What to Consider When Buying New Home Furniture [Living Room]

With many American families spending more time at home than ever before, surely the idea of a makeover has crossed your mind.

From scuffed-up coffee tables to sunken couches to creaky recliners, it is clear we have gotten a lot of mileage out of our living rooms—we can’t think of a better time to invest in new home furniture to give your living space, well, new life.

Or maybe you’re moving into a new place, in which case, starting anew with modern pieces is a no-brainer. Regardless of your reason for buying new furniture, Big Sandy Superstore has got your back.

You can browse our in-store selection or scroll through our catalog to design the living room of your dreams today! But before you commit your card number to checkout, take heed to some wisdom from our furniture experts. We’ll walk you through everything from measuring your space to selecting the right seating and accent tables for your home.

Our experts recommend creating a room mockup on a piece of paper before furnishing your home. This is basically a rough sketch of your living room layout that is meant to denote the height and width of each wall, placement of windows, as well as positioning and dimensions of features that are unique to your living room, including built-in fireplaces, archways, and partial walls.

This step will help you visualize possibilities for your living room and prevent purchases that aren’t compatible with your space. Maybe you won’t have room for a sectional AND a wingback chair, after all. Or perhaps that entryway table will end up blocking your doorway. With just a little preparation and forethought, you can avoid the blow of disappointing purchases—not to mention the hassle of returns.

So, take out your handy-dandy tape measure and record the height, width, and, when applicable, depth of every wall onto your room mockup. Be sure to also note where there are outlets for lamps and electronics you plan to plug in—this will also help determine where you place prospective tables and seating.

Now, onto the furnishings!

The sofa is where your family congregates to chat, chill, and enjoy family movie nights, so you better make sure you select the right one.

If you plan to get a lot of use from your sofa or loveseat, you should assess your ideal level of comfort and support: firm or plush? There’s also suspension. What kind of stability do you crave from your sofa? Coils, springs, and elastic banding all play a role in how comfortably you sit on your new home furniture. For more information, be sure to check out product specification sheets.

The level of comfort also extends to the kind of material. Do you like the sturdy support and deep seating of a leather couch? Or do you prefer the softness of fabric upholstery, including cotton, linen, chenille, and polyester blends?

Since the sofa is usually the focal point of most living rooms, take special consideration of the color you select. If you’d like to make a statement, we recommend choosing a bold monochromatic hue. If you’re wary of clashing décor, there’s nothing wrong with sticking with neutral colors for large pieces.

In our catalog, reclining sofas (with built-in consoles!), sleeper sofas, and futons are also available.

Pictured: Signature Design by Ashley® Zarina Jute Sofa (9770438)

If you’ve got a big family or take pride in hosting large gatherings, a sprawling sectional might override your impulse for a sofa. Ideal for open-concept homes, sectionals can also carve out your living space without overwhelming it.

Shopping considerations for sectionals aren’t too different from those of sofas. Certainly, support and comfort levels still play a part when making this multi-piece purchase; however, you must also pay special mind how this seating suits the flow of your living room.

Since sectionals can contain anywhere from two to five pieces, remember to note highly trafficked areas, doors, and windows. To get the most out of this purchase, you better make sure your sectional does not obscure other focal points in the room, including the fireplace, and test viewing angles for the TV.

Pictured: Flexsteel® Digby 2 Piece Blue Sectional Set (5966-33+38)

Sometimes, there’s nothing more relieving than leaning back in a comfy chair after a long day. A recliner or a roomy chair can enable just that.

Comfort considerations aside, one of the most important factors in selecting a recliner is the type of reclining mechanism. You can opt for a power recliner operated by buttons on a control panel or a remote. Alternatively, you could spring for a manual recliner with a release lever, handle, or pull tab.

If you’re craving luxury, some recliners even have a power headrest for multi-position customization at the touch of a button, or a separate motor to lift the seat for suspended sitting, or swivel rotation so you can reach for your glass of water without overly exerting yourself. We are trying to relax, after all.

Stationary chairs are nothing to scoff at either, though. If you’re looking for a statement piece, look no further than our selection of accent chairs. No matter your style, our catalog has the perfect chair to anchor your space.

You can add whimsy with patterned upholstery, class it up with a wood frame, or create intrigue with a modern silhouette, but whatever you do, make sure your additional chair doesn’t crowd your living room in a sea of side tables and other seating.

Lift chairs, rocking chairs, and chaise loungers are also available in our catalog.

Pictured: Signature Design by Ashley® Saddle Walnut Rocker Recliner (1030225)

End tables and coffee tables and console tables—oh, my! When it comes to deciding what furniture to buy for your new house, living room tables offer plenty of options in terms of styles, shapes, and sizes. Almost too many.

Most importantly, you should ask yourself how you want your living room tables to function. You don’t want to overcrowd your space with filler pieces for the sake of décor, so try to be especially selective when purchasing end tables and console tables.

Based on your lifestyle and room layout, you may have to negotiate what kinds of tables (and how many) you can get. For example, a coffee table may seem to be non-negotiable if your family grubs on snack platters for movie nights. Along those same lines, if you’ve got a toddler, you might want to avoid a glass surface in favor of solid wood.

If your living space affords you the luxury of end tables (for your reading nook) and console tables (for your entryway), double check your measurements in relation to their dimensions, and be sure to map out their placement based on electrical outlets for lamps and device charging stations.

Pictured: Liberty Furniture Boho Loft Rectangular Cocktail Table (174-OT1010)

Lastly, we arrive at shopping considerations for media furniture—everybody’s got a TV in their living room, right?

As the look and size of televisions have changed over the years, so has the variety of surfaces they sit on. Whether you prefer the look of a standard TV stand with minimal shelving or a tall entertainment center with generous storage options for your movies and videogames, we’ve got you covered.

If you’ve got a wall-mounted TV but still want concealed storage for your Blu-ray collection, a media chest will fulfill this desire. Alternatively, media consoles are a great option if you prefer to display your collection, along with memorabilia, picture frames, and gaming consoles, thanks to windowed cabinets and/or shelves.

Regardless of your choice in media furniture, make sure there is enough ventilation space surrounding your TV to prevent overheating.

Pictured: Liberty Harbor View Linen Entertainment Center With Piers (631-ENTW-ECP)

If the stress of coordinating your furniture pieces is too much to handle, our living room collections can do the work for you. Just be sure to double-check the measurements of your available space against our product specification sheets.

• Living room seating sets
• Living room table sets
• Full living room sets

For other living-room furniture pieces, including ottomans, bookcases, and benches, check out our catalog!

You can read our furniture styles guide blog for inspiration, and for answers to any questions, you can reach out to our product experts at Big Sandy Superstore. We’re not like other furniture stores. Call or visit any of our locations today!