sitting pretty

A quick and easy guide to picking a sofa that suits both your family’s needs and the style of your home

- laura barry

In the power seat A crisp white sofa is a recipe for success in any interior. Westport fabric 2.5-seat sofa in Darling Snow White, from $2049. Wanda floor lamp, $299. Grande coffee table, $1399. Zurah floor rug, from $599. Cushions and vases, all Freedom.

THE SOFA sets the tone of a living room. As the largest piece of furniture in the space, the colour, shape, fabric and style of your sofa influences everything around it, from your coffee table to your floor lamp. Therefore, selecting a sofa that is well suited not only to your interior theme, but to your lifestyle, is integral to the success of your space. Michelle Klopper, head of furniture at Freedom Australia, has some expert advice for identifying your optimal seating arrangement.

KNOW YOUR SOFAS

Usually characterised by an upholstered seat with arms and back, sofas come in all shapes and sizes. “Love seats are typically two-seaters, and go up to four-seaters; sectional or corner modulars are multi-piece combinations, or there are sofa beds that convert to a sleeping area,” says Michelle.

She says within those categories there are also tight, pillow, loose back, track, rolled and pillow arms – or even armless – variations.

FIND YOUR FABRIC