Choosing the appropriate couch that suites your needs
Aug 08, 2008
A couch is one of those crucial home buys, so you do not want to get it wrong. But how can you choose what suits you?
By Harriet Birungi
A couch is one of those crucial home buys, so you do not want to get it wrong. But how can you choose what suits you?
Pauline Butagira, an interior designer, says whereas many times, the colour attracts buyers to certain seats or couches, there are more things to consider. Before spending your hard-earned money, Butagira says a touch-test is vital. This will guide you on whether the material is the right one or not.
“Run your hands on the surface, sit and lie on it. If the chair feels sturdy, it probably is the best to buy,†she advises.
“When it comes to fabric, find out if it is hard-wearing or will need extra protection. Check if the sewing lines are straight and clean. Examine the underside. The finishing underneath should be equally as good. Anything protruding or exposed surfaces speaks volumes of shoddy work.â€
Sometimes, the sales person may not know how the seats are done. But at least they will know where they come from and probably the quality of materials used in construction. So ask them a lot of questions. For instance, how is the frame put together? Are the joints correctly reinforced? To test a couch, try lifting it, it should be heavy. This suggests that the inner construction is sold, Butagira explains.
Find out if the furniture maker offers after-sales servicing of their products.
Furniture always looks smaller in the showroom, so remember to measure all the doorways and openings at your place to make sure your new seats will fit in.
Though comfortable sitting is embedded in many a buyer’s mind, there are many reasons people will go out to buy seats.
Macklean Mbabazi, of Fancy Furniture, suggests an inner search of why you need a couch. If you need one for home office, then you need a high, firm back.
Just right for reading reports, tapping on you lap top or for your client. Such seats can take the form of lean two-seaters. This arrangement minimises on space wastage, she asserts.
And if you are still renting and moving houses, go for a couch that will suit a huge range of interiors that you may move into. Go for neutral shades and not too complicated design chairs. The trick is in updating the look with cushions in contemporary colours.
For TV junkies, she says you need somewhere comfy to sit if you are going to lose yourself in the latest soap operas, blockbuster movie or premier league.
What you need to know about sofas
-Hard wood frames are the best for durability.
-A good sofa will have two layers of foam over the base, giving a firm, but comfortable feel.
-When buying a spring sofa, ensure that the springs are zig zag. Such design provides more back and under-seat support than wood.
-Changing of seats depends on how much they are used. As a rule of the thumb, the more the couch is used the more it should be changed.
-A new sofa should not have squeaks.
A couch is one of those crucial home buys, so you do not want to get it wrong. But how can you choose what suits you?
Pauline Butagira, an interior designer, says whereas many times, the colour attracts buyers to certain seats or couches, there are more things to consider. Before spending your hard-earned money, Butagira says a touch-test is vital. This will guide you on whether the material is the right one or not.
“Run your hands on the surface, sit and lie on it. If the chair feels sturdy, it probably is the best to buy,†she advises.
“When it comes to fabric, find out if it is hard-wearing or will need extra protection. Check if the sewing lines are straight and clean. Examine the underside. The finishing underneath should be equally as good. Anything protruding or exposed surfaces speaks volumes of shoddy work.â€
Sometimes, the sales person may not know how the seats are done. But at least they will know where they come from and probably the quality of materials used in construction. So ask them a lot of questions. For instance, how is the frame put together? Are the joints correctly reinforced? To test a couch, try lifting it, it should be heavy. This suggests that the inner construction is sold, Butagira explains.
Find out if the furniture maker offers after-sales servicing of their products.
Furniture always looks smaller in the showroom, so remember to measure all the doorways and openings at your place to make sure your new seats will fit in.
Though comfortable sitting is embedded in many a buyer’s mind, there are many reasons people will go out to buy seats.
Macklean Mbabazi, of Fancy Furniture, suggests an inner search of why you need a couch. If you need one for home office, then you need a high, firm back.
Just right for reading reports, tapping on you lap top or for your client. Such seats can take the form of lean two-seaters. This arrangement minimises on space wastage, she asserts.
And if you are still renting and moving houses, go for a couch that will suit a huge range of interiors that you may move into. Go for neutral shades and not too complicated design chairs. The trick is in updating the look with cushions in contemporary colours.
For TV junkies, she says you need somewhere comfy to sit if you are going to lose yourself in the latest soap operas, blockbuster movie or premier league.
What you need to know about sofas
-Hard wood frames are the best for durability.
-A good sofa will have two layers of foam over the base, giving a firm, but comfortable feel.
-When buying a spring sofa, ensure that the springs are zig zag. Such design provides more back and under-seat support than wood.
-Changing of seats depends on how much they are used. As a rule of the thumb, the more the couch is used the more it should be changed.
-A new sofa should not have squeaks.