylish sofas for the living room with upholstery that will tear in a month. Therefore, in addition to the attractive appearance, the properties should also be studied. The furniture material must be durable and not create problems during cleaning.

For regular use and high loads, you should choose dense materials. If you have pets, the upholstery can withstand claws. And delicate soft fabrics are best left for furniture with rare and careful use.

How to choose and where to place a chair

If space allows, the installation of the sofa is complemented by an armchair, but you need to choose it carefully so as not to disturb the composition of the room.

There are two types of chairs:

1. frame, having a wooden frame and increased strength;
2. frameless, representing the shape of a bag with filler.

The latter are actively becoming fashionable, they are easy to remove if they are not needed at the moment, which is convenient in a small room. Available in the form of a bag, pillow, pear.

Traditional ones are presented in classic models of unchangeable shape.

Storage systems

A distinctive feature of a good modern sofa are drawers for linen, storage of alcoholic beverages and other accessories. They are located in the cavities of the furniture structure and have a fairly large capacity. An important element is furniture fittings, levers and lifting mechanisms, with the help of which opening becomes simpler and more accessible even for a person with a small build.

You need to know how such devices work and how convenient they are right in the salon, so as not to waste time on complaints later.

How to properly care for your sofa

Caring for sofas is not complicated and depends on the upholstery material, but it requires regularity and strict adherence to the instructions for keeping it clean:

• removing dust from the upholstery using a vacuum cleaner from a fabric surface or a napkin moistened with a special composition - from a leather surface;
• fresh stains must be removed immediately using appropriate preparations;
• Wipe wooden decorative elements with a dry, clean cloth.

Regular proper care of upholstered furniture is a guarantee of its durability.

Frame

Its durability depends on how strong and reliable the sofa frame is. For the manufacture of frames, metal, wood, MDF and chipboard are used.

The metal frame is very reliable, and in weight it can even be lighter than a wooden one, since it is assembled not from solid metal, but from thin steel or aluminum profile pipes. Most often, metal frames are used in modern sofa models.

The frame is made of natural wood - a furniture classic. The cost of sofas made of oak, beech, larch or mahogany is an order of magnitude higher than that of their counterparts made of chipboard or MDF, but they have no equal in durability and environmental friendliness.

Frames made of MDF and chipboard are most often found in furniture stores. When choosing, pay attention to the quality of the chipboard: it should be covered with a special protective layer, and the parts of the sofa should be fastened not with screws and nails, but with furniture bolts. A well-assembled sofa made of good chipboard, with proper care and use, will last no less than a wooden or steel one.

Options for sofas for the living room in the photo