The couch is a piece of furniture that has been in existence since the days of the Greeks and Romans, over 2,000 years ago. In 2,000 years it has evolved somewhat, with varieties such as the davenport, the settee, the lounge and the chesterfield, and the sofa. These days, people use the words interchangeably.

Just as the design of the couch has expanded through the years, so has the amount of materials used to cover the cushions for comfortable sitting or reclining. And one of the most comfortable materials in which to cover your furniture has recently been invented, the microfiber.

Microfiber (or microsuede) is a synthetic material, known for its softness and for its ability to repel liquids. Unfortunately, microfiber textiles are not only flammable, but they emit toxic gases when burning. They are also not biodegradable.

However for many people, the advantages of the microfiber material outweigh its disadvantages, and sofas upholstered in microfiber are becoming more and more popular.

Once you've decided that microfiber upholstery is right or you, what type of sofa should you get?

There are many, many different designs, as might be expected for a piece of furniture that's been around for over 2,000 years.

Sofas are divided into two main styles: the sectional and the sleeper. The sectional sofas are then divided further depending on the style of the back: tight back, attached pillow back, loose pillow back and multi pillow back.

Tight-back sofas have a very firm seat and no supporting pillow. You save time because you don't have to straighten any pillows, but they are not that comfortable. Examples of tight-back sofas are the Camel Back, Channel Back and Tufted Back.

Attached-pillow back sofas have softer seats and backs. These filled pillows are sewn into the backs of the sofas so that they are immovable. Because the pillows are permanently attached, they can be difficult to keep clean, as the pillows can't be simply removed if they get stained..

Loose-pillow backs are convenient, because the back cushions are usually reversible. The coverings can be unzipped for re-stuffing and cleaning purposes.

Multi-pillow back sofas, also termed scatterback sofas, have a larger number of back pillows than seat pillows (which is different than the loose-pillow backs, which have an even number.) This design is usually the most comfortable. These sofas are larger and deeper than the other style.

In addition to the types of backs, sofas are classified by several other criteria. The type of skirt can be either the "dressmaker" or the "boxpleat," the arms can vary, such as the "roll arm", the "tuxedo arm", and the "Charles of London" arm. The "Charles of London" arm is named for an English furniture maker, of course, and is heavily padded.

Then we've got the base on which the sofa rests: the upholstered foot or the plinth base.

The sofa is probably one of the most expensive pieces of furniture you'll buy for your home, so make sure you visit as many furniture stores as you can, so that you can try out as many different versions as possible. Not only must the couch itself be comfortable, but the covering also - and that's where the new microfibers and microsuedes come in.