1) Measure the Size of Your Room
When you are buying a corner sofa, it is a really good idea to have a plan of the space it is going into to hand, with all the measurements you can think of on it.
It doesn’t need to be beautifully drawn, but a plan is so much better than a list of figures.
Try to sketch the shape of your room out and put measurements on the areas they span.
I have lost count of the number of customers that come into the shop with all their sizes on a piece of paper, only to realise once they start talking to us that they are unsure which measurement was for what.
Even if you love feet and inches, (and let’s face it, we all do), the brochures will undoubtedly give you all the information you require in centimetres, so do yourself and the salesman a kindness, and measure the room in metric too.
2) Make Sure You Consider any Obstructions in the Room
You need of course to put on the measurements between doors, corners, alcoves etc.
But remember also to put on the position of any plug sockets you might need access to, the height of window sills if you are venturing near them with the sofa, where do you need to stop if you are still going to fit the side table you bought when your best mate left her husband, and so on.
Think not just about physical space, but how you use that space too.
3) Look for Your Sofas Dimensions
Now, look up your sofas dimensions to make sure it will fit.
If you are buying a sofa from us all this information will be available from our brochures on the products page, giving you the width, length and height in metric and imperial measurements.
Alternatively, if you are buying from somewhere that doesn't give you the dimensions then try searching for the model online.
Or you could do it the good old fashioned way and measure the sofas you are interested in, in store.
At our shop in Selby we are happy to borrow you a tape measure and assist you with any measuring.
4) Decide if You Want a Left or Right Handed Sofa
Once in the shop or on line, keep in mind that almost without exception corner sofas will be available “handed” either way, (sticky out bit to the left or right), you will need to specify this when you come to purchase your sofa.
Look at your measurements and decide which would work best for you.
5) Decide if You Want a Fixed or Modular Sofa
Also remember that many corner sofas come as fixed units so they need to fit first time. Make sure you double check your measurements.
However, many of them are actually modular and this means that you can mix and match the modular parts to get a sofa that fits your space pretty accurately.
This is the kind of purchase that really requires the help of somebody who knows what they are doing, so if I were you, I would visit a retailer.
They have been doing this for years, and may well come up with options and ideas that help you get the right sofa for the job.
6) Check it Will Fit
Now you know the size of the sofa, room and any obstructions simply make sure it will fit.
Phew. Well after all that planning, I think you need a sit down, have a rest, and a nice cup of tea, then get busy on that plan and we will see you in Rooms For All very soon.