Picking a sofa has never been so simple

It’s all very simple. The first step is to choose your style, step two is to select a size and step three is to pick a fabric.

DFS has added another brand called So Simply to its range, designed to make shopping for a stylish and affordable sofa - you guessed it – simple!

Inspired by the changing nature of urban living, with Irish people increasingly living in smaller spaces that need to cater to multiple lifestyle needs, So Simple is a curated range of contemporary sofas, armchairs and footstools that are available to buy online and in-store, in three simple steps.

Irish living rooms have evolved. Research shows that Irish homes are smaller; in fact the 2019 CSO average new dwelling-size index found that new homes were at their smallest since 2011.

The CSO says that as the proportion of new dwelling completions has increased, there has been a continued decline in the average size. Furthermore, since 1991 there has been a substantial decrease in the younger age groups owning their own home, with 30 per cent of 25-34 year old’s owning their homes in 2016 by comparison to 68 per cent in 1991.

This evidence shows that young people are far less likely to own their homes than was the case twenty-five years ago. Instead of becoming owner occupiers, an increasing proportion of the younger population are renting from private landlords or local authorities.

Whether it’s families, couples or roommates, there is demand for sofas that are compact in size, reasonable in price, but big on style.

Customer insight at DFS also found that 44 per cent of customers cited difficulties finding what they were looking for when purchasing a sofa. The So Simple range is a cleverly curated collection of eight contemporary styles, with five size options, designed to work for smaller spaces.

The range includes a choice of four fabrics, including linen and leather look, and gorgeous colours like blush, vintage mustard and indigo blue.Niamh Áine Ryan

naryan@corkindependent.com