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Selecting the right sofa for your living space is a critical decision and one that you will have to live with for some time, so it is worth expending some time and effort to ensure that you selection  the one that is right for you.

There are a number of important choices you will need to make. These are the size of the couch, its shape, its colour and pattern, the materials from which it is made, and where it will sit in your room; the place to begin is the last of these.

If you are replacing an existing sofa, then this is an ideal opportunity to re-evaluate the current layout of your living space. Many of our living spaces seem to just evolve as we buy new or replace old items, and are far from ideal. You might choose to make your new sofa a major focal point and you now have the opportunity to achieve this through a little rearrangement.

When you consider the placement of the sofa, you need simultaneously to take account of its size and the shape. The size will be determined by a number of factors. These are the amount of space you have available, the number of people your sofa needs to accommodate, and whether you enjoy slouching on it full length.  Perhaps the size and shape of your living space calls for a corner unit, or you might take the opportunity to include a sofa bed accommodate the occasional overnight guest.

Once you have come to at least a working model of the size, shape and placement of the sofa, you need to think about the colour and the material. Generally it is best to start with the material as this is a very personal decision. Although leather is generally considered to be the most durable material and very stylish, modern fabric sofas are also extremely durable and have a warmer look and feel to them. A modern trend is to combine both of these materials so you can achieve a stylish sleek appearance with a leather base and arms, and warm this up with fabric covered cushions.

The final choice you must make is colour and pattern. Here you may have a considerable number of options or you may be constrained by the existing colour scheme of your room. If the décor of your room consists mainly of neutral colours, then you will have a much greater flexibility in your colour choice than if it has a dominant colour scheme. Of course you may choose to take the opportunity to change the colour scheme; repainting walls is inexpensive but replacing a fitted carpet is not.

If you must keep an existing non-neutral carpet, then it is important to avoid any colour clash between that and your sofa. If your carpet is patterned your choices are more restricted; mixing a pattered sofa with a patterned carpet is almost certain to be a serious design error.  Once you have a good idea of your preferred colour and fabric it is worthwhile visiting a furniture store and borrowing some material swatches to try then out before you buy.

Try taking this systematic approach to choosing a sofa so you can be sure that you make an informed choice, after all, your sofa is something you have to live with!