Your #1 guide to buying a sofa online.

Looking to buy a new sofa? With all the options out there it can be quite overwhelming. The sofa is the centerpiece of the Living Room, it’s a big purchase and you want to make sure you make the right choice. You want to live with it and be happy with your decision for at least 10 years. You want to make sure your sofa is of good quality and built to last.

We’re buying furniture online more often these days as so many new online retailers are popping up on the internet. Life is changing and the way we are buying furniture is changing too. If going to the actual store to see and sit on the sofa IRL is not an option, then purchasing online is the next best thing. I’m going to walk you through it, in this blog post I am going to give you my favorite sofa selections and also my top tips for buying online, read on for my expert advice.

1. Interior Define-Jason Wu/2. BluDot-New Standard/ 3. DWR-Emmy/ 4.CB2-Lenyx/ 5. West Elm-Andes/ 6. Joybird-Aime/ 7. Crate & Barrel-Nellie/ 8. Lulu & Georgia-Cami/ 9. Interior Define-Sloan/ 10. Grom-Saddle Sofa/ 11.Rove Concepts-Luca/ 12. Groms- Benett Sofa

6 Must do steps before you purchase a sofa online

1. Measure your space and determine best size for your new sofa. Get the sofa measurements online and use masking tape or string to mark your sofa layout on the floor. Measure all your doors, openings and elevators to ensure the sofa will fit through all the spaces! This is very important especially for people who live in city apartments with smaller turnaround clearances. You want to avoid the nightmare of purchasing a piece of furniture that won’t fit through the door!

2. Educate yourself on the construction quality of the sofa. Most websites have details on how the sofa is made, if not you should call customer service and ask. A good quality sofa will be made from kiln-dried solid wood and frames joined with corner blocks. The seating should be constructed with sinuous steel springs and the cushions high quality foam with a poly wrap or the like. Here’s a great article on sofa construction from someone who makes sofas.

3. Understand the return policy, most of these sites have one and it’s important in case you cannot test the sofa out before you purchase. Make sure you read it, and then read it again. I think 30 days is a good amount of time to test drive your sofa. Also, check to see if there’s a warranty.

4. Request fabric samples in the mail, get a good selection of different colors and textures. I recommend durable high performance fabrics, at least 50,000 rubs (wyzenbeek or martindale score), this info should be on the back of the fabric. To make sure the fabric you select isn’t too scratchy, a good way to do this is to rub the fabric on you lips (sometimes wool, especially 100% can feel scratchy). A tightly woven blended fabric works well.

5. Read the reviews! Many online retailers do not have a showroom so reading customer reviews is very important and not a step to skip! Pay attention to their comments on comfort.

6. Check to see if they offer free design services. If you can’t go see the sofa in person, an on staff designer can guide you through the steps to find the right sofa for you. Retailers like Interior Define and Joybird offer this service.

And don’t forget to factor in shipping cost and taxes when you are determining your budget! Some retailers offer free shipping and some do not.

There ya have it! my tips on selecting the perfect sofa for your home. You have all the tools you need to find that perfect size and comfort to support you in enjoying your next binge worthy show! Let’s get shopping, eh? Need more help? Thinking about redecorating your entire Living Room and wondering how much it will cost? check out this related blog post here.

And if you need help putting it all together or thinking about refreshing or redesigning any other areas of your home, please check out my edesign services.