Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/130547
} Q Q I'm ready to invest in a good-quality sofa, but I find the number of style options overwhelming. How do I know what the best choice is for my family? INES HANL answers: The crucial factors to consider when buying a sofa are size, style, comfort, maintenance and colour. Before you check out sofas, establish the best size range. Take green masking tape and mock up the outlines – including coffee tables and chairs – on the floor. You will quickly recognize a good flow. Ask yourself some key style questions: Do you like an overstuffed, tailored, contemporary or traditional look? Are you formal or more relaxed? Do you want to use the sofa for overnight guests? The style of the sofa has an impact on the comfort level. Do you want to sink into the pillows or sit more firmly? Be sure to consider mobility issues of family members. Small children or pets can be hard on furniture and scratch marks and spills are to be expected. Leather, suede, twill or linen will not only feel different on your skin, but will stand up differently to daily use (and abuse). Slipcovers or a settee frame with loose pillows are less formal than upholstered furniture, but allow you to change the appearance of the sofa frequently. And while most people go safe with a neutral upholstery colour, there is a lot to be said for a bold colour statement. If that's not you, a colourful splash of throw pillows is a great alternative. I am interested in creating a mass planting in my south-facing front yard using drought tolerant plants. Do you have any suggestions? Erin Renwick answers: Mass plantings can be a high-impact solution for homeowners looking to decrease both water consumption and garden maintenance demands. For the best results, use a mix of ornamental grasses, shrubs and groundcovers that will look great in at least three seasons. If you have a large space, there is freedom to plant smaller pockets of long-flowering perennials like Echinacea, Rudbeckia and Hemerocallis, but these herbaceous plants cannot carry the garden throughout winter. Focus on complimentary or contrasting foliage colours and textures and plant in sweeping drifts with seven or more of each type of plant. For a formal or contemporary look, plant in rows or blocks. Try feather reed grass with Mexican feather grass and 'Hidcote' lavender, or mugo pine with 'Elijah Blue' fescue and 'Bronze Carpet' stonecrop. Other great drought-tolerant plants include Hebe, junipers, blue oat grass, rosemary, David's viburnum, hybrid mahonia, pink muhly grass, cotoneaster, and kinnikinnik. PHOTO Cesto sofa courtesy BoConcept June 2013 BC HOME & garden | 55 p54-57_AskTheExperts.indd 55 13-05-01 4:20 PM