Category: Buying tips

Brown Leather Suite: A Buyers Guide

Buying a brown leather suite can be more complicated than you first think, with so many different shades and finishes of brown leather sofas available it can be difficult to choose one over another. The upholstery on a brown leather sofa can range from a light tan colour to a rich dark brown with many variances in between. As with any major purchase for the home there are a few considerations to bear in mind before making your purchase. With a little thought and planning you can ensure you purchase the perfect brown leather suite.

Who will be using the leather suite?

Its always a good idea to ask yourself who will be using the new sofas, children, adults, pets? If the brown leather suite is likely to get use from children and pets it may be better to opt for a darker coloured leather as these will not show marks as much as a lighter coloured equivalent.

Matching your suite with existing furniture

You must be careful when trying to match your new brown leather suite with any existing brown leather furniture. Even if two items are a couple of shades different they will stand out like a sore thumb! Obtaining a sample of the leather from the outlet from which you are buying your suite is a good move and means you can ensure you get an exact match rather than taking the risk.

Where to buy suites?

There are many outlets from where you can purchase a brown leather suite either from a high street store or online. Great deals can be had when buying over the internet but you do not have the advantage of being able to see and try out the furniture beforehand so in many ways you are ‘buying blind’. You do have this benefit when buying in a physical store but the chances are you will be paying for the privilege. If possible try and get the best of both worlds by shopping on the high street and buying online, this way you can try the sofas out beforehand and get the best price.

Cheap brown leather sofa

Will my new brown leather suite fit?

Careful measuring before making a purchase can save you serious time, money and hassle in the long run. You will need to make sure your brown leather suite will physically fit into the property, so any doorways, tight turns and awkward access points need to be considered. Sales staff should be able to advise whether any potential sofas are likely to fit. Some sofas are also available with removable feet and removable backs for easier deliveries. As well as fitting into the property, you will also need to ensure that once in the room of your choice the sofas aren’t too big for the room and overpower the interior or worse, block doorways and accesses.

With so many different models available there should be sofas out there to suit everyone, with a little bit of shopping around and careful planning you can find and purchase the perfect brown leather suite.

Leather Sofas: A Basic Buying Guide

With more choice than ever on both the high street and online choosing new leather sofas can sometimes seem like a daunting task. There are hundreds of different styles, materials and features to consider. For most people buying leather sofas is a major purchase that will last many years so making the right choice is crucial.

Type of leather

There are many types of leather used to upholster leather sofas. More expensive or higher end leather sofas generally have a softer finish and are covered with genuine leather all over the sofa. Less expensive sofas may use a leather match or ‘faux leather’ to the side and back panels with a genuine leather to all the wearing surfaces, these include the seat cushions back cushions and arms. The leather match on the non-wearing parts is designed to look exactly the same as the leather used elsewhere, hence the name. Leather match is an exact colour match and imprinted with an identical grain to the genuine leather, however it is partly PU based.

Seating on Leather Sofas

All leather sofas can look the part but if they are not comfortable then you may end up with a sofa you don’t want to sit on. Most leather sofas have some sort of sprung suspension, this can consist of pocket springs or serpentine springs. The seating on lower end sofas is usually just foam filled, this set up tends to have a shorter life span. Sprung seats offer greater support and have the ability to spring back to their original shape, serpentine springs run parallel across the seat and have a zig-zag appearance. Pocket springs sit vertically in the seat. A pocket sprung leather sofa has a layer of coiled springs each sitting in its own fabric pocket, this type of seat when topped with a high density foam offers the best in comfort support and durability.

Fixed vs reclining leather sofas

The choice between fixed and reclining leather sofas is mostly down to personal choice. Reclining sofas tend to have a much higher back and will feature either a manual or electric powered mechanism. Recliners can offer adjustable comfort from an upright position to an almost horizontal recline.  Recliners are usually quite a bit bulkier tan your standard fixed sofa

Removable vs fixed cushions

Leather sofas can come with a variety of options in terms of their cushions, some sofas will have fixed seat and back cushions or fixed seat and removable back cushions. Removable cushions can be either loose or are often held securely in place with a zip or velcro, either way it is worth testing the sofas out to ensure that the cushions are secure enough that they won’t slip when sitting on the leather sofas.

Corner Sofas

Leather corner sofas are growing in popularity and are a great solution when space is limited, these can either have a chaise longue section or an arm on each end. These leather sofas can also come in a modular form whereby the customer can add extra pieces or seats to create the ideal size and shape of sofa.

Cheap Corner Sofas: How to Get the Best Settee Deal

Cheap corner sofas are in huge demand at the moment. Corner suites have grown in popularity in recent years offering a contemporary furnishing solution to the modern home. Corner units come in many shapes, sizes and finishes and there are some great deals to be had both on the high street and on the web, by shopping around and doing your homework it is possible to buy a cheap leather corner sofa that meets all of your furnishing needs.

Buying on the high street

The obvious advantage of buying a sofa from a high street store is the opportunity the customer has to see the corner sofa ‘in the flesh’ and try it out. It can be almost impossible to gauge the comfort and feel of a sofa from an image alone however much information is given, nothing beats being able to actually sit on a sofa. The disadvantage of buying on the high street is that prices tend to be more expensive. Big high street shops have big overheads (rent and rates, sales staff etc.) and unfortunately these costs will be built into the sofas that they sell. You are also able to speak with sales staff and ask them any questions.

Buying on the internet

Cheap leather sofas are much more widely available on the web than the high street and you can shop for them from the comfort of your home. Unlike high street stores, online sellers are able to keep their overheads low and pass these cost savings onto the consumer. It is also easier to search for exactly what you are looking for and make easy comparisons between different models. Unfortunately these savings are at the cost of not being able to see or try out the sofas before they arrive in your home. For this reason, when buying a cheap leather sofa online it is important to do your research.

Carefully take note of any dimensions and make comparisons to your existing furniture it can be difficult to gauge the size of a new corner sofa without seeing it in person first. Many online retailers will also offer a swatch service whereby a sample of the material can be provided, again it can be quite difficult to fully appreciate the finish of a sofa from an online image alone.

It is also possible to negotiate a better deal when buying a cheap corner sofa online, with so much competition between sellers online a lot of sellers offer price match comparison deals or will be happy to offer a better price when asked. If you don’t ask, you don’t get!

Online auction sites such as ebay are also great places to source cheap corner sofas whether it be in an auction or a fixed price format. Shopping around and comparing prices is key, with so much choice and competition in the market you should be able to find the perfect cheap corner sofa.

 

Buying Your 3 Seater Leather Sofa

3 seater leather sofas are an excellent choice if you have the space to accommodate them. 3 seater settees come in various different styles, shapes and sizes, whether it be a 3 seater leather sofa recliner or a 3 seater corner sofa, the odds of finding a model that will suit you and your family are in your favour.

Choose the right leather sofa model

A 3 seater leather sofa is for most people a large investment and is an item of furniture that is expected to last for many years to come, for this reason, time and care should be taken choosing the correct model to suit your needs.

There are 3 different seating configurations to consider when buying a 3 seater sofa

2 seat split: The sofa features 2 separate seat cushions that are extra wide (wider than the 2 seater equivalent). If you plan to regularly seat 3 people on this type of sofa there is a downside in the way that the person sat in the middle will be sat on the gap between the seats, if this is the case you may want to consider a 3 seat split or a bench type seating arrangement.

3 Seat split: The sofa features 3 separate seat cushions, these are ideally suited to families who often sit 3 people on their sofa as each person has their own individual seat.

Bench type seat: The sofa has one single ‘bench’ cushion, ideal for seating as many or as few people as required. Aesthetically these may not have the look of a traditional type 2 or 3 seater split sofa.

Measuring up for your 3 seater sofa

You should take your time measuring your new 3 seater leather sofa to see if it will physically fit into the room (door openings and any tight or awkward turns to be considered) and also to make sure that the sofa is not too bulky when sat in the room, you do not to be restricting free movement around the room or tripping over your 3 seater leather sofa. A good place to start when measuring your sofas is to measure any existing sofas you have in the room, making this comparison will give you a good idea of how they will fit and look in your intended living space.

Shops with 3 seater leather sofas for sale are a good source of advice, whether it be regarding cleaning and care or whether the sofas are likely to fit, it is well worth asking these questions and getting an expert opinion when shopping around.

Great deals on 3 seater sofas can be had if you shop around. It is advisable to look both on the high street and online to get the best deal.

Time taken making sure you choose the best sofa to suit your needs will mean you are more likely to purchase the right 3 seater leather sofa that will be yours to enjoy for many years to come.

Benefits of Choosing Reclining Sofas

There are many benefits to choosing a reclining sofa over a traditional standard or fixed sofa. With so many styles, colours and features to choose from, the chances are there is a reclining sofa out there to suit your requirements. The price of reclining sofas has also dropped considerably over recent years mainly due to imports from places such as China and Eastern Europe meaning you can source sofas of a very high quality for the fraction of the cost of sofas that have been produced in the UK or places such as Italy that are renowned for their quality leather furniture.  Sofa sellers on both the high street and online regularly have reclining sofa sales so if you shop around there are bargains to be had.

Reclining sofas have the obvious benefit of being able to adjust the angle and seating position with either a manual or electric motion. Manual reclining mechanisms tend to have a 3 stage reclining mechanism, stage 1 is where the sofa is in an upright or un-reclined position and the footrest is stowed away against the front of the sofa or chair. Stage 2 is where the handle is pulled and the footrest has flipped up into a horizontal position and the backrest remains upright. Stage 3 consists of the footrest being in the up position and the back cushion pushed back so that it is either flat or parallel. Electric recliners have the same range of motion as a manual model but the reclining action can be stopped at any stage resulting in more seating positions with even less effort!

With all reclining sofas you will need a little clearance space from the wall, however in most cases this is a lot less than expected as the seat of the sofa will move forward once reclined. If space is limited in your living room it is worth checking what clearance is needed before committing to buy.

Reclining sofas in general have much higher backs than standard fixed sofas and therefore offer better support for the shoulders, neck and head. For this reason they are also very suitable for taller people and due to the adjustability of the seat people with back or neck problems can also benefit from the custom seating positions that can be achieved.

Buying an additional footstool alongside a fixed leather suite is obviously an extra cost and requires more room for storage, the footrest section on a reclining sofa conveniently stows away meaning that when not in use the footstool does not take up any additional room.

Although reclining sofas are in most cases fairly large and bulky they can come in sectional pieces, usually with the backrest being removable and the bases coming in a number of pieces, meaning that if you do have a tight access it can be quite easy to manoeuvre the sofas into your living area.  It is worth checking with the sales person at the point of sale if the reclining sofas do come in various pieces or can be dismantled to allow easy access.

 

 

 

 

Ottoman Footstools: The Perfect Addition?

Ottoman storage footstools or ottoman footrests are versatile pieces of furniture that make an excellent addition to any living space. Unlike a traditional footstool, an ottoman also has the added feature of a storage compartment where you can securely store items such as books, magazines and TV remotes resulting in a clutter free room. The lid to an ottoman footstool can lift or slide off or be hinged.

Along with putting your feet up and relaxing a footstool can also be used as an additional seat and even as an occasional table making them a flexible and in most cases an affordable piece of furniture perfect for any living space.

 Finding the right Ottoman footstool

There are a few considerations that need to be thought through before purchasing a new ottoman footstool.

 Do I have enough space?

Ottoman footstools come in all shapes and sizes but it worth measuring up before committing to buy to ensure sufficient space is available. The last thing you want is to be tripping over your new footstool or for your room to look overcrowded.

 Will my new ottoman footstool match my existing furniture?

You really have two options in terms of choosing a suitable colour or pattern for you new ottoman footstool. The first is to match it exactly, a footstool that is a shade darker or lighter than your existing sofas will look out of place so an exact match is crucial, for this reason buying your ottoman from the same source is a good idea. Failing this otaining a swatch sample from a seller is a good way to ensure you get the colour and tone spot on. The second option is to choose a contrasting colour or pattern so that it looks like you haven’t tried to match the item without success.

 How do I choose the right size?

Along with making sure the item fits in your room of choice it is also important to consider the height of the ottoman footstool, by buying a footstool that is the same height as the sofa a chaise longue or corner sofa effect can be created. If you plan to store specific items in the ottoman storage section it is also worth ascertaining the internal dimensions to ensure whatever it is you plan to store inside also fits.

 How do I clean & care for my footstool

As with all furniture, always follow any manufacturers guidelines for cleaning and care and avoid any harsh chemicals and industrial cleaning products. Specialist fabric and leather cleaning kits are widely available and well worth the investment. If you are at all unsure it is good practice to try cleaning a small inconspicuous area first before cleaning the whole item.

With all of these considerations in mind and by shopping around (online and high street) purchasing the right ottoman footstool at the right price can be easily achieved.

 

 

Cleaning your Leather Sofas

A new leather sofa is a big investment. But like any other kind of investment, it really does pay to care for it properly – and that’s why leather sofa cleaning and care is so crucial.

Cleaning a leather sofa with the wrong products can actually damage it and cause cracking and discolouration.

The first stage of leather sofa care is to determine what type of leather your sofa is upholstered in. There are many different types of leather, each requiring treatment in its own special way.

The best way to determine which type of leather is used is to contact the manufacturer or seller or even better refer to any manufacturers guides that came with the product. These guidelines should assist you in finding out the best way to clean the sofa without invalidating any warranties.

Below are some general tips and hints that you may find useful if you no longer have any care instructions. In all cases we would strongly recommend that you try any of these methods on a small discreet area such as on the side or rear of the sofa just to ensure that whichever method is being used does not damage the sofa in any way.

If you no longer have the cleaning or maintenance instructions, you may find these leather sofa care hints and tips useful – but we’d always recommend you try out any of these methods in a discreet, unseen area of the sofa first, just to be sure there’s no adverse reaction from the leather.

Basic cleaning with soap and water

By cleaning your leather suite on a regular basis using a mild soapy solution with a small amount of water you can help remove a build up of dust and dirt and make sure it maintains its just brough new look.

As leather is a type of skin, over time the surface of the leather sofa can dry out especially when a suite is placed in a centrally heated environment. Moisture can be replaced by cleaning the sofa with soap and a very small amount of water ensuring that the water does not soak the sofa, the best way to do this is by dabbing the leather with a damp and soapy cloth.

Tackling stains on your leather sofa

Leather is a very durable material, however it can still stain especially with cream leather sofas or lighter coloured models. Of course black and brown leather sofas will not show stains and marks as much. You can buy specific products to tackle common stains, for example red wine can be soaked up using salt and vinegar can be carefully dabbed on to remove ink or biro stains

Leather Conditioner

Another great way to maintain the moisture in a leather sofas to use a specialised moisturising conditioner. Leather conditioner is widely available in supermarkets and online and is a very cost-effective way of keeping your sofas in tip top condition.

When purchasing leather sofas online or in-store most outlets will offer care and cleaning products specific to your sofas.

In summary, there are lots of products and methods of cleaning leather but make sure you do your research beforehand, using the wrong product can cause more damage than good.