Whether you sit, snuggle or snooze, the sofa’s where you wanna be

The high back and arms of this red leather sofa envelop your body as you sink into the comfy cushions. Available in more than 25 luscious colors. $19,230. Muebles Vanguardia, #200 Esquina  Rafael Buelna. 986-3081. This stylish sofa offers great impact and generous seating in a very small space. The best part? The fun and functional pillows and breezy color. $12,800. Abu Muebles, Avenida Sta. Rosa #1205, Fracc. Jacarandas, 990-3603; Granados Ruiz, Matriz Av. Revolucion #810, Sanchez, 990-1444; and Sucursal, Avenida Rafael Buelna #20, Lomas, 182-0390

Where’s your favorite place to sit, snuggle, snooze and occasionally snore? The sofa, of course! Whether it’s in front of the TV, overlooking the ocean or even on the patio, your sofa is easily the most important piece in creating a room that’s fashionable and functional. 

If you were north of the border, you could zip over to Crate and Barrel, Ikea or Pottery Barn and have hundreds of styles, price ranges and fabrics to choose from.  Shopping in Mazatlán, though, is a bit more challenging and can be confusing. So if you’re not sure where to shop, what to look for and how to choose, we’ve got you covered – just follow our Seven Surefire Suggestions for Selecting a Sensational Sofa.

1. Access your lifestyle. Ask yourself several questions to help focus your search: How many people will be sitting at once? Do you come in from the pool and plop down? Do you have grandchildren or pets? Do you like to kick your feet up, sprawl out or snuggle down? Do you need an extra place for guests to sleep?  
2. Watch out for deals too good to be true. While you may get a great bargain from the back of a truck in the parking lot at the grocery store, you may not think you got such a good deal when your tush is touching the floor after a few months of use.  
3. Love at first site. Solids look great in the store and may seem more versatile, but buyer beware - these fabrics will show every bit of sand, suntan oil or spill of red wine. Better choices are leather, leather look-alikes or fabrics with prints and textures.  Mazatlán’s the perfect place to enjoy over-scale, brightly colored tropical prints of exotic flowers or toucans that might look out-of-place elsewhere.
4. Made to last? When it comes to the construction of your sofa, ask lots of questions and be very clear about the answers. Hardwood frames such as huanacaxtle and cedar may cost more than pine, but will last much longer. Test-drive several foam densities for a perfect feel. Remember, loose pillows are easier to clean, turn and replace, and often more comfortable, than a fully upholstered sofa.  
5. Try before you buy. Look for a minimum seat height of 16 inches and a depth of at least 20 inches. The locals tend to be shorter than we gringos and often furniture “Hecho in Mexico” is sized accordingly. In general, bigger is better!   
6. Size matters! After checking out the options, make a newspaper template of your top choices to get a feel for how much space each requires. Will there still be room for coffee and side tables? Be sure to measure doorways, hallways, stairs, elevators, etc. The last thing you want is to discover it’s impossible to get your beautiful new sofa into your home.
7. Write it down. Get everything in writing, including sizes, colors, fabrics, expected timeline for delivery and warrantee information. Be sure you have the store phone number and cell phone number of your salesperson. For special orders, expect to leave a deposit of 50%, but don’t pay in full.

Kathy Stephens is a professional shopper and interior designer, and gets paid to spend other people’s money. Contact her at  www.haciendaestilos.com, or 913-3795.