4. Evaluate the Upholstery
Quality upholstery may not be critical to the sitting comfort of your sofa, but it is critical to its visual appeal long term. When choosing fabric for upholstered furniture, remember that you will get the best wear from tightly-woven fabrics. A common misconception is that the thickness of the yarn used determines durability; higher thread counts indicate a denser weave and more durable fabric.
If there are any buttons or zippers, check that they are sewn on securely. Loose buttons will come off and quickly get lost.
And don’t forget the padding. The frame and all the corners of the couch should be well padded. Run your hand over all corners to make sure you can’t feel the edges of the frame through the upholstery. If you can, the upholstery may wear through quite quickly, and your couch will not be very comfortable to use.
5. Check the Cushions
Seat cushions should be comfortable, resilient and fit snugly within the sofa frame. It is important to find a balance between a firm foam that is long-lasting may be too hard, and a soft foam that is comfortable may break down too quickly.
The cushions should regain their shape after you press down and let go. A cushion that stays put when you press down will be flattened in no time, end up looking unsightly and feel uncomfortable when you sit on it. Cushions that do not fit snugly will also lose their shape quickly and the edges will start looking unsightly.
Choosing a combination of feather and foam as feathers give the squish while the foam provides structure. Back cushions filled with feathers and seat cushions filled with foam or fibre works well.
Don’t forget that a feather and foam seat cushion will need daily fluffing and plumping, if maintenance is not your thing than pass on the feather seat cushion.