It’s an invest piece that’s important to get right, so knowing how to measure for a sofa is essential to avoid that classic ‘Ross from Friends’ moment…PIVOT! A new sofa can totally transform a room and with so many stylish designs on the market, it can be a bit of minefield to whittle down what the best sofa for your home is, before you’ve even thought about the size!
Not only does your sofa have to fit your desired space perfectly, but it’s also got to get through the door- and possibly up stairs and round tight corners first. We’ve probably all fallen fail to online shopping and bought something that has turned up far bigger or smaller than we expected. While this can make for an amusing anecdote, it can also cause a lot of stress and cost us some hard-earned money when it comes to pieces of furniture.
Charlie Marshall, Founder of Loaf says, ‘Having your new sofa delivered should be fuss-free and relaxed, so we always suggest measuring up and checking dimensions of your room before placing any orders. That way, our delivery crews can ensure that sofas will be able to fit in through doors, around tight hallways and up or down stairs.’
Kellie Wyles, Head of Upholstery and Brand at DFS says, ‘Measuring for your sofa is an important step in the sofa decision making process. It’s not a case of simply getting the tape measure out, but also about considering what works best for a space, how it will look visually and work logistically.’
Luckily, if you follow our handy guide, ordering your new sofa should go without a hitch, and you’ll be sat down with your feet up in no time.
Image credit: Future Plc/Simon Whitmore
First things first, you need to choose a sofa that is right for you, so it helps to know how you currently use the space, or how you plan to use the space. There are plenty of living room sofa ideas out there, so this should help to streamline your choices.
‘Start by thinking about what your living room is going to be used for. Some people have separate living rooms from the rest of the house and a lot of us have knock throughs where it’s off the kitchen/diner, but whatever size of space it’s important to understand whether it’s a social place or if it’s a place for watching TV, or both, says Charlie.
‘Symmetry in a social or formal space will look great and the balance between sofas facing each other, or even a sofa and two armchairs, will be visually appealing. Introduce a large footstool or coffee table in the centre and some ambient lighting for an intimate feel. If it’s a family room then it’s likely that the sofa will be a main feature, and this could even be a large corner or chaise style. Create balance with a coffee table or a storage footstool in front of the sofa and add a large armchair or love seat to one side. The armchair or love seat will create a visually even weight to the room which will keep it feeling balanced. The trick is to not group too much furniture in one part or at one side of the room.’
Kellie advises to make sure you’ll be giving your new sofa the space it deserves.
‘Your first step should be to look at the room where you plan to put your sofa and consider what’s needed for the space. Do you need a sofa that will fit into a snug corner or are you looking for a statement piece for the middle of an open plan room? Perhaps you would prefer a big, comfy, corner option for movie nights with the whole family! Once you’ve established this you can start to search for a sofa style that works with your space.’
Image credit: DFS
Buy now: Swoon Rene 4 seater sofa in in teal velvet, from £999, DFS
Next you need to get a feel for the space and take into consideration how much of the room will be left once the sofa is in.
‘It’s always helpful to walk around the space where the sofa will be to check you can move around it comfortably,’ says Kellie. ‘This will help you ensure that you’ll still be able to open windows and doors when the sofa is in situ and move past any coffee or side tables. Similarly, take note of any nearby shelves or radiators to ensure the sofa height isn’t a problem.’
Charlies goes on to suggest, ‘Always keep in mind how people will be coming in and out of the room and arrange the furniture accordingly as traffic flow is key. You don’t want any knocks or bumps and you don’t want any awkward weaving through the room. Aim to keep paths fuss-free and clear! Generally, you want lots of space! I’d say that walkways should be a minimum of 900mm and if it’s less than this then you’ll feel it.
Image credit: Future Plc/Maxwell Attenborough
Patricia Gibbons from the Design Team at Sofa.com adds, ‘The scale of your sofa is important. Too big and it can feel like it engulfs the whole room, too small you’ll be fighting over the best seat in the house. Finding that sweet spot is key. Smaller rooms benefit from selecting sofas with slimmer proportions and sleek, clean silhouettes. Choose a model with elegant, tapered legs which raise the frame from the floor to give the illusion of more floor space. These larger scale pieces feel more statement and create an anchor to design around without overpowering a large living room. They also help zone, effectively acting as a room divider.’
Image credit: Snug
Buy now: The Rebel 3 seater sofa in warm grey, £1299, SNUG
So now comes the measuring part, which is imperative to ensuring you choose the right size sofa. All of our expert offer slightly different approaches of how to measure for a sofa, but they all agree, it’s one you don’t want to get wrong.
Dani Burroughs, Head of Product at Snug advises, ‘To measure for your new sofa, it’s always a good idea to note the dimensions of the existing furniture. You’ll want to make sure your new sofa fits in the space without overcrowding – or underwhelming.’
Image credit: Sofa.com
Buy now: Medium Bluebell corner sofa in Prussian blue cotton matt velvet, £4570, Sofa.com
‘Another way to get a real sense of the size is to choose a style you like and map out its dimensions on the floor by laying out cardboard or taping an outline with masking tape. Play around with the different options: try sizing up or down until you find the perfect sofa that fits your home and style,’ continues Dani.
Suzy McMahon, Buying Director at Sofology, suggests, ‘Make sure you measure your room accurately and, if you have an existing sofa, use that as a benchmark to understand any differing dimensions of a new model. A good tip in an empty room is to lay down newspapers to help you visualise the footprint the sofa will use. Don’t forget that, when considering sizing, you’ll need to allow for leg room and space to move around the sofa.’
Patricia adds, ‘Think about the amount of floor space you have and take a rough measurement of the maximum length and width the room can accommodate. It’s often difficult to visualise so if it helps, lay down a silhouette in newspaper or tape markers on the floor. You want to leave enough room to comfortably walk around the sofa and for other pieces of furniture.’
Image credit: Future Plc/Joanna Henderson
So you know that your chosen sofa will fit once inside the room, but how about getting it there?
‘Don’t just think about what the sofa will look like in the space, also think about how you’ll get it there in the first place,’ says Kellie. ‘There are lots of ways to work around tricky access, from sofas with bolt-on arms that can be fixed once your sofas are in place to smaller, modular pieces’
Suzy adds, ‘Delivery is a key stage in the process of buying a new sofa, so make sure hallways and doors are wide enough to accommodate your sofa. To maximise space without compromising comfort, consider a corner sofa or chaise. Not only are they great for relaxing, their length serves as an integrated footstool that saves additional space in the room. Selecting a style with hidden storage can also help to make the most of a small room, negating the need for additional bulky furniture in the area.’
‘Avoid unnecessary stress with a sofa that comes in a box and is ready to assemble in minutes without the need for DIY skills, heavy lifting or tools, ‘ adds Dani. All of Snugs sofas and sofa beds are delivered in a box, fit into awkward spaces and up winding staircases and are fully modular and re-configurable.
Image credit: Loaf
Buy now: Smithy loveseat in Potter Pink clever linen, from £1445, Loaf
The next thing to do is ensure your new sofa sits correctly within your space.
Charlie advises, ‘If it’s a large open plan area and you’re expecting plenty of traffic, you could look at zoning the space with open shelving. By creating a slight separation, you can keep the flow of the space without losing the cosy feel of the living room. Consider also using your sofa style to your advantage. Chaise and corner designs are an effective way to zone a space and offer walkways which will help the flow of the room.’
Suzy adds, ‘Positioning the sofa against a wall will help to keep the room open, especially in a smaller space. A sofa’s proportions are particularly important in compact living. Opting for a petite sofa with a tall back and narrow arms will make the piece appear larger than it is, whereas choosing a corner sofa with a low back can help make a room feel bigger and the sofa less imposing.’
‘Neutral sofas work well where space is limited, and can be kept up to date with cushions and throws in bold patterns and colours’.
Image credit: Sofology
Buy now: Cartwright 2 seater sofa in Altara Putty all over, £1799, Sofology
With all these easy-to-follow tips from the sofa gurus themselves, it should make the sofa measuring process quick and simple, so you can feel confident that your sofa will fit your space perfectly.
Suzy says, ‘Selecting the perfect sofa is a very personal choice and will balance many factors, including practicality, comfort, style and budget. For smaller spaces, the initial practical considerations are essential but fairly straightforward; think about the space you have in your room and how many you would like to seat.’
Next make sure your chosen sofa will fit through doorways! This is often something that is often overlooked, so the first thing to do is note down the ‘packaged’ dimensions of your chosen sofa- the width (W), height (H) and depth (D). Also be sure to measure the narrowest point of your stairs, if the sofa needs to go to another floor. If this measurement is wider than the packaged height of your sofa, then it should fit.
Don’t forget that if you need to lift a sofa over a bannister, the distance between the bannister and the ceiling must be greater than the packaged depth of your sofa at the narrowest height.
Get your tape measure out and double check every measurement you take!
Kellie advises, ‘It’s critically important to note the width (the measurement across the back of the sofa), the depth (the measurement from the back of the sofa to the front) and the height (the measurement from the floor to the top of the back of the sofa). Take particular note of the depth of the sofa if you’re buying for a smaller room, as the depth of the seat rarely changes from the larger to smaller size sofas. One top tip for making sure that your sofa will fit in your space is to cut out the shape of your sofa from newspaper in the correct dimensions and place it on the floor in the room to get a sense of the area it will take up.’
Don’t assume all sofa sizes are the same, a three seater at one brand, might be quite different in size to another brand, so make sure you measure up any new sofa you plan on buying.
Charlie says, ‘Because every Loaf sofa is handmade, the size can vary by approximately 3cm. So if your measurements come up a little tight we recommend sticking on the safe (smaller) side’
Sofas come in lots of different sizes, from little loveseats, to huge corner sofas, so there isn’t really a standard size as such. That said, an average 2 seater sofa is approximately W175cm x H98cm x D95cm; an average 3 seater is W210cm x H98cm x D95cm and an average 4 seater sofa is around W240cm x H98 x D95cm. But this is differ slightly from brand to brand, so be sure you are fully clued up on how to measure for a sofa before making a purchase.
The post How to measure for a sofa- 5 experts share their top tips appeared first on Ideal Home.
Soups season is far from over, and the best soup makers will turn out perfectly creamy concoctions to make your winter lunching a lot easier. A lot of the best soup makers can turn raw ingredients into steaming hot soups in just over 10 minutes, and with models from Ninja, Drew & Cole, Morphy Richards, and Salter to choose from, there is no shortage of options. Each and every one of the six best soup makers in our guide have been reviewed hands-on by our expert testing team. We made all sorts of soups, from leek and potato to curried root vegetable, and took into account how easy the soup makers were to clean and to store.
A couple of the best soup makers in our guide are two-in-one alternatives to the best blenders, with heating elements to make hot and spicy sauces, and regular modes for icy milkshakes. While they can’t go through the dishwasher because of the in-built heating element, they often come with settings for self-cleaning that will reach even the trickiest corners of the jug to remove any leftovers. Then, all you’ll need to do is rinse out the sudsy residue.
Other things we loved in the best soup makers included clear designs to watch your soup as it cooks and blends, and modes to keep your soup warm after it’s cooked, so you’ll be able to enjoy a bowl as soon as you’re ready.
We tested five of the best soup makers on the market, and the one that came out on top was the Ninja Foodi HB150UK Blender and Soup Maker. We were seriously wowed by the soup it produced, which was smooth and creamy, and it offers a delay start mode. If you’re looking for a soup maker that’s got a clear cooking container, we love the Morphy Richards Clarity Soup Maker. It’s got a clear tritan jug and heats very fast.
Best soup maker overall
Capacity: 1.7 litres cold and 1.4 litres hot
Modes: 10
Features: Chop, chunky soup, smoothie, ice crush, and more
Reasons to buy:
• Saute setting
• Self-clean
• Separate sauce mode
• Manual cooking modes
Reasons to avoid:
• Only makes 3 portions of soup
We put this soup maker to the test to see how it measures up against blenders, and it’s one of the best we’ve tried. The jug is made of sturdy glass that can withstand heat even for prolonged periods of time. The display shows a countdown timer, and the blades can even chop and saute your onion and garlic before adding the rest of your ingredients.
The chunky mode was particularly good for fresh vegetables, and we were really impressed by the smoothness of our butternut squash soup, especially when we used it to blend nuts and halved carrots from raw.
Soup makers can make a great pasta sauce, or a topping for your curry, but it’s nice to have the option of a model with a fully dedicated sauce mode. The self-clean setting is very effective, and if you’re wondering, it also functions very well as a blender for making milkshakes and smoothies.
Ideal Home rated 5 out of 5 stars
Read our full Ninja Foodi Blender and Soup Maker review
Best soup maker for delay starts
Capacity: 1.6 litres
Modes: 3
Features: Saute, delay start
Reasons to buy:
• Saute setting
• Memory function (perfect for adding ingredients)
• Delay start of up to 12 hours
• Takes only 20 minutes
Reasons to avoid:
• It’s quite large
If you like the sound of coming home to a fresh cooked soup that you prepared before you left home, the Drew & Cole Soup Chef Pro is the best soup maker for you. It’s easy to delay the start by 30-minute intervals up to 12 hours, and the smooth cooking mode takes just 19 minutes. There’s also a smooth+ setting for seriously velvety soups, but even on the regular setting, we had zero issues with lumps or grainy ingredients. Everything was perfectly silky and cooked just how we like it.
Another major perk is the saute setting, which is on the handle of the soup maker. You can sear your onions or garlic using this mode before adding stock and starting the blending setting. For the quality of the design, we also think it comes at a great price.
Ideal Home rated 5 out of 5 stars
Best soup maker with a clear jug
Capacity: 1.6 litres
Modes: 3
Features: Clear tritan jug, straightforward controls
Power: 1000 watts
Reasons to buy:
• Watch your soup as it cooks
• Speedy meals in 21 minutes
• Effective self-cleaning
• Keep warm function
Reasons to avoid:
• The working capacity isn’t the largest
The Morphy Richards Clarity Soup Maker warns you that ingredients could stick to the bottom when cooking, but we had no issues with this when making our soups in it. Straight out of the box, it’s very easy to assemble. We were surprised to find that the jug is not glass, but felt like plastic. In fact, it is tritan, which is a very durable but lightweight material free from BPA.
The smooth soup setting is only 22 minutes, which means you can set your soup up to cook and finish your bowl within the same lunch break. Cooking was very speedy, and the ingredients were simmering within five minutes of us turning it on. The controls at the top are straightforward to use, and there is one for smooth, chunky, and smoothie, and clean. The quality of the blending was great, and it also has a keep warm function that kept our soup perfect for drinking after it had finished blending.
Ideal Home rated 5 out of 5 stars
Best high-end soup maker
Capacity: 1.75-2 litres
Modes: 4
Features: Self-clean, can also crush ice
Power: 1000 watts
Reasons to buy:
• Transparent tritan jug
• Easy controls
• Recipes included
• Speedy soup making
Reasons to avoid:
• An expensive option that won’t fit under counters
The Lakeland Touchscreen Soup & Smoothie Maker is by far the most premium-looking option we tested. It has a price tag to match, though, so if you drink a lot of soup then it will be a great investment.
With a modern design and a blender-like jug, it has modes for smooth and chunky soups as well as sauces and even iced drinks. We really enjoyed the control panel, which made the process very easy, and the timer also helped to know when to add any extras. We were able to add cream to our tomato soup once the blending started thanks to a removable lid insert. If you want an extra smooth finish you can also just blend without heating once your soup has finished. The auto-clean function was also very effective.
Ideal Home rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
Best soup maker for extra functions
Capacity: 1.2 litres
Modes: 6
Features: Can steam eggs and reheat
Reasons to buy:
• Heats very fast
• Easy to pour
• Comes with an egg cooker
• Removable cap in lid
Reasons to avoid:
• Smaller capacity than some
• The lid is quite fiddly
The Judge Soup Maker has a capacity of 1.7 litres, but if you’re making soup it will only take up to 1.2 litres. We found that it heated up very fast, and because the jug is plastic and see-through it’s possible to watch your soup as it cooks.
We enjoyed the powerful blending modes which left us with a very smooth soup, and because it’s got a classic blender-style design you can also use the Judge Soup Maker to make chilled drinks. The removable cap allows you to add ingredients while it’s cooking, but we did find that the lid was sometimes tricky to lock into place.
Ideal Home rated 4 out of 5 stars
Best value soup maker
Capacity: 1.3 to 1.6 litres
Modes: 2
Features: Self-clean, blend button
Reasons to buy:
• Budget-friendly option
• Heatproof handle
• Simple controls
Reasons to avoid:
• Some ingredients burnt to the bottom
Salter’s soup maker is the most budget-friendly option in our guide, and it’s a trusted choice to make either chunky or smooth soups. You are warned that ingredients can burn to the bottom before use, and a good way to fix this is to add some oil to prevent sticking, but we still found that there was a little burning after our soup was finished.
There are two soup modes: smooth, chunky, and one for blending or self-cleaning. The self-clean mode is very effective at removing residue from the blending blade. We also liked using the blend setting to add an extra blitz for soups we wanted a little smoother.
Ideal Home rated 4 out of 5 stars
Making broccoli and stilton soup in the Lakeland touchscreen soup maker
Soup makers can be used to make all types of different soups, including chunky, smooth, and even gazpacho. When testing the best soup makers we cooked a variety of recipes to make sure they were all up to the task of making even tricky soups. Some classics, like butternut squash or leek and potato, will blend very easily into velvety smooth soups, whereas others like pea soup or broccoli and stilton, will need to be very well cooked and blended to achieve the consistency you’re after.
Making butternut squash soup in the Judge soup maker
We also made a lot of tomato soup using tomatoes and red peppers to see if the skin would pose a challenge to the cooking and blending, and while we used the same recipes, it was amazing to see the slight (or sometimes not-so-slight) differences that arose between different soup makers upon testing.
The post Best soup maker 2022: for smooth soups and chunky broths appeared first on Ideal Home.
Searching for a simple way to hide your clutter that doesn’t involve DIYing or drilling holes into your walls? Enter: the extremely versatile storage basket. For hiding anything from the abundance of kids toys that are usually sprawled across your living room rug, to your bedroom cushions whilst you sleep – and even your blanket collection that’s by now in double digits, surely?
We’re here with the very best – and most stylish – storage baskets that you’ll want to style in your home. Similar to that of a laundry basket, although the storage baskets on our list are super versatile. We’ve listed lidded options and open storage baskets, plus wall-mountable storage baskets to save floor space and even storage baskets that can slide under furniture.
One of the many living room storage ideas that we love, there’s nothing stopping you from using a storage basket anywhere from inside your bedroom to in your hallway, bathroom, nursery or even in a kitchen to hold shopping bags or cleaning products.
In short: there’s plenty to choose from, whether your home is modern, minimalist, a little boho or perhaps you’re searching for a storage basket for your nursery? It’s all here.
Image credit: Dunelm
This highly-rated storage basket from Dunelm is as stylish as it is practical. Offering a sizeable amount of space inside to hide everything from shoes to throws and toys, it’s crafted by hand from paper materials. This makes it eco-friendly, and with handles, it’s easy to move from your living room to your bedroom, bathroom or elsewhere. Thanks to its monochrome print, it will also prove to be a striking addition to your home. It’s also a total bargain.
Buy now: Monochrome Paper Storage Basket, £15, Dunelm
Image credit: H&M
A storage basket for the kids’ bedroom, with a cute rabbit design – complete with floppy ears, too – this storage basket is handy for hiding their abundance of toys. It has handles for easy dragging (and pulling to the floor for their toys to tumble out), plus it comes in a smaller size if you want to buy the matching set. It has a drawstring closure to keep their things tucked away safely, and so that wandering eyes won’t be able to see what’s inside, whether that be toys or laundry. It’s made from 100% cotton, meaning that you need only wipe it with a damp cloth to get it clean. There’s another similar storage basket available, in brown which instead of a rabbit, is a bear. Pick their favourite.
Buy now: Cotton Twill Storage Basket, £12.99, H&M
Another eco-friendly option, these storage baskets are made from a mix of jute and cotton linen, and they are foldable for ease of use. Yes, once you are done with them you can tuck them away down the side of furniture or inside a drawer. They’re great for housing smaller items, such as trinkets, LEGO, socks, cables, dummies, plus they’re super sturdy so there’s no need to worry about weight. With handles for easy access, they could be displayed on open shelving or atop a chest of drawers. Safe to say they’re aesthetically pleasing and versatile since you can use them anywhere from your kitchen to your living room, nursery or even in your utility room.
Buy now: Sea Team Storage Baskets, £12.99, Amazon
Image credit: Dunelm
This open basket is great for storing blankets, books, cushions and towels, but admittedly not so great for toys and smaller items. We love its open look since it will make the basket look a little less clunky on your floor. For an airy, modern look, this storage basket is made from wicker and finished in a sleek black colour. Complete with upright handles, we say to perch it beside a sofa or bed or push it into a corner for the best look.
Buy now: Wicker Black Storage Basket, £15, Dunelm
Image credit: Habitat
Not just for holding your dirty clothes and towels, this lidded basket is also great for storing anything from clean bedding to toys, all in plain sight. Thanks to its lid, your guests won’t ever know what’s inside, and it’s woven in sustainable water hyacinth to make it aesthetically pleasing. Not only that, but it will definitely add a warm vibe to any room in your home. It’s pretty practical, too, with a polyester liner that’s removable for your convenience.
Buy now: Habitat 102 Litre Water Hyacinth Laundry Basket, £45, Argos
Image credit: H&M
Check out this lidded option from H&M, which is undoubtedly handy for storing away seasonal clothes underneath your bed, or at the bottom of your wardrobe. With a zip closure to keep dust away, this bag also has handles for easy reaching. Just because you’re stashing these baskets away doesn’t mean they don’t need to be stylish, right? They’re made from ecru cotton and recycled cotton, and they come in a range of sizes to suit your space, no matter its size.
Buy now: Large lidded storage basket, £19.99, H&M
Image credit: H&M
A storage basket with a difference, this one won’t take up any valuable floor space that you treasure. Instead, you can mount it to a wall to hold anything from jewellery to accessories, kids books or toys and even toiletries. These super versatile baskets can be used pretty much anywhere, and we love them stacked atop one another – to make use of otherwise empty wall space. With a sturdy mango wood frame, these canvas baskets are brilliant. They also come in black.
Buy now: Canvas wall storage basket, £17.99, H&M
Image credit: Dunelm
Decorative and handmade, this natural basket will definitely add a subtle pop of colour to your rooms. It’s large enough to store shoes, cushions and blankets, and we think that it’s too pretty to hide. With this in mind, you might want to perch it beside an important piece of furniture, such as a sofa, to make it stand out. It’s super strong, so rest assured it will provide a place to hide your things for years and years.
Buy now: Butterscotch Rush Basket, £25, Dunelm
Image credit: La Redoute
These baskets come as a set of two, one of which is larger than the other. They are lidded and you could use them for hiding toiletries in your bathroom, for separating and holding the kids’ toys, or for hiding bits and bobs in your bedroom or hallway. Made from natural water hyacinth, they boast a white stripe at their base to make them a little different to your classic woven basket. These on-trend baskets will prove themselves to be a handy addition to your home, whether you style them together or place one in one room, and the other in a different area of your home.
Buy now: Set of 2 Bustta Baskets in Water Hyacinth, £45, La Redoute
Image credit: Matalan
An ideal addition to a teenage bedroom, this felt basket is simple yet practical. With wooden handles so that they can carry their laundry from their room to the utility, or for easy dragging around their room to throw random things inside. It also folds with ease once empty. Definitely one for a teenage boys bedroom, plus it’s a steal.
Buy now: Dark Grey Small Felt Basket, £6, Matalan
Image credit: DOKEHOM
Labelled storage baskets? We’re totally here for it. Mrs Hinch and Stacey Solomon would be proud! These Amazon storage baskets are labelled ‘Etc.’ ‘Stuff’ and ‘Things’, to add a little something to your average plain storage basket. They’re perfect for popping on open shelving or inside a wardrobe, and for holding and housing towels, toiletries, toys and even socks and tights. With handles for easy grabbing, they are even made from strong jute with a steel frame around the top edge.
Buy now: DOKEHOM Thickened Laundry Basket, £11.99, Amazon
Still on the search for the perfect storage basket for your space? You can shop for more stylish options below, from our favourite retailers.
The post Shopping Edit – 11 lovely storage baskets for carrying your clutter appeared first on Ideal Home.
