Lacks Home Design Ideas Magazine

Have you ever gone to a restaurant and not been able to decide what to order because there were just too many choices on the menu? When faced with too many menu choices, I usually order what someone else has already ordered. If they’ve eaten at the restaurant before, they must be experts and know what’s good.

Maybe you’ve put off buying a new sofa or chair because there are so many styles, sizes, combinations and fabric choices available. While some people think selecting furniture is challenging, finding the perfect sofa or chair is easy if you keep three words in mind: scale, style and suitability.

Consider the scale, or proportions and forms of the furniture. Is the piece light and fun or heavy and visually weighted? Too many dainty objects get lost in a large space. But a small room doesn’t necessarily require small pieces. In some cases, it’s best to use fewer, larger pieces to visually enlarge a small space.

Style is also important to consider. A tufted-back sofa is can be wonderful for certain styles but generally doesn’t work in a modern room. Square-shaped or cubistic pieces (where the back and arms are the same height) may not work in a country-style room, although either would look perfect for stylized, urban interiors. On the safe side, a sofa with a cushioned back and arms is almost universally appropriate.

You’ve thought about scale and style, what about the suitability? Always sit it on a sofa or chair to test the feel. Make certain that the seat is not so deep that your back can’t rest comfortably and that your legs can bend naturally. Test the arms to see if they are at a comfortable height and are suitable to long, relaxing sits. (If you’re like me, you might also stretch out to test if the sofa is suitable for Sunday afternoon naps.) An additional consideration is the suitability of the upholstery. It should be sturdy enough to withstand its intended use, but not so heavy that it’s uncomfortable or rough to the touch.

Still unsure what to select? Don’t worry. The sales associates at Lacks are friendly, experienced and there to help you. They’re like the experts in the restaurant. They know what’s good. And if you bring them a scaled drawing of you room and pictures of what you like, they can help you select furniture that will function efficiently and that you’ll truly love. Go to the Lacks website and use the room planner to lay out your room--it’s easy and you can save it or print it.

Nowhere is that old adage “buy cheap, buy twice” more applicable than with upholstered furniture. After all, a good sofa or chair can always be reused, moved to a different room, or even passed on your children or friends. Cheaply upholstered pieces rarely last longer than a few years and are usually not comfortable even during their brief lifetimes.

When choosing upholstered furniture, the most important consideration is the weight of the fabric. Is the fabric strong enough for its purpose? Certainly sheer fabrics can look lovely hanging as drapes, but they would be a disaster on a sofa in your family room. You probably can’t go wrong choosing upholstery made of leather, natural fibers such as cotton and wool, microfibers or a blend.

There are wonderful alternatives to sofas and chairs to provide seating. Consider small stools or a large (or small) ottoman that can serve as seating or--with the addition of a tray placed on top--as a coffee table. These pieces add versatility as well as visual variety.