When it comes to furnishing a new living room, or redesigning your existing one, one of the most important pieces you will bring in is your new sofa.
The reality is there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to sofas. Finding the right balance of style (modular, 2-piece, 3-piece, chesterfield, L-shape), fabric, dimensions – and lounge-ability is no small feat. Many designers take the custom route, tweaking all these elements to fit their particular client’s need.
The new trend when it comes to finding the “perfect’ sofa to suit your living space is a built-in sofa. Not only is the piece totally integrated into the room for a seamless look, but you get to choose exactly how you want to sit. This if course depends on how you want to use the sofa – is it all day? just for the kids? for guests?
Since the built-in sofa is designed to fit the space, it can also have multiple functions, such as providing additional storage, which is ideal in smaller spaces.
Many designers love built-in units because of the permanence, which basically means without removing the item completely, the client can do little to change the original design.
Understandably, clients are often more sceptical about being tied to a built-in sofa. They are often concerned about being restricted to the placement of the unit in a room.
Over here at The Home Studio we are HUGE fans of the built-in sofa. It creates a curated and purposeful look in a room, it frees up valuable floor space and bonus points, it is often a more cost effective solution to a free-standing sofa.
Pros
– Built to Last: More often than not, built-in furniture is extra durable and should withstand the test of time. Since these don’t get moved around a lot, it suffers little damage because of mishandling.
– Space Saving: A built-in sofa is designed specifically for your home’s layout. They are even more relative when space is reserved or has irregular proportions.
– Unique Piece: If you are after a unique piece, built-in furniture is a better choice for you.
– Matches Your Interiors: If you want your furniture to match the rest of your home, then built-in is the way for you. You can custom these pieces to be in the same colour and style as the rest of your living area.
Cons
– Future Changes Can Be Challenging: If you are not 100 percent sure you are going to love your built-in sofa in the future, then don’t do it. You can’t simply move a built-in to another room or rearrange your living space on a whim.
– You Have To Leave It When You Move: You can’t resell it or take it along with you when you move.
Fake It
If you love the look of built-in sofas but rent or live in a space where adding them isn’t feasible, you can still achieve the look. We’ve seen many ways to fake a built-in sofa, simply using a combination of a wood, paint and lots of cushions. Your key goal is to consider scale and colour. Painting the base of built-in sofa the same colour as the room around it will make it feel like an architectural detail rather than an add on.
However you choose to create your built-in sofa, we recommend going with deep seats making the unit perfect for stretching out and relaxing with family and friends.