Checklist: Buy a sofa you love!

Already in the store or online store? My quick sofa-buying checklist for you:

1st tip: Determine the function of the room

Before you start looking for a sofa, think about how the room will be used. Should the sofa be used for entertainment purposes, be a cozy retreat or include a TV or fireplace? The function of the room will influence the choice of sofa.

Determine space utilization:

• Define the purpose of the room (e.g. living room, guest room, study).
• Think about how often the sofa is used (daily, occasionally).

2nd tip: Measure the room

Carefully measure the room in which the sofa is to be placed. Pay attention to the room dimensions to ensure that the sofa fits in well without overcrowding the room or appearing too small.

Measure the room:

• Record the exact room dimensions (width, length, height).
• Check whether the sofa fits through doors, corridors and stairs.

3rd tip: Consider the style and aesthetics

Think about the desired style and aesthetics of the sofa. Should it be modern, classic, vintage or Scandinavian? Choose a design that suits your personal taste and the interior design.

Observe style and aesthetics:

• Consider the desired furnishing style (modern, classic, Scandinavian).
• Keep an eye on the color palette and design of the room.

4th tip: Pay attention to the quality

The quality of the sofa is crucial. Make sure it has a solid wooden frame, ideally made of kiln-dried hardwood. High-quality upholstery and hard-wearing covers are also important. A high-quality sofa offers comfort and durability.

Check quality:

• Look for a stable frame made of solid wood or plywood.
• Evaluate the quality of the upholstery and cover material.

5th tip: Think about the color and the cover

Choose a color and upholstery that suits your room and lifestyle. Consider the care requirements of the upholstery fabric, especially if there are pets or children in the household. Sofa trends range from timeless classics in gray to statement sofas.

Select color and cover:

• Consider cover materials such as leather, fabric or microfiber.
• Determine the color tone of the sofa based on the room colors and personal preferences.

6th tip: Test the seating comfort

Try out the sofa by sitting or lying down. Seating comfort is subjective, so it’s important to test the sofa before you buy to make sure it’s comfortable and meets your needs.

Test seating comfort

• Test sit to assess comfort and support.
• Check whether the seat depth and height are comfortable.

7th tip: Check the price-performance ratio

Compare the prices of different sofas and check the price-performance ratio. A more expensive sofa can be a long-term investment, but it should also offer the desired quality and style.

Check the price-performance ratio:

• Set the budget and look for options in this price range.
• Assess the value of the sofa in relation to the price.

8th tip: Compare different retailers

Look around at various dealers to see a wide selection of sofas.

Explore different dealers:

• Visit various furniture stores and online retailers.
• Compare brands, offers and availability.

9th tip: Delivery and installation – do it yourself?

Think about the delivery and assembly of the sofa. Make sure it will fit through doorways and hallways and that the retailer offers delivery and assembly services if needed. You can find plenty of assembly instructions, for example on YouTube.

Consider delivery and installation:

• Ensure that the sofa can be delivered to the room.
• Check availability of assembly and delivery services.

10th tip: Read reviews and ask for recommendations

Read reviews from other buyers and ask friends or family for their recommendations. The experiences of others can be helpful when choosing the perfect sofa.

Read reviews and get recommendations

• Research online reviews and experiences of other buyers.
• Ask friends, family or interior designers for recommendations.

With this detailed checklist, you can make sure you find the sofa that perfectly suits your room and your lifestyle. Good luck in your search for your dream sofa!

Most people probably know Lorena by her stage name Lorena Rae but her real last name is Rape, probably one of the reasons to take a stage name as an international model. With dream measurements of 86/66/92, it’s not uncommon for multiple agencies to be courting the young model. Lorena is under contract with Nextmanagement, Promod Model Agency and Unique Models.

• We love Lorena! Read more about her and other supermodelshere

Lorena Rae Make Up Routine

Facts about Lorena Rae

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNT3Y2gqhW4

Leonardo and Loren outside of a club

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyDf4dRmnwY

My must-haves for the Berlin Fashion Week

Of course you have to be well-equipped for the Fashion Week and especially special in winter! While temperatures in Cologne are stilll loosely above zero degrees, everything is frozen in Berlin. You do not get far with a thin bomber jacket. What does that mean for my stay in Berlin? Lots of cuddly sweaters and my darlings: Overknee Boots! In addition, my gray coat must not be missed, because it not only fits all my outfits, but also keeps you nice and warm. In order to provide some variety, I stilll packed my black fur jacket. The first thing I do here in Berlin is to unpack my suitcase and put all my things in the wardrobe of my apartment. Luckily this is big enough! Together with my friends, we then discuss how our outfits should look like in the coming days.

I’m really looking forward to the kick-off of Fashion Week. Fabian will visit most of the shows for me as I have to go back to Stuttgart for a casting. Talking about casting! I will also be able to join a casting as a jury member.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd7Yxj4ge5M/?taken-by=mariedahmen

Behind the scenes at a model casting

About 2 years ago I was discovered as a model myself, at that time stilll in Cologne, on my first model casting. I can stilll remember how excited I was when I got off the elevator and came to the agency for the first time. There were a lot of beautiful boys and girls there. When I stood in front of the jury, my legs were shaking a bit. But it was worth it, because they took me and since then I have had a lot of great jobs! Photo shoots for Deichmann or even entire advertising campaigns that were on TV or Netflix. Now I’m jury member myself for the first time! I am really looking forward to the job and above all to the new talents that we will surely find. Berlin is a really crazy city, here you can not only experience a lot of parties, but also have a good time during the day. Whether in the city shopping or in the many parks that are scattered throughout Berlin. Of course it will be difficult in the winter, but luckily I’m going to the casting now!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeA3TVAA4G-/?taken-by=mariedahmen

My first time on the jury

3, 2, 1, here we go! For the first time I experience such a model casting really backstage. Many know casting from Germany’s next top model and yes, that’s the way it works! 20 minutes before the casting, everything is stilll very quiet, the last chairs are set up, the casting slips are laid ready, the jury meets again and drinks a coffee. The famous tape measure is already on the jury table and the catwalk is released. Then all at once knock the first applicants, now it really starts. Suddenly the room is full, 10, 20 people and it is getting more and more. Everyone has the right outfit, black jeans and a white or black shirt. Most of them are 14 to 16 years old, almost the perfect age to start as a model. I also did my first casting at the age of 16, so you’ve already done a lot of school, so you can concentrate on the job and it was absolutely worth it. And now it starts, in front of us is the first model! Somehow I am so excited again, as with my first casting. The atmosphere among the girls was relatively relaxed, they laughed and talked about a variety of things. Nice to see that casting does not always have to be very competitive!

This is how a model casting works

She stands in front of us, looks at us and says “Hi, my name is Melanie and I am so happy to be here.” Oliver Rudolph sit with me on the jury, now a fashion photographer and then my scout. Fabian is also there. Fabian has been on Instagram for about a year, doing a lot of fitness and fashion and has over 100,000 fans. Since Instagram is becoming more and more important as a model, as well as the reach of our own followers, we have a jury member who is a professional from the blogger world. Fabian also received the Young Talent Award for Influencer from Angelique Kerber, our tennis world champion, who is currently in the semi-finals again! In addition, Danny sat next to me, he is a well-known star hairdresser from Berlin and has already conjured some celebrities a beautiful look. He immediately sees who fits which haircut best. So the jury is in great shape and Oliver takes the floor. What are your hobbies? Where are you from? Do you already have experience? Next she makes a small catwalk for us!

The first catwalk in a casting is actually relatively easy, if you do not have any experience, it’s absolutely okay for the jury, just do your best! She too was not intimidated, ran back, back to us, showed us some posings, walked back and came back to us. This time with a broad smile on his face. So you saw two styles directly in a run: the serious fashion walk and the likeable commercial walk. Both are very important styles, if you want to work as a model. When it comes to fashion, you’re serious, cool and do not want to be distracted by fashion. But when it comes to commercial walks, it’s important to be able to smile, move, and be happy. In the ideal case, of course, you master both styles!

With a 92 cm hip successful modeling? – Yes!

She had made her first attempt great, now the measurements are taken. This is a classic about how big you are. Especially for fashion shows and for fashion designers, it is extremely important that you have ideal dimensions. Fashion collections are tailored to a consistent line. On the other hand, in a fashion show, the models should not distract too much from the fashion, so are booked models that harmonize with each other. Over time, the size has risen from 1.75 m to 1.80 m for women. With 1.78 m, it fits perfectly! Now comes the chest, hips and waist. Here, the hip is especially important for the designers, most designers book shows for models with a maximum hip length of 92 cm. But do not worry, even with over 92 cm you can often work as a model. Because most jobs, are photo shoots and promotional videos!

This is how a casting takes place at the Berlin Fashion Week! For those who are later booked for a designer, then it goes to the fitting. Here, the garments are tried on the model. On a casting are extremely many models! There were more than 300 models at the last open casting and although this time everything was tuned to previous registrations and assessments, there were stilll 60 models on site. Each with individual talks, catwalk, take measurements and much more. Add to that the whole preparation! Oh my God! You can see how stressful the fashion world can be, especially when the shows are in the next few days and everyone is in absolute state of emergency, because the Fashion Week is only once a year! After many hours we finally made it and now it’s time to eat in a nice Italian restaurant.

Jury meeting and evaluation

After all the models have been viewed, measured and also photographed, each model looks at the details again to decide who ultimately creates it and who does not. The selection is quite intense, because only very few will succeed. Even later, 20 or 30 models are often proposed for jobs. Therefore you have to be patient as a model, because you do not get every job. It is important that you are passionate about it! Just like athletes or musicians, you have to believe in yourself and with the right partner in the back, you can do it! That’s why I was thrilled to experience my first fashion casting as a jury member today.

Who made it, you will see soon on CM Models.Com

Now I’m looking forward to going back to my beautiful apartment, so I can relax a bit again. Luckily I do not have it far, because my apartment is super central. I sat on a wooden chair all day! Can you imagine that? But it was super exciting and after over 60 models, you really know how exhausting the job is for a modeling agency. I’m going back to my cozy sofa now and maybe I’ll have a bite to eat, because tomorrow morning it’s already going on! And then Fabian takes over. For me it goes on to Cologne and Stuttgart.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd94D78ge-U/?taken-by=mariedahmen

Once live in a girl’s shared flat in Berlin!

But before I start the long journey tomorrow, I stilll enjoy the free time here in Berlin. Time to meet with friends I have not seen in a long time! While the winter is cold outside, we warm up at home with cuddly blankets on the couch and talk about Berlin, fashion and my experience as a jury. We feel like in the series Gossip Girl, because the apartment is set up like a girl’s dream. High ceilings, beautiful stucco, many mirrors and great carpets. Too bad that it will continue for me tomorrow morning and I can not stay here one more night. But I will certainly be back soon in Berlin and looking forward to the next stay. Hopefully in an equally great apartment! We all feel very well and can cook together like in a real girl shared apartment, because the kitchen is fully equipped on site and we only have to take care of the purchases. Eats at the large dining table where there is enough space for all of us. Of course, the obligatory selfies in front of the mirror should not be missed! There are enough huge mirrors in the whole apartment.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeDv2e4A8eI/?taken-by=mariedahmen

Our highlights at the Berlin Fashion Week!

Thank you for the invitations to all designers! We posted a lot on Instagram and were also able to see some YouTube videos, but a lot remained at the after-show party, top secret!

If you were not there, then we have our highlights from the Berlin Fashion Week for you! Did you know that there are over 30 shows every year? These include not only greats like Guido Maria Kretschmer or Marccain, but also Berlin designers who are really worth a look! From Dorothee Schumacher to Lena Hoschek, Germany has a lot to offer in terms of fashion. Here you can see the highlights of Spring 2018!

The Marc Cain Fashion Show with breathtaking Moments

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RIANI Winter 2018/19 with the motto “RIANISTA´S Revolution”

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With a shine show and many impressions: Dawid Tomaszewski

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A week of Fashion Week is over

We saw great fashion shows at the Jandorf Berlin department store, went to great parties and celebrated with celebrities like Lena Gercke and are now absolutely k.o. from the week. I’m back in Cologne again and Fabian spends the weekend in Berlin! I would have done that too! It was my first Fashion Week and from Model Castings to the catwalk everything was there! I’m really looking forward to summer and my second season at Berlin Fashion Week. With great colleagues like Sandra Hunke, my model agent and many friends from Berlin! The Berlin Fashion Week is really a highlight, it takes place twice a year, always in January and in July. I heard that it should be even better in July, of course, it’s summer! The sun is shining, you can be outside, there is also more to discover on the Fashion Week site and yes, even in the evening is even more going on! For me, my first Fashion Week was really strong, especially because I sat on a model jury for the first time. I am looking forward to the summer and I will definitely take you back!

Of course I have much more to report, but more on that next week!

Many thanks also to the FIV magazine and ferienwohnungen.de for the great apartment. They also have apartments in other places like Miami!