Shopping for the right size sofa for you apartment can be time consuming if you don’t know what you’re looking for.  Apartment sofas are a perfect solution to any small space living situation.  But, finding an apartment sofa that is the right fit for your apartment and still offers some comfort is where you will need to balance your purchase.

The first thing you should do before shopping for apartment sofas is to know what the parameters are of the couch you are looking for. The standard size couch is roughly 78”– 106” in width and 34” in depth.  Apartment sofas are going to be around the 34” – 70” range with the depth still being 34”.  The depth of apartment couches really do not change all that much do to sitting comfort.  You really can’t sacrifice depth, but width and the height will sometimes be shortened. Small sofas can also be known as love seats. If your wanting a three seat apartment sofa then you’re probably going to be at the very least needing a space of 80” in width to accommodate the sofa.

Now that you know some standard dimensions of apartment sofas, you will need to think about your options.  Maximizing every square inch of your apartment is key.  Apartment furniture in general is tough to shop for, that’s why having furniture that is multipurpose will really give you flexibility. Take apartment sofas for example…they serve one purpose, which is seating.  But, what if you needed some additional sleeping space? If that’s the case, you should try looking at apartment sized sofa beds as they offer up some additional sleeping space.  A standard sofa bed will range between 55” – 59”, so they are perfect for tight spaces.  One drawback on these beds is they typically don’t have armrest, so you really will be giving up on some comfort.  Being able to plan out your apartment’s front room before you decide to go shopping will really yield a functional and comfortable living room.

So now that you have an idea on what you need from space and functionality standpoint, it’s time to look at décor.  Making sure your apartment sofas match your décor is a key factor in matching your apartments color scheme. Sticking to simple color tones will give you diversity if you plan to change things up later.  If you plan on living in your apartment for a while then you might be able to get a little bolder. Make sure you check with your landlord to ensure your able to paint before doing so. Also be practical about your purchase…Going out and spending a bunch of money on some high quality apartment leather sofas when you’re going to be moving in a couple months just might not make sense.

There are many apartment sofa manufactures that you will be able to look into when shopping around.  Here is a comprehensive list:

• Hagalund
• Carter Furniture
• Basset Furniture
• Ashley Furniture
• Hiatt Furniture
• Crate and Barrel
• Ektorp
• Hovas
• Beddinge Murbo
• Karlstad
• Kivik
• Vreta

All the apartment sofa manufactures above range in quality and price.

Some of the apartment sized sofas that I would recommend looking into is the Bayside apartment sofas, Vaughn apartment sofa, Trace apartment sofas or the Petrie apartment sofa.  I owned all of them at one time or another and can attest to the quality being top notch.

In the end knowing the size of the sofa you need is crucial, if you don’t know then just simply measure.  There are many online retailers that offer up some very steep discounts and they will ship to your door for free.  You wouldn’t think that finding apartment sofas online would be practical or cost efficient, but it is.

The first thing is suggested before purchasing an apartment sofa is to be sure you have the correct measurements of the location you intend to place sofa. It’s also recommended that you measure any doorways or hallways that you will have to travel through in order to place yourself.Once you have those measurements, it’s off to the furniture store. Many of the furniture stores today have very knowledgeable sales reps that will help you with a selection of your apartment sofa. Handing them your measurements will give them a better idea of what size sofa you need. It will also so the sales rep that you have done your homework and know what you’re looking for. But be prepared to answer some questions:

1)      The first question you should ask yourself is how much you will be using this apartment sofa. Will be an informal room where may not get that much use? Or will it be in your main living room where the kids will be jumping all over it, the dog sitting on it and whatever else scenario that may advance the wearing process of the apartment sofa.

2)      The second question you should ask yourself should be is what do you not like about your current sofa. Is it too big, small, wrong color or just not the right material? Or, is just time for a new apartment sofa.

3)      Another question to ask yourself is what is the most important attribute that you are looking for in a new sofa? Is it expense, style, durability , comfort or is it something else?

4)      Last but not least, how is your room currently decorated i.e. furnishings, patterns, color tones and other furniture. How about style? Is your room decorated in a modern style or contemporary? If you’re unsure of your current decorating style you can always snap some pictures of the sales rep. should be able to help you out.

Now that you are armed with enough background information it’s time to start looking at apartment sofas that are on the showroom floor.

Constructional Integrity:

You should have a general idea of what the sofa should look like based upon the information you gathered above. But, many people overlook how the sofas constructed. There are many things you should look at such as the frame, springs, padding, cushions and legs. Might seem like a lot to take in but focusing on these basic structural elements of a sofa will ensure you buy a sofa that is built for longevity and durability. I might be a little overly sensitive on durability because I have three kids that tend to be a little rough on our family furniture. And don’t be afraid to ask the sales rep to flip over the sofas or who cushions so you can inspect the sofa even further.

• Frames – I tend to like frames that are made out of metals or harder woods such as oak or alder. Apartment sofas or sofas in general will break down over the years and having a foundation that is rigid will extend the life of the sofa. But, don’t think that just because the foundation is rigid that the sofa will be uncomfortable.
• Springs – A commonly overlooked item when shopping for sofas. There are basically two types of spring systems that apply to sofas. One is a common steel springs that are made from gauged steel. In order to provide an even seating surface just be sure to check that the distance between coil centers cannot exceed 5 inches. The other type of spring system on certain sofas might be a webbing system that typically is made from nylon and provide a more flexible and custom feel.
• Padding – the general rule of padding should be looking for a sofa that is padded all around. This will alleviate the rubbing affect that the internal structure will have on the outside fabric. A well padded apartment sofa will be less prone to wear marks.
• Cushions – looking at the cushions try to find a density of 1.7 pounds for durability, longevity and these will less likely to flatten out over the years. From a décor standpoint, you might want to look at cushions that can be reversed to add versatility to your room decor.
• Legs – the only thing I look for on the legs is making sure they can be removed by unscrewing them out of the base of the sofa. Also, making sure that the base is made of metal instead of wood. Legs there directly attached to wood structure are more likely to break off.

I hope this post has helped you. Shopping for apartment sofas can be fun and easy as long as your patient and you have done your due diligence before you head to the store.