Giving you the low-down on the best sofa options for different home layouts and lifestyle needs.
There’s certainly no lack of choice when it comes to furniture shopping. But buying ready-made pieces that are not tailored to your specific living room layout or lifestyle needs may result in wasted space and impracticality. On the other hand, custom-made pieces are usually much more expensive… or are they?
Not necessarily! Enter homegrown furniture company HomesToLife, whose modular sofas are sold based on per-unit price. For the everyday consumer, this makes customisation way more affordable, and you may just be blown away by the myriad of options available.
To give you a quick overview of just how many choices there are, HomesToLife has:
- Over 20 designs, the majority of which are modular
- Over 50 possible configurations for each modular design
- 17 upholstery options in fabric and leather (400 if you count colour)
- Add-on storage units, smart modules and accessories available
So, as you can imagine, we aren’t kidding when we say that there are literally thousands of options available. We headed down to one of their showrooms to find out more about the customisation process, and boy were we blown away – read on for the full low-down!
HomesToLife's Great World City outlet
A sofa that fits into ANY space, including awkward ones
Not all living rooms are built the same. This means that your ‘ideal’ sofa may not be suited for your home after all. For instance, a 2.5-seater is a crowd favourite for HDB dwellers – it’s compact in size yet provides sufficient seating space. As for larger living rooms, a 3-seater or L-shaped seating is usually preferred.
But what happens when your space isn't of typical size or configuration, and you can’t find a sofa that fits the dimensions you’re looking for? Have one made-to-order, of course! As mentioned, HomesToLife sofas are modular, which means the same design can be reconfigured to fit your space or any awkward corners perfectly.
At HomesToLife, the same sofa design is available in various modular configurations as well as leathers/fabrics
Insider tips: A wider sofa doesn’t necessarily mean more seating space, particularly if it has unnecessarily thick armrests. That’s why we appreciate how HomesToLife sofas come in space-optimising designs that maximise seating area with any given width.
Also, did you know that for adjustable headrests, you’ll need clearing space behind the sofa? As a local brand, HomesToLife knows that every square inch of living space counts; their recliner modules only require a mere 10cm worth of clearing space. Alternatively, if you do not wish to have any gap between the wall and sofa, there are also designs available where the recliner mechanism ‘eats’ into the sofa’s frame, allowing you to flush it completely against the wall!
Recliners or rocking sofas for wellness and specific physical concerns
A good sofa is one that reduces stress on your lumbar. However, extra support may be required should you experience:
- Back problems
- Leg problems (such as bloated feet)
- Intense menstrual cramps
A recliner helps in the above situations because it elevates your legs to level with your heart, promoting blood flow and alleviating discomfort. For even more flexibility, recliners from HomesToLife can function as standalone single-seaters, or as modules built into a multi-seater sofa.
Ally, in upright (left) and recliner (right) modes
As for pregnant women, a rocking sofa like the Charleston makes it a lot easier for them to get up. Plus, it’s thoughtfully designed to be wide enough for feeding or reading to your newborn, and the quality leather upholstery makes it easy to clean up. After all, we know how messy feeding babies can be!
Charleston, a choice recliner sofa for young mothers and mothers-to-be alike
Smart and storage add-ons for your lifestyle needs
Can’t do without your devices? Or they are always running out of juice? All electric recliner modules at HomesToLife come with USB charging ports, which means there’s no need to jostle with your significant other for the seat closest to the socket any more!
Symphony, with a pull-down table module
If you’re fond of eating at your sofa, pull-down tables can also be installed as well. Yup, you won’t have to crouch over your coffee table anymore.
Palace, with a storage console (left) and side pocket storage (right)
And why waste the space under your armrest? Convert it to useful storage space for small items such as your remote controls or knick knacks instead!
Over 400 fabric/leather options that you can have a look and feel of in person
When it comes to choosing between a fabric or leather sofa, it’s ultimately about personal preference, especially since comfort and aesthetics can be subjective.
You can read our introductory guide here, but for the purposes of this article, we’ll go a little in-depth and cover the different types of quality leather options that HomesToLife offers (read: they manufacture their own leathers ISO-certified for durability and safety!):
| What it is | Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signature leather (Nomenclature differs with stores) | Premium top grain leather all around | Leather will age the same way across the entire sofa | On the pricier side |
| Full leather | Premium top grain leather on contact surfaces, looser grain ‘split leather’ on less visible surfaces (e.g. underside, back) | Affordable price point with the benefits of premium leather | Contact and less visible surfaces will age differently over time |
| Half leather | Premium top grain leather on contact surfaces, PU leather on less visible surfaces | Most affordable | Contact and less visible surfaces can end up looking significantly different over time |
Even among premium leathers, there are so many options to choose from to suit different lifestyle needs. Whether it’s scratch-resistance leather for households with young children and/or pets, minimally finished leather for a raw, natural appearance – you name it, they have it!
By the way, the upholstery choices offered all require different types of care and maintenance. Do speak with a sales representative to find out what will work best for your home and lifestyle.
A sofa made for you
To be honest, the number of choices available sounded a little overwhelming when we visited HomesToLife. However, Celeste, our expert guide, shared that while customers usually share the same initial thoughts, they end up having lots of fun (some even spend hours in the store!) during the selection process.
Most importantly, there’s a deep sense of satisfaction when they finally put together a sofa that meets all their requirements, right down to a T. But don’t just take it from us – visit one of HomesToLife's five showrooms today to experience it for yourself.
