Knowledge Base

There’s nothing quite like a comfy sofa, is there? At the end of a long day, settling into your sofa can feel like a warm hug. A mainstay of the home since time immemorial, the sofa has origins in ancient Egypt, and the word itself is derived from the Arabic word “suffah” which means “bench.” As they did with most things, the Romans made the sofa a little fancier, creating a chaise longue-shaped thing designed for reclining on while being fed grapes. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, it wasn’t until the late 16th Century that the sofa returned to homes throughout Europe. From then onwards though, they began to take on a much more luxurious look and comfortable build. The rest, as they say, is history. Sofas are usually the focal feature of a living room, or can sometimes blend slightly into the background depending on the material and style you choose. An investment into both your aesthetic and ergonomics, buying a sofa is not something you should go ahead with until you’ve reassured yourself that it’s the right one for you and your home. That’s where we come in - we’ve compiled this handy sofa-buying guide to help you pick the perfect sofa. Location & Style When choosing any piece of furniture, we think the best place to start is by considering where you’ll be placing it. If it’s a sofa that you’re shopping for, it will most likely be for a socialising, relaxing or entertaining space, which is usually a living room, games room or home bar. Once you’ve ascertained where exactly you’ll be putting the sofa, you can begin to think about the style of it. For example, if the location is a home bar, you can ask yourself what aesthetic you want the home bar to have. If it’s an eclectic, vintage members’ club feel you’re going for, the button-tufted Fitzroy would make a luxurious and statement addition. Alternatively, if you want more of a cosy pub or cottage feel, the rustic leather look of the Regent will be more appropriate. In a family-friendly living room where comfort is king and contemporary style reigns supreme, the grey, L-shaped Baldwin is your best bet. The practical points of your sofa Will your sofa fit? You’ll need to decide on what size sofa is going to work for you. If there are five people in your household, a two-seater probably isn’t going to cut it. However, what you can do is opt for a smaller sofa and a couple of statement armchairs to mix things up and avoid overpowering the room with one big accent. We offer a selection of different-sized sofas at Where Saints Go, and an even bigger selection of accent armchairs that are the perfect mix of stylish and comfortable. The next step will be to figure out the measurements. We cannot stress the importance of measuring your room and sofa enough - you’d be surprised at how many people are shocked to find that the sofa they ordered won’t actually fit through the front door. Grab a tape measure and keep in mind that it’s not just the room itself you’ll need to measure, but also your access points. For example, if you’re planning on bringing the sofa in via your front or back doors, be sure to check the width of your door frame against the width and height of your sofa, to check that you can get it in your house - and along any narrow hallways or corridors along the way to its final spot! You can find all of the measurements you’ll need on the ‘dimensions’ tab of each product page. To ensure that the sofa is definitely right for your space, we recommend either taping the shape of the sofa out on the floor (depth and length) to see if it fits well in the space you had in mind. Remember that you should ideally keep radiators free and avoid having any furniture pushed right up against a wall in order to encourage airflow and avoid dampness - particularly in older homes! Getting your sofa inside will be easier if it’s a modular piece that requires assembly, or where the cushions can be removed. You can find out if there’s any assembly involved with your sofa on our ‘special features’ tab, but rest assured that any assembly required is always straightforward, with our customer care team on hand to help should you need it. Materials Once you know what style and size of sofa you’re going for, you can consider materials. Most of our handmade sofas feature a solid wood frame, foam cushioning and a choice of leather or fabric upholstery. When it comes to deciding what’s right for you, you should answer the following questions: ● Is this sofa pet / child-friendly, can it be cleaned easily? ● Does this material suit the surroundings? ● Is the colour right for me? If not, does it come in any other colours? Seat Height The seat height of your sofa will tell you how low off the ground you’ll be sitting, which is essential information for those who struggle to rise from low surfaces, prefer to have a little more support beneath them, or just want to make sure they can line it up perfectly with the TV. Our sofas sit within the 40 - 50cm seat height range, but you can check the exact measurements on our dimensions tab. Backrest Height As well as the seat height, the backrest height is completely down to personal preference and can dramatically alter how it feels to recline and relax on the sofa. You’ll need to remember that once you’re seated, the cushions beneath you will naturally compress beneath your weight, meaning you’ll sit at varying levels, with the backrest rising behind you. Your height and proportions will also come into play, but all of this will only marginally affect how your shoulders and back sit against the backrest. The backrest heights of our own sofas range from 30 - 85cm, ensuring that there is plenty of choice for those shopping for something specific. If you want to pair up your sofa with a statement armchair, you can browse these here. Of course, we get that it’s nice to try before you buy, especially when it comes to such a big investment and a place you’ll spend a lot of your downtime. While we don’t always hold stock of every single item, we do offer warehouse visits strictly by appointment only. You can call to book on 0161 368 9638, and if you have a specific piece in mind, we will be able to tell you if it’s here for you to see.