We Narrowed Down the Best Sofa Brands So You Can Just Do the Fun Part (Shop!)

The focal point of any living room, as well as the place that hosts sitting session after sitting session, Netflix binges, catnaps, and a little work? The sofa. Aside from major appliances, it’s one of those investment pieces that you’ll spend inordinate amounts of time with, so it needs to stand up to the test. And no matter your style and room size—whether you prefer a print or want to find the ideal sectional—that kind of quality is all about where you do your sofa shopping. The best sofa brands balance looks (re: fabric, shape options) with longevity (think: construction, warranty) and customer service. “I would definitely look for a timeless piece, something you’ll love forever,” says Maggie Holladay, founder of Claude Home, a contemporary vintage and furniture design company. “I’m very much about saving up for the perfect sofa and not just buying that quick cheap sofa that you’re only kind of into.” Ready to start your search? Here’s our guide to the brands we love for the long haul.

Our Favorites

• Best for unique silhouettes: Anthropologie
• Best customizable: The Inside
• Best value: IKEA
• Best traditional: Serena & Lily
• Best fabric selection: RH
• Best relaxed direct-to-consumer: Sixpenny
• Best mid-century inspired: Article
• Best leather: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
  

Best for Unique Silhouettes: Anthropologie

Warranty: 30 days for returns | Delivery: Free | Handmade: Yes | Seat-filling material: High-density foam | Requires assembly: No

Why we chose it: We’re floored by the funky fabric options and seriously cool silhouettes.

Anthropologie’s sofa selection is just as fun and whimsical as its clothing, down to the unique fabric options and silhouettes. You’ll find eye-catching curves, arms, and slopes that all look like they belong in different decades—perfect for those with everything from a mid-century modern to Cali-cool interior design style. Take this Hollywood Regency–inspired silhouette, for example; it will have guests swooning as they partake in cocktail hour. While on the pricier side, Anthropologie’s furniture stands out because most pieces are handcrafted in the U.S., which means each sofa is truly a bit unique. You can take individuality a step further by sifting through the several fabric choices found with each piece.

Best Customizable: The Inside

Warranty: One year | Delivery: White glove | Handmade: Yes | Seat-filling material: Polyfill | Requires assembly: No 

Why we chose it: Go as minimalist or maximalist as you want at The Inside, based on the fabric pattern you choose.

Dreaming of a sofa that’s covered with tropical plants? How about yellow cabana stripes? Or what about a deep red velvet? There’s a fabric option for that at The Inside. This direct-to-consumer brand bypasses the fuss or cost of middlemen and a showroom, bringing you plenty of affordable and tailor-made pieces thanks to the seemingly endless amount of fabric choices. These handcrafted sofas come with incredibly receptive customer service representatives, free white-glove delivery (aka right to your room of choice), and a one-year warranty. The only downside? The popularity and customization mean you’ll be waiting anywhere from 18 to 20 weeks for your personalized sofa to ship.

Best Value: IKEA

Warranty: 10 years | Delivery: $49–$69 | Handmade: No | Seat-filling material: High-resilience polyurethane foam | Requires assembly: Yes 

Why we chose it: Our favorite budget Scandinavian one-stop shop has multiple affordable and on-trend options that were made for lounging.

At IKEA, you don’t have to sacrifice style when you have a budget—but you do need to pay attention to details and fine print. Yes, the Scandinavian favorite requires you to fiddle around with directions for an hour or two to complete furniture assembly (or you could just hire a TaskRabbit), but its modern pieces are a good bet when the price is right (right now). And with a 10-year warranty on sofas, you won’t have to worry about defects in the frames and cushions that may appear over time; plus the store always has spare parts to purchase if you find a leg acting wonky. With similar styles available in a variety of shapes, from love seats to sectionals, you can get exactly what you’re looking for to fit your space. 

Best Traditional: Serena & Lily

Warranty: Limited | Delivery: White glove, room of choice, and doorstep | Handmade: Yes | Seat-filling material: Down-wrapped, soy-based foam | Requires assembly: No

Why we chose it: Serena & Lily’s sofas offer sophisticated, comfortable seating available in a ton of fabric options.

For a timeless, traditional furniture piece, look no further than Serena & Lily. With a wide variety of sofa lengths and styles, as well as endless neutral colors and patterns to choose from, you’ll find something that will grow with you for years. For example, the Miramar (pictured above) has an effortlessly chic silhouette thanks to rolled arms and turned-wood legs. Some pieces feature a slipcover for easier cleaning, and the ability to reorder one in a new pattern if you ever grow tired of your first pick.

Plus each sofa boasts the use of sustainable materials, as well as the option to add personalization through specific nailheads, leg finishes, or casters.

Best Fabric Selection: RH

Warranty: 10 years | Delivery: $249 flat rate | Handmade: Yes | Seat-filling material: Feathers wrapped around a soft foam core | Requires assembly: No

Why we chose it: Yes, the rumors are true. The Cloud Sofa is just as incredible as its reputation, with deep cushions and comfortable padding for the ultimate sitting spot.

RH very well may be one of the biggest names in sofas, thanks to the popularity of the Cloud Sofa, which has taken over TikTok with its deep cushions and feathery-soft filling. But it does involve a bit of fluffing, as those sit-back-and-relax spots will become quite noticeable. “The Cloud is one of those examples where it’s a really deconstructed use,” says Rick Lovegrove, vice president of upholstery at Four Hands. “It’s going to take a lot of maintenance, and people really need to know what they’re getting into before they put something like that into their space. But there’s nothing like that sink-in comfort.” 

Alternatively, the brand has a variety of shapes if sitting in a puff isn’t your style. What really takes the cake is the fabric selection. With more than 140 special-order options to choose from, you can nail down the specific shade of cream you envisioned. The artisan material is durable, too, and lives up to the 10-year warranty the company offers.

Best Relaxed Direct-to-Consumer: Sixpenny

Warranty: Lifetime | Delivery: Complimentary threshold and white glove | Handmade: Yes | Seat-filling material: Feather down or polyfill | Requires assembly: No 

Why we chose it: Less is more with this collection of direct-to-consumer (DTC) linen sofas; there’s a variety of puffy, feather-filled options in neutral tones. 

This relative newcomer is an ideal place to shop if you’re looking for a cushy linen sofa that you’ll want to curl up on year after year. Holladay is currently obsessed with the brand for providing comfortable, feather-filled sofas that come with a lot of character. “Sixpenny makes these really gorgeous, just simple linen sofas that I think are the perfect affordable ones at the moment,” she says. Vegans will also be happy to know a sustainable poly cushion filling can be opted for if the feather down isn’t ethically appealing. All in all, you’ll find gorgeous linen couches that are plush and comfortable.

Best Mid-Century Inspired: Article

Warranty: One year | Delivery: Contact-less, in-room, and assembly | Handmade: No | Seat-filling material: High-density foam with polyester filling | Requires assembly: Yes 

Why we chose it: Article’s stylish, mid-century–inspired options come with craftsmanship at a DTC price.

Another DTC furniture brand, Article keeps prices low thanks to no showroom or brick-and-mortar store costs—but that does mean there is some self-assembly involved. (BTW: You can choose to add on room-specific delivery and assembly for just $199.) The selection of sofas is vast for an online-only shop, but you’ll find just a few fabric options for each—thankfully the trendy options, including velvet and bouclé, won’t leave you struggling to find a polished fit. While some of the more popular items may experience a short shipping delay, the wait is worth it for versatile, high-quality furniture with a mid-century–inspired flair.

Best Leather: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

Warranty: One year | Delivery: $179 per item | Handmade: Yes | Seat-filling material: Eco-luxe poly | Requires assembly: No 

Why we chose it: Alongside the traditional linen and fabric options, you’ll find a vast selection of leather seating at this timeless brand.

The leather sofa selection at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams is unmatched in color and quality. You’ll find everything from curved sectionals to long, one-cushion couches in more than 40 hues (like butterscotch and winter pine). The leather itself is both durable and comfortable and—like a luxe bag—should only get better over time.

Psst: If the leather thing isn’t your vibe, you’ll find the same handcrafted styles upholstered in fabric or slipcovered. If you’re still deciding on fabric, order a variety of swatches to see what you gravitate toward. Note that there’s a delivery fee with the sofa, but it covers unpacking, inspection, and assembly, which means much less work for you.

Runners-up

• High-quality construction is the name of the game for sofas at Arhaus; each one is crafted by artisans in North Carolina. With everything from linen to leather to bouclé, you’ll find something that fits your fancy.
• A sofa from Room & Board is great for a starter home or your first apartment. The brand’s selection includes sizes you can squeeze into odd-shaped rooms, as well as actually stylish (and comfy) sleeper sofas.
• Pottery Barn’s sofas are as classic as they come. And thanks to 100-plus fabric and leather options, just customizable enough to suit most interiors.

How We Chose These Products

Sofa shopping is an incredibly personal experience, but to point you in the right direction, we tapped upholstery experts, who broke down fabric types and shapes, to share what to look for with each sofa. Our commerce, market, and style editors also recommended their favorite sofa and furniture brands based on personal experience. From there, we narrowed down our search based on factors like selection, warranty, customer service, and customization ability. We also considered budget, including a range of brands, from affordable DTC to high-end heritage.

Our Shopping Checklist

Brand Heritage

With relatively new DTC furniture brands popping up like Article and The Inside, brand heritage commands less sway over shoppers than it used to. However, if you want more customization and longer warranties, a classic furniture brand may generally be the way to go. Plus these larger brands typically have brick-and-mortar stores where you can see sofas IRL before you make your decision. 

Fabric & Shape Selection

Some of the most popular fabrics for sofas right now include velvet, bouclé, linen, and leather, according to Lovegrove. “Our top fabrics are all really textured, and we don’t see that coming down for the next few years,” he says. “The texture is all about that warmth and saturated colors and nothing too harsh.”

“Personally I like leather,” adds Marta Benson, president of Pottery Barn. “Like a leather jacket, leather sofas get better with age—and a hand-me-down, worn-in leather jacket looks even cooler than it does brand-new.”

In terms of shape, Holladay has been seeing curved sofas, as well as the classic square look, staying in style. Lovegrove thinks modular sofas won’t be going anywhere, as they give folks the ability to add on or reconfigure as needs change.

Measuring

A sofa not only needs to fit in your chosen room but through the door. That’s why Holladay recommends measuring everything, from the front entry to the stairs, to make sure you can get your dream couch where it needs to be. This is especially important if you live in an apartment or older home. Otherwise, you may end up with a pivot! situation, à la Friends.

Customization 

Thanks to the dizzying amount of fabric options that certain brands offer, making your sofa, well, yours has never been easier or more affordable. While you often can choose your ideal frame and fabric, add-ons make things a little more complicated. For example, if you’re hoping to add unique design details like a fringe trim, contrasting fabrics, alternative cushion fill, or maybe an additional inch on the end, it’s time to call a professional.

Delivery

Most brands offer a few delivery options. For furniture needing assembly, you’ll find doorstep delivery, in-room delivery, and the option to add on assembly. Others may offer a white-glove service or a flat fee for delivery, which makes getting your sofa into your home less of a hassle.

Warranty 

Warranty on structural damages can vary from brand to brand. But Lovegrove recommends looking for at least a one-year warranty to ensure you can still get a refund if the product turns out to be defective after some regular use. 

Customer Service

From getting your delivery on time (yes, even with the dreaded COVID shipping delays) to dealing with damaged goods, shopping at a brand with good customer service is key. Each of our picks has a good reputation in this department, but double-check return policies and even read reviews to ensure you won’t have an extra headache if things go wrong.

Ask Domino

Q: Do all sofa brands offer free delivery? 

No. While some brands may offer free delivery, others may charge a minimum price to reach free shipping (which is easy to do with an investment like a couch). Brands may charge a flat-fee delivery, as well, but that may be worth it depending on personal preferences.

Q: Do all sofa brands offer warranties on their sofas?

Most sofa brands should offer some warranty on their sofas. (If they don’t, it’s a red flag!) They often range from one to 10 years, but there are even unlimited warranties out there.

Q: Do all sofa brands offer a trial period for their products?

No. Most offer a 30-day return window if the product is damaged or doesn’t work in your space. Plus constantly delivering and returning a sofa to a warehouse would be quite a hassle in the long run. 

Q: What if a sofa brand delivers a damaged sofa?

Reach out to customer service immediately—especially if you ordered a custom sofa that may not be returnable. According to Lovegrove, most companies offer a seven- or 14-day window for you to make returns if there is a defect in the product.

The Last Word

Whether you live in an apartment or a forever home, finding a good sofa for lounging is dependent on brand reputation, fabric type, shape, and overall quality. When shopping for an investment piece for your living room, stick to quality brands with a variety of options in both shapes and fabrics—you’ll discover a just-right resting spot in no time.