It’s time to take a seat – a sofa, more specifically.

Whether it’s a current living room that needs some new life or a bare room with nowhere to sit, a new couch is sure to give homeowners the results they desire. Follow these suggestions to avoid costly mistakes while finding the perfect sofa for home.

CONDUCT A SOFA CENSUS

Before you make up your mind to replace a couch, ask yourself if you really need to. If you are just plain tired of it, try rearranging the furniture or replacing the accent pillows and adding a new throw to give it new life. Having it professionally cleaned or painting the wall behind it also could give it a fresh look.

If you like the size and shape of the couch and can’t afford a new sofa, consider purchasing ready-made slipcovers to give it a new color and texture. Reupholstering your couch may be a more affordable option than buying a new couch outright.

Be sure to consider whether you really need a couch or not. Would you really prefer a pair of comfy, overstuffed reading chairs which share an ottoman? If your home is cottage- or garden-style, why not use a garden bench or wicker pieces instead?

SET BUDGET BOUNDARIES

Once you’ve decided to get a new couch, decide on your budget. Invest in the highest quality piece you can afford for a family room which gets heavy, daily use. For a little-used living room couch, focus on aesthetics; it does not require premium quality, since it won’t be heavily trafficked.

MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR A TEST DRIVE

Next, establish the room’s best seating arrangement so you know where your couch will go. You can prevent costly errors if you test your ideas before buying! Move the furniture in every possible configuration, including all the pieces you want to integrate. If you do not have an old couch to place in the arrangement, make a paper template (approximately 3 feet wide by 6 to 8 feet long) and use it instead.

When you are sure of the location of your couch, measure the minimum and maximum space it can occupy. Jot this information down so you can refer to it when you’re out shopping.

DWELL ON THE DETAILS

Next, to narrow down the style and detailing of your new couch, assess the room’s design message and consider the style of the major pieces you’ll have in the room. Create a list of adjectives that describe the look and feel of the room, such as “informal,” “comfortable,” “airy,” “natural,” “country” or “modern.” When you are out looking for sofas and see one you like, compare your word list with the message of the sofa you are attracted to.

Analyze the room’s predominant colors and textures and jot them down. Take photos and swatches with you when you go shopping.

To pick a fabric that harmonizes with the rest of the room you can:

• Go neutral. If your furnishings are in the cool colors, select a gray or blue-based white, a solid gray or black fabric. If the space is predominantly warm-toned, go for a golden beige, creamy white, khaki or light-brown fabric and add colorful pillows.

• Select a solid in the most predominant color in the room. For example, if the room is decorated in forest green, navy blue and burgundy, with the green being most present in the space, select a green fabric for your sofa.

• Select a pattern (stripe, floral, plaid) that reflects the same proportion of colors in it as the surrounding room. If the fabrics in the room are about half gold and a quarter of both orange and olive, look for a patterned fabric that has colors in approximately the same proportions.

Take your dimensions, the word list and your colors with you when you shop for a custom couch. Shopping during seasonal sales can help to save money. Or, if you don’t mind putting in more legwork, try shopping at consignment stores and cruising the listings for estate sales in the paper.