How to Choose a New Couch + Blush Crush

We’re getting to the phase of decorating our space, (yes, LOTS of #HousetoHome episodes to come!) and we’ve been living without a couch for a couple of months now! For awhile it was kind of an adventure and our kids have been having a blast in the open space, but alas it’s time for a sitting area… and a new couch. 

So far in our living room/kitchen area, we’ve removed popcorn ceiling, replaced lights, installed more lighting, painted, replaced the floors, removed a wall to open up the living space and built an island instead, removed the small pantry and relocated the washer and dryer so that the previous laundry room off the kitchen is now a walk-in pantry. Whew, just typing that made me tired. You guys, our #HousetoHome dreams and things we talked about on our very first House to Home episode are becoming a reality!! It’s a lot of work, we’ve learned a TON… and also, it’s been fun, really! The whole process is taking a little longer than we expected of course (and ironically that in itself was kind of expected), but now that our space is so open, it’s time to bring in some furniture! Though clearly we’re having fun on the floor in the meantime. 🙂

(Aria and her friend Landon having their first playdate!! Heart swoons!)

Today, I’m sharing some options we’ve been looking at, along with a few plans for setting up our space. A new couch is our main priority and while choosing a new couch can be such a difficult first world problem if you’re a little picky (*hand raised!), there are also a few steps to make the entire process run a little more smoothly. So, feel free to come along on the journey and use these tips as a guide to clear a some of the chaos from your decision making process.

1. Set your budget beforehand.

Oh that dreaded word budget… it likes to show it’s ugly face and stand between you and your dreams, at times. But going into the couch buying process without some kind of idea of how much you want to spend can leave your head spinning. Sofas can range in price from economical to more than my car and it all depends on where you go, what kind of material, design, size, etc. Setting clear boundaries will help narrow your choices and that in itself can be a blessing. 

2. Determine your layout.

Sofas range from sectionals to loveseats to long couches and more. It helps knowing what kind of layout your forsee in your space so that you can go into the buying process knowing just what style you’re looking for. Do you want a sectional that fills and entire corner? A long, thin couch to divide a space? Will you be adding chairs or will the couch be against the wall? Of course, rooms can change and furniture can move, but if you plan ahead for your layout… well you’ll be ahead of the game. 😉

3. Specify your use. 

A couch is a couch right? Yes and no. A sofa serves a different function in every home. For ours, we really wanted to find one that doubles as a sleeper; and that’s the choice everyone will make. We have a full home, we’ve got a whole brood and they’re at the age for sleepovers. We have family that like to visit and so for all of these reasons, we just want to be prepared. Also, since we’ve really enjoyed the open feeling of our living space, I didn’t want a couch, or other furniture, that intruded into the entire area. We do sprawl out on the floor and we enjoy it, my kids run around and they love it, and so for us a couch will get a lot of family use, and also needs to be able to slide easily into the background. I’ve also totally been crushing on blush lately and I’m loving these chair options to go with a gray toned couch. 

Doable? I think so!

4. Understand your options.

Once you get past the stage of determining the size and function of your new sofa (ie. sectional with chaise, loveseat, pullout, etc), it’s time to think fabric, legs and more. I have to say, in choosing many styles, Pinterest can be your best friend; if you don’t go too crazy. Spend a few minutes searching and pinning, and then take a step back and look at your board to see what your most-pinned options were. Did you gravitate toward a certain color? Did most of the couches that you pinned have modern peg legs? Did you like the cozy look of sectionals with a chaise? Figure out what style you’re most drawn to and then you’ll be armed and ready to make your choices while shopping.

5. Do your research.

A new couch is a big purchase for your home, so don’t rush into it. Delivery can typically take a few weeks anyway (unless you’re going the IKEA route like we did for our first sofa, and that’s a great option too!), so it won’t hurt to take a couple of days to make your decision. Do a little digging, because there are a plethora of options, and find a few sources to shop from. Remember when we talked about getting a few test samples to try paint on your walls? It’s a great idea to do the same with the fabric swatches you’re interested in! Many manufacturers will send you swatches (or you can pick up color swatches while you’re testing sofas in store) and use those to see how the color looks in daylight, in the evening light and even in artificial lighting at night. This will definitely help you narrow down your color choices!

Then search for reviews on the specific sofa you’re looking at. Search by the sofa name on social media and Pinterest to see how others have styled it, what they say about it or how it looks in real life settings. 

Once you’ve reached this point, my hope is that you’re pretty settled on a new couch seating option for your home and family… or at least a little closet to it! At some point, you will just have to make the choice and make it happen. And here’s the thing, in the end, it’s just furniture. Yes, it’s important to us. Yes, it’s a big purchase. But ultimately, the furniture doesn’t make the home. You and your family do! So enjoy the process, and friends, whatever decision you make, enjoy that home of yours with the ones you love!

Below is a before photo of our home right after we bought it with a list of projects to take our house and make it our home. Thankfully, quite a few of these are now crossed off the list and I can’t wait to share more of it with you as it continually comes together.