After a 500-mile round trip to a valued customer, our delivery team had stories of narrow hallways and tight doorways, sofa beds being unbolted and reassembled, and sofa bed actions being reinstalled.
In 50 years in the industry, we like to say we’ve seen it all. Because every house is different, and the challenges vary from home to home. We’ve even been on-site when the windows were being removed to ensure our sofas’ smooth delivery.
We know choosing a new sofa is exciting. Your living room, office, or even your bedroom is getting a refresh, and your sofa will be the focal point of the room. But, although a big, comfy sofa is tempting, the last thing you want is for your sofa to arrive and not fit.
That’s why we’ve written this short blog to serve as a checklist of things to consider.
If the sofa is going to be placed next to a wall, you’ll need to measure the entire wall length. Do you need to leave space on either side of the sofa? Is there a door close by that may be prevented from opening by a protruding sofa arm?
A useful trick is to get some tape and mark the floor where your sofa will be placed. This will give you a good idea of how much floor space you’ll have left to move about and place other furniture.
If your ceiling is sloped or particularly low, ensure the sofa’s height will work for the space.
The most minor things can catch you out when it comes to sofa placement, so be sure to consider where the sofa will be placed in relation to other furniture and fixtures, such as radiators, vents, pillars, skirting boards, and mouldings.
So, you’ve figured out how much space you have to work with. Now comes the big decision: what sofa to choose. There are a number of factors to consider:
The width difference between a 2-seater and a 4-seater can be more than a metre.
A corner sofa or a sofa bed requires more consideration than a standard sofa. Be sure you have enough space to accommodate it. What looks spacious in a showroom can be a tight squeeze at home.
As mentioned before, features like a scroll or curved arm can add an extra inch or two to the width, which may make a big difference.
When you’ve picked your dream sofa and selected your final measurements for the design, it’s time to head home and consider the practicalities before purchasing.
Before you leave the showroom, make sure you have the following dimensions:
– Diagonal Depth (this tends to be the widest part of the sofa)
– Width (be sure to measure the widest part, including the arms)
– Depth
– Height
If you’re getting a corner sofa, consider the width and depth of both sides. Will your corner sofa need to be in two or more sections when it’s delivered?
As your new sofa will arrive fully assembled, it’s time to consider the practicalities of delivery. Each property type has different considerations.
A terraced house might have a narrow hallway, a townhouse living room maybe situated on the 1st floor, and a newly built flat on the fourth floor will likely have a lift to consider.
Here are a few things to think about and measure up:
A corner sofa or a sofa bed requires more consideration than a standard sofa. Be sure you have enough space to accommodate it. What looks spacious in a showroom can be a tight squeeze at home.
Measure the width and height and check if it can be opened fully. Are there any obstructions that would prevent it?
Are your hallways particularly narrow? Take note of their width and height. Are there any built-in units that may cause an obstacle? Are there any tight and awkward corners to consider?
If there are stairs to consider, are there any bannisters? If so, measure the distance between the wall and the bannister and the bannister to the ceiling. Is there enough room to lift the sofa over?
As with your corridors and hallways, take note of the width and height.
If you live in a flat, measure the open-door height and width of the lift, the width, height, and depth of the lift, and the diagonal height inside just in case the sofa needs to go in at an angle. It’s also important to note the maximum weight capacity of the lift.
Now you have the measurements of your dream sofa and the measurements for the logistics of getting your sofa in. We recommend double-checking and then triple-checking your measurements to get it right the first time. If all of your measurements exceed the dimensions of your new sofa and you have some extra for a little breathing room, it should be easy enough to manoeuvre into place.
However, if your dream sofa might still be a tight fit, even after removing the legs, arms, and cushions, speak to our sofa delivery team. They will work with you to ensure the perfect fit for your home and delivery. The last thing we want is to damage your home or sofa.
If this is a new home, you might not have had furniture delivered yet. Even if you have experience navigating furniture deliveries to your home before, there may still be considerations to make if you upgrade to a larger or a corner sofa.
Consider any shelving, built-in furniture such as a hallway unit, low-hanging lighting, or beams and pillars. Be sure to let our delivery team know about any obstructions they might encounter, as there may be things they can do to ensure the delivery is quick and smooth for you.
– Clear all entry points before the delivery team arrives.
– Prepare the room where the sofa will be placed.
– Move any furniture or other items out of the way.
We know it can be daunting, but you can be assured that our team will work with you. Since most of our sofas are custom-made to order and many of our sofa features can be tweaked to factor in any challenges, e.g., a bolt-on arm, we have solutions for almost any situation.
But why don’t you come down to our showroom and meet our friendly expert team? They will happily show you around and help you find your dream sofa.