5 Mistakes That Ruin Your Living Room When Choosing a Sofa

The sofa is the piece that defines the personality of your home. However, it is very easy to get carried away by a beautiful design and make mistakes that, in the long run, affect the comfort and aesthetics of your house.

At EstilSofá, after years of advising clients in Valencia, we have identified the most common failures. Avoiding them will save you money, space, and many backaches.

1. The "Optical Illusion" Error: Not measuring (or measuring poorly)

A 3-meter sofa looks small in a 500 m² showroom, but it can completely "eat" your living room.

• The failure: Buying based on sight and not on the measuring tape.
• How to avoid it: Use masking tape or newspapers on the floor to mark the total area the sofa will occupy, including the depth and the opening if it is a recliner. Always leave a minimum of 60 cm of free passage.

2. Prioritizing Style over Ergonomics

A beautiful sofa in a magazine can be a torture for your back after 20 minutes.

• The failure: Choosing with your eyes without sitting down to test it.
• How to avoid it: When testing it in-store, look at three key points:

Ergonomics Checklist

• That your feet touch the floor.
• That the lumbar area is fully supported.
• That the head has a comfortable support if you usually watch TV lying down.

3. Forgetting Your Lifestyle when choosing the Fabric

Do you have children? Pets? Do you usually eat on the sofa? The fabric must adapt to you, not you to the fabric.

• The failure: Choosing a delicate or difficult-to-clean fabric just for the color.
• How to avoid it: Opt for fabrics with stain protection (like Aquaclean) or high-resistance fabrics (high Martindale test) if you have cats or dogs.

4. Not anticipating home access

It seems obvious, but it is the most dramatic error: that the sofa does not fit through the door or the elevator.

• The failure: Ignoring the measurements of hallways, stair turns, and doors.
• How to avoid it: Always notify your advisor at EstilSofá if you live in an apartment with narrow access. We can manufacture the sofa with removable arms or in independent modules.

5. Underestimating the importance of Structure and Foam

What you don't see is what makes a sofa last 2 years or 15 years.

• The failure: Buying the cheapest sofa without asking about its interior.
• How to avoid it: Look for structures made of solid pine wood or metal. Demand a minimum foam density of 30 kg/m³. Low-density foams sink within a few months.

Conclusion

Buying a sofa is a long-term decision. Avoiding these 5 mistakes guarantees you a balanced living room and, above all, quality rest.