The sofa is generally the largest piece of furniture in your home, next to the home entertainment center which houses the flat screen TV. The sofa is definitely the focal point of whatever room it is in, the living room or the family room and the sofa is for a lot of people the starting point from which their design style starts. Most people keep their sofas around for 5 to 8 years on average. It's a long time to have the same piece of furniture, but with just a bit of thought on your part before your purchase you can have a sofa you'll love for as long as you own it.

The first consideration is usually your budget. Then consider how long you plan to keep your sofa. If you're purchasing a sofa with the idea of holding onto it for 2 or 3 years then don't spend a lot of money. If you are looking to buy a sofa that you can keep for 5 or more years, you'll want to buy a quality sofa, so get ready to spend more. Another consideration is the usage the sofa will get. Where will this sofa be used, and who will be using it? Are you buying a sofa for a dorm room? For use in a family room? A living room?

Did you know that some sofas come with reclining seats? They're great, especially in smaller rooms where you can't have lots of pieces of furniture. Do you want a sofa with back cushions attached or loose pillows? Both will give different levels of support and will look different. Do you need a convertible, or sleeper sofa? If you have overnight guests you should consider this. Perhaps you should look into a sectional sofa if you need lots of seating for a family room or living room. Some sectional sofas also have built in recliners and side tables.

What is your sofa style? Well, what is the style of the room your sofa is going to be used in? Modern? Traditional? Don't think that you have to pick the same style sofa. Some people like a more eclectic look in their homes and choose modern sofas for more traditional or classic rooms, and visa versa. Instead of a sectional sofa in a room you could put two sofas in of different style pulled together with the use of fabric patterns and colors.

Something that can really change the mood and unfortunately the price of a sofa is your choice of fabric. There are hundreds of different types of fabrics available on sofas. From simple duck cotton covers to jacquard and silk fabrics, the choices can be daunting. Also there is a huge variety of patterns and colors. Depending on the style of sofa you choose you may have two different fabrics used. The choice of a floral fabric and a striped fabric can make the same sofa look completely different.

Generally bold and bright colors and geometric designs are used on contemporary sofas and softer muted colors and prints are used on traditional sofas. If you want an eclectic look to your room you can mix the fabrics by using bold and bright colors and geometrics on a traditional sofa and florals or more muted colors on a modern style of sofa. Be aware though, fabrics range from inexpensive to exorbitantly expensive and your choice of fabric can add hundreds of dollars to the final price of a sofa. Regardless of what type of fabric you choose you will always want to have anti-stain treatment applied to your sofa. Your fabric sofa should be thoroughly vacuumed every other month.

Perhaps you want to consider a leather sofa. Leather is an extremely popular sofa choice and a leather sofa can last a lifetime with minimal care. Like fabric sofas, there are many different grades of leather. Premium leather sofas have premium price tags to match. Leather sofas are very easy to care for with occasional vacuuming and a wipe with a damp cloth. Twice a year your leather sofa should be treated with saddle soap.

The most important consideration is comfort. You need to sit on the sofa, lie down on the sofa and see how it feels to you. After all, it's going in your home and you're going to be spending a few afternoons on the weekend taking a nap wont' you? We suggest that you never purchase a sofa out of a catalog. You don't know what type of seat you're getting. Seat depth varies, as does the height of the back of a sofa. Each sofa feels different and you want to make sure that you choose a sofa that's comfortable for you.