Sofas and living landscapes

To feel really comfortable at home, you need a retreat to slow down. This works especially well on a stylish and comfortable sofa.

At some point the time comes: the old sofa has had its day and a new one is needed. In order to find a model that suits your personal taste, fits in with your home furnishings and at the same time meets the challenges of everyday life, there is a huge repertoire of options available in the furniture stores. But that's precisely why it's important to keep a cool head when making a decision and take a close look at the new sofa before buying.

The living room should be a place where you can switch off and recharge your batteries. A beautiful sofa or a high-quality living room landscape offers you the best conditions for this. The new favourite piece should adapt to your living situation and convince with a high seating comfort. After you have thought about criteria such as dimensions, seat height and seat depth, there is still the question of the right sofa shape. Stylish single sofa, elegant three-piece set, corner sofa or XXL landscape?

The single sofa is suitable for almost any room situation. It has a continuous, straight seat and offers space for two to four people. Since it takes up little floor space, you can combine the single sofa well with other pieces of furniture. A 3-2-1 set consists of a three-seater, a two-seater and an armchair. Depending on the room size, the individual elements can be placed individually in the room. They can also be moved around easily, for example for vacuuming. This is more difficult with large sofas.

A couch with an arrangement of connected components in an L-shape or U-shape is called a living landscape. It is usually a 2, 2.5 or 3-seater sofa that offers a generous reclining area in addition to the corner seat. Since it is usually not possible to change the orientation of the reclining side, you must decide before you buy whether the corner should be mounted on the left or right. In many households, U- or L-shaped sofas also function as room dividers, which has proved particularly useful in open-plan living and dining areas.

Anyone looking for a corner sofa will inevitably be confronted with terms such as "ottoman", "récamiere" or "chaise longue". But what is the difference? Basically, all terms refer to a piece of furniture that combines a sitting and reclining option. The ottoman is a wide reclining element with a headboard, which may or may not have a low backrest on one long side. The term récamiere describes a sofa without a backrest with high armrests. A low, upholstered piece of seating and reclining furniture for one person is called a chaise longue. It resembles an armchair that is extended forwards.

Put your feet up and enjoy! You can add an additional reading and TV armchair to your living area, which can be placed anywhere in the room. This can either match the existing furnishings or become an eye-catcher in its own right. The armchairs often have a wave base and comfortable foam upholstery. However, their most important feature is the integrated relax and recline function with back adjustment (manual or electric, often infinitely variable). This allows the armchair to adapt to the desired reading or TV position. For first-class seating comfort, many armchairs also have a stool for the legs. And the height of the headrest can often be adjusted as well.

The slat base is attached to the frame of the sofa. Common types are spring core, steel wave springing, box spring and rubber belts. Sofas with a spring core have robust, elastic springs that provide stability and at the same time relieve the body. With wave under-springing (also: Nosag springing), a spring steel wire is stretched in waves in the frame as an upholstery base.
This is usually topped with foam padding. This combination yields under pressure, but prevents the bed from sinking too deeply. Boxspring refers to a multi-layered base and upholstery system with excellent sitting and lying comfort. This is why it is often used in high-quality recliners and sofas with a sleep function. Rubber belts under the seat provide a soft seat, but lose their elasticity over time. This is why they are more often used in the back area.

Most sofas have a foam, wadding or fleece padding over the suspension. High-quality foams are point-elastic and durable. The frequently used, artificially produced polyether foam is characterised above all by its breathable honeycomb structure, which makes it particularly dimensionally stable. The so-called volume weight (RG) shows you how durable the material is (the higher the value, the better). A RG of 35 kg/m³ to 50 kg/m³ is optimal. In the higher price segment, you can also find upholstery with gel, which is supposed to provide optimal pressure relief.

Some sofas, sofa beds and armchairs feature elaborate detail work, for example contrasting decorative seams or decorative stitching in the back (the so-called "Chesterfield button stitching"). Furthermore, an extensive range of fabric colours offers you the opportunity to find your own personal favourite shade. But the material of the cover must also be chosen correctly! Because every upholstery fabric has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, a dark leather couch that is constantly exposed to the blazing sun can become brittle and fade prematurely. A fabric is more advantageous here. A brief overview of the most common materials:

Adjustable back and armrests: Optimal seating comfort is offered by a couch where the back section can be tilted backwards for resting. With the armrests, the side sections of the sofa are folded down with the help of a latching function and thus serve as a comfortable headrest when lying down.

Upholstered headrest: A height- and tilt-adjustable headrest supports your neck and head when resting. This prevents tension and pain in your back. The supports are either integrated into the sofa or can be attached as required.

Bed function: Do you regularly have overnight guests? A multi-purpose sofa with a sleeping function can be the solution for smaller flats. By folding out the seat, you can create a bed for friends or grandchildren in no time at all. Many models also have a bed drawer. You can fold out the seat and store cushions or bed linen underneath, for example.

Crumbs and stains cannot be avoided with daily use. Before you start cleaning, check the care instructions on the product and material passport of your piece of furniture. Some materials need special treatment. While you can clean the carcase and feet with a damp cloth if necessary, it gets more complicated with the upholstery.

If genuine leather comes into contact with liquids, dab it off carefully without rubbing. Once or twice a year, you can give the sofa a thorough cleaning with a leather care product. To impregnate genuine leather and make it resistant to liquids, you should also rub it regularly with leather grease. Imitation leather is wiped with a slightly damp cloth. Stains can be removed with a mild neutral cleaner. Fabric covers should be patted down occasionally to remove dust and small particles. Spilled liquids on fabric covers should be dabbed off as quickly as possible and washed out carefully. A special upholstery cleaner helps against stubborn stains.

What could be better than a relaxing time-out within your own four walls? To make it really cosy and homely, a comfortable sofa is a must in the living room. Furniture manufacturers offer a wide range of attractive and high-quality sofas. Since there are a number of different aspects to consider before making a purchase decision, you should take your time when buying and not rush into anything. This will guarantee you long-lasting pleasure with your new living room suite.