Before Buying a White Sofa: 10 Crucial Tips You Need to Know

Choosing a sofa for your living room is an important decision. The sofa is a main part of your living room and in many homes, it is either the focal point of the room, or a part of the focal point. Sofas are generally the primary seating in a living room and should be purchased with a lot of thought being put into them so that you not only love the way it looks standing all alone, but how it looks with the rest of your furniture pieces, and ultimately transforms your living room into your favorite room in the house. White sofas are beautiful statements in a living room. They can lighten and brighten a living room, while adding a relaxing and welcoming appeal, however, before buying a white sofa: here’s 10 crucial tips you need to know.

1. It looks good in the showroom, but will it look good in your living room?

Everything can look amazing in a showroom. That’s what showrooms are all about, is to create a look that appeals to anyone and everyone, but there’s a question you should ask yourself; will that same look, look just as beautiful in your own home? Before you jump the gun and purchase a white sofa, a good idea is to take pictures of your living room from different angles and of the different pieces of furniture in your room and take it with you while shopping for your sofa so you can visually add the potential sofa into your picture to see how well it will mix in with your decor.

2. Can it withstand pets and kids?

If you have kids then you know how hard they can be on just about every element in your home, especially furniture. White is one of the hardest colors to keep clean in a home with kids and pets. Dirt, hair, spills and other mishaps can quickly make a white sofa look way less than attractive. Before you purchase any white sofa, consider your lifestyle. No matter what material it is, nothing is 100-proof in resisting everything it comes in contact with, whether it be children’s shoes, a cat furball, or spilled juice.

3. Will it fade?

Some living rooms are filled with lots of natural light streaming in from windows around the room. Natural light is great and can do so much for any room in the home, however, it can also create some negative issues that you may not think about. Light has a way of fading elements in your room over time. Drapes, carpet, even furniture that’s exposed to the light on a regular basis can start to show signs of fading. Before buying a white sofa, know where it will be placed in the room. Will it be exposed to direct sunlight for very many hours out of each day? If so, it may be at risk of developing signs of fading or yellow hues. Be sure you know the type of material it is made of and its ability to handle sunlight.

4. How often do you entertain?

Entertaining is a big part of many people’s lives. Some people prefer to entertain at holidays, while others seem to have a constant flow of company all throughout the year. One of the most popular rooms in the house to entertain is in the living room. White sofas may look stunning as a part of the room decor when they’re clean and bright, but also when their cushions look plump and comfortable, as opposed to dingy and saggy. White sofas often show more imperfections as opposed to darker colored sofas. You may notice dingy spots, a saggy spot in the cushion, among other details. If you entertain, consider the amount of wear it will get over time. If you tend to have a revolving door of guests and are a perfectionist about little details like this, you may want to consider a sofa that won’t show every imperfection as easily.

5. Use a little bleach for spot cleaning and stain removal

Since we’ve touched on different types of issues with white sofas and their ability to attract dirt and stains more noticeably than a darker sofa, when you own a white sofa, no matter how well you try to keep it looking as white as the day you brought it home, you will probably encounter something that shows up and you have no idea how or why. You may not have to do a whole, all-over cleaning of the sofa but spot cleaning can help it stay new looking. Discuss the best methods of cleaning your sofa, including spot cleaning to make sure it’s what you’d expect, however, most white sofas are able to have a little bleach used on spots to remove little stains, and you should know if it’s recommended or okay for yours before attempting to use it on yours.

6. Add pops of color using other decor modes

White is a great color to brighten up any living room but if it comes across as too white or sterile and you want to add other colors to your room, you can add plenty of pops of color through other decor modes. Before you purchase your white sofa you can decide and plan how you can add color in other ways, for instance, colorful throw pillows can add a burst of color right on the sofa. Area rugs are a great way to add color at ground level, along with wall art, window treatments, and other decor items. If you like to change out your decor theme and colors, white sofas can be a great way to play with color themes since they allow for endless choices of decor ideas to work with.

7. It may not create the type of cozy you’re looking for

White is a color that can visually enlarge a space, which is why white sofas are great for small rooms. White can give an instant brightness to a room and make it feel more open and airier. If you have large living room and are trying to create a more cozy atmosphere to the room, many times, darker furniture is the furniture of choice; warm hues of brown in leather or other materials. If your goal is to create a cozy seating area in a large room, consider the fact that white might not be the right color choice for you.

8. Don’t be afraid of white going out of style

While it’s true that there are decor trends and color schemes that come and go. Some may even go for a while, then eventually find their way back into popularity again. Well, white is not one of these colors that ever fades from popularity, so if you love the idea of a white sofa but are afraid it may fade from a trending color down the road, a good tip to keep in mind is that white never fades from popularity in the decor world.

9. Brighten a room with double the white sofas

While white sofas are known to lighten and brighten a dark or dreary room, it’s safe to say that two white sofas can do even more for a small, dark or dingy room. If you want to add a second white sofa for a visually brighter room, plan out where you will place the sofas and how much space they will require. Do your measurements before choosing the white sofas you’ll choose, whether they are the same size or a  regular sofa with matching love seat. No matter how light and airy a piece of furniture looks, too big or too small can make a room look and feel awkward.

10. Invest in a white slip cover

White can be an intimidating color choice for a sofa, since so much “life” is spent on it. If white makes you nervous but you want to give it a trial run, a critical tip is to invest in a white slip cover for your sofa first and give it a try. Slip covers come in a wide variety of sizes and styles, so there is sure to be one that fits your sofa. They are also easier to put on your sofa than older versions, and can be pulled off, washed, and re-fitted. Although many people may find slip covers to be a great alternative, some may find the process of fitting them, and especially washing them, too time consuming. It’s definitely something to consider before investing in one.