If a sofa is made for one thing it’s social seating. People sitting together, enjoying each other’s company, laughing, eating and chatting. Everyone should be comfortable on a lovely big family friendly sofa with all the life-affirming benefits that brings. If that sounds like something you want in your world then your choice of sofa has to be just right. No matter how great a sofa looks. Irrespective of its colour or style. If it’s inhospitable, hard, oddly designed or awkward in any way it won’t be a place you’ll enjoy time together. So, here’s our guide on what to look out for so you can buy a family friendly sofa that’s just that.  

Leather or Fabric

Sofa coverings should be uppermost in your thoughts. Broadly speaking, that will be a choice between fabric or leather tempered, of course, by your finances. Leather is arguably the most resilient material especially if your family friendly sofa needs to withstand the random activities of little ones or your furry friends. Leather will more readily repel stains from muddy shoes, sticky fingers and damp dogs. Dare we say, if you occasionally get a little careless with a glass of vino, a leather sofa will forgive your indiscretion. Most stains will come away with a good wipe and some regular maintenance (see our guide to looking after your leather sofa for more info’). Fabric will usually offer a softer seating experience. Assuming your youngsters no longer feel the need to use the sofa like a bouncy castle then fabric should be just as durable offering a wider range of patterns and finishes than leather and a broad range of design options. Maybe do a risk assessment of likely family-related occurrences before deciding which to go for and keep an open mind as to how pristine you need your sofa to be. Remember accidents will always happen; it’s the way of the world.  

Who’s in the family?

For a family friendly sofa to be perfect you should really have a think about who are you seating. We’ve mentioned the perils of kids and pets, but what about our senior citizens? A sofa that is too low or too soft will see our elders and betters floundering around trying to get onto and off it. Whilst that may be comical to watch, it won’t be pleasant for them. So show some respect and accommodate them as much as you can. There will be steady supply of Werthers Originals in it for you!  

Made to last

A family friendly sofa need to be durable. You’ve read about all the things it will be subjected to. When you add them all up, that’s quite a sustained assault. That’s why your sofa needs to be tough. Not only do the covers have to be resilient but also the frame, the joints, the feet and the cushion fillings. Any weakness will be soon exposed as seams pop, toe-curling creaks grate the senses or stains appear that just won’t go away. In short, check how well your family friendly sofa is made and how comprehensively it’s guaranteed before you take the plunge.  

Your living room layout

Many say the TV is now the focal point of the room. It’s probably true. For a lot of the time occupants of your family friendly sofa will be gazing at the telly watching a soap or movie or whatever. For a sofa to be truly family friendly, it needs to fit in your room as efficiently as possible and allow easy access to the TV. The trick is to balance the number you need to seat with the space you have. Have a look at our guide on how to accommodate various kinds of sofa such as a large one, a corner one or even cute small ones when space really is at a premium. With some good measurements, a little bit of planning you can get a fantastic family friendly sofa that will satisfy everyone.  

The Chesterfield Family

Naturally, here at the Chesterfield Sofa Company we’re sure a traditional or modern style Chesterfield sofa is the ultimate family friendly option. Our range of hand built sofas are second to none in build quality, comfort and versatility. So if you need a sofa that will meet the needs of every kind of family, call 0800 035 9889 or email [email protected] and we’ll find one that’s right for you. Now everyone relax!]]>