Sofa Shopping Tips: How to Find the Perfect Family + Pet Friendly Sofa Without Sacrificing Style

This post is sponsored by Room & Board. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hi everyone! Today I’m sharing my sofa shopping tips: how to find the perfect family + pet friendly sofa without sacrificing style.

When I recently shared our quest for the perfect sofa on IG it was clear from the response that your feelings echoed ours! How do you find a sofa that’s stylish yet will withstand day to day life with family and pets. Well you guys – I found it!! I’m so excited to share it with you. First though I’m going to take you through my sofa shopping tips.

Do Your Research & Make a Plan

After almost 2 years in our fixer upper with the sofa from our previous home we realized it wasn’t working for our family. We have a large open concept floor plan and wanted more seating for family movie nights and entertaining. So we decided to make a plan and narrowed down a few stores we liked based on our style and price point. I recently read a recommendation from my blogging friend Shauna and her blog post convinced me to look at Room & Board. Her home is so gorgeous and I trust her recommendations!

If you can find a babysitter for the kiddos (or if grandma and grandpa are nearby ask them!). It’s definitely  more enjoyable to search for a sofa without the distractions of our children asking – “are we done yet?” But let’s also be realistic – it’s ok if you don’t have the ability to schedule a babysitter for the kiddos. Most stores today will help keep your children busy with coloring books and crayons while you search. Room & Board is so family friendly and understand that kids will be coming along for the shopping experience. Also what better way to test out on the sofa with the entire family trying it out to see if everyone fits comfortably. Either way doing a little research ahead of time and having a plan can be very helpful!

Measure, measure, measure!

Before you decide on the size of your sofa or between a sofa vs. sofa with a chaise or sectional configuration it’s always a good idea to measure your space first to see what the room can accommodate. This doesn’t mean that you might not need to measure once again when you get home (highly recommend this). It does however help narrow down sofas that will fit and won’t fit in your space. Ensuring there is ample space around the sofa for movement and traffic flow is important. Think about cushion heights if your sofa will be in front of windows. Taking a picture of your current family room or living room will help give the designers an idea of what your space currently looks like and what sofa would be the right match. Which brings me to the next tip!

Utilize the Free Design Services

Maybe you have an eye for design or feel pretty confident about your ability to purchase a sofa – great! However, in my experience the design associates are truly the experts of the products they are selling. They know the ins and outs of the fabrics you are searching for and what items are in stock or special order. They have a knowledge we just don’t have and at Room & Board they are willing to share it for FREE! I highly recommend you utilize the free design services. Be gracious and kind because they work hard and save you time in the selection process by helping you get the info you need quicker! Shout out to Christine pictured below – she was so helpful, patient and kind. She made the shopping experience fun and so much more enjoyable!

Fabric Swatches

I highly recommend opening the large fabric swatches at the store with one of the designers. By opening up the fabric and seeing it this can really help visualize the look you are going for. It also allows you to feel the texture of the fabric. Bring these swatches home and place them near and against items that you are coordinating with your sofa, think about rugs, flooring, coffee tables and accent tables. For example, our family room opens to the kitchen so I had to consider how our sofa would look adjacent to our black kitchen cabinets.

Take Your Time

Sometimes you need a few trips to the store or a little time to let your thoughts marinate! Sit on the sofa and really get comfy like you would at home – that’s why they are on display so you can try them out! I like to make sure the fabric I’m leaning towards looks right in daylight and at night under our LED recessed lighting. A sofa is a significant investment and taking your time to decide is ok! Don’t feel pressured. One of the best things about working with Christine (my design associate at Room & Board) was she was super patient with me and encouraged me to take my time to get it right! That no pressure sales approach works wonders and allows you to feel confident about your purchase.

I also learned that Room & Board Design Associates do not work on commission. This really creates a relaxed and fun shopping experience since there’s no pressure! You can shop at your own pace. Also their prices are guaranteed through the calendar year so you don’t have to worry about missing the next sale or promotion. This also creates the most comfortable shopping experience. My youngest was so relaxed she used the fabric swatches for a blanket and got super comfy – lol!

Family Friendly Sofa Choices with Style

I was so excited to find out that there were so many family friendly fabric choices that were stylish, classic and modern. If you want to find the perfect family friendly sofa make sure it’s comfy and can resist wear and tear. Look for performance fabrics that are easy to clean. Another tip is selecting a fabric that won’t show every little thing – even with fabrics that are easy to clean if you go with a white or light grey there is the chance that more will show and you will be spot cleaning more often. I love the lighter color fabrics but my practical side made me lean toward a different option. Our fabric has a mix of greys and it is very forgiving. It’s super soft and comfy yet looks very high end. I love that it’s different than every other white and cream colored sofa you see today! You can see the sofa we chose by heading here. Stay tuned for a full review and reveal coming soon!

Pet Friendly Sofa Considerations

We all love our fur babies – they are members of our family! Keeping them in mind when selecting a sofa is key in finding the perfect one that will stand the test of time! What’s the difference between family and pet friendly – well I found out – you can read all about it here. Our fabric checks that box and I couldn’t be happier – no more worrying if Mavis our pup has any issues on the new sofa. It will easily wipe off and can be cleaned – yay to that! I love that each fabric swatch at Room & Board includes all the fabric details so you can decide between which fabrics will suit your family best.

I hope my sofa shopping tips are helpful in your quest to find the perfect family and pet friendly sofa without sacrificing style! Here is our exact sofa we chose in fabric Tatum Grey. If you are curious about what our current sofa looks like – head here.

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Leave me a comment below – I’d love to know if you are on the hunt for the perfect sofa!