Sofas shipping for the sofas the easy way

These days, it’s pretty easy to find fabric sofas online or in furniture showrooms in vibrant colours or with striking patterns that instantly catch your eye. But how can you avoid your perfect fabric sofas or armchairs transforming into a garish nightmare the minute they land in your lounge? 

Many people might be tempted to play safe and stick with a neutral sofa colour rather than risk a purchasing mistake, but the key to fabric sofas that fit into your room may not be the colour of the fabric sofas themselves, but in your choice of paint.  This video explains how people often make a big mistake when choosing paint colours and gives advice on how to avoid poor decisions on this.

Taking the points one by one:

Colour concept…

You need to think about whether you want a neutral colour (such as beige, tan, taupe, grey. etc) or a ‘wow’ colour, which encompasses all colours that are not neutral.

Light reflectivity value (LRV)…

Consider how light or dark you want to paint your room. The lower the LRV number, the darker the shade will be. If you want your room to feel light, opt for an LRV of 60 or higher.

Before you choose a colour…

Look at what furniture you already have that you are planning to keep – and what fabric sofas you might be interested in buying!  You may well find that the paint colour which will work best will be based on what you already own. Avoid the temptation to choose a colour just because you like it, because it may not fit into your room as well as you imagine.

Go shopping…

Take swatches from fabric sofas, cushions, etc, into the shop with you when choosing a paint colour.

When you are faced with the colour swatches on the wall of the paint store, look for the ‘dull’ shades rather than the bright options if you want to be sure to avoid a garish look.

Off-whites…

These shades are very popular because they fit with any decor.  There is a huge range of off-whites to choose from. Good choices include cream off-whites, taupe off-whites and blush off-whites. These are typically an LRV of 75 or more.

If you are looking for another paint colour to complement your off-white choice (e.g., for a feature wall, or if you have used an off-white on paintwork, etc), choose a colour with an LRV of at least 20 points lower than the off-white.

A common mistake…

Many people choose a paint colour that is too bright. It is worth remembering that choosing paint is not like choosing clothing and you really need to aim for colours with an element of dullness.

You can have fabric sofas you love…

If you follow this advice when choosing your paint colour scheme, brightly coloured fabric sofas or armchairs can look fabulous in any room.

Fabric sofas offer you numerous shades, designs, and patterns, which means that you are bound to find one that will match your existing interior decor. They are often perceived as attractive and warm, and lots of people prefer fabric sofas to other options based on the comfort that they offer.

Consider detachable covers…

Some fabric sofas have the advantage of detachable covers which means you can easily take them off and have them cleaned.Another advantage of detachable covers is that some are reversible, which allows you to change the look of your room whenever you wish.The main disadvantage of fabric sofas is that many of them can be easily stained, which is particularly risky with food and drink. This makes fabric sofas less durable than some of the other choices, e.g., leather, so you would need to think about the impact your lifestyle would have on your sofa before you buy.

Check out this video to see how a slip cover can be easy to fit and help your furniture stay looking fresh.

Luxurious fabric sofas

Silk fabric sofas provide the user with a luxurious seating experience due to their appearance and feel.However, despite the potential they have to be aesthetically pleasing and create impact as a centrepiece within a room, they not only have a high price tag, but need to be cleaned professionally, which might make these fabric sofas less attractive to families or pet owners.

Cheap fabric sofas

Instead, acrylic fabric sofas offer similar aesthetic and sensual advantages but for a much lower cost.However, the most significant advantage is that these fabric sofas are less likely to fade and tend to resist stains far better than if you choose silk, and do not need to be professionally cleaned.

Great value for money

One of the best things about fabric sofas is the great value for money that many offer.They may not be the most durable of sofa options around, but they are often the cheapest, making them ideal for people setting up their first home or those feeling the pinch in an economic downturn.A great way to ensure you get a good deal is to look at comparing prices online.Many stores regularly have items heavily discounted and you can see a lot of options in a short time on the internet compared with trawling around the shops. On the other hand, if you find a couple of fabric sofas you like online, then trying them out for real in a furniture showroom is always a good idea if possible.

Sofa beds can be an extremely practical and appealing addition to any household. The clear benefit is that you essentially have two furniture pieces taking up exactly the same area typically available for a single piece. And sofa beds are perfect for those guest bedrooms that are also used as a study or a play room for the kids.

There are many different kinds of sofa beds…

Yes, sofa beds come in all sizes and shapes as well as in various colours to accommodate the preferences of different users and improve the appearance of the home. To get the best prices on sofa beds, people today can buy online and also through in-store sales.

The design of sofa beds is a major thing to consider before a purchase, since it has to match the style of the room it’s put into. Consequently individuals must be mindful when selecting fabrics and choosing colours.Sofa beds come in exceptionally useful, as well, if you have a room that is too small to fit in a bed plus a sofa, because you can obviously use sofa beds for both.Buying discounted sofa beds is not difficult when you begin looking around.You just need to keep an eye on the newspaper and TV ads until you find the one you want.

Ideal for a smaller living space…

Sofa beds are quickly becoming well-liked by men and women today who own apartments and flats. Like the name indicates, a couch can be turned into a snug bed without difficulty. This demonstrates how easy it is to convert a futon sofa into a bed and then back to a sofa again.

This trend has gained significant popularity in urban areas where the necessity for conserving living space has encouraged the present day customer to purchase items of furniture which have more than a single purpose. These days, you can locate great quality sofa beds which aren’t only excellent on comfort but also gentle on your wallet.

Help to survive the unexpected…

Sofa beds are helpful for an unexpected emergency solution when friends stop by unannounced and want to stay over night. Yes, the couch which your friends and relatives appreciate can usually be rapidly converted into a comfy bed – making them admire your taste in home furniture all the more!Sofa beds are beautiful settees that may be fitted with pull-out mattresses concealed under their seat covers.Also, sofa beds are a fantastic choice for those who are regularly required to welcome unexpected visitors. Rather than needing to commit a space to guests, they allow you to offer a night of comfortable slumber to any visitor, before being safely hidden away again the next morning.

One man’s treasure…

It’s been reported today that an old sofa found in the street has become the star of BBC coverage at Wimbledon as a result of a truly creative renovation. Lauren May wrote in the Streatham Guardian:

“The striking settee, completely covered in bright yellow tennis balls, was designed and built by 50-year-old furniture maker Mark Thurgood. Mr Thurgood started work after finding a sofa dumped on the street. Balls were donated by the Telford Park tennis club…”

Click here to read the full article and find out how the sofa came to the attention of the BBC.

To renovate or not to renovate…

OK, so this particular example of an old sofa was a work of art rather than the kind of piece you’d welcome into your home, but it does beg the question: Is renovation worth the time and effort when there are so many brand new sofas at fantastically low prices?

If there’s nothing wrong with your sofa but you’re redecorating and changing your colour scheme, you might wish to consider using upholstery spray paint to recycle rather than dump. Check out this video for a demonstration of the type of products available:

While many creative individuals will see the possibility of spray painting an old sofa to match a new colour scheme as an exciting opportunity to express themselves in their home, others will no doubt be left wondering if it’s all too much hassle and would rather opt for giving away their old sofa to a good cause and starting afresh with a new one.

Where can you buy a pink sofa?

These days, even the most vibrant of colours can make its way into your living room in the form of a new sofa – even if you want a bright pink sofa! For example, this Miami 2-seater sofa from Asda, pictured here in purple, comes in a variety of shades, and is very reasonably priced for those on a tight budget.

Ultimately, whether or not you get creative with your old sofa is a personal decision, but it’s definitely worth checking out what’s available if you’d prefer to buy new instead, and you can do that quickly and easily if you look for sofas online…

… where you’re bound to find a pink sofa you love – or maybe play it safe and opt for some pink cushions against a more neutral background instead!

Andy Murray beats the rain…

On the day when Scotland’s Andy Murray won his match against number 16 seed Marin Clic to head into the Wimbledon 2012 quarter finals, many TV viewers might well have been grateful they were lounging on their sofas at home instead of suffering the frustrations of rain either delaying or interrupting play.

Some guys have all the luck…

Wimbledon’s Centre Court, with its retractable cover, meant Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer could keep dry as they won their quarter final slots. So, unless you’re lucky enough to bag a Centre Court ticket, there may well come a point where both you and your overpriced strawberries and cream are soaked to the skin. And, at this time, it wouldn’t be surprising if spectators found themselves wondering why they ever thought standing in the rain would be more fun than curling up on their sofas at home with a box of chocs and the BBC for company. OK, there’s always a possibility Cliff could show up to sing a chorus of ‘Bachelor Boy’, but the chances are he’ll be having a much better time watching play on Centre Court instead! Check out this video to find out how they tested the Centre Court roof for the first time back in 2009.

Tennis fans would LOVE to see sofas inspired by Wimbledon…

And, during the breaks, at home on their sofas, tennis fans could reach for their laptops and check our the Wimbledon-inspired furniture on offer at Fashion for Home. And at the moment there’s a code available for a 10% discount. Check out our latest updates for more information and other offers on sofas, armchairs, etc.

Get ready for the rain…

Anyone insisting on being there for the live match might want to take the advice of GrandSlamGal who’s produced “A Tennis Fan’s Guide to RainCon (Rain Readiness Conditions) for Wimbledon”.GrandSlamGal says:

“Just as thedefense readiness condition(DEFCON) is an alert posture used by the United States Armed Forces, these rain readiness conditions (RAINCON) are an unofficial alert protocol that can be followed by Wimbledon spectators.

The rain preparations that take place under the five RAINCONs have been described as precisely as possible, but will vary for each unique circumstance of rain.

Conditions can move swiftly from RAINCON 5 to RAINCON 0. It is recommended that spectators remain alert (but not alarmed) at all times. If you see weather conditions that are unusual or suspicious, do not wait for instructions. Follow your own judgement.”

Click here to read about the 5 RAINCONs in more detail. Inspired by real life events, it’s an amusing read and well worth a look!

Good luck, Andy!

And finally… well done so far, Andy, and we wish you all the best for the next match – which most of us will no doubt enjoy from the comfort of our sofas!