These days it would seem safe to say that we are all accumulating endless amounts of hours sitting, working, lounging, binge-watching & let’s admit it probably eating most of our meals on our sofas. So we figured that now is the best time to share all the tips and tricks of what to look for in finding your most comfortable sofa for your lifestyle (if you need one). If there is one person that has been on the hunt for the sofa that is both stylish and comfortable it’s Emily. She has finally found ‘the one’ and fingers crossed can hand out her metaphorical final rose. Hey Bachelor fans, did I use that correctly? It’s been a sofa saga. I am personally so excited for it to arrive since I’ve seen the floor model in the store with her 3 times now but have yet to see her’s in the pretty powdered blue Crypton Fabric. So now that Emily and I have acquired all the comfy sofa secrets from our extensive research, I am giving them to you today (and yes that means dimensions!). We have also included EHD’s tried and true favorites that we keep coming back to and talking about what makes them special to the people who own them. Let’s just say we have a lot of nappers on our hands:) But if all those don’t hit your style spot, we have a bunch more options at end for you. Hope you are as excited to read this post as I am to write it. 🙂
But before we get into our recommendations, let’s take the time to figure out what type of sofa will work best for your lifestyle and the way you like to lounge…
Questions to Ask Yourself BEFORE You Shop:
- What kind of sitter are you? A-sit-straight-upper, a-feet-tucker, or just a-good-ole-lie-downer?
- Do you like to feel your feet on the floor or wave them in the air like you just don’t care?
- Is this somewhere you’d like to take your mid-day naps or curl up with a good book for a couple of hours?
- What is the average height & number of people who will use it on a daily basis?
- How big of a room will the sofa be in? Should it / can it be a sofa or sectional? Do you need an extra-long sofa to lay down?
- Are you prone to spills aka need more cushions & second chances?
- Do you have pets/children and would benefit from having a slipcover that you can throw into the wash? or maybe just a performance fabric to prevent stains?
The Dimensions to Consider:
The dimensions you choose for your sofa will not only play a factor in the style but also the level of comfort it will offer. One with a higher seat / back height and shallow seat depth tend to lean on the more traditional side. Making them a better fit for a formal setting. On the flip side. A really low to the ground, deep-seated sofa will feel more relaxed, casual, and looking like it’s straight out of the 60s/70s era. In the middle of those two lies the more modern, contemporary style and is one most of us are on the search for… sophisticated yet cozy. So what exactly are those dimensions you should be looking for you ask?
Sofa Length: This is the one dimension that will be determined more so by the amount of space you have rather than your preference for comfort. Standard sofas will come in sizes anywhere from 72″ – 96″ while love seats are more in the 48″ – 72″ range. Emily believes that if you have the space for it an 84″ long sofa is ideal because even someone that is 6’4″ will be able to comfortably fall asleep to their next binge-worthy show.
Seat Depth: In my opinion, this is the most crucial dimension of a sofa, too shallow and you feel like you can’t relax but too deep and you’re a little kid again with your feet dangling in the air. The average seat depth is between 21-24″. If you like to sit upright then 20-22″ is ideal for you. Those of you who like to lounge/lay down then 23″ to max 26″ is what your searching for. Any more and you might as well just buy a daybed.
Don't confuse your seat depth with the sofa's overall depth. The seat depth is the space in which you occupy when seated, it measures from the front of the seat cushion to the back cushion rather than to the back of the sofa.
Seat Height: Most sofas, accent chairs, and dining chairs have a standard seat height of 18 inches. A sofa can be anywhere from 15″ to 20″. The main factor you should consider is how much is your seat depth? If you have a deep and low to the ground sofa it will make it very difficult to get out of it. So if you like your sofa to be 24″-26″ deep try adding an inch or two to make it easier unless this isn’t an issue and you like the style over everything else.
Back Height: The worst feeling is to sit down on a comfortable sofa only to lean back and feel it stop too short with little to no support. That’s why a good rule of thumb is to find a sofa with a back height of 30″ – 36″. The deeper the sofa the lower it can be in that range since you will naturally want to sit in a more relaxed position and need less height.
Arm Height: Last but not least the place where we lean and lay our heads upon, the armrest. Look for a sofa with an arm height between 7″ – 9″, this is measured from the top of the seat cushion to the top of the armrest.
How Many Cushions Do You Want? 1, 2, or 3…
- Single Cushion: Or a ‘bench seat’ is a great option to be able to fit as many people as possible on a sofa with no one stuck in the crack. With the one cushion, it has a more clean & modern look but that also means that you only have ONE chance to hide that red wine stain.
- Two Cushions: This means a roomy seat with two people but an awkward third seat for someone in the middle. It is both a modern and traditional style.
- Three Cushions: Ideal for those who are looking for an upright sitting sofa for three people.
Once a two cushion fan Emily has now opted for a single topstitch cushion cover with a 5″ soft foam density wrapped in a down feather filler on her Moreno Sofa from Lawson-Fenning.
The softer your foams density is the more it will compress and lower when you sit down so take this in consideration when choosing your cushion construction and preferred seat height.
Let’s finally take a peek at this dreamboat!
Moreno Sofa by Lawson-Fenning
After the first time I went to Lawson-Fenning Emily asked if I saw her dream sofa (the one above but coming in a different fabric:)). The Moreno Sofa is sleek, modern, and yet with a traditional touch thanks to those curved arms. With a little help from the LF team, Emily was able to tweak it to the ideal dimensions for her: 96″ Length, Seat Height 17.5″, Seat Depth: 23″ – 24″, Arm Height 26″ (about 8.5″ above the seat cushion) and a Back Height of 31″ just enough for support but low enough to lounge. She’s perfect and I think Emily is very excited to finally see her in person.
And now let’s revisit our other favorites…
Henderson Sofa by Cisco Brothers
This sofa has been in an on-and-off-again relationship (currently: on) with Emily’s LA living room for over three years now but there is a reason it keeps finding it’s way to one another. It’s pretty cozy just ask my boyfriend who is napping on it as I write this, for real.
Maxwell Sofa by Interior Define
From Arlyn: “I love a deep sofa because if I had my pick of positions to be in for life, it would be horizontal on a pile of pillows. But it’s not so deep that you feel like the sofa is eating you. It’s squishy and fluffy but just firm enough to support you and the arms are at the perfect height to lay my head on during day naps.“
We also used this beauty’s neutral friend in the media room of the Portland Project. Our very own, Sara, slept on it when the whole team took over the house for our reader event. I can confirm that she got a very restful sleep cause it was very hard to wake her up the next day then again that lady loves her slumber.
Caitlin Sofa by Interior Define
From Jess: “Let’s just say I have fallen asleep on my sofa more times than I would like to admit. It’s the perfect amount of plush to curl up on but not too plush that you sink in and have a hard time getting off of. Plus it’s held its shape so nicely (and I am on it A LOT). Let me also say, that I am now and probably forever a pro single cushion-er. I love that there isn’t an uncomfortable dip in the middle of my sofa when I lay down. Now I have a hard time getting comfortable on a multi cushion sofa. One and done 🙂“
Burrard Sectional by Article
From a first glance, you might think this sectional doesn’t look squishy enough but then I would be glad to say you are wrong my friends. It’s one of those deceivingly comfortable sofas, there is just that right amount of ‘cush’ on the seat and a little extra on the back so when you fall back onto it, it gives you a slight hug. I mean Emily has used it in three different houses now for a reason.
Sven Sofa by Article
From Sara: “I love this sofa so much I got it for our first living room (which now lives in my brother’s apartment), then I got one for my mom’s living room, and then we got the velvet one for our TV room. If that’s not a solid recommendation, I literally do not know what is. The leather is so nice and gets really soft and wonderful with time. And the velvet one we have in our TV room right now is the perfect size for Mac and I to cuddle up on and watch TV.“
Texada Taos Sofa by Article
From Ryann: “When I chose this sofa for my living room, I was willing to sacrifice comfort if need be because it was so beautiful. My boyfriend and I joke that it’s like having a piece of art as furniture so when the decision was made, in the back of my mind I thought “if it’s not the most comfortable sofa in the world it’s still worth it. I’ll love it just as much.” But luckily this love story has a happy ending. This sofa is SO comfortable you guys. The depth of the cushion is deeper than normal sofas (or at least the ones I’ve come across) so when you sit on it it’s like sitting on a day bed, plus the back cushion is shorter in height so if you want to lean back and slouch a little, the top of the cushion supports your neck perfectly. The leather was extremely soft when we first got it, but it’s only getting softer as the days go on. My boyfriend slept on it the night it arrived because he believes it’s more comfortable than our bed. True story.“
Neva Sofa & Sectional by SixPenny
From Brady: “After 2+ years of having this sofa (and getting lots of love via TV show binging and movie marathoning), I have to admit that it is still just as comfortable as the day that I got it. The single-seat cushion has been a game-changer for us as it means that no one has to sit in a cushion crack and the down back pillows give you all the comfort and support that you need to really relax while being able to fluff them up over and over again. Beyond comfort, the lines are timeless and tailored which means that it works with so many different styles. I’d buy this sofa over and over again if I could.“
As if this sofa couldn’t get any better there is a sectional version. Disclaimer: This is a big kid coming in at a minimum of 120″ (remember the average is 72″ – 96″). But if you have the room for it than the more the merrier!
Selma Sofa by Clad Home
Years ago, Emily had the opportunity to design a sofa with the help from Rosa and the Clad Home team. Inspired by her favorite elements of a traditional style sofa, the end result was this custom low and deep sofa. The perfect spot to curl up with a good book for the night. Plus the soft velvet fabric isn’t too bad either.
Cole Sofa by Clad Home
From Sara: “This is the sofa we got for our living room, and to be 100% honest I wasn’t sure how comfortable it was going to be. When we were sofa shopping I was looking for stunning pieces and was definitely in the mindset of form over function. I figured we’d be hanging out in the TV room most of the time anyways. Fast forward to now, and this couch is my favorite place to take an afternoon nap. I didn’t even opt for the pricer cushion inserts, and just went with their “premium foam.” It is SO comfortable, that when I told Em it wasn’t down filling she was surprised. We got the smallest size of this sofa (70″ wide, 38″ deep), but still something about the curved shape of the sofa and the depth make it the most comfortable place to sit/nap for my 5’2″ height. Though I will point out that we’ve had two different people stay overnight with that couch as there bed, and we didn’t get any complaints. That’s a pretty good endorsement.“
Now that we have gone over our favorites we hope to help you find yours…
If any of the above sofas aren’t quite what you’re looking for we have rounded up a few other options that fall within Emily’s go-to dimensions (we also checked the reviews).
But as a general friendly reminder, be sure to always read the helpful reviews from others on a retailer’s site when purchasing any sofa (or furniture for that matter) as we have not personally sat in all of these. 🙂
1. Mirren Reversible Chaise Sectional | 2. Shelter Sofa | 3. Ever Slipcovered Sofa | 4. Jake Leather Sofa | 5. Leonelle Sofa | 6. Bolinas Slipcovered Sofa | 7. Lewis Sofa | 8. Nixie Grey 2-Piece Sectional Sofa | 9. Jake Leather Sofa | 10. Claire Modern Sofa | 11. Harmony Sofa | 12. Noah Sofa | 13. Hoxton Black Leather Sofa |14. Denver Indoor/Outdoor Sectional | 15. Lounge II Sofa
I hope this post was as helpful for you as it was for me since I am starting my search for that stylish yet cozy sofa of my dreams. As of now, I don’t own any living room or dining room furniture since moving back to Los Angeles so I am ready if you are to continue this comfy series. What would you want to talk about next? An accent chair to pair with that sofa? Or shall we move onto the dining room and we can all have matching cute yet cozy chairs? Let’s chat about it in the comments below! xx
Opener Image Credit: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: My Friend’s Kid and Pet-Friendly Family Room Reveal
Love, love my Ethan Allen sofa that has held up for years!
The lounge II from Crate and Barrel is amazing!
I’ve been considering this one but read reviews about feathers poking through. Have you had that issue?
It’s all about the fabric you get. We’ve had the Lounge for 2 years with the “View” fabric (like a performance velvet) and we haven’t had problems with feathers. The View fabric isn’t any more expensive, but it does require waiting 8 weeks for the sofa, while the other fabric is in stock.
Aryln is a HUGE fan of the sofa as well!
I am! I had the Lounge II for years in my last apartment and it was by far the most comfortable sofa ever. Yes, feathers would occasional poke through, but this has happened on any sofa I’ve ever had with a down cushion. It’s less of an issue with a velvet. I had the tweed sofa on my Lounge so the weave isn’t as tight. Anyway, phenomenal sofa for comfiness. Just a note that it’s gigantic and insanely deep which I know doesn’t work for everyone!
Thanks! I think the View velvet is what I would get, and I’m cool with a deep sofa since it’s for the basement lounging area. Much appreciated!
I’d love to get the details on the sofa pictured in the intro photo. It’s exactly what I’ve been on the hunt for!
It’s from Cisco Home! All the details are here: https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/my-friends-kid-and-pet-friendly-modern-farmhouse-living-room-reveal
Thank you!!
This is such a great post! Thanks for putting it together. I really appreciate posts like these which break down the basics of selecting any furniture based on how it gets used in real life. I am loving this shift (if I can say so) in EHD posts that considers stylish things in the light of practical everyday use.
Please keep it up!
So glad you enjoyed it Dee! More of these coming your way soon 🙂
Has anyone come across an amazing vegan leather sofa?
I have the Hamilton sofa from West Elm (vegan leather and down-alternative cushions) and I love it! It was definitely an investment for me, but it’s held up beautifully so far – four years and counting.
This is super helpful! I have been drawn to the Article Sven sofa for a while now, but I’ve noticed in quite a few social media pictures the back cushions look like they are starting to sag in the middle and look kind of wrinkly/less chic. Can anyone who has owned it for a decent amount of time speak to if that’s an issue?
I don’t have that sofa, but I have the Napa leather sofa from Poly and Bark and I love it! It’s a very similar style with the modern look and leather patina I wanted, and slightly more affordable. I wanted the Sven from Article forever, but I saw some of the same comments about the back cushions. I have had the Poly and Bark sofa for 2 years (with 2 large dogs too) and it’s held up perfectly. I do fluff and rotate the cushions maybe every month or so, but nothing crazy. I think the cushions might be slightly more firm than the Article one, but I prefer that. I get tons of compliments on that sofa and everyone that sleeps/sits in it wants one:)
Agree. It looks horrible over time! Seems to be the couch of choice that influencers get for free and then feature on insta, but gets a 0 for durability. Next couch I get is going to be Crate and Barrel. I live near an Interior Define showroom and their product isn’t cheap but seems slightly higher quality, but these online only, hyped by influencer brands seem to be really shit quality most of the time.
We’ve had a Crate & Barrel sofa for almost 20 years and it’s just now starting to show some age in how the back and bottom cushions feel. The performance chenille fabric still looks brand new and we’ve had kids for 16 of its years and umpteen cats. It has three seat cushions but anyone crashing on it overnight says they sleep really well.
I owned the Article Sven sofa in velvet for 2 years and ended up selling it for that reason. The back cushions need to be constantly fluffed back into shape to look good. After a few years, it took a lot of effort to get it looking nice after a week or so of use. So I would say this is an awesome and beautiful sofa for occasional use, it’s not a “watch TV on me every single night” sofa (for us anyways). Also, the bottom cushion got quite firm after a few years of use. We considered adding some more padding, then just decided to sell it and get something more amenable to heavy use.
Someone else I follow just posted a year-update on owning the Sven and what they do to keep it looking nice.
https://www.stylebee.ca/2020/04/23/sven-sectional-update/
….also, this might be another helpful source that I remembered.
https://abeautifulmess.com/2019/08/article-sven-review-and-how-i-restuffed-our-cushions.html
I have the Article Sven sofa in green velvet and to help the cushions keep their form, I put in a regular size $10 pillow for sleeping that I got from Target into the back of each one–this was a suggestion from Elsie Larson of A Beautiful Mess. Works like a charm! The sofa is suuuuuper comfy for napping. I think for lounging maybe the version with the chaise piece would be best–I have the regular sofa. It’s comfy, but after a long while of sitting on it watching TV I get a little antsy. Also, the velvet fades like crazy, which is a bummer. I do have it in a room that is full of windows, so maybe it’s just my situation.
We’ve had the Sven sectional in leather for a couple years now. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend it. The back cushions are completely deflated (will try that extra pillow trick). But the HUGE issue is that the sectional piece/bottom slides forward like crazy, multiple times a day. I’ve tried various fixes for it and nothing has worked. The Sven looked great when we first got it, but quickly deteriorated. I’d love to get a new sofa, but since I’m unemployed that’s not happening!
The Cloud at Restoration Hardware is my dream sofa. It is aptly named. The most luxuriously comfortable sofa ever.
I have heard amazing things about that sofa!
So helpful! I’m curious if anyone has tried Maiden Home and what their thoughts are. I’ve been looking between the Sullivan and Interior Define’s Maxwell…just don’t know which is going to be comfier but also last longer. Would love anyone’s perspective if they’ve had experience with Maiden Home or can even compare the two.
We purchased a sofa from Maiden Home and we are very happy with it. It is heavy and is very well made. I would definitely buy from them again.
I’m sitting on my Sullivan from Maiden Home right now! I LOVE it. I also looked at sofas from Interior Define, but after visiting one of their showrooms, it became clear that their quality just wasn’t what I was hoping for. Their manufacturer is based in China, whereas Maiden Home’s is in North Carolina (furniture capital of the US!). MH also had lots of Sunbrella and Crypton fabrics to choose from. I feel like I’m going to have this sofa for a long time- it’s so solidly built, and it looks great!
i’m so excited to see this! I’m currently awaiting swatches from Maiden Home but have been nervous about not seeing it in person.
We literally just ordered a Sullivan sectional, so I’m happy to see this!
I have a single cushion sofa and constantly have to readjust the cover. It slips within a few days so the seams don’t line up with the cushion shape. Anyone else have this issue / fixes?
Hi Alex – we have a single cushion sofa (98 inches) and don’t have this issue. There are a couple of reasons why I think ours works – it is on the firmer side of medium, the cushion is made of tied springs, wrapped in down and then wrapped again and then put in the velvet cover. The velvet is soft and pleasant, but it isn’t a stretchy material and is sewn on like a glove. And then the sofa base has metal clips on stretchy bands that attach to the single cushion to keep it firmly positioned on the couch. The cushion is warrantied for a decade and the sofa for life, which made me slightly more comfortable with the cost of having it custom made. I feel a bit uncomfortable saying this (especially as almost everything else in my house is second hand), but in sofa construction you tend to get what you pay for. Can you go back to the retailer and get some help with it?
What sofa do you have?
Our Maxwell sectional is in production right now. 😊 My husband was nervous about buying a sofa online and one of the things that convinced him was your team using it.
So excited for you, Arlyn loves hers!
I love this, and I love the point about getting an 84″ sofa to tall people can lie down. My husband is a foot taller than me and begrudges that I can comfortably take a nap on our Ikea Ektorp but his feet hang off the edge. We have a small house, but I think we need to get a longer sofa!
If you have the space for a longer sofa then go for it!
Love this post, thank you!
Next I’d love to see dining chairs. It seems so hard to find options that are comfortable for sitting and enjoying for a while, but are also stylish (+ ideally easy to clean!)
Yassss!!!
Thank you so much Veronica! We will add it to the list 🙂
We recently got Article Feast dining chairs in twilight blue. They were on the pricier side but we generally spend a lot of time on dining chairs either having meals/wine with friends or playing board games and the chairs are very comfortable for that. Paired those with the Article Seno round table and look is very nice.
The only caveat is that these are upholstered chairs and I have small children. So I am always a little stressed about soiling. I have had the chairs for more than six months now and so far both the construction and fabric have been holding up well.
I know you had a round up a while back of sofas but I couldn’t find it again. I’m so glad you did this, but wonder if you have any insight on actually comfortable sleeper sofas? Our house has a constant influx of visitors (not now obviously) but I would love to not have a full on bed in the basement as it will be a family /playroom when we’re finished.
Agree, I’d also love a roundup of sleeper sofas!
The sleeper sofas from Ethan Allen are amazing!! The mattress is available with an additional inflatable layer that makes it feel like your most comfy bed! Everyone who sleeps on it raves about it and it can sleep a taller, bigger couple and still be comfortable! The sofa sits great, too. I love mine and have several clients with them and everyone swears by them!!
I’m not sure how many of the links still work but here is the link to the post and maybe we can do an updated post! https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/30-best-sleeper-sofa
Third the request for a sleeper sofa post! Would love to see options for a sleeper sectional or sleeper sofa with chaise. We’ve been searching forever!
Can you guys talk about flooring? I’m doing research for my new build but found very little information on the blog. (Such as whats popular now and when to use different types of flooring? Many thanks!!!
Love this idea, I’ll pass it along to the editorial team!
A post on flooring would be great! We put in a free floating vinyl floor that looked convincingly like wood, but within a month it had shifted in some places with noticeable gaps. It also buckled where the sun hit. I thought it would be very practical for dogs, kids, and snow. Fortunately, Costco took it back. But they would not reimburse us for the installation plus having to pay to rip it out. Now I notice vinyl wood flooring at other places and it nearly always seems to have problems. We replaced it with a very thick and wide plank real wood flooring (white French oak) and it has held up well for 4 years!
Does anyone have a beloved sofa that has held up remarkably well to the ravages of children and pets? We currently have a super comfortable but dowdy Axis II sectional from Crate and Barrel, and while the brown microsuede has successfully weathered the jumping, vomiting, snacking, etc. of children ages 5, 3, and 1, it is moving to the basement where it’s ugly exterior and oversized dimensions will be less of an eyesore. Any advice? An attractive, comfortable sofa that can take a beating?
I would just make sure it has performance fabric like Crypton. I think a lot of companies now offer a performance fabric option. That’s what we recently recovered our family room chair and love seat in, because we eat dinner on them and they are occasionally subjected to grandchildren! I was impressed recently by the lines offered by Kravet. They have lots of performance fabrics and they have different lines at different price ranges. Quality stuff. Have to go to a Kravet showroom or perhaps online. You can customize to a great degree. We got our fabric from Kravet, and I saw these and thought they were really good.
Yes, please do a review (with recommendation rations) of comfortable accent chairs!
On the list! Thanks Rebecca 🙂
You all are literally reading minds. Naturally, in quarantine I’ve been shopping for a new sofa (current sofa moving to playroom). I’ve researched many of these and this article super helpful. I’m so happy the Texada Article sofa on here because that’s my top choice but have been afraid to pull the trigger due to comfort!
Megan! It’s honestly so great and so comfortable and roomy!! I think you will be very happy with it 🙂
@Ryann any issues with your dog (I’m assuming that’s your dog in the photo!). I have 2 kids, large dog, and messy husband. I’m hoping leather will wipe easy and patina over time.
I wish I could have read this before ordering our sectional last year! We have the Asher from Interior Define and I love love LOVE the way it looks — could not love MORE, honestly — but the back height is just a little too short and it makes way more of a difference than I could have guessed ahead of time. We lounge on it still and it’s fine, but not ideal. Again, it’s beautiful, and probably fine for sitting in a room you don’t have a TV in, but for TV watching it’s somewhat noticeable that it’s too short.
It is crazy what a difference just an inch up or down will do, so sorry to hear that!
We love our ikea kivik sofa. Looks more expensive than it is, has held up very well to two kids and a dog, and it’s insanely comfortable. Would buy again in a heartbeat.
That’s amazing!
What a fantastic post! Thank you!
I’ve been angling for a sectional/sofa with chaise for literally yearrrrs. Even taped various dimensions onto the floor and rug, but I’ve been too scared to actually buy one! Why? Because we have a living room that is a pass-through with one wall … two walls have swing leadlight doors and another has a fireplace flanked by two smallish windows … sooo tricky!
I’ve actually considered buying an Ikea one to test the waters. So. Hard. 😳
I just bookmarked this post for future reference!
BTW: Since you’re an international blog, what’s the possibility of having centimetres/metres in brackets after the the inches and feet?!? It’d be very helpful (and ‘with-it’) for those of us in metric countries.
I second this, meters and centimeters would be so helpful!
I have an Article Burrard and it’s both rock hard (like a futon) and made with rough, scratchy, fabric (which also stains when you spill water on it). I bought based on the recommendation of this blog and thought returning it would be to big of a hassle and with a toddler maybe not worth investing in an investment piece. But definitely was very disappointed in it.
Depth is really important to me. I really can’t stand trying to sit on a sofa that’s too deep. If the back cushions come off, you can always remove them for napping. We replaced our family room sofa 1 1/2 years ago with a leather sofa from Rejuvenation (same company as Pottery Barn, West Elm, Williams Sonoma). It is heavenly, except that it has skinny legs that make the sofa sway a bit and I’m always afraid company will sit on it and break the legs- which would be very embarrasing!. I’m happy to say, they must have changed it because the current one that looks most like mine now has chunky legs. The cushions and leather are top notch.
Agreed, we love Rejuvenation so happy you love your sofa!
So so helpful! Thank you! The past 6 weeks of sitting on my sofa have made my disdain for it grow exponentially but it’s hard to know where to start or what to look for especially when you can’t go sit on them. (Plus, let’s be honest, how much time does the average, pre-COVID working family with three school-aged boys have to go look for couches anyway?) Thank you for the measurement advice and also for the specific couch recommendations. Bookmarking this one for sure!
I’m totally in love with the Equestrian Sofa from Schoolhouse that you guys used in the Portland living room. Any thoughts on how comfortable it is?
Dining room chairs and/or dining benches next, please. Never mind about dining tables or buffets. Just show me the chairs. TIA 🙏
Nice story! West Elm sofas are terrible, though. I got one with removable slip covers a few years ago and the pillows within were cut open with feathers everywhere. Their customer service is terrible also and never responded with a solution. What is more, the fabrics don’t last long and the cushions don’t hold the shape. Any ideas on what the best option for kids and pets would be? Thanks!
I’m happy to vouch for the coziness of Interior Define’s Sloan sofa! We actually just exchanged their Maxwell for the Sloan and are super happy with it. We opted for the deeper depth, single cushion, and a chaise.
I live in Canada so most of these are unavailable to me 😟. I’m sure you have many readers in the same position. Any ideas for best sofas available to us?
Article is based out of Vancouver!
I love this! One question, how do you know what size sofa to get? My living room is awkward. There is a fireplace wall that is perpendicular to a TV wall, the other two sides are “open” and the kitchen and dining area are beyond. I have a pretty large sofa now (it’s gotta be at least 90″), but it seems a bit big.
That’s a great question! I have a 12 x14’ living room with one side open to the main walkway to stairs and our powder room. I bought a 10’ long sectional and it’s waaaaayyy to big for the room. Plus, when we have company 2 people sit on it (at maximum). I’m planning to move it to our playroom (where it will still be gigantic but in a basement) and get a smaller sofa + 2 accent chairs and downsize our coffee table. I’m starting to think smaller pieces you can easily rearrange in an awkward space make the most sense.
This is my conundrum as well! Corner fireplace on the TV wall, open to the dining area and a kitchen. Our sofa is 96 inches- definitely too big for the space! I’ve come to the same conclusion you have- smaller pieces you can move around.
I’m shopping for a couch virtually and this article is a huge comfort (PUN INTENDED) in purchasing something sight unseen during quarantine! For the Interior Define couches, wondering what cushion filling Arlyn and Jess went for?
+1. I had no hesitancy picking the Sloan and fabric but the cushion choice… I’ve gone back and forth on that for weeks.
Emily- I look forward to your blog every single day! So glad you’re able to pump up good content despite the situation. I just wanted to share that I had been eyeing the Annie Selke rug from Jess’ living room and then when I saw it there I had to have it. Fast forward to today and as I scrolled through this post today I laughed. I unknowingly bought the same black Danish design table too for my living room. I bought it to use as a side table, versus a coffee table but it arrived yesterday and I love it!
Emily and team, your blog is giving me life right now. I’m an Angeleno and you are capturing the spirit of home in LA just perfectly. I can vouch for all things Cisco. You will pay more, but I have a home full of pieces from Cisco I have covered and recovered, moved and repurposed. Their furnishings are both highest quality and so very stylish.
#4 is the Hamilton from West Elm but you linked the Jake from Pottery Barn. Just an fyi. I work at West Elm so I can spot their sofas in my sleep ha. This is great roundup!
Amen! Comfort is key! It’s first, then fashion.
I wanted a Milo Baughman-esque sofa (kind of like Jenna Lyons’ pink velvet sectional, but not pink nor a sectional) for my DC row house living room reno. I loved the Hay Hackney 3 seater: perfect shape and dimensions but color options that weren’t right.
So, inspired by work EHD did designing custom sofas, I took the plunge from across the country and worked with the great designers at Clad Home and we created my dream sofa! It’s low and slouchy in a sexy dark gray nubby fabric that I had sent to them.
The process was fun and creative, and I got just the sofa I dreamed of at a surprisingly affordable price.
Thanks Emily!
I love you guys, but please … there, their, they’re (Sara’s post: Though I will point out that we’ve had two different people stay overnight with that couch as there bed, and we didn’t get any complaints.) Their bed!
We bought the West Elm Drake reversible sectional in the fall of 2018. I thought all I wanted in life was a chaise end to a sofa, but it turned out that sitting in the corner, the single cushion would not stay straight since my feet did not weigh it down as much as my bum weighed down the corner. We returned it, and ended up with the Crate&Barrel studio sofa (which they don’t even sell anymore, Tyson is similar). It is very comfortable, in a tiny herringbone pattern performance fabric that the cats haven’t been able to totally destroy. The back cushions do get crushed and we’re constantly trying to punch them back into shape, but overall it’s been a good purchase.
It’s nearing time to replace our basement big tv viewing sofa, currently a giant black leather sectional that we joke can seat a basketball team. I’m leaning towards no sectional, which is scary!
And for the next article can you suggest styling? We have a long sectional and it needs back pillows for sitting, but is perfect for lying/lounging. It’s so long that any sort of pillow option looks silly or gets in the way.
We got the Jasper sectional from Interior Define and love it. We love the walnut framing underneath. We ended up ordering it with an armrest on the sofa side, an extra expense but worth it. The sofa side is regular depth and the lounge is extra deep. We love, love, love the fabric we chose, it’s super soft and it’s a beautiful grayge color (Nickel – Vintage Plush). I had ordered swatches from different companies including ID and visited a few showrooms, and we immediately fell in love with that fabric. Bonus detail, Roomba fits underneath the sofa, which is something we wanted from our new sofa.
I loved this post! I’d love to know even more about which type of filling to get for what purpose, and maintenance for replacing or refreshing it over time. (I’m finally in a more investment-level couch thanks to a Restoration Hardware outlet score, but now it’s starting to be uncomfortable despite the down filling.)
I’d also love a post on super comfortable accent chairs with a very small footprint. We have always had smaller and narrower living rooms, and I’ve had major trouble trying to find something that works space-wise but is actually pleasant to sit in!
Yes, both of these questions would be SO great to hear the answers for, for me too!