4 minute read
Sofa So Good
Carol O’Callaghan talks to interior designer Paula Condon about navigating the choice of sofas available to get the perfect fit for your home and lifestyle
Carol O’Callaghan • Sofa feature with Paula Condon • Nov 2023
Remember the episode from Friends where Ross buys a sofa and carries it upstairs to his apartment to avoid the delivery fee? It ends badly and hilariously with the white sofa a filthy wreck, sawn in two, and the word ‘pivot’ now embedded in the pop culture lexicon.
Maybe he ought to have enlisted help from New York’s equivalent of Paula Condon, interior designer at EZ Living Interiors, Pouladuff, Cork, who is a trove of experience on determining your sofa-buying needs to reflect your personal taste and practical needs, with effortless home delivery.
“The sofa is probably going to be the most expensive piece in the room,” she says, “so speak to the salesperson. The sooner you tell us what you’re looking for, we can direct and help you eliminate too.”
For customers down-sizing from, say, a house to an apartment, Paula cites the Anderson range for its modern looks, elevated on legs making a room look larger. For a young couple starting out, she suggests the Santorini or Preston.
Both are high on comfort with clean lines, but sometimes it’s practical aspects that families prioritise for sticky-fingered kiddies and pets with muddy paws in need of wipeable microfibre or durable leather.
Paula also encourages customers to walk around, and if a sofa catches their eye it can be delivered within the week, or there’s the EZ Living Interiors special order option to capture that longed-for jewel tone or warm neutral you didn’t see on the shop floor.
Working with customers to find a sofa suitable for the age and style of their home is also key for a look that will have longevity, according to Paula.
The Beaufort or Crawford sofas, echoing enduring design features, and the timeless Scott are three she sees working particularly well in this type of property.
She also cites the importance of knowing your room measurements, especially for new builds. “There are no terms of reference in a new build,” she says. “If you’ve bought an older property, you’ll have seen furniture in it already and if it worked.”
In addition to this expert, free advice in-store, Paula flags up online resources also. “We have room sets on the website to see the sofas in context, and a room visualiser where you upload an image of your room to see how a sofa will fit.”
Home visits are available if an expert eye is needed to see how your new sofa will work in the space. The service is currently €49 p/hour for homes within one hour’s drive of the store, or avail of a virtual consultation. Both can be booked online at www.ezlivinginteriors.com.
PAULA’S SOFA SHOPPING TOP TIPS
Visit in-store to try out the options.
Consider practical needs in addition to colour and style.
Speak to the salesperson and use their knowledge to meet those needs.
Bring photos of the room and measurements.
Paula’s Star Buy
The Dynamo is an allrounder, modern design on legs, making it suitable for large or small spaces, and featuring a moveable headrest, recliner and durable, wipeable fabric.
Find your perfect sofa www.ezliving-interiors.ie
