By Rami Moorosi
Whatever your personal style or size of room, there will always be the right couch for you. It goes without saying that the couch you select should not only look good, but it should be practical and most of all comfortable. When it comes to some of the current trends, Justin Van Breda, the creative director of JVB Furniture Collection notes that “the emphasis is on scale and comfort. Sofas and armchairs that you can just flop down onto are on trend right now”.
Depending on personal tastes, both fitted and loose covers are also still popular choices. When it comes to choosing fabrics, natural linens in natural colours are worth considering, as these look good no matter what theme your space is styled in. If you are looking for cutting edge pieces, Philippe Nigro’s intriguing new range, Entailles (available from Ligne Roset), has sofas that have notches “cut” into their seats and backrests. The idea behind the notches is to accommodate small occasional tables from the same range, and also to allow for changes in seat depth and backrest height.
These also use dual and two-tone fabrics on one piece, which makes for an item with textural dynamics. Another example of an intriguing selection is Didier Gomez’s classic, graceful Belem collection, where the design includes feather-filled back cushions. “The settees have a gentle curve to their front facade, and the feet appear to be wood at first glance, but are in fact made from black steel – a pleasing deception. The overall effect is imbued with pure elegance and refinement,” explains Brendan Williams from Ligne Roset Johannesburg.
Experts from Sutherlands Home Furnishings recommend having a nice slub in the fabric or a cross-over weave. “This will give the couch a more plush look and by adding some cushions in your personal taste, the room will become alive,” add the Sutherlands experts. One way to change the look of your space is by upholstering your old couches with the latest fabrics in trendy colours and patterns.
“Introducing new scatter cushions or the addition of a throw can also change a sofa or seating area completely. Clever rearrangement of the seating in a room can also change the overall aesthetic,” adds Justin.
“The sofa, being one of the biggest elements in a furniture layout, should be the foundation around which the composition is arranged, but should by no means dominate it.
A settee that is visually-heavy is best offset by lighter armchairs, and vice versa,” explains Brendan.
Always try to give the sofa the best view – use a focal point like a fireplace to arrange your seating with a symmetrical layout opposite or on either side of the fireplace.
Don’t hamper the flow of a room by blocking doorways and thoroughfares with sofas. If the space allows, don’t be afraid of trying unusual angles. When buying a new couch, try it out for longer than a few seconds.
After at least ten minutes you should get a better idea of how comfortable it will be for you and this is very important to do, considering the average length of time you’ll spend on the couch. Remember, there is no right or wrong, choose what you love and will enjoy seeing everyday.
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