How to Turn a Terrible Sofa Into a Comfortable Sofa
Buying furniture is like buying shoes: what seems right for 30 seconds in the store often becomes an inconvenient mistake when you get it home. The sofa is a fundamental part of the living space: on it we relax , read, watch TV and even have dinner. There is nothing more comforting than being able to settle into a comfortable sofa that envelops you and supports you during whatever activity you have planned.
On the opposite end of this spectrum is a sofa from hell that hurts your back, slowly slides to the floor, or makes you feel like you’re sitting on burlap. A bad sofa can ruin the rest of your life, but sofas tend to be expensive and bulky purchases that are difficult to return or replace. If you live with an uncomfortable sofa, don’t despair: there are a few things you can do to turn a terrible sofa into a comfortable one.
Problem: scratchy fabric.
Upholstery fabric can be very difficult to price in a showroom, and if you’re shopping online, it’s impossible. You can look for data like number of wipes , but spending a few seconds touching a fabric in a store will never be the same as sitting on it regularly for weeks or months. And you could literally have an allergy to your furniture’s upholstery—it’s ” couch dermatitis ,” and symptoms don’t always appear after very short exposure.
Solution: If your sofa is itchy, unpleasant to the touch, or causes allergic reactions, a simple sofa cover can solve the problem quite cost-effectively. When applied correctly, a sofa cover will completely hide the offending fabric, and you can probably find one that imitates the original color fairly closely. If you don’t have extra cash to spend on fancy slipcovers, a blanket or two draped over the sofa and tucked neatly into the pillows will do the job.
Problem: Too hard or soft.
Determining whether a sofa is too hard or too soft takes time. Sofas that look like dreamy clouds in the store can become uncomfortably soft over time, and a super-hard sofa may feel supportive at first but will take its toll on your spine in the long run.
Solution: The most comprehensive approach is to replace the foam pads inside the covers (assuming you can easily unzip and remove the foam). Take out the pillows and measure them, then either order replacement foam and cut new pillows yourself, or visit a company that will make custom pillows for you . If you have spare parts, simply insert them into the cases, zip them up and replace them.
If this is more of a project than you’d like, there are a few simpler strategies you can try:
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If the sofa is too hard, you can try a little patience by changing the pillows every few days. Over time, turning them over will soften them evenly, eliminating any uncomfortable stiffness. You can also try placing a thick blanket on top of the seat cushions and cushioning your back with throw pillows or another thick blanket.
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If the sofa is too soft, you can try placing a thin layer of firm foam on top of the existing cushion; this may provide you with sufficient support.
Problem: Not deep enough
You bring home your new sofa and find that you have to lean forward slightly when sitting on it because it isn’t deep enough to recline comfortably. You’re doomed to a life where you’re literally addicted to every TV show you watch.
Solution: You can try a few things to customize the experience:
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Unzip the back cushions and inspect the foam cushion. If these are layers of individual pieces, try removing one layer at a time until you reach the desired depth. Alternatively, replace the foam entirely with a thinner batch. Or, if you’re desperate, remove the back cushions entirely and use a few larger throw pillows instead.
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Add some footstools or ottomans. They can act as an extension of the sofa, allowing you to stretch out more even if the sofa seat is a little narrow. Pro bonus: Invest in an ottoman for storage and declutter at the same time.
Problem: sagging or sliding cushions.
Sometimes the sofa becomes uncomfortable. Brand new, it feels great and stays that way for a while. However, slowly the cushions slide, quietly folding you in half, or the entire seat begins to sag until getting up from the couch becomes a major workout.
Solution: These are quite common problems with sofas, and modern capitalism has intervened to combat them. For sagging pillows, a product like the SagsAway insert can help. Placed inside a pillow cover, this hard foam insert will restore firmness and comfort to your pillows. If your seat cushion is one long piece or you can’t or don’t want to open it, you can also purchase products designed to slide under cushions that can provide the same stiffening effect—essentially a piece of plywood. cutting to size can have a similar effect.
For pillows that seem to like to slowly splash you onto the floor, a non-slip pad underneath the pillows can provide enough friction to keep them in place (if you have rugs lying around, those will work too). If that’s not enough, Velcro adhesive tape (also known as Velcro) can be very effective at keeping your cushions in place.
Problem: Wrong height.
If you feel like you’ll never be able to get comfortable on your couch but can’t figure out why , it might be the wrong height. We often don’t think about height when choosing a sofa, and many modern designs have a low, sleek profile that isn’t always the most comfortable.
Solution: An easy and cheap solution is to take some furniture stands and raise the sofa a few inches. Be sure to purchase adjustable risers that can be raised or lowered so you can experiment with different heights and see what level you feel most comfortable at.
If the sofa seems too high, you can remove the legs and place the sofa directly on the floor (watch out for brackets or other metal parts on the bottom of the sofa that could scratch the floor – it is recommended to place some kind of rug underneath). ). You can also replace the legs with shorter versions if you find ones that match the style of your furniture. If the legs do not come off, you can saw the wooden legs, but this may affect the future use of the sofa and you will only have one chance to guess the correct height, so proceed with caution.