The sofa is where modern life unfolds. It’s where we seek sanctuary alone, where we entertain our friends, where we snuggle with loved ones and where we do everything from watching TV to grabbing a bite to eat. It’s the most flexible piece of furniture around, but choosing one can be daunting, so here’s how to find one that’s perfect for your style and your needs …
The best if you want to go classic yet contemporary
Oscar sofa, Matthew Hilton for SCP at Haus (from £3,736)
A confirmed design classic, the Oscar by Matthew Hilton, one of the most accomplished Brit designers working today, is sofa perfection. It’s traditional in essence and unapologetically British – made in Norfolk using classic methods: beech frame, jute webbing, hessian straps, and upholstered using wool and animal hair. Yet its long lines and soft curves make it perfect for modern-day lounging and stop it feeling stuffy. Plus, the elegantly turned wooden feet are a beautiful detail that will look fresh for years to come.
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The best for some Bauhaus-inspired style
Massimo sofa, Magnus Long for Heal’s (from £3,199)
2019 sees the 100th anniversary of the formation of the influential Bauhaus art and design school that had a crucial impact on many aspects of design, including furniture. The Heal’s Massimo sofa, by design talent Magnus Long, is inspired by the movement and brings pared-back, sculptural style into the home. It has an exposed-wood frame in solid walnut or black-stained ash – with off-the-scale comfy foam- and feather-filled cushions. Its strength lies in the fact that it’s achingly modern, yet doesn’t compromise on comfort. In short, a real winner.
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The best for cutting-edge style on a budget
Scott sofa, Made (from £949)
Velvet upholstery, tick. Dark-stained wooden legs, tick. Plump round bolster cushions and blind buttoned detailing, tick and tick. Made’s Scott sofa couldn’t be more on-trend if it tried, and, what’s more, it can be yours for under a grand, which is pretty rare in today’s expensive world of big-ticket furniture items. Think of it as a bit of art deco decadence that will bring an air of sophistication to any modern home. Plus, as it looks good from every angle, this would work well in an open-plan living space, used to elegantly divide the room.
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The best for bold colour and sensuous curves
Tilda sofa, 2LG for Love Your Home (from £3,998)
Unusual and utterly indulgent, the curved arms and back and the vibrant velvet upholstery of 2LG’s Tilda sofa mean it isn’t a choice for the faint-hearted. However, if you’re looking to make a real statement in your living room, you’ve come to the right place. Inspired by a vintage Italian piece, the almost-to-the-floor upholstery screams glamour and it’s high in the comfort stakes too, with tall, rounded corners that are perfectly shaped to curl back into and while away the hours.
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The best for seating an entire family and more
Atticus corner sofa, Loaf (from £2,595)
If space isn’t an issue, then why not go big, bold and look no further than Loaf’s Atticus sofa? If you’ve got a large family, a corner configuration is the best option by far and will avoid that awkward situation of everyone sat in a row like they’re waiting at a bus stop. If you’ve got multiple bums bouncing on it day-in-day-out, comfort and durability will be key – fortunately, the feather-wrapped foam seat and feather-filled back cushions make this one of the comfiest sofas around.
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The best for functional flexibility
Mags modular sofa, Hay at Utility (from £625)
If Lego made a sofa, then the Mags would be it. It’s a completely modular system that you can tailor to your needs and size specifications, to get exactly what you’re after. With arm sections, mid pieces, chaise longue elements and ottomans in a range of sizes and leather and fabric finishes, the combinations are endless and mean you can add to and modify the configuration as time goes by. Not only that, with its high arm rests, deep seat and firm foam composition, it’s also ridiculously comfy.
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The best for minimal, modern renovations
Stanley sofa, Matthew Hilton for Case Furniture (from £1,895)
Case Furniture’s Stanley sofa is all about contrast. Firstly there are the sharp lines of the solid timber frame alongside the plump, inviting upholstery, but there’s also the fact that it looks both timeless and utterly modern at once. This makes it perfectly suited to modern renovations of period properties as it spans different eras and aesthetics effortlessly. The low arms and soft cushions also mean that it’s as comfortable to sit on as it is impactful to look at.
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The best for small-space living
Ace sofa, Hans Hornemann for Normann Copenhagen at Skandium (from £1,030)
Like a cartoon or a child’s drawing of a sofa, there’s something disarmingly naive and simple about Normann Copenhagen’s Ace sofa, but therein lies its appeal. Stripped back to its most essential elements – legs, seat and a back – the unfussy functionality of it means that it’s not shouty and so won’t dominate a small space, plus at under 150cm wide it’s as compact as it is calm. As it comes flat-packed it’s also got great eco credentials, which just add to its merits.
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The best if you want to go retro
Norton sofa, Soho Home (from £1,495)
It’s no surprise that the sleek, sweeping lines and high legs of the sumptuous Norton were based on a vintage mid-century piece that was found and restored for Soho House’s latest London club. Now you too can bring some of the Atomic-era style into your own home, without it being just a nod to the past: the structured shape means it’s not overly dominating while, at 158cm wide, it works well in compact UK living rooms. Plus, the luscious berry-coloured cotton velvet is so of the moment.
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The best for a structured, rustic look
Hoxton sofa, French Connection for DFS (from £899)
It may come in at just under £900, but looking at (and sitting on) French Connection’s Hoxton sofa, it’s hard to work out quite how the company made it such a bargain. Not only are the squishy foam-filled cushions stylishly held in place by the wooden frame, but they almost magically bounce back into shape without the need for constant plumping. The whole look of the piece works because it feels like a modern update of a farmhouse classic – relaxed, comfortable and welcoming.
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To find discount codes for the best sofas from major furniture retailers, visit discountcode.theguardian.com/uk
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