It is no exaggeration to say that the sofa determines half of the soul of the living room. If you don’t choose it well, it will either look bad or be uncomfortable to sit on. In any case, you will never be happy after moving in.

I also suffered from choosing a sofa, but fortunately, after the pain came gains. I took great pains to summarize these 5 points. As long as you look at them carefully, there will be basically no major problems!

1. Look at the fabric

The first time I chose a sofa, I thought fabrics were divided into leather and cloth. After careful study, I found that there are many types of leather and many types of cloth. The quality, sitting feel, price, etc. of different materials can vary greatly.

①Leather sofa

Including PU leather, microfiber leather, semi-genuine leather, full leather, etc. Among them, PU leather is the cheapest, with good wear resistance and not easy to become brittle and hardened, but its breathability is average. The material is similar to the PU leather bags we carry, and it can be bought for one or two thousand.

This is an option for those who want a leather sofa but don’t have high requirements for quality.

Microfiber leather is a grade higher than PU leather, and its texture is closer to real leather. It has a grain structure on the surface, and the base layer is also a three-dimensional mesh layer that imitates real leather. It is more breathable and wear-resistant than PU leather sofas.

To put it bluntly, whether it is PU leather or microfiber leather, the ultimate goal is to imitate genuine leather. If the budget is sufficient, you can directly buy genuine leather.

But genuine leather is also divided into grades. The cheapest one on the market can be bought for around 10,000 yuan, and the most expensive one can cost 40,000 or 50,000 yuan. The texture and performance are completely different.

Based on the covering area, there are full leather and semi-leather. The former means that the entire sofa, including the back, is made of leather, while the latter may only have leather where people touch, and the rest is PU or microfiber leather.

Among them, the leather is divided into top layer leather and second layer leather. The top layer leather is the first layer of cowhide on the cow, which is thinner and has a more delicate texture. The second layer leather is the second or even third layer in the cross-section of the cowhide, which is thicker and feels rougher.

In terms of price, the first floor is naturally more expensive than the second floor, and the fully authentic is more expensive than the semi-authentic.

In addition, if you have been to a sofa store in the past two years, you must have heard of NAPPA leather. The salesperson will say that it is imported from South Korea, and the texture and price are even better.

But in fact, people who know the business know that Nappa leather is not a general term for a type of leather, but a leather processing process that is characterized by softness and specific texture. This means that Nappa leather is not necessarily genuine leather, but may also be other materials.

Therefore, don't listen to the salesperson's nonsense when buying. Nappa leather is not the same as real leather. Only the top layer of Nappa leather is considered high-end. Of course, there is also matte leather, but the price is even more outrageous. Ordinary people generally don't need to consider it.

② Fabric sofa:

There are the most colors and patterns, and it is durable and easy to maintain, making it quite friendly to families with children.

As for fabrics, the most commonly used ones are technical fabrics, flannel, cotton and linen, etc.

The differences are also huge. For example, technical fabrics are very popular now. It is said that they have the texture of cloth and the easy-care advantage of leather.

But in fact, tech cloth is essentially cloth, but it is coated with various materials that imitate leather on its surface. In addition, the craftsmanship of each company varies greatly. Therefore, people who bought it have different feedback. Some say that the skin peels badly, while others say that it is still in good condition after several years of use. The reviews are mixed.

Furthermore, the so-called three-proof properties of technological fabrics (waterproof, stain-proof and dirt-proof) are not permanent. Basically, the effect will be unsatisfactory after one or two years of use. After all, it is not a high-end fabric and is mostly used in mid- and low-end products.

A velvet sofa has fine fluff on the surface, which feels delicate, looks high-end, and is not afraid of cat scratches. However, it easily attracts dust and the fabric also has a dark side. If it is ignored for a long time, it will look dirty and is difficult to maintain.

If you really like it, it is recommended to choose double-sided velvet, which has a better texture and is more durable.

Cotton and linen blended sofas are relatively cost-effective. They are dry, have good thermal conductivity, are relatively soft, and sweat-absorbent. The fabric cover is removable and will not be affected by washing in a washing machine, making them more durable.

For families with children, it is perfect to use. The price is also moderate. The best one will not exceed ten thousand yuan, and you can buy a very good one for five or six thousand yuan.

2. Look at the filling

The filling of the sofa is very important. A good one is comfortable to sit on, has a good wrapping feeling and good resilience. A poor one will have difficulty rebounding when you sit on it and will collapse after a long time.

At present, the filling materials of sofas on the market are basically in the following forms:

① Sponge: Doll cotton and low-density sponge are the culprits of collapse. Don’t choose them if you can. It is recommended to choose high-density rebound sponge 45D, which is moderately soft and hard and not easy to collapse;

②Upper filling: latex or down;

A slightly higher-end sofa will not be made of full sponge, but will have a sponge base with a layer of latex or down on top.

Latex feels soft and breathable, but there is a big difference between good and bad latex. Latex with a low latex content will easily age and fall apart over time. It is best to choose natural latex with a content of more than 80%.

Down is soft, has little deformation after long-term use, is breathable and keeps a constant temperature, and has a great wrapping feeling. However, the down may fall off later and it may have a poultry smell. People who are sensitive to odors or allergic to down should choose with caution.

3. Look at the bottom

The support of the sponge mainly comes from the springs at the bottom. Now, better sofas have independent springs, which can allow multiple people to sit on them without disturbing others, similar to a mattress.

If you don't choose an independent spring, you should also consider choosing the serpentine + bandage form, rather than just a serpentine spring or just a bandage. The support is not enough and it will basically collapse and get out of shape after half a year. It can be chosen if you are renting a house for a short period of time.

The back cover is also very important. Don’t even think about the non-woven ones. After a long time, it will become like the picture below, and it will just fall apart and turn into slag.

Be sure to use umbrella cloth, the same kind of cloth used for umbrellas. It is more durable and corrosion-resistant, and you don't have to worry about it breaking even after using it for more than ten years.

4. Look at the framework

If there is no problem with the quality of the sofa frame, you are definitely not afraid to see it. Many stores will directly remove the wrapping fabric to let users see it with their own eyes, which is naturally easy to judge.

The fear is that the frame is tightly wrapped inside and nothing can be seen. At this time, you have to be careful whether it is made of miscellaneous wood, reworked old furniture, or a combination of board and wood. These three types generally have poor nail holding strength and are easily deformed. They may also make strange noises after not being used for long, and the quality is very worrying.

Therefore, the frame must be made of solid wood. Currently, the better ones on the market are Northeast or imported larch, which have good stability and long service life.

At the same time, you should also pay attention to the knots on the surface of the wood. The fewer the better. It is best if all four sides are smooth, which means it is finely polished and the manufacturer is more formal.

5. Other issues

① Color

Unless you have a nanny at home, it is not recommended to choose light colors, whether it is leather or cloth. It may look good in photos, but it will get dirty after a week of use and is not suitable for long-term living.

② Seat height

A seat height of 40-45cm is the regular size. When a person sits down, his knees and thighs are on the same level and he will not feel tired.

Of course, this is not absolute. For example, some sofas have deeper seats, so the height may be lower. Sitting on them is basically like half-lying down, and the comfort is also good.

You'll have to try it yourself to find out which one you like.

③Sofa legs

Based on an acceptable shape, choose a sofa with legs 15cm high, or one with a frame at the bottom that touches the ground directly. The former is easy to clean, and the latter has no sanitary dead corners.

④Comfort and beauty of the sofa

According to my experience in choosing sofas, it is really difficult to achieve both comfort and aesthetics!

More comfortable: backrest height is more than 55cm, with lumbar support, but it looks bloated and average in appearance;

Better looking ones: such as Japanese sofas, tofu block sofas, etc., which are not bulky, but have limited seat height and poor comfort.

It depends on which one you prefer.

⑤Exceptional Italian sofa

For example, the special-shaped sofas, cloud sofas, elephant ear sofas, etc., are not the type to sit upright, and sitting on them is basically equivalent to half lying down, but their good looks do not affect their hot sales.

Moreover, the height and angle of the backrests of these original Italian sofas are adjustable, so they are both beautiful and comfortable, but the prices are very high. There are replicas in China, but very few of them have adjustable backrests, and the technology is not up to standard.

Final Thoughts

There are so many types of sofas. In addition to considering the fabric, filling, frame and other issues, the most important thing is the shape, appearance and comfort. Generally speaking, it is difficult to have all three. In the final analysis, you still have to respect your own needs, look, try, touch, and choose what you like.

Well, I will stop here today. I hope today’s 5 points can help you~