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Friday, January 26th, 2018
Lounging around becomes more classic with the Hooker Furniture Living Room Montgomery Sofa.
Are you thinking of buying or adding a new sofa? Don’t just settle for ordinary sofas. This time, go for the great sofa or couch choices.
Before you begin shopping, though, always consider your personal style and if your preference will match the architectural details of your home. Consider the scale, the size, the colors, and never, ever forget to measure.
Fabric and color options do matter, too. Pick the right texture, color, and patterns for the fabrics that you select. But, of course, sofa choices aren’t based on fabrics or upholstery alone.
Here are some sofa buying guidelines to remember –
Measure Your Space vs. the Sofa
When buying a couch, first, you must measure the space. Make sure that the seating unit will not eat up the entire room or vice versa. Take that measuring tape and measure between the arms of the couch as well as the floor area where it is going to be brought into.
Check the Sofa Frame
The frame must not creak or wobble. It must be sturdy and should sit fully on the floor. The creaky frames are the ones that are indicative of easily-damaged joints. Strong frames, on the other hand, are the ones that sit squarely even when you move them from side to side.
The frame, as well as the corners, are all padded. Take the time to run your hand over the padded areas. The frame must not stick out from the padding. Also, notice how the fabric should not create too much friction as you run your hand through it.
Check for any hollow areas. Pat the center of the couch.
If you happen to be buying a recliner or any sofa with mechanisms, then be sure to check that each part is working. Motion furniture is pricier than your regular sofa so be sure to check that each movable part is functioning.
You also need to check the metal parts, if there are any. Make sure that each one is smooth enough and is free from dangerous edges. Every moving part of the recliner or sofa bed must also have zero tears on the fabric. You would not want to get injured or to cause damage to the new furniture after just a few days or weeks of use.
Check the Seats and Cushions
The seat cushions are an important part of the sofa. They must be resilient and firm to the touch. They must also fit the sofa frame snugly. These cushions should be able to regain their shape when you get up from sitting on them.
Cushions that remain pressed down or flattened will end up looking unsightly in the long run. Also, they will become more uncomfortable to sit on.
The seats should always be comfortable more so for recliners. Choose shallow or deep seats based on your height. The taller you are, the deeper your seat should be.
Flexsteel Living Room Recliner 2877-50: Each movable part of this relaxing motion furniture is functional and easy to operate.
Check the Arms
As soon as you’re done checking the framework, seats, and the cushions, it’s time to inspect the arms of your sofa. These should not move or jiggle. If these are upholstered, then they must be padded comfortably and snuggly.
If your couch comes with buttons, then be sure to check if each is sewn securely. Take note that loose buttons tend to come off or could get lost. And just like any tailored piece of clothing, be sure to check the patterns, texture, and stripes that should match the sofa seams.
Check the Materials Used
There are many couch materials that are used in manufacturing the best (and, unfortunately, the worst) sofas. The most fragile ones are those that are made of particle board. You wouldn’t want to do anything with these since they are only made of fused wood materials.
Hardwoods are wonderful options. These include solid wood frames made of cherry, oak, beech, walnut, etc. Choose the kiln-dried type as much as you can so that the couch frame won’t snap or even warp.
Tags: buying a new couch, buying a sofa, couch shopping, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, shopping for a sofa, sofa, sofa buying, sofa buying guidelines, sofa buying tips, sofa shopping
Posted in Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Lounge Around: 5 Tips for Buying the Perfect Couch
Friday, June 24th, 2016
Hooker Furniture Living Room Cognac 4-Piece Sectional
You either love or hate a sectional. It can be the best seating unit for a family or it can be the worst living room obstruction. But don’t fret – just yet. You can have a sectional and love it for many, many, many years.
A Few Terminologies
You would need to learn a few terms when you want to get comfortable with a sectional. The term RAF means right arm facing, meaning, when you are facing the seating unit, the arm should be on your right. LAF, on the other hand, means left arm facing, thus, the arm should be on your left.
Knowing the RAF or LAF is crucial since you will be joining a number of pieces. The arm placement determines if the new sectional will provide its function in the room.
To have an idea how RAF and LAF can be useful, imagine having a LAF sectional with three cushions, a RAF loveseat and a square corner. If you used a RAF corner sofa rather than a RAF loveseat plus the corner seat, then you would have simply used two pieces instead of the beginning three. This would give you a good amount of savings.
Now let’s define what a sectional is. This is a seating unit that has two or more pieces. You have to know what options are available so that you can make a sound decision with regard to your final choice. A sectional made up of a LAF loveseat and a RAF chaise is the right solution to a small room.
Century Furniture Living Room Carrington Corner Chair 55-995
Other Solutions
A space that allows a single-seat armless part in the middle should think twice about the use of a sectional. Just think about who would sit on the armless part. Sectionals are a wonderful solution when it comes to the lack of space but the lack of an armrest can make some people uncomfortable. A better solution to this is the fusion of a loveseat and a small chaise.
If you really want a sectional, think about aspects such as the level of comfort, how it will eventually fit the space, etc.
One perennial solution is the marriage of a loveseat with a chaise. This is especially useful when you want to watch TV. Using a conventional sectional during this situation means no one will want to sit on the section where the seat is directly perpendicular to the television. People will also have a tendency to crane their necks as they watch some shows so, yeah, prepare for a lot of cranky folks.
A TV that sits across a corner of any room is the right angle for a sectional. This is the case when the rounded corner offers ample seating and everyone gets to have a grand view of the TV screen.
Wedge corners, on the other hand, could have a downside – they tend to take up a lot of room. Measure the amount of space that is available and use the numbers that you get to look for the right sectional. You are already several steps ahead if you go to a shop and present the maximum lengths of every side that a sectional can take up. That advantage will greatly surpass merely eyeballing the measurements.
A room that asks for an L-shaped sectional instead of the rounded type will have the limitation of a one-cushion square corner. There is no surprise that this is the last seat that people would want to settle in after a tiresome day.
Having a square sectional as the only option that will fit your space can have a better alternative – the sofa and loveseat fusion. The usual unused corner seat will then be holding the end table with a decorative lamp.
Don’t be afraid to mix and match. This is the only way that you get to find out the best options.
Tags: couch, couch buying, couch shopping, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, sectional, sectional couch, sectional sofa, sectional sofa buying tips, shopping for a couch, shopping for a sectional
Posted in Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | No Comments »
Saturday, June 11th, 2016
Bradington-Young Living Room Wellington Large Stationary Sofa 698-96 has tufted leather.
Fabric is a material that can be used in different finishes. It can be stitched then buttoned to create an interesting tufted piece. Tufted fabrics are those that have buttons and stitches sewn into a cushion. This is done to keep the stuffing from shifting or bunching. Tufting is now also seen as a decorative element in furniture.
Defining Tufting
Apart from mattresses, cushioned chairs and sofas are often the most tufted object in the world. Back in the day, mattresses had tufting to hold the stuffing or batting in place. This was before the mattress coil technology was developed. Untufted pieces almost always ended up with stuffing shifting to the end or on just one side of the mattress.
Buttons are being used nowadays for a more decorative look. These are placed there more for style than for function. Mattress interiors now come with foam, springs and coils.
Button tufting can be accomplished with the use of button forms. These are metal button blanks covered with contrasting or the same fabrics then placed to the object being tufted. Most of these buttons come in shank style or the type of button that has plastic, metal or wire loops where the thread could pass. These buttons are then sewn to the sofa cushion.
Tufting needles are used with or without the wooden handle. This needle is inserted through the cushion and the master artisan works diligently with it. There are also long upholstery needles used for projects with less thickness. These are used on dolls, throw pillows and some cradle mattresses.
An upholsterer can also work on furniture’s backside or its front.
Another kind of tufting is stitch tufting. This is the traditional kind of tufting where button thread, twine, waxed thread or industrial threads are used. Each of the stitches is sewn to the stuffing. This is often used in doll mattresses, bassinets and cradles. The thread’s strength must be able to withstand the pressures of washing and shifting.
Loop or chenille tufted fabrics come with vertical rows of yarn or fiber loops. These are sewn through then formed into a pile. The designs such as leaves, flowers, even human figures can be tufted into the fabric.
Fine Furniture Design Living Room Vestibule Tufted Back Sofa 4514-01 has tufted fabric that nestles effectively in this chiefly beige surroundings. The wooden pieces provide the necessary contrast.
Why Tufting Works
Chesterfield originally was made of velvet but only the crushed velvet type became mainstream. Hollywood homes are filled with this kind of sofa because of the highest levels of sophistication that they are able to offer.
Tufting and color blocking can create focus in any minimalist space. Don’t go gaga over the colors. Let the tufted piece speak for itself and become the star of the show.
Tufted sofas are relatively traditional which makes them perfect in any Old World or rustic setting. If you want to go modern, then all you have to do is to create a traditional layout inside a house with modern architecture.
Tufted sofas can also be transitional pieces. Transitional homes come with furnishings with clean lines so the tufted sofa will make a perfect focal piece.
Always consider scale and mass when you are buying a tufted sofa or any large furniture. The tufted sofa will become an anchor point in any room where you place it. You would, of course, want to be deliberate when making your choices. You could look through an interesting array of tufted sofas then decide on which one would make your theme leap to life.
Many home offices are also using tufted sofas recently. Some even go through great lengths as customizing their seating units so they can have more people seated. Tufted sofas are perfect for social events or casual meetings.
Tags: buying a sofa, couch, couch buying, couch shopping, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, shopping for a sofa, sofa, sofa characteristics, sofa choices, sofa tufting, tips, tufted fabrics, tufted leather, tufted leather couch, tufted seat, tufted seats, tufted sofa, tufted sofas
Posted in Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Living Room Design | No Comments »
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