How to choose your new sofa
Think about the look you’re after. The colour, shape and style of your upholstery will have a huge impact on the look and feel of your room. With more than a hundred different sofa and chair styles to choose from, in hundreds more sizes, colours, leathers and fabrics, the William & Sons range has something for everyone. If you’re looking for style and practicality, explore our extensive leather gallery. If comfort and support are your priorities, try our fabric collections. And if you want to create your own distinctive style, visit our Signature Collection.
Choose the right shape, support and comfort
Our factory trained sales staff will be happy to explain the different qualities of all our sofas. Here are some of the key things to consider:
Frame: this gives the sofa its shape and structure. The frames in our range are tough, strong and durable to cope with demands of everyday life.
Support: our sofas have a number of different support systems, from traditional coil springs and webbing to serpentine or zigzag springs and sprung edges.
Fillings: this is the ‘comfort layer’. There are 3 choices:
Foam
This gives the firmest feel and retains its looks best. Manufacturers of traditional furniture prefer foam fillings.
Fibre
A man-made synthetic filling usually wrapped in ‘ticking’. Offers medium to soft comfort, depending on the density of the filling. Cushions must be plumped daily to retain their shape.
Feathers
A soft, luxurious option, these cushions must be plumped daily to keep their shape and comfort. If you like the feather effect but are allergic to feather fillings, our sofa experts will help you find a soft alternative.
Our suppliers often use a mix of fillings - foam cushions with a fibre wrap, or feather cushions with a foam core. Try them all before making your choice.
Only leather upholstery can claim to improve with time, developing a character all of its own. Leather wears in, fabric wears out. Each hide is unique and there are several different treatments to create different looks.
Corrected grain leather is particularly durable, easy to care for, and excellent for a family environment.
Semi-analine leather is very soft, bringing a real sumptuous feel to your furniture.
Analine shows off the natural features of the hide and is very soft to the touch.
Natural leathers including oiled, waxed or hand finished hides all show off the unique natural characteristic of the hide.
Faux leather is a durable coated surface backed with eco friendly recycled leather fibres. Bonded for additional strength and durability, it feels great to the touch and offers great value for money. At William & Sons we also use Eco-Leather which is a man-made product designed to match the texture, colour, durability and feel of family friendly corrected grain leathers. We can also combine Eco-Leather with real leather to give you a great looking, high quality sofa at outstanding value.
Fabric
Fabric sofas have loose or fixed covers.
Loose covers are usually made from natural fibres such as 100% cotton. These can be removed and machine washed at low temperatures or professionally cleaned. They’re often more casual in style, though those held in place on the frame cover by Velcro give a more tailored look. Many people choose an extra set of covers so they can ring the changes without the expense of brand new furniture.
Choose your recliner or massage options
Many of our sofas and chairs, both fabric and leather, recline for ultimate relaxation. You can have recliner actions at either end of a sofa or corner group as long as there is an arm. Some recliners are manual, operated by a handle just below the arm. Others have electric recliner controls, where you can adjust your position with your fingertip. For the ultimate relaxation, we have a fantastic range of stress relieving massage chairs.
Your sofa buying checklist
• Measure carefully!
Before you order, please make sure your chosen sofa will fit your room and can be maneuvered into your house. Some of our larger items come apart for delivery, so ask us for help if you’re worried. Once your furniture is in production, we can’t accept your cancellation without a charge
• Try before you buy
Visit our 35,000 square feet superstore to see all our ranges, test them for comfort, try some recliners and ask our sales staff for more information on your favourites.
• Protect your investment
While everything at William & Sons comes with a standard 12 month quality guarantee, it’s worth asking about upgrading to a full 5 year Guardsman Warranty too. Our excellent cover plan will give you peace of mind for 5 years plus your new furniture will also be covered for accidental damage including spills, stains, tears and scratches. It’s well worth the extra cost to relax and enjoy your new furniture, worry-free!
Back to top
How to choose your new furniture
Start by thinking about the look or style you’re after. Our dining range alone includes tables and cabinets in wood, metal, glass and even stone. Leather is an increasingly popular option for bedsteads.
Here’s a quick guide to the pros and cons of different materials.
Wooden furniture
Every piece of wooden furniture is unique, with different characteristics in colour, grain and durability. Cabinets can be made from softwoods such as pine or hardwoods like oak, ash, maple and teak. There are some woods, such as beech, that don’t fall into either category.
Wooden furniture is affected by temperature and humidity. You should avoid placing solid wooden furniture, particularly oak, on under floor heating. If your room is very dry or very damp, it may be worth considering glass and metal or stone furniture.
Our sales staff will be happy to explain the benefits of different woods and finishes, show you how each piece is made and tell you all the pros and cons of solid wood, veneer & foil.
You can also find out how to care for wooden furniture in our furniture care guide.
Metal and glass furniture
For a more contemporary look, we have a stunning range of extending and static dining tables in metal and glass, with a choice of leather or fabric chairs. We also have metal and/or glass shelving units, and a wide choice of small occasional tables and bedsteads.
Metals are available in a range of different finishes and colours and all glass meets with British Safety Standards BS6202.
Stone Furniture
Our stone furniture range includes large and small dining tables, occasional tables, stone topped sideboards and consoles. Stone finishes include travertine, marble and granite.
Furniture buying checklist
• Measure carefully!
Before you order, please make sure your furniture will fit your room and can be maneuvered into your house. Some of our larger cabinets come apart for delivery, so ask us for help if you’re worried. Once your furniture is in production, we can’t accept your cancellation without a charge.
• Take a closer look
Visit our 35,000 square feet superstore to see all our dining & bedroom ranges, feel the quality, and ask our sales staff for more information on your favourites.
Back to top
How to Choose your New Bed
Choosing your new bed is an investment in your general wellbeing. Spend as much as you can afford to – generally the higher the price of the bed, the more support and comfort it can offer. The best way to choose a new bed is to try out a few in store. You’re welcome to sit & lie on them. Ask our fully factory trained sales staff to explain all their benefits. All our sales staff are employed directly by ourselves to give you unbiased advice. We don’t employ any manufacturers’ consultants, that means you’re being offered a bed to suit your own individual needs, not those of the consultants’.
There’s a simple test to see whether a bed is right for you. Lying on your back, slip your hand between the base of your spine and the mattress. If it’s difficult to do, the mattress is probably too soft. If your hand moves easily, the mattress is probably too hard. You should ideally be able to move your hand with just a little resistance. If you sleep with a partner, make sure you try the beds together.
Your bed options
William & Sons offer a vast range of beds, including the UK’s leading bed brand - Silentnight.
Whatever level of comfort, luxury, quality, style and value you’re looking for, we can certainly help.
Divan Beds
Divan beds are made up of a base and mattress, which combine to give the best support and comfort.
Storage Options
Depending on the bed you want, there are a number of options available, all of which offer valuable storage space.
Bedsteads
Most bedsteads support a mattress on solid timber slats fixed to a frame; some come with a metal frame support and integrated sprung wooden slats.
Bed Surrounds
Bed surrounds give the look of a bedstead with the divan of your choice in the middle. There are no slats or other support for a mattress.
Headboards
Headboards are an optional extra, but they can add the finishing touch to your bedroom
Your mattress options
Choosing the right mattress is vital. It will make the difference between a good and bad nights sleep.
Here are all the mattress types you have to choose from:
Mattresses with Springs
Open Coil
This is the most basic and simple spring system. Rows of springs are joined with a spiral wire, running top to bottom. Open coil often gives a firmer feel.
Pocket Sprung
Here, each spring is housed in separate fabric pockets. This mattress fits the sleeper’s shape, for ultimate comfort and support.
Memory Foam / Latex
Using either open coil or pocket spring systems we have sourced a range of mattresses containing a special foam-like material that reacts to heat and pressure. That means less pressure on the body, better support and a more restful sleep. By using the spring systems as well, it means you shouldn’t get as hot when sleeping because the springs allow the memory foam or latex to breathe.
Fillings
Fillings protect you from the springs in the mattress. There are various choices of fillings. Our bed experts will help you choose the right one for you.
Firmness
Lower priced mattresses are produced in standard tension, whilst more expensive options have a choice of soft, medium or firm tensions. If you sleep with a partner and both find different tensions comfortable, we can even create a mattress with different tensions on each side.
Back to top
Do you ever end up with more guests than you have beds for? Well with a sofabed that’s no longer a problem! We’ve got a comprehensive range of stylish sofabeds to choose from – including designs in both leather and fabric.
How to choose your new sofabed
The best way to choose a sofabed is to try a few out. Sit on them, lie on them and ask our sales staff to explain all their benefits & demonstrate how easy they are to open & close. Spend as much as you can afford to – generally the higher the price of the sofa bed, the more support and comfort it will give you.
You also need to consider where you’re going to put it. You’ll often need a bit of room (up to 23cm or 7’) from the back of the sofa to open the bed out fully. If a full sized sofabed with arms won’t fit through your bedroom or stairway, some of our sofabeds have removable arms so they’re much easier to manoeuvre in tight spaces. Some have no arms at all and can still open out to nearly the same width as a standard double bed.
Your sofabed options
Sofabeds are only designed for occasional use as a bed. Mattresses are foam or sprung, up to a depth of 10 cm (4”). Because you sit on a thin layer of padding over a bed mechanism, sofabeds feel firmer than a standard sofa or chair. The firmness of the sleeping surface will depend on how your sofabed works. If the sofabed pulls out from the bottom of the sofa or chair so it’s quite close to the floor, it will feel fairly firm. If it’s a metal frame that unfolds to the same height as the seats, with a canvas-like base or wooden slats for the mattress, it will feel more like a normal bed.
Make it last
Care for your sofa bed as you look after your sofa and your bed. Rotate and turn the mattress every time the sofabed is used, and don’t overload any storage spaces. Your sofabed comes with a standard 12 month manufacturer’s warranty, but it’s worth asking about Guardsman – our protection plan upgrades our standard warranty to 5 years cover plus it also covers your sofabed if it’s accidentally damaged.
Back to top
How to measure your furniture
Start by taking the following measurements:
Measure the surface area of the space where you want to put the furniture. Make a rough sketch with a note of the dimensions. Now measure the width, height, and depth of the furniture you want to order. Don’t worry if it seems too big. William & Sons can offer split sofa options on some of our larger sofas & some of our larger cabinets and beds will also come apart so they are easier to move.
Will it go in?
Check that all widths and diagonal depths are less than the entry dimensions. You can check the diagonal depth on upholstery by placing a straight tape measure from the back of the frame to the front of the arm. If you’re still worried, please visit or call into the store, our fully trained sales staff will be happy to assist you. If it was easy to get your existing furniture in, compare the measurements with the model you want to replace it with.
When ordering a wall display unit, measure the wall you wish to place it against from floor to ceiling. The diagonal height should be less than the entryway.
Measure the width and height of all doorways, hallways, and stairways, including banisters and turns, and don’t forget about obstacles such as radiators, wall and ceiling lights.
We're here to help
Uncertain about your measurements? Please ask our staff for help.
For a nominal charge, we can sometimes arrange for a ‘dummy run’ where our delivery team visit your house and assess the access for you. They can even bring the showroom display item to see if it will fit.
If access through a door is too tight, it’s sometimes possible to install your furniture via another route. Our sales support staff can suggest local tradesmen who will quote to remove fence panels or windows before you commit to any additional cost.
If the worst happens and your new furniture really won’t fit in, do come and talk to us. We’ll search our huge range of products and use all the expert knowledge of our staff to come up with a great alternative.
Back to top