Working from home has many perks. One of them is that you can work however you feel comfortable. You don’t need to be formally seated in a chair in a cubicle. Many people may like having a designated workspace where they can work. Still, some prefer to be comfortable and relaxed. For such people, having a couch in their home office provides a more comfortable seating option. When they get tired of working at their desks or want a break, they can simply move over to their couch.
If you intend to place a couch in your home office, you must choose one that fits the theme of your home office. That way, the couch will add to the aesthetic of the room. There are many other considerations that you should keep in mind to ensure that the couch you purchase is comfortable and functional.
What To Consider When Buying Home Office Furniture
When designing your home office, you must choose furniture and items that help you feel more productive. There are many factors that you must think of when buying your furniture to achieve this. Here are some things to consider when shopping for home office furniture.
The Space You Have
The amount of space you have is vital because you do not want to overcrowd or underfurnish the room. Usually, not many big furniture items go into an office, so you have a bit of leniency with placement. If you have a small space, you may need to maximize every square inch and make it worthwhile.
How Many Hours You Work
The hours you spend working at your office also dictate the type of furniture you need. If you tend to work long hours, it is best to have a dedicated spot with a desk and a home office chair. If you tend to work in small chunks and move around a lot, a laptop and a lap desk may be more helpful.
You should ensure that your setup is ergonomic if you work long hours. Otherwise, you may suffer from headaches, backaches, and neck aches, which will eventually affect your productivity. Thus, ensure that your chair should be ergonomically designed, you have plenty of light, and your desk is at the right height.
Your Personal Style
Once you know the furniture items you will need for your home office, you should focus on your personal style. There are a few popular themes that you can choose between. Most furniture items like couches, desks, and file cabinets fall under one of these.
| Style | Description |
| Modern | The modern style has streamlined forms with geometric shapes and is pretty minimalistic overall. |
| Vintage | The vintage aesthetic primarily consists of wooden furniture, oversized table lamps, and old-school patterns. |
| Contemporary | This style is more modern with a few vintage touches like marble, glass, and polished metal. |
| Industrial | Includes pieces made using wrought iron, exposed brick, and reclaimed wood. |
| Glam | Has elegant pieces with rose gold and brass accents. |
| Traditional | This style has soft shapes, nailhead detailing, and neutral coloured upholstery. |
Your Budget
Your budget also plays an important role when purchasing furniture, so much so that it can influence your style. If you are starting from scratch, you will need to set aside a budget for your desk, chair, computer setup, storage space, couch, lighting, etc.
Types of Couches
Sofas and couches come in various shapes and sizes and differ based on how many people can sit on them. If you regularly have multiple people over or like to recline on your couch, you may want to invest in a larger one. A small couch would work if you only sit on it occasionally, have a small office, or rarely have people over. Here are all the different kinds of couches you can purchase.
Sectionals
Sectional couches are versatile as they have multiple independent pieces that you can arrange in various ways. Depending on the layout of your office, you can configure it in an L shape or a U shape, which is a standard couch shape. L and U-shaped couches are incredibly cozy and excellent for conversations.
Modular Couches
Modular couches are a new design in the world of couches. They allow you to choose a style you want and then purchase separate pieces to build your ideal couch and select its size and shape. As it is made of individual pieces, you can rearrange it however, you want and even make it smaller or larger according to your needs. This makes this style of couch extremely versatile.
Reclining Couches
Reclining couches have regular seats like any other couch, but at the ends of the sofa, it has a built-in recliner. These couches are incredibly comfortable to sit on due to the reclining option. They are designed for people who like to sit with their legs up to relax and work.
Futons
A futon will be perfect if you are on a budget and still want a couch for your home office. It is usually much cheaper than a couch and can be bought separately. This means you can purchase the frame and cushion separately, allowing you more customization options. Futons are convertible cushions and frames that you can lay out flat to make a bed surface or prop up, making it a sofa.
Usually, futons have a thick wooden frame. Such couches typically do not come with arms, but you can find them if you search hard or get one custom-made.
Loveseat
A loveseat is much smaller than a traditional sofa. It is perfect for people who have a small office or do not host people in their home office. These kinds of sofas seat around two people and are around 40 to 72 inches long, so they do not occupy much space.
Sofa Bed or Daybed
A sofa bed or daybed is a convertible sofa that can be transformed into a mattress that can be used to rest on or a couch that can seat people. It is usually deeper than a couch and is used for lounging comfortably across its length. If you are too tall, lounging on it may be difficult due to its short length.
Tips To Choose the Right Couch for Your Workplace
When choosing a couch for your workplace, it is essential that you consider the usage of the sofa before everything else. Many purchase sofas as decoration pieces, while others like to recline on their couches as they work. Others may like to host others in their home office and want extra seating space that allows conversations to flow easily.
You will need a different kind of couch in each of these scenarios. Due to this, you should be honest with yourself and think of how you will use it and how many people it can realistically seat.
Once you have come to a conclusion about its intended use, there are a few other factors that you need to pay close attention to.
Size and Shape of the Room
Before you purchase a couch for your home office, you need to consider the size and shape of your room. Ensure that you are buying a sofa that fits into your home office and does not take up the entirety of the room. There are various kinds of couches available on the market, including L-shape, 2-seaters, U-shape, and 3-seaters.
Interior designers suggest that you consider the room’s shape and size before deciding on a couch style. If you have a compact space, you should choose a smaller couch, such as a loveseat. Additionally, you would also benefit from choosing one that has inbuilt storage.
On the other hand, if you have a large room, you can experiment with different kinds of couches. You can purchase a reclining couch or even a modular one that you can change the style of when and if you get bored.
Accurately Measure the Sofa
It is extremely important that you measure your sofa before you purchase it. Often, people buy a couch that is too big to fit through their office door. To avoid this, you should measure the sofa’s width, height, arm height, and depth. If you are purchasing it online, you can check the manufacturer’s specs.
You may also want to know the width and height of the door to ensure it fits through. If there are stairs in your home or if you live in an apartment, you should consider the measurements of the stairs and the landing. This will allow you to know whether or not the movers can bring the couch up the stairs.
Take into account all the obstacles that could complicate the delivery and remove them if possible. These obstacles may include something easy to deal with, such as an overhanging fixture, which can be removed. However, bringing the couch up could prove to be very difficult if you have a narrow corridor or a small elevator.
Comfort
Any piece of furniture you purchase must be comfortable because you will most likely spend considerable time on it. When purchasing a sofa, ensure that it is comfortable to sit on. It should not be too firm or too soft because it may be difficult for you to sit on it for too long.
If you intend on working from your couch, ensure it is firm enough to hold a lap desk upright. Otherwise, you may have to place your laptop on your desk, which can be dangerous and cause back and neck pain if you work for extended periods.
Couch Style
The way a sofa looks is also a crucial consideration. No matter how well-made a couch is, you are less likely to be happy with it if it does not look good. There are many different styles of couches available on the market, each with its unique look. Here are some of the most common kinds of couches available.
| Style | Description |
| Mid-century modern | A mid-century modern couch has a clean and minimalistic design. It is usually low to the floor and has either wooden or metal legs. |
| Lawson | Lawson couches are laid-back and are the standard style. |
| Chaise | Chaises are like upholstered chairs but stretched out. These couches usually have one side with an arm and the other without. Some chaise designs don’t have arms. |
| English roll arm | English roll-arm couches have a firm, high back and are cushioned. They are recognizable due to their low contoured arms that lean outwards, and fit best into a traditional aesthetic. They are also much better suited for large spaces as they are usually massive. |
| Sette | Sette is a compact upright sofa, usually designed to seat two people. They come in various aesthetics, such as contemporary, traditional, etc. Due to their compact nature, they are excellent if you have a small home office. |
| Tuxedo | These couches have a distinct boxy look. There is usually tufting along the back and arms, and the arms are also equal in height to the back. |
| Chesterfield | Chesterfield couches have a low back and are identified by their quilted nature. They also have high arms and are primarily British designs. Classic chesterfield couches are found upholstered in leather. |
| Camelback | Camelback couches are quite formal in nature. They have a hump or two at the center of the backrest. Such sofas usually sit on four or eight wooden legs that are exposed. |
Quality Construction
When purchasing a couch for your home office, it is essential that it is made using high-quality materials. The durability and longevity of a couch are based on the quality of its frame and supports. The cushions and upholstery also affect how long a couch lasts.
Most frames in couches are made using some kind of wood. Experts suggest that you should avoid couches that are made using MDF and particleboard. These materials do not hold nails, staples, and glue well over time, meaning your couch’s frame may come undone after a few years.
Instead, you should ideally opt for couches that use traditional mortise and have tenon joints. These require much fewer staples and less glue. Therefore, these kinds of frames are less likely to disintegrate over time. They usually have reinforced corners, which add to the integrity and durability of the structure.
When purchasing a couch, always test it to see if it sways. If it does, it is a sign that the frame is not strong and will likely not last long.
Suspensions are another aspect that determines the durability and comfort of your couch. They make your couches comfortable to sit on. Couches made using sinuous springs have the most bounce and motion transfer, making them extremely comfy to sit on. Suppose you want your couch to be highly durable. In that case, you can get one that is supported using high-quality fabric poly-webbing. High-end couches are usually made using eight-way hand-tied springs that are excellent at preventing sagging and squeaking.
Cushioning
Cushioning is a subjective element that changes depending on the person. Some people like their couches to be extra soft, while some want them to be firm and provide support. Others may want them to be slouch-friendly so that they can sink into it. Here are a few standard cushion options.
| Cushioning Style | Description |
| Poly-wrapped foam | Poly-wrapped foam is made using high-resilience foam that is wrapped in polyester. This cushioning style is the most common, provides good support, and does not require you to fluff the cushions. |
| Down | These cushions are filled all the way using down or plush. In some cases, the filling is a down blend that encases a foam center. This is one of the most luxurious cushion styles on the market but requires regular fluffing. |
| Innerspring core | Innerspring cores have individually pocketed coils that are wrapped in a layer of foam. |
| Memory Foam | Memory foam upholstery is usually found on daybeds or sleeper couches. The high-density nature of memory foam ensures that such cushions are durable. |
Upholstery Quality
A wide range of upholstery fabrics is available at different prices at retailers. When choosing a material, ensure it feels comfortable and fits your budget. Cheaper fabrics are more susceptible to staining and stretching and rarely last very long.
Usually, fabrics used for upholstery have a rub-count rating. This indicates the longevity of the material. This rub count is generally tested by a machine that rubs the material back and forth till it wears down. Ideally, you should purchase a fabric that has a high rub count. Standard fabrics have a 50,000 count, premium materials have an 80,000 rub count, and the number can go as high as 100,000.
FAQs
How can you tell if a couch is good quality?
The quality of a couch can be detected based on how it feels to the touch. If there are sharp corners, lumps, or hard edges, there is not enough padding, and the couch would be uncomfortable. Additionally, the material of the couch and the kind of upholstery and springs it has can also depict its quality.
How to pick the right couch for a home office?
When picking out a couch for your home office, ensure that you consider a few factors. Ensure that you purchase one that is the right size, has high-quality upholstery, and is made using sturdy material. The coach should also suit your office’s style and feel comfortable sitting on it.
What material upholstery lasts the longest?
If you are looking for a long-lasting couch, choose one made using cotton, linen, wool, polyester, or olefin. Linen is one of the best materials as it does not pill and can stand wear and tear.
Conclusion
When setting up a home office, a couch is an excellent addition, as it adds extra seating space that can be used to host other people. You can also use it when you are taking a break or when you want to feel more comfortable as you work.
Purchasing a sofa or any other kind of furniture can be daunting. Still, it could be a lot easier if you keep a few considerations, including the cost, size of your room, and the amount of time you spend in that room.
When purchasing a couch in particular, you should consider the sofa’s size, how comfortable it is, and how durable it is. The kind of frame it has is also an important consideration when purchasing the perfect couch.