How to Choose A Sofa for A Busy Home
If your family includes energetic young ones and four-legged, fur-covered members, you will need to make sure that your sofas can accommodate them as much as they do everyone else in the home.
Lucky for you, there are several ways to make your seats kid and pet-friendly without compromising on style and comfort.
We want you all to enjoy cuddling up without worrying about causing damage to your furniture. Read on to learn the considerations you need to make when selecting your upholstery.
Material of the sofa – leather can easily scratch or damage, so choose a fabric instead
Leather is often listed as a great choice when it comes to high-traffic households because it is easy to clean and completely odour resistant. However, unless you have invested in a top-quality grade, your sofas will be prone to scratches from toys and pet claws.
Instead, we recommend performance fabrics like Crypton, Olefin and Sunbrella that have been engineered to resist scratches, stains, bacteria and odour. Even oil-based stains will not damage your cushions. Furthermore, they are incredibly durable, yet feel soft and cosy.
You will be happy to know that velvet is also an excellent choice for your sofa. The only drawback is that it will attract pet hair. However, since it doesn’t have a weave, the fur is easy to remove. Not having a weave also means that the fabric is not prone to snags.
Colour of the sofa – darker colours will show dirt and hair more than lighter colours
Dark colours may seem like a good idea in a busy home, but fur, dust and dirt show up easier on dark surfaces.
Take the colour of your pet’s coat into account as you can be guaranteed that some loose hairs will cling to your cushions. Light-coloured fur will show up clearly against a dark sofa and vice-versa.
While you don’t have to achieve an exact match between your pooch’s coat and your sofa, choosing a colour that is similar will help make any shedding less noticeable.
If your worry is only about the kids, then a busy pattern in dark shades is a good choice as this will minimise the visual impact of any stubborn stains.
Sofa style – if you have a lot of space in your living room, go for a sectional; if not, a smaller two-seater will do
Kids are not known for sitting still for long periods. As such, your sofas should have enough room for them to move about as pleased. In our experience, we have found that sectional sofas are the best for this.
A lovely large L or U-shaped sofa means both pets and kids can jump on and off the seats without disturbing the adults seated on the other end.
Sectionals are also great because you can separate parts of them if you want your fur babies to have their own space to relax away from the main sofa area.
Size of the sofa – it should be big enough for everyone
Family time should be comfortable for everyone, so where space allows you should get a sofa that is big enough for everyone to enjoy the television together.
While your kids will not take up a lot of space, you do need to consider the size of your pets. A large dog will require more room than a small cat. A Great Dane for example can easily fill up a two-seater on its own!
Four-seaters are generally a safe bet or even a corner sofa. Keep in mind that you can request a customised size sofa, so if you can’t find a seat that fits everyone, it is time to have one made just for you.
Design That Transforms Spaces
At FCI, we believe in the power of interior design to transform spaces. By forging positive spaces that bring genuine happiness to the people who inhabit them, we hope to inspire a community of people to pay it forward.
We’ve been designing interiors and exteriors in both private and commercial spaces for almost 40 years. Our skilled team can offer you a range of individual services or the full interior design monty. We’ll draw up 3D plans for your new kitchen, create a custom colour palette for your walls and floors or simply help you find your perfect sofa match.
No job is too small and no request is too complicated. We can help you draw your design dream and we’ll work closely with you to bring that vision to life.
In addition to our interior design services, we have a wide range of premium sofas that can be customised to suit the style and lifestyle needs of your home.
Get in touch with us and let’s chat about your design requirements. You can call or whatsapp us or pop into our London showroom – we’re open 7 days a week.
