Top 10 Tips For Buying a Custom Sectional
Sectional sofas come in many shapes, configurations, sizes, storage and bed options. Just to name a few, L-Shaped, U-Shaped, With Chaise, Sharp corner or Pie Shaped corner etc.
One can be a bit overwhelmed when trying to choose the design of a new sectional for either a man cave or a living/family room. Not to worry, at Furniture Warehouse Brampton, we are here to help you. These are some of the fine tips one must keep in mind when ordering a custom couch. These top ten tips will answer the questions and concerns you might have about ordering your new custom sectional.
- Measurements of the room.
- Chaise or no chaise
- Number of seats and the depth of the frame
- Back cushion and back height
- Pull-out Sofa bed/Sleeper or regular storage Under the sofa
- Nail-heads, tufting or pleating options.
- Storage ottoman and design
- Selecting the right fabric for the upholstery
- Plush or firm seat cushions
- Lead time
1. Measurements of the room.
First and foremost, you must measure the room where your custom sectional sofa is going to be placed. Most custom sofas are made from scratch beginning with the construction of the frame, followed by fabric cutting and sewing and then the completion of the product. Once the sofa is made, it can not be undone. So make sure you've done your homework in advance and your measurements are on a piece of paper.
2. Chaise or no chaise.
Now is the time to decide whether you need a chaise in the configuration of your custom sectional or you will like to stick with all seats only.
Normally if the sectional is going to be placed in a formal room, an average person will pick all seats only. Chaise is considered when sectional is being purchased for the family room or day room. Chaise does give you the flexibility of laying down and relaxing as oppose to the living room where it's more formal seating.
once that is decided, the next step will be whether you need a chaise facing the left or a chaise facing the right. The picture below is a chaise facing left ( chaise facing right will be the opposite of this configuration). The second picture is no chaise and all seating.
- The above picture is Facing left chaise
- The above picture no chaise, all seats
3. Number of seats and the depth of the frame
Depending on the design and seat widths on the sectional sofa, sofa factories or furniture stores can help customers to figure out the sectional size and design. The number of seats to choose without going over room size measurements. The depth and width of the seats is very critical. These measurements will result in the comfortability of the seat frame. Sectional sofas can also be made into modular designs, where each seat is separated in order to avoid any future problems when moving to a different place where you might need a different setup due to the space available. Modular designs are also great for transporting a sofa through tight places, such as basement, apartments or condos with small doors.
4. Back cushion and back height
Total back height is measured from the ground to the top of the back. Having a different height of sofa feet can add or take away from the overall height of the couch or sectional. Having said that, some furniture stores will also go to the distance of giving the option to choose from the type of feet to put on to your couch such as Metal/Chrome, Wooden, or Plastic. Sofa feet can also be in different shapes, for example, round or pipe, square, carved, L-shaped, V-Shaped, J-Shaped. I-Shaped, T-Shaped, 7-Shaped and many more.
Most of the predetermine/designed sofas are equipped with standard back heights. Many sofa factories will like to use running frames and will offer other models to avoid frame alterations.
5. Pull-out Sofa bed/Sleeper or regular storage under the sofa
Depending on the frame, many sofa marts can offer options such as a pull-out sofa bed/sleeper, storage in the frame. Nowadays, many sofa manufacturers are offering, USB charging and power outlets as an added feature only for a few bucks more.
6. Nail-heads, tufting or pleating options.
There are many different types of tufting. To name a few such as blind, biscuit or diamond tufting are the most common these days. This is where more skills, experience, knowledge and craftsmanship are required when it comes to tufting pleating and nail-head options. You should stick with the professional companies where you are not being charged money to have someone experience or learn skills at your cost.
Having said this, it doesn't mean the small companies can not do just a fine job as the big box stores. A lot of these small stores are family fun businesses from generations and the diamonds are found in the mines only. A lot of times these small guys might have way more experience than some of their big competition stores.
It is always the best idea to inform your salesperson about the room size and options required in your couch set and ask for product recommendations.
7. Storage ottoman and design
Ottoman can play many roles in the setup of your family room. Not only can you store things in it, if it has a built-in storage option, it can also be used for extra seating, as a coffee table or placed in a chaise setup.
Many folks like to keep the top flat as oppose to tufting to get better usage/life and stability for plates and drink glasses etc. Many times, sofa factories suggest different fabrics than the chesterfield to give an accent look and have the throw pillows made in the same colour as the ottoman.
8. Selecting the right fabric for the upholstery
When it comes to colour choice and fabric types, the customer can pick from the available fabrics or running fabrics at your preferred furniture stores. Many sofa factories or sofa custom places will have fabric swatches for you to choose from. The quality of the fabrics is measured in double rubs and can range from 40,000 to over 100,000. Customers can see and feel the fabric swatches and choose their desired textures, colours and types.
9. Plush or firm seat cushions
Once again, it is one's preference when choosing the firmness of the sofa seat cushions. One keynote to keep in mind is that when sitting on a low back softer seat cushion sofa is that, your body will sink into the seat a bit more. This will result in back seat cushion feeling a bit higher than when sitting on a firmer seat. Normally, people will choose plush seating for the sofas to be placed in their family room or day room and a bit firmer seating for the living room.
10. Lead time
Lead times can vary from factory to factory, depending on the time of the year and availability of the raw materials. Most of the in-house production sofa factories can give you more accurate time as they don't depend on third-party shipping and transportation companies. The majority of the furniture stores will try to get the custom sofa sets completed anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks unless the raw materials are delayed.
Custom sofas or sectional can give you the freedom of designing your chesterfield not only with new, modern and current colours and shapes but also with options that are not available in the ready-made sets. By knowing beforehand the options, size, colour, you desire in your sectional, it can eliminate any confusion and potential human errors when ordering your custom sectional, sofa or couch.