Sofa Buying Guide: Size, Fabric and Frame

Measure the space, not just the sofa

Measure the wall you plan to place the sofa against, and the door or staircase it needs to travel through to get there. A three-seat sofa is typically about 2 metres wide; an L-shaped sofa needs roughly 2.4 x 1.6 metres of floor space. Leave at least 900mm of walking space in front for a coffee table and to move around comfortably.

Frame first, fabric second

A sofa is only as good as the frame underneath the cushions. Solid wood frames last the longest under daily sitting and standing. Ask whether the frame is solid wood or engineered wood before comparing prices between two similar-looking sofas.

Choosing a fabric or leatherette

• Cotton and linen blends feel soft and breathe well in Bangladesh's climate, but mark more easily
• Leatherette (rexine) wipes clean quickly, which suits homes with young children or pets
• Darker or patterned fabric hides everyday marks better than plain light colours

Sofa shapes

A straight two or three-seat sofa suits smaller living rooms and is easier to rearrange later. An L-shaped or corner sofa uses a room corner well and gives more seating for the same wall length, but needs more total floor space. Browse our Sofa range for both.

Cushions and seat depth

Sit on a display model before you decide, if you're able to see one in person. A seat depth of about 55-60cm suits most people; deeper seats are comfortable for lounging but harder to sit upright in for dining or working on a laptop.

Furnishing a full living room

A sofa usually comes with matching centre and side tables and a TV unit. See our Centre & Side Table and TV Trolley & Cabinet ranges to complete the room.

Need a sofa sized for an unusual room shape? Send us your room dimensions and we'll suggest a fit.