The most common points you bear in mind while looking for the right sofa are its size, budget, color and even the type of upholstery. However not many realize that there is another equally important aspect to consider to buy your dream sofa set, which is the right arm style. 

Yes, this is indeed important, especially if you plan to use the sofa for not only sitting but leaning while watching television or while chatting on the phone. And it’s the sofa arm’s height and style that determines the ultimate seating experience on the sofa. 

There is no ‘perfect’ arm style because the choice mainly depends on the way you will be using your sofa. You could perhaps have a habit of leaning against the arm or like taking short naps on the sofa where your back is supported by the arm. In this case, sofas having taller arms are a better choice, which proves why your usage helps determine the right sofa arm style and height. 

Besides, switching the sofa arm can also change the look of the sofa from contemporary to traditional or vice versa. Most upholstered sofa sets come with three main types of sofa arms which are the English arm, Rolled arm and Track arm. Read on to find out which sofa arm resonates with the look and feel you want to create through your sofa in your room. 

How to determine the right arm height

You can find the right arm height by measuring the ‘inside arm height’. This is the gap between the top of your sofa to the arm, and is your sofa arm’s actual height. You can obviously expect more support from the arm if it is on the taller side. 

Sofas with a medium height arm ranging anywhere between 7 and 9 niches give sufficient support to lean your body and rest your head on. The comfort level is heightened if it’s a rounded arm. A tall inside arm height is not only ideal for curling up in but also if you have a habit of sitting up straight, with your feet placed up on the sofa. 

There are also arm heights that are on the lower side at six or fewer inches. These sofa arms may not provide much leaning support, but are indeed a much better choice for sofas in formal places where there is no chance of anyone lounging or leaning against it. 

You, in fact, low arm heights make you sit straight in sofas. But don’t worry if you find the right sofa, but has a low arm height. You can still use it for lounging by just strategically placing a pillow on it to compensate for the loss of height. It’s safe to even place a tall pillow on the top of the arm for optimal support while leaning on it. 

How arm height affects the room design

While comfort is the main factor affecting your choice of the height of the arm, the room design is also important to make the final choice. This is because sofas with a lower arm fit perfectly into small rooms, and in rooms where tall arms may end up blocking the window view or something similar. On the contrary, sofas with taller arms are better for bigger rooms. 

The right arm style

As mentioned earlier, the height is not the only aspect to consider while choosing the perfect sofa arm. Its style is also important as it determines the look of the sofa, and these styles are English roll arm or English arm, rolled arm and track or straight arm.

• English roll arm

The English roll arm is the most popular choice not because the name has a royal edge, but because it instantly dresses up a sofa and room, and never goes out of style. It is the most traditional arm style that’s low with a small roll, and is set back in design.

It blends in anywhere, as it creates a tailored but formal look. It looks casual enough to use in your holiday home. Adding tapered legs to the sofa improves its looks so that it doesn’t look so traditional while a skirt helps create a more formal and even fancy ambience. However, the drawback of this arm style is that its low height means it’s not so supportive in function.

• Rolled Arm

Now, this is the traditional shape you find on most sofas. The difference between this style and the English roll arm is that it’s a bit more casual looking. You can create a casual, relaxed and informal feeling to the room by pairing the arms with a slipcover. 

Besides, their rounded shape makes the sofa arm much more comfortable to lean on without a pillow. In case it’s a formal feel you want to create, and then use a more fancy looking fabric like velvet. You can also consider using some nailheads to show off the curves. 

• Track or Straight arm

Track or straight arms are straight in style, don’t have any rolls and come in various widths and heights. They are compatible in modern, traditional and even any space in between. In fact, a sofa with track arm makes traditional looking rooms look a tad modern. 

Track arms are best for keeping everything streamlined in the room if your other furniture creates a modernistic look. They are optimal for small rooms as they use less space than sofas with other arm styles. Pairing it with a skirt makes it look more traditional while showing off the sofa let’s keep things looking clean. 

Conclusion

Though these are distinctive sofa arm styles, you needn’t stick to one particular style all the time. If you are ready to experiment, then go ahead and trust your gut instinct and inner style to design your home and room as you want. You can adjust any sofa arm style with rugs, chairs, artwork, and accessories to get the look comfort, and ambiance you want in the room!