As we get closer to summer, plans for remodeling and redecorating begin to take solid form. Many of these aspirations will drive you to buy new furniture. Small sofas and loveseat sets, one of the most popular furniture selections, can be a complicated buy. Luckily, Furniture Decorating assembled a guide detailing the basic steps for finding your ideal sofa.
Small Sofas: Upholstered vs Slip-covered
Upholstered sofas, the most common variation, typically employ a fabric covered frame and separate cushions. This makes upholstered sofas a bit more difficult to clean. Many modern small sofas are upholstered in microfiber that resembles suede. This spot-cleanable fabric resists stains, and is a great idea when used in a home with children.
Leather is another popular choice for upholstered small sofas. It is important to understand that there a huge disparity in the quality of leather, which may not be visible to your eye. Remember the following when looking at leather small sofas and loveseat sets.
- Corrected grain and top grain leather will have a natural pattern from the animal's hide. Uncorrected leather will have all of the original markings from the hide, including scarring and insect bites.
- Split grain leather is formed by splitting the hide into thinner pieces. It can be left with a natural finish, which will give it a "fuzzy" feeling on the split side, best recognized in bomber leather jackets.
- Bi-cast leather is scrap leather compressed between two polyurethane substrates. Although the surface itself is smooth and durable, the urethane cracks and discolors easily.
Slip-covered small sofas, popularized by Pottery Barn and other contemporary furniture stores, allow you to have easy to clean furniture that can also be color customized to your liking on a whim. These are most often found on small sofas and loveseat sets, due to the expense and customization needed to slipcover a sectional.
Small Sofa Ideas of 2009
You're probably aware that "green" is in. Many companies, such as Lay-Z-Boy, are working to make their product line more eco friendly. Many of their new small sofas and loveseat sets are upholstered in their new Oeko-Tex certified Eco Comfort fabric.
In a more subtle trend, consumers are deciding to stay put in their homes just a little while longer. Apartment dwellers and small home or condo owners are turning to wedge sofas to utilize wasted space in their home.
Finally, sleeper sofas are on the rise in popularity. Nothing like the painful pull-out bed or lumpy futon you remember from your college days, these new sleeper sofas offer over twice the mattress thickness and clever innerspring support systems. If you're looking for a small sofa or loveseat set in 2009, your options are plentiful.
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