How to choose a couch

The cushions are sewn into a fixed seat sofa and are therefore unable to be removed. The fabric is secured to the frame underneath the foam, coming up, under the back and out over the top to be attached at the front of the sofa.

Pieces of furniture with a fixed seat require extra fabric to allow the cushions to compress as people sit on it; this ensures there is enough ‘give’ and reduces the stress in fixed seams which can result in seam slippage or the fabric tearing. This extra fabric moves with you to accommodate the compression of the foam, however, if the fabric doesn't move back fast enough or becomes trapped it is vulnerable to sagging or rippling.

A fixed seat needs to be ‘dressed’ after being sat on. Dressing requires smoothing out the fabric on the seat by brushing it back towards the rear. If this isn’t done often enough it can lead to permanent creases on the seat, which isn’t considered a fabric or manufacturing issue but instead the result of insufficient care and maintenance.

Read more about dressing your sofa in our article Common causes of sagging sofa cushions.

An alternative to fixed seats are loose cushion seats or unfixed seats, whereby the cushions are not attached. Furniture designs with loose cushion seats don’t require extra fabric as the cushion ‘flexes’ when it is sat on, avoiding the strain on fixed seams mentioned above. It is important to discuss your fabric choice with your manufacturer to ensure you have specified the right fabric for the furniture design.

Loose cushions generally appeal to people who favour a more relaxed aesthetic. Feather cushions add comfort and inviting volume to your sofa, however, just like your duvet or pillows they require a lot of maintenance and need to be aerated. If cushions aren’t fluffed regularly the feathers begin to compress and the cushion appears to sag or stretch. While the fabric may appear stretched this is unlikely to be the case as upholstery fabrics undergo a series of tests including seam slippage during product development and would not reach the market if they failed to comply. A synthetic alternative to feathers is Ergofill; essentially this is upholstery foam layered with a soft duvet which compresses when you sit on it.

Read more about seam slippage and other textile tests here.

As the name suggests, a slip cover is a tailored fabric covering for your sofa. Slip covers are advantageous as the fabric can be removed, washed, and reinstated, as well as being relatively simple and affordable to replace. Slip covered sofas evoke a casual, laid-back aesthetic as the cover generally doesn’t fit as snugly as a that of an upholstered piece of furniture; this can result in wrinkles in areas such as the skirt (around the base of the sofa) and should be considered when selecting this style of upholstery.

A key advantage of purchasing locally made furniture is the opportunity to customise not only the fabric but also the feel. Manufacturers can create a ‘semi-soft’ seat with the appearance of a soft seat by incorporating different foams and altering the suspension system. While there are a myriad of foam options – all priced accordingly – premium manufacturers will use premium pre-crushed foam, however, it’s important to note that even quality foam loses 5 – 7% of its loft in the first three months as some cells compress, while low-quality foam can lose 20%.

Imagine your upholstery foam like a sponge cake. The smallest bubbles are found in the bottom third, it’s quite heavy like latex with very little give and therefore ideal for mattresses. In the middle are medium-sized bubbles surrounded by cake, the cell walls are quite thick so this area is best for furniture as it can compress but is strong enough to loft again. The biggest bubbles and the least cake are found at the top, when these bubbles compress they are vulnerable to breaking and therefore of lower quality. Upholsterers often ‘stack’ the foam from firmest at the bottom, through medium, and softest at the top to take advantage of the different attributes and create the most comfortable seat.

Where legs raise a piece of furniture up, a ‘grounded’ piece sits directly on the floor. Grounded furniture tends to be stronger because there is less suspension required and is ideal for a family room or modular piece, however, grounded furniture can appear large and heavy in a small space.

Sofas with legs are more vulnerable to family activities (such as jumping) and are better suited to smaller spaces, such as apartments, in which a sofa with legs will appear lighter and smaller, resulting in the space feeling larger as you can see more of the floor. By incorporating furniture with legs, you reduce the physical barriers within the space and enhance the feeling of space. Another advantage is that legs come in a standard selection of sizes and are relatively inexpensive, allowing you to easily update your furniture as your taste and style evolves.