THE SCEPTICAL SHOPPER: BUYING A SOFA
In another new series, undercover experts give impartial advice on how and where to find the best buys. First we look at sofas ...
From INTELLIGENT LIFE Magazine, Spring 2009
A sofa is, in more than one sense, a major purchase. A decent one measures several cubic metres, dominates the room, costs a four-figure sum and ought to last for years. My first sofa—a George Sherlock with big fat feather cushions, beech frame, sprung back, low, three-quarter arms and a white-cotton fixed cover—was bought 17 years ago on an uninformed whim. More through luck than judgment, it ticked the two most important boxes: comfort and durability.
Comfort is subjective, but how many of us really like an unyielding sofa? We want to be able to sink into it, not just sit on it. At Liberty in London recently, I sat on a lean, angular, white-leather, mid-century Modern sofa—and felt as if I was about to be called into a job interview. Florence Knoll, who came up with the design in 1954, must have had a very different bottom from mine.
There are thousands of sofas on the market, ranging in price from under £300 at IKEA to £6,000 at the very trad George Smith. In picking the six on these pages—all found in Britain, but most available elsewhere—I have plumped, above all, for sittability. The other criteria are elegance and quality. Since sofas are a long-term investment, price should not be decisive, though it is worth waiting for sales time, when bespoke orders mostly come down by 20%, and display models, if you can find one to your taste, could save you 50%. But before falling for a bargain, be clear about what kind of sofa you’re after. Work out what you want to do on it—sit and talk? Curl up and read? Sprawl and watch movies?
With TV sofas, you need somewhere to put your feet, as it’s just not comfortable to sit for hours with your knees lower than your hips—you need either enough seat to stretch out on, or a footstool at matching height. Too high or vertical an armrest can be hard to lean your head against. Lower armrests don’t strain the neck, and you can dangle your feet over them. A sociable sofa should seat either two or four: three people in a row are never going to have an easy conversation. More formal sofas can be deep—as long as they are low enough to perch on demurely at the start of the party as well as nestle into when the ice has broken.
For comfort, the deeper the sofa, the better. But consider where exactly it is to go—a sofa that’s too bulky for its space will make the whole room feel awkward. If space is tight, opt for a shallower model, with a footstool. Sofas on legs or with low arms occupy less visual space: B&B Italia’s Charles sofa is huge, but its slim steel legs make it float.
Feather cushions are much the comfiest but need plumping, and not everyone can be bothered. Foam alone is more ejector-seat than cushion. Several high-end designers—such as Michael Reeves, whose elegant sofas sell through Osborne & Little—use foam with a feather wrap for clean-lined upholstery that recovers its shape when the sitter gets up. At the top end, where all sofas are bench-made—ie, in a workshop, by skilled craftsmen—you should be able to specify the filling of your choice.
But you may have to persist to uncover all the options. Although the staff I encountered on my scouting trips to Conran, Heal’s and Liberty generally knew their wares, only at George Smith and SCP did I find experts who could talk nitty-gritty about beech frames and hand-tied springs. When I told Holly at George Smith that I found their sofas immaculately made but a bit staid, she printed off a modern take on a Chesterfield that the company had designed for a members’ club and said they would be happy to develop a bespoke design with me.
Fabric makes a real difference. Loose covers can be washed, but will never look svelte; a fixed cover in a practical fabric that can be steam-cleaned in situ may last just as long. Velvets and linens give form to very squishy sofas, and work better than wool, which pulls in too many directions. Patterns or flecks are good for children and dogs; but no sofa is going to survive a scratching cat. Expect to pay upwards of £40 per square metre for fabric that will wear well and keep its looks.
I can’t imagine buying a sofa without sitting on it first, but there are several websites where you can do just that. At
It turns out that no fewer than three of my favourite sofas—Conran’s Moreau, SCP’s Elsie and Liberty’s Claude—were designed by one person: Russell Pinch. So I rang him for the recipe. “A solid hardwood frame is absolutely paramount, to provide horizontal rigidity, plus longevity,” he said. “If there are sew lines, you don’t want to see any wiggles, you want pure lines. That shows the seamstress knows what she’s doing and that the guys in the workshop have pulled the fabric properly. Also, all seats must have an inward rake on them, or the cushions will tip forward.”
Top-end hardwood frames are guaranteed for life, so heed this advice—no one wants to sit on a mistake for years. Choosing the right sofa is a big deal, one you don’t want to stuff up. Though you could always re-stuff the cushions.
Chesterfield, by Baker & Belgae, at Rume (above, left) A confident interpretation of a sometimes fusty classic, clinched by exquisite detailing. Buttoned upholstery is necessarily firm, but the generous depth of this seat makes up for it.
Three-seater: 255x105x82cm; £2,750 + 15 metres fabric. Also comes as an armchair, 2-, 2.5- and 3.5-seater
Madison, by Michael Reeves, at Osborne & Little (above, right) Strongly linear (back and arms are on the same latitude), this is about as crisp as comfy sofas come. Seat cushions are foam with a feather wrap, but can be customised.
Three-seater: 248x87x73cm; £3,201 + 15 metres fabric. Also comes as armchair, 1.5- and 2-seater
Moreau, by Russell Pinch, at Conran Elegant enough for a drawing room, comfy enough to spend the whole weekend in. The sides and back curve both in and out, a serious challenge for the upholsterers. “It’s beautifully and very cleverly made,” says its designer, Russell Pinch. “You couldn’t produce this cheaply.”
Three-seater: 221x101x82cm; £3,145 + 16 metres fabric
Elsie, by Russell Pinch, at SCP Another excellent all-rounder from the clever Mr Pinch, this one perhaps more suited to contemporary interiors. The cushions are filled with chicken feathers, rather than down, so it’s medium-squishy.
Three-seater: 190x101x78cm; £2,530 + 12 metres fabric. Also comes as armchair, 2- and 3-seater; www.scp.co.uk
Winslow, by Terence Conran, at Conran Not the sexiest candidate on this shortlist, but to my mind—and behind—the most seductive. The all-feather seat cushions are as cosseting as a goosedown duvet. If I had a dedicated telly sofa, this would be it. Needs plumping to avoid looking trashed, but it’s worth it.
Three-seater: 210x110x76cm; £2,135 + 15 metres fabric. Also comes as 1.5-, 2- and 4-seater
Charles Large, by Antonio Citterio, at B&B Italia Citterio tweaked his original Charles design (a bestseller since 1997) to produce this more generous but still minimal modular sofa. The low back, half arms, stick-thin legs and slim cushions give it a lovely lightness of being.
Four-seater: 256x106x68cm; £5,523 + 9.15 metres fabric. Comes in a range of modules, including “chaise longue” extensions
Picture credit: greenkozi (via Flickr)
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