Reflect on Your Lifestyle

"When selecting a sofa," Shelly says, "the most important factor is whether or not the sofa fits your lifestyle. You may covet that gorgeous white, tufted, linen Chesterfield you see on your Pinterest board — but if you have kids or pets or eat in your living room a lot this sofa, and others like it, will leave you super frustrated." So, don't forget to take the time to really determine your needs before you get started. Not only will this help your overall focus, but you will most certainly thank yourself later!

Educate Yourself on Fabric Options

Once you have a better idea of your general sofa needs, it is then time to educate yourself on various fabric options and how they pertain to your lifestyle. Shelly says, "Fabrics run the gamut; from leather that is bonded to full grain, linen, velvet, canvas, etc. If durability is an issue, look for full-grain leathers or performance fabrics like Sunbrella." She continues, "Households with pets (and small children) can benefit from microfiber and Sunbrella canvas fabrics. Even manmade velvets are a great upholstery option in these situations, as the fabrics do not have the slub or texture that claws can snag and pull."

And with so many fabric options out there, it is truly so important to educate yourself at this stage of the game so you won't run into any regret later down the road. If you are still having trouble pinpointing which fabric choice is the best for you, Shelly suggests checking out "companies like Pottery Barn [2] and Ballard Designs [3] [since they] offer varieties of materials on their made-to-order sofas that fit all levels of lifestyle."

Shop Styles Within Your Budget

Now that you have a better idea of which fabric is right for you, it is time to apply that knowledge to available styles in your budget. Shelly shares, "In terms of style, sofas come in more shapes and sizes that you can dream up. And price points range from a few hundred dollars for a loveseat, to tens of thousands for a hand-crafted piece. If you are on a small budget, make sure to look for details that add wearability to your purchase." Nailheads, for instance, make the furnishing appears more lush, "but if the cushions are poorly crafted, the sofa will look sad and worn quickly."

Think About the Long-Term

Even though picking out your sofa style is one of the more exciting aspects of this particular process, it is important to also remember that you are purchasing for long-term use. There is nothing worse than making an investment for it to show wear and tear only six months in. To ensure your purchase is ideal for long-term use, Shelly prefers "sofas that have solid backs or detached pillow backs and sturdy frames. This way you can re-stuff pillows and wrap cushions that start to sag over time. Sofas that have covers to their cushions are also ideal, in order to launder and maintain."

Another note on maintenance, too, is to apply Scotchgard to your purchase so you can "help to ward off stains and spills (just make sure you check your manufacturers labels before applying chemicals!)"

Confirm Scale and Size

You are finally ready to pull the trigger after making many imperative and informed decisions in your sofa hunt. But before you swipe your credit card and make it official, the last aspect that you need to consider is the scale of your sofa and how it will fit in to your intended space. Shelly says, "If you need help understanding what scale works best, look to your favorite home decor magazines for photo inspiration and seek out pictures of rooms that have similar attributes to your own. For example, if you are crushing on a large, super deep, modern sofa for your space, but you have eight-foot ceilings and a narrow footprint to work with, think again."