Home / Articles / Store and buying
12 questions to ask before buying a sofa: a showroom checklist
By Lucy Home. Published 14/11/2026, updated 14/11/2026.
Before buying a sofa, ask twelve questions in four groups: the dimensions (of the sofa, of each module and of the way into your living room), the construction (frame, foam and what moves), the upholstery (name, composition and how to clean it) and the purchase itself (in stock or made to order, delivery and assembly, lead time, warranty and payment). Keep the list on your phone, sit on everything and ask for the answers in writing. I like customers who ask questions: people who ask choose better and have no regrets later.
The showroom in Praia Grande: you choose a sofa by sitting on it, and the list of questions comes along.
Why bring a list of questions?
Because information is part of the purchase. Article 31 of Brazil’s Consumer Protection Code says the offer and presentation of products must ensure correct, clear, precise and conspicuous information about characteristics, qualities, quantity, composition, price, warranty, expiry dates and origin, among other details. And article 30 says that sufficiently precise information, conveyed by any form or means of communication, binds the supplier and becomes part of the contract. In living room language: ask, and keep the answer in writing.
What are the 12 questions?
| Group | Question | Why ask |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 1. What are the width, depth and height? | To compare with your wall and the walkways in the room |
| Dimensions | 2. Does the sofa arrive in one piece or in modules? How big is each piece? | That is the size that has to get through the door and the elevator |
| Dimensions | 3. Can it be made to measure? | To fit the sofa to the wall, not the wall to the sofa |
| Construction | 4. What is the frame made of? | It is what you cannot see and what holds up everything else |
| Construction | 5. What foam is in the seat and the back? | To compare models on the same terms; comfort is something you check by sitting |
| Construction | 6. If the seat pulls out, what moves and how? | To know how much space it needs in front |
| Upholstery | 7. What is the name and composition of the fabric? Is it leather or a synthetic material? | To know how it behaves and how to care for it |
| Upholstery | 8. What is the cleaning code on the tag? | It tells you whether to clean with water, with solvent or with a vacuum only |
| Purchase | 9. Is it in stock or made to order? What is the lead time? | To plan your move or the summer season |
| Purchase | 10. Are delivery and assembly included? Can I schedule the date? | So there are no surprises on the bill or on the day |
| Purchase | 11. What is the warranty and what does it cover? | Ask for the terms in writing |
| Purchase | 12. What are the payment options? | To close the deal calmly |
What should I ask about dimensions?
Ask for the three measurements of the sofa and, if it comes in modules, those of each piece. Pottery Barn’s measuring guide says to measure the interior height and width of every doorway, staircase, elevator and hallway the piece will pass through. I go through that math in the guide will the sofa fit through the door and the elevator?, and the sofa size guide covers the wall and the walkways.
What should I ask about the frame and the foam?
Ask about the frame material, the seat suspension system and the foam, including its density. If the store has the spec sheet for the model, ask to see it; if it does not, “I don’t know, let me confirm” is a better answer than a made-up one. The guide on D28 or D33 foam explains what density tells you and what it does not.
On a pull-out sofa, ask what moves. On the pull-out sofas I write about here, the seat slides forward and the backrest does not tilt back. Open and close it yourself, and measure how far the seat reaches when it is out. The guide on pull-out or fixed sofas helps you decide.
What should I ask about the upholstery?
- Name and composition of the fabric. Fabrics have names; ask for the exact one.
- Leather or synthetic material. According to CICB, Brazil’s Law 4,888 of 1965 reserves the word leather for products made from animal hide. The guide on how to tell whether a sofa is genuine leather shows what to look for.
- Cleaning code. Ashley, a furniture manufacturer, explains: W, water-based cleaner only; S, dry cleaning solvent only; WS or SW, either one, without saturating; X, vacuuming or light brushing only.
To compare fabrics, see velvet, linen, suede or leather.
What should I test sitting down?
No spec sheet replaces your own body. My script comes from the principles that OSHA, the US workplace safety agency, describes for office chairs:
- Sit all the way back: does the entire sole of your foot rest on the floor?
- Is there space between the edge of the seat and the back of your knee?
- Does the backrest meet your lower back or leave a gap?
- Stay a few minutes, stand up and sit down again.
- Bring whoever will use the sofa: what is comfortable for a tall person can be too deep for a short one.
The guide on your sofa and your back goes deeper into each item.
What does Lucy Home already answer?
| Question | Lucy Home’s answer |
|---|---|
| In stock or made to order? | Both: there are sofas ready for delivery and made to order |
| What can I customize? | Color, fabric, made-to-measure size, arm size and module size |
| Does the sofa arrive in one piece or in modules? | Most are delivered in modules; only a few models arrive in one piece, and not all of those |
| Delivery and assembly? | Included in the price |
| Can I schedule the delivery? | Yes, if you live in São Paulo or along the Baixada Santista coast |
| Help planning the room? | Yes, at no cost |
| Lead time, warranty and payment | Confirm with the team for the model you chose and ask for it in writing |
About planning: the team suggests pieces and puts together an image of the room, and the article on help planning your room explains how it works.
Bring your list
Lucy Home is at Av. Presidente Kennedy, 3870, Aviação, Praia Grande, and is open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 7 pm, Saturdays from 9 am to 6:30 pm and Sundays from 9 am to 3 pm. Come with your list, sit on every sofa and ask everything. If you would rather start from home, message us on WhatsApp and send your questions: the team answers what it knows and confirms the rest. You can also browse the store’s sofas.
Frequently asked questions
What should I ask before buying a sofa?
Twelve things, in four groups: dimensions (of the sofa, of each module and of the way in), construction (frame, foam and what moves on a pull-out sofa), upholstery (name, composition and cleaning code) and the purchase itself (in stock or made to order, delivery and assembly, lead time, warranty and payment).
Does a store in Brazil have to tell me what the sofa is made of?
Article 31 of Brazil's Consumer Protection Code says the offer and presentation of products must provide correct, clear and precise information about characteristics, qualities, composition, price, warranty and expiry dates, among other details. Asking about composition, warranty and lead time is asking for what the law already provides.
Does what the salesperson said count?
Ask for it in writing. Article 30 of Brazil's Consumer Protection Code says that sufficiently precise information, conveyed by any form or means of communication, binds the supplier and becomes part of the contract. A message with the size, fabric, lead time and terms keeps everything clear for both sides.
What should I test sitting down in the showroom?
Sit all the way back and see whether the entire sole of your foot rests on the floor, whether there is space between the edge of the seat and the back of your knee, and whether the backrest meets your lower back. These are principles that OSHA, the US workplace safety agency, describes for office chairs, and I use them as a test script for sofas.
Are delivery and assembly charged separately at Lucy Home?
They are not: at Lucy Home, delivery and assembly are included in the price. If you live in São Paulo or along the Baixada Santista coast, you can schedule the delivery date. Production lead time for made-to-order pieces, warranty and payment options are things to confirm with the team for the model you chose.
Sources
- Brazil's Consumer Protection Code, Law 8,078 of 1990, articles 30 and 31 (official text, in Portuguese)
- OSHA, Computer Workstations eTool: Chairs (seat, backrest and lumbar support of an office chair)
- Pottery Barn, How to Measure for Furniture (width, diagonal depth, doorways, stairs, elevators and hallways)
- Ashley Furniture Industries (furniture manufacturer), Cleaning Codes (W, S, WS/SW and X)
- CICB (Centre for the Brazilian Tanning Industry), the Leather Law (Law 4,888 of 1965)
