size matters, really

Depending on the dimensions and orientation of your living room, placement of the sofa will determine how your space will function.  Vintage buildings typically have nicely divided rooms, although they may be a bit snug.  The sofa most likely will need to hug a wall, perhaps flanked by built-in bookcases, a fireplace, or windows.  Architectural details are fantastic to work with.  They add so much character and provide a framework to build on.  Your guests should be intrigued by your home.  The lucky person who slides in next to the books may discover something new about you from the titles.

room for everyone

Making the move from the dinning table to the living room is a great time to mix things up a bit.  Your guests all need a little stretch and a good excuse to shuffle their company.  Hopefully they weren't sitting next to their partner at dinner and enjoyed intriguing conversation with a new friend.  Couples will be ready to reconnect, and the new friends, perhaps, are looking for a casual opportunity to get a little closer.  Typically the last one to the couch is a rotten egg, which very well may be the host.  That's okay, though.  Your job is to make sure everyone feels comfortable.  They may not all fit on the sofa but having the right piece here makes all the difference.

There is no shortage of sofas out there.  Fantastic new designs are introduced regularly.  Since it is the largest thing in the room, and maybe even in your entire home, you won't find yourself in the market for a new couch very often.  It's a big deal, and finding the perfect one can be intimidating.  Considering all the young talent designing furniture today, paired with forward thinking manufacturers, shopping for a new sofa can also be a ton of fun.  Color and size are definitely not the only aspects to be aware of, though both are good places to begin.

back to the drawing room

Shortly after the plates have been cleared and the remains of dessert are still fresh, your guests will  begin to realize that your dinning chairs aren't the most comfortable seats in the house.  They will catch themselves leaning on their elbows, chin in hand.  As the conversation dips, they secretly contemplate licking the raspberry gelato from the rim of the bowl and finishing the last sip of moscato that was somehow overlooked between courses.  It's time to migrate to a more accommodating locale.

Even the most intimate of urban homes should be equipped with a serviceable seating area.  Our need to lounge is innate.  Most of us can't resist the urge to kick back even before dinner, or during if you're my brother-in-law.  Most certainly after a good meal with friends, though.  The activity is up to you.  Is it movie night and everyone wants to remind themselves what the original TRON was all about before the new one comes out?  Are you playing charades after another bottle's opened?  Even if everyone opts for hot tea and ginger your sofa needs to be inviting.  Style is personal and comfort can be subjective, but if your guests would rather stand next to your fiddle leaf fig (ficus lyrata for you biogeeks) with their hands in their pockets you've not succeeded as a host.

Nice to meet you

Isn't furniture cool?