Finding the perfect sofa: Expert tips from Gillies

Picture this: after months of searching, endless hours of research about the local area, checking your finances, and maybe even considering nearby schools, you’ve finally found your dream home. Now, it’s time for the exciting part—finding the perfect sofa!

Finding the perfect sofa isn’t just about functionality or having a place to rest your feet or host guests. It’s much more than that. A sofa is the heart of your living room, combining style, comfort, and character all in one. It’s not just a piece of furniture; it’s a hub for memories—whether it’s sharing laughs with friends, having heart-to-heart conversations with loved ones, or cosy moments with family.

Gillies understand that everyone’s style, comfort preferences, and budget vary. That’s why they offer over 120 sofa groups to help you find exactly what you need. With over 125 years of experience, their expert sales team are on hand to guide you to your dream sofa.

To make the process even easier, Gillies have partnered with TSPC to recommend their top tips to help you find the perfect sofa for your space and style.

Size – it matters!

Always take measurements of your room before going sofa shopping, perhaps even make a shorthand drawing of your room, noting on things like doorways, windows, radiators and plug points, as well as what other furniture you are thinking of having in the room. If there are existing sofas in the room it can be helpful to measure those too so that you have a datum point to visualise the size. Most of Gillies sofas come in 3 or 4 sizes, and often with a couple of armchair sizes too, as well as corner group options; so, by having sizes to hand, they can check what options will fit.

Comfort is king

Unless you genuinely only want your sofa to feature in your room as a piece of art, Gillies always advise buying what makes you feel most comfortable – and that means you get to try them all out in their showroom! Yes, they do sell sofas on their website, but nothing beats good-old-fashioned ‘try before you buy’! Make a day of it, visit any Gillies store where you will be welcomed with a relaxed atmosphere and able to test the sofas, feel the fabrics and see the sizes all in person. They’ll even chat to you about your project over a complimentary cup of tea or coffee, but whatever you do, make sure you’re happy with the comfort.

Style

With such a wide choice available, you’re bound to want a sofa that suits the look and feel of your living space! Whether it’s leather chesterfield sofas, power recliner armchairs, or scandi-inspired contemporary sofas, there’s a lot to choose from. If you’ve seen anything in a friend’s house, a magazine or social media, show the team at Gillies and they’ll endeavour to find you the closest option! Otherwise, talk with them about what you have in mind, or simply meander your way through their lifestyle room settings where you can get inspiration.

Colour

We live in a world filled with an incredible spectrum of colours, tones, and textures—making it easy for Gillies to bring your dream sofa to life! Whether you’re drawn to bold shades like marmalade, soothing tones like teal, or modern hues like hunter green, they have it all. And it’s not just about colour, texture matters too. Choose from luxurious options like leather, velvet, bouclé, and more. The possibilities are endless, making it exciting to create a sofa that’s uniquely yours.

To make the best choice, Gillies recommend bringing key elements from your room into the store, such as wallpaper, carpet or flooring samples, or curtains. This allows you to compare sofa options against your existing décor and find the most suitable match. They’ve even had customers bring in cabinet doors or drawers—every detail helps!

Space awareness

Gillies often assist customers who have transformed a small room or former bedroom into a cosy ‘snug room’ and are looking for a compact sofa. There are several tips that can help you make the most of your space. Sofas with visible legs create the illusion of more space, giving the room a ‘light and airy’ feel without sacrificing seating capacity. Opting for a sofa with narrower arms can also maximise seating space, allowing you to stretch out comfortably without the bulk of wide arms taking up valuable room. Additionally, choosing a lower-backed model offers a sleek, streamlined look that keeps your room feeling open and maximizes the perception of space.

With most collections offering 3-4 different sizes, Gillies are confident that they can help you find the perfect fit for your snug room!

At Gillies, they truly believe that getting a new sofa is an exciting purchase, and they want your shopping experience to be enjoyable and stress-free – it’s not your average shopping trip after all!

So, if you’ve just got the keys to your new home, or decided your staying put in your old one, and need some sofa inspiration, a warm welcome awaits you at Gillies, with stores in Aberdeen, Broughty Ferry, Inverness, and Perth, and over 120 sofa collections to choose, make sure you too are coming home to a Gillies home.