Will Your Furniture Still Work in Ten Years?

A designer’s guide to choosing pieces that remain comfortable, useful and beautiful as life changes

Luxury living room with sofa, accent chairs, coffee table and area rug arranged for comfort and circulation.

Furniture can be beautifully constructed and still be wrong for the life happening around it.

A sofa may retain its shape but become uncomfortable to use. A coffee table may be exquisitely finished but interrupt movement. An area rug may be valuable but create an unnecessary obstacle. A fabric may look luxurious but require more maintenance than the household wants to give it.

True furniture longevity has three parts:

▪ Structural longevity: Is the piece made well enough to endure?

▪ Visual longevity: Will it remain relevant beyond a passing trend?

▪ Functional longevity: Will it continue to support the way the home is lived in?

This broader definition of longevity is becoming increasingly relevant in luxury design. Sotheby’s International Realty identified longevity as a defining influence among high net worth homebuyers in its 2026 Luxury Outlook.

CMHC also reports that 85 percent of Canadians want the option of remaining in their homes as they age. Its universal design research encourages homes that anticipate changing needs instead of waiting for those needs to become urgent.

The goal is not to make a home feel clinical or designed for a particular age.

The goal is to choose furniture intelligently enough that the home can remain beautiful, comfortable and easy to live in for years.

1. Will the Seating Remain Comfortable Over Time?

A generously proportioned sofa can feel luxurious, but depth alone does not determine comfort.

Deep seating is wonderful for lounging. It may be less comfortable for someone who prefers to sit upright, place both feet on the floor or rise without pushing through an overly soft cushion.

This does not mean every seat in the room must have the same proportions. In fact, a more intelligent seating plan often combines different experiences.

A deep, relaxed sofa can be balanced with an accent chair that offers a more upright seat, supportive arms and a firmer cushion.

Luxury sofa paired with a supportive accent chair to provide different seating options.

Before purchasing seating, measure a sofa or chair you already find comfortable. Record:

▪ The seat height from the floor to the top of the cushion

▪ The usable seat depth from the front of the cushion to the back cushion

▪ The arm height

▪ The cushion firmness and recovery

▪ How easily you can sit down and stand up

▪ Whether your feet rest comfortably on the floor

Overall sofa depth is not the same as usable seat depth. Thick back cushions can make a large sofa feel considerably shallower, while a slim back cushion can make a smaller sofa feel deeper.

Furniture specifications become much more useful when compared with a seat you already know and enjoy.

Explore our luxury sofas and accent chairs to compare different proportions, silhouettes and seating profiles.

2. Can Every Table Be Reached Without Blocking Movement?

Tables should support the seating plan, not force people to navigate around them.

The distance between a sofa and coffee table needs to provide enough room for someone to sit down and stand comfortably while keeping the table within reach.

Use these measurements as designer starting points:

▪ Allow 14 to 18 inches between the front of a sofa and the nearest coffee table edge.

▪ Use the same 14 to 18 inch range between an accent chair and coffee table.

▪ Test the full movement of swivel chairs and recliners before finalizing the table position.

▪ Place a side or accent table within 0 to 6 inches of the seating arm, as the furniture profiles permit.

▪ Keep a side table top within approximately 1 to 2 inches of the seating arm height.

▪ Select a coffee table approximately one half to two thirds of the sofa length.

▪ Keep the coffee table level with the sofa seat or up to 2 inches lower.

A side table placed directly beside a chair is a reach relationship, not a walkway. It should be close enough that someone can place a drink or turn on a lamp without leaning awkwardly.

If an accent or martini table is positioned in a route people use to cross the room, measure from its widest point and protect the surrounding circulation path.

Coffee table and accent table positioned within comfortable reach of luxury seating.

Explore our coffee tables and accent tables to find the right proportions for your seating plan.

3. Does the Rug Make the Room Easier to Navigate?

An area rug should define the furniture arrangement and make the room feel visually connected.

A rug that is too small can leave the seating floating around it. A rug that is too thick, unsecured or curled at the corners can also make the room unnecessarily difficult to move through.

In most living rooms, the rug should be large enough for at least the front legs of the sofa and accent chairs to rest on it. In a larger room or open concept space, placing all the furniture legs on the rug can create an even more complete seating zone.

The practical considerations are equally important:

▪ Use the appropriate rug pad to reduce movement.

▪ Make sure corners and edges remain flat.

▪ Avoid placing a loose throw rug directly in a primary pathway.

▪ Consider pile height where the rug meets another flooring material.

▪ Check that doors can open freely over the rug.

▪ Lift furniture when repositioning it instead of dragging it across the rug.

The Public Health Agency of Canada identifies loose rugs, deep pile carpets and cluttered floors as potential household fall hazards in its research on falls in Canada.

This does not mean a room must give up softness or luxury. It means the rug should be selected and installed as thoughtfully as the furniture placed on it.

Properly scaled luxury area rug anchoring a sofa, coffee table and accent chairs.

Explore our area rugs by size, material and construction.

4. Does the Room Preserve a Clear, Continuous Route?

The space around the furniture is as important as the furniture itself.

A room may look balanced in a photograph and still feel awkward when someone tries to cross it, open a cabinet, pull out a dining chair or fully extend a recliner.

Use these circulation measurements as planning starting points:

▪ Aim for a 36 inch primary route through a room.

▪ Increase that route to approximately 42 inches where the room allows for more generous movement.

▪ Aim for approximately 30 inches in a secondary route between furniture.

▪ Use 36 inches where future accessibility or assisted movement is an important consideration.

▪ Allow 30 to 36 inches behind a sofa when that space functions as a walkway.

▪ Allow at least 36 inches between a dining table and wall for chair movement.

▪ Increase dining clearance to approximately 42 to 48 inches where people must pass behind occupied chairs.

▪ Confirm that doors, drawers, recliners and swivel chairs can complete their full movement without entering the main route.

Where accessibility is part of the design brief, CMHC also recommends a clear floor area measuring 30 by 48 inches in front of furniture and controls, together with continuous paths and adequate turning space. These measurements are detailed in its Accessible Housing by Design guide.

These are design starting points, not universal building code requirements. Every measurement must be tested against the actual room, furniture profile and people using the space.

Save this guide before purchasing or positioning living room furniture.

Suggested alt text: Living room furniture spacing guide showing sofa, accent chair, coffee table, side table and walkway measurements.

For additional measurements, read our Living Room Spacing Guidelines You Should Know.

If you are uncertain about scale or circulation, our design services can help confirm the furniture plan before anything is ordered.

5. Can the Furniture Be Repaired or Renewed?

Furniture longevity is not only determined by whether a piece can resist wear.

It is also determined by whether the furniture can be maintained, repaired or renewed when normal wear eventually occurs.

Before investing in a significant piece, consider:

▪ Can the frame be reupholstered?

▪ Can cushion inserts be replaced without replacing the entire sofa?

▪ Are glides, hardware or moving components replaceable?

▪ Can the finish be professionally touched up or restored?

▪ Is the joinery accessible to a qualified furniture repair professional?

▪ Can additional fabric be ordered for future repairs?

▪ Does the manufacturer provide a meaningful warranty or replacement parts?

A well made frame that can be reupholstered may offer considerably greater long term value than a less expensive piece whose construction cannot be accessed or renewed.

Removable cushion covers should not automatically be assumed to be washable. The fabric, backing, seams, piping and zipper may all respond differently to cleaning. Manufacturer instructions must always come first.

Luxury furniture craftsmanship showing tailored upholstery and quality furniture construction.

Explore our custom furniture collection for pieces created with a more considered approach to proportion, upholstery and finish.

6. Do You Understand the Care Requirements Before You Buy?

The best time to learn how a fabric should be maintained is before the furniture arrives.

Upholstery cleaning codes identify the category of cleaner the fabric may tolerate. They do not guarantee that every stain can be removed or that every product within that category will be safe.

Upholstery Cleaning Codes in Plain English

▪ W: Water Based Cleaner

A W code permits an approved water based upholstery cleaner. It does not mean the fabric is washable, and it does not mean the cushion can be soaked.

Vacuum first. Blot spills with a clean white cloth. Test the approved cleaner in a hidden area and use it sparingly.

▪ S: Water Free Solvent Cleaner

Do not use water on an S coded fabric. Use only a product specifically approved for S coded upholstery.

For a valuable piece, a large stain or an unfamiliar fabric, professional cleaning is the safer approach.

▪ WS or SW: Water Based or Solvent Based Cleaner

Either category may be possible, depending on the stain and the specific fabric.

WS does not mean that any household cleaning product can be used. Test the selected product in a hidden area and avoid oversaturating the upholstery.

▪ X: Vacuum or Light Brushing Only

Do not apply water or solvent.

Use a vacuum with the appropriate upholstery attachment or a light brush when permitted. Contact a professional before attempting to treat a stain.

The Safest Upholstery Cleaning Sequence

▪ Read the manufacturer’s care instructions.

▪ Confirm the cleaning code.

▪ Vacuum loose dust and debris first.

▪ Blot spills instead of rubbing them.

▪ Test any approved product in an inconspicuous area.

▪ Use as little moisture or product as possible.

▪ Allow the upholstery to dry completely.

▪ Consult a professional for valuable, delicate or unfamiliar materials.

What About Wood Furniture?

Wood does not have a universal cleaning code. The finish determines the care.

Dust wood regularly with a soft cloth. Where manufacturer instructions permit, a slightly damp cloth may be used on finished wood, followed immediately by a dry cloth.

Unfinished wood should not be wet cleaned.

Avoid standing moisture, harsh chemicals, abrasive products and indiscriminate use of oils or polishes. The Canadian Conservation Institute cautions that wood does not need to be “fed” and that some commercial furniture polishes can leave damaging residue. Its wood furniture care guidance provides additional information.

Luxury upholstery samples and finished wood materials selected for furniture longevity.

Reviewing fabric samples before specifying upholstery can help confirm colour, texture and maintenance expectations.

For more detailed maintenance information, read Why Furniture Starts Looking Tired Long Before It Should.

7. Could the Piece Work Somewhere Else Later?

Furniture does not need to remain in one position or serve one purpose forever.

A modular sofa can be reconfigured when the room changes. Nesting tables can separate when entertaining and return to a smaller footprint afterward. An extension dining table can accommodate both everyday life and larger gatherings.

An accent chair may eventually move from a living room to a bedroom, office or dressing area. A console may work behind a sofa today and in an entryway later.

Before purchasing, ask:

▪ Could this piece work in another room?

▪ Can it be repositioned without losing its purpose?

▪ Is it appropriately scaled for more than one possible location?

▪ Can components be separated or rearranged?

▪ Does the colour and material work with more than one palette?

▪ Can the furniture move through the home’s doorways, hallways, stairs and elevators?

Adaptable luxury furniture selected to work in different rooms and configurations.

Adaptability does not require furniture to be generic.

The most enduring pieces can have personality, craftsmanship and presence while still being flexible enough to live more than one life within the home.

The Final Furniture Longevity Test

Before purchasing your next piece, ask seven questions:

▪ Will it remain comfortable?

▪ Does it allow the room to move?

▪ Is it properly related to the surrounding furniture?

▪ Can it be maintained without unrealistic effort?

▪ Can it be repaired or renewed?

▪ Could it work in another room or configuration?

▪ Will it remain meaningful after the initial excitement of the purchase?

Luxury is not only how furniture looks on the day it arrives.

It is the confidence of knowing that the piece was chosen with enough intelligence, quality and intention to continue working beautifully for years.

Explore Shop Deborah L Kerbel or discover our personalized design services for help choosing furniture that suits both your home and the way you want to live.