Experts dish on the most important seat in the house Buying a sofa is tricky. It will likely be one of the largest pieces of furniture you own, which makes it both an instant focal point in a room?and one of your most expensive purchases.
With that in mind, you could likely use some buying advice. We turned to the experts for words of wisdom, because, as Dallas interior designer Joshua Rice says: ?[I] look at more sofas in three months than you will probably look at in your lifetime.? Here?s what we learned.

Carlos Chavarría

Before buying a sofa, what should I consider"
The designers we interviewed agreed that when it comes to purchasing a sofa, you really do get what you pay for.
To ensure you?re getting something with a baseline level of acceptable quality, interior designer Annie Elliott recommends that you spend at least $1,000. Anything less means that the manufacturer probably cut corners that may result in buying another new sofa much sooner than you thought you would. If you?re trying to budget for a sofa as part of furnishing your entire living room, prepare to allocate 15 to 30 percent for the sofa, according to Elliott. However, there are diminishing returns on the quality of a sofa at a price of about $3,000. If you found the perfect sofa for more than that, go for it. But you can get a quality sofa that will last for less.
?I don?t [think] this is where you should cut corners and go for the cheapest piece you can find,? says L...