Should a Skirt on a Sofa Hang Straight?

About Sofa Skirts

• Sofa skirts hide the legs under a couch and present the illusion of a seamless transition from the fabric of the couch to the floor. There are a few styles of sofa skirts to choose from, depending on your tastes and needs. Ideally, sofa skirts should hang straight down without "puddling," or gathering, on the floor. The skirt should either barely touch or hang a centimeter or two above the floor. Most sofa skirts are built into the couch; if you're installing a sofa skirt yourself, for example, on a futon couch or a daybed, adjust the material carefully to ensure the skirt hangs properly.

Types

• According to Get-Interior-Design.com, there are three main types of sofa skirts. A "dressmaker's" sofa skirt hangs down from the back and front of the couch; a "box pleat" skirt is seen only from the front, and is straight and symmetrical with regularly spaced pleats throughout; and a "kick pleat skirt" also hangs only from the front and has pleats in the corners of the skirt. Some models of kick pleat skirts also have pleats in the front. Other options include a ruffled or "flounce" skirt, and colors that match, complement or contrast the sofa.

Tips

• If you're installing a sofa skirt yourself, iron it first to ensure it hangs just right. Inspect and spot clean the skirt regularly to keep it looking fresh. Whether your sofa sits on carpet or flooring, clean around it carefully to keep from kicking up debris from the floor onto the sofa skirt. Lift the sofa skirt when you clean under the couch rather than pushing a broom or vacuum cleaner past the material.

Alternative Uses and Suggestions

• Depending on the height of your couch, allow a skirt to conceal a small storage space underneath your sofa. If you decide you're tired of using a sofa skirt but are unsatisfied with showing the outdated legs of your couch, consider having them replaced with a more modern design.