When it comes to home comforts, never underestimate the power of a good sofa.
Central to your leisuretime, the sofa offers a place to flop down and flick through your latest reads, kick back for a movie marathon or welcome friends for a long-planned night in. For most, the perfect balance is somewhere between crumpled comfort that’s perfect for daytime napping, yet smart enough for when parents come over for an inspection.
A well-chosen fabric will stand you in good stead for many years to come. Choose the right type depending on your lifestyle: as well as leather, velvet and linen-wrapped frames, you can get sofas with anti-stain technology, a no-brainer in busy households filled with rampaging pets and children.
Then there are shapes: beyond the standard three- or four-seaters, there are modular designs that will allow you to construct your own look (think sofa Tetris) and L-shaped corner units to make the most of every inch of space your living room has to offer. Smaller homes could benefit from loveseats, a 1.5 seater that can squeeze on two people but is more luxurious with just the one. Feeling fancy? A chaise longue brings that boutique look home and is versatile enough for the bedroom and hallway as well as the living room.
If you’re thinking about welcoming a new sofa to your home, the sheer volume of options can make it a tricky task. So we’ve collected the best designs to help make it easier to shop.
Feel inspired by our edit of the best fabric sofas below.
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Velvet sofas
Is there anything more luxurious than sinking into pillowy soft velvet? Invest in a sofa covered in this indulgent fabric and you won’t look back. For more options, find our long list of the best velvet sofas here.
Soho Home Hamish Modular Sofa
Dimensions: H74 x W203 x D102cm
This elegant sofa is wrapped in buttery soft velvet upholstery and comes with a built-in engineered hardwood shelf behind the backrest so you can perch evening cocktails or practical things like a cordless lamp.
There are 11 fabric colours to choose from, but this rich jewel-toned mustard has our vote. Love Midcentury modern interiors? This will fit in seamlessly.
Buy now £3790.00, Soho Home
Dunelm Jolene William Morris Woodland Weeds Print Velvet Snuggle Chair
Dimensions: H87 x W100 x D96cm
Love the Arts & Crafts look? Head to Dunelm where you an find this spacious armchair wrapped in a classic William Morris print.
The seat cushions are packed with foam designed to bounce back - no worn-in body grooves here. The scroll arms offer excellent support (or just somewhere to balance a cuppa on a coaster) while solid oak feet round off the look.
Buy now £799.99, Dunelm
Rockett St George The Grace small sofa
Dimensions:W170 x H87 x D99cm
It's certainly not for everyone, but if you like the idea of going big with patterns at home, why not opt for a sofa wrapped in leopard print?
This design by Rockett St George is bound to set the cat amongst the pigeons, bringing a smile at every glance. It’s cosy too: that soft velvet upholstery feels lovely against the skin. Kitsch and seductive in equal measure.
Buy now £1199.00, Next
Happy Barok Carmel 2 Seater Velvet Sofa
Dimensions: H67 x W170 x D80cm
Available in four sizes and five colours, this chic velvet sofa shows off its style credentials from the off. The chaise-style sofa can comfortably accommodate two adults, but we're picturing it as a lounging space for one. While it will work nicely as an anchor in the living room, if you have space, this will be fireworks in the bedroom.
Buy now £979.99, Wayfair
Furniture123 Orange Velvet 2 Seater Sofa - Payton
Dimensions: 85 x 150 x 96cm
For a living room that’s lit, there’s little more that sets our heart aflame than a velvet sofa is a burnt orange hue. This plush two seater with pared back saddle arms even comes with a pair of matching throw cushions for coordinating comfort. Pivot it where you need to easily thanks to the two gold-coloured castors on the front legs. Available in 12 additional shades.
Buy now £479.97, Furniture123
Best leather sofas
One of the most popular options for couch coverings, leather is comfortable, hard-wearing, friends-and-family proof and versatile enough to find a style to fit with any interior design scheme. See our full list of best leather sofa options.
Heal’s Isola 3 Seater Sofa
Dimensions: 70 x 220 x 115cm
Inspired by the shape and beauty of island beaches, Heal’s has nailed contemporary elegance in this generous curved sofa design. It comes in a range of leather types, from Daino and Leather Grain to Stonewash effect and Linea Leather. And you needn’t restrict yourself to brown or black when it comes to colour, either - red, blue and vintage green are all up for grabs here. Underneath the hide, the fillings are made from a mix of luxury memory foams to offer supreme levels of support. Go for the full effect by adding a matching ottoman footstool to your order.
From £5699.
Buy now £4099.00, Heal’s
John Lewis & Partners Cromwell Chesterfield Small 2 Seater Leather Sofa
Dimensions: H70 x W163 x D100cm
If you find leather sofas sexy, a Chesterfield takes it to another level. It really is a pin-up of a sofa. Roomy, comfortable and its plumpness exaggerated with buttons, this two-seater could come from a private member’s bar. You’ll feel just as at ease sipping a martini here a la Don Draper as you will watching MOTD with the lads.
Allow up to 10 weeks for delivery.
Buy now £2249.00, John Lewis
Swoon Editions Willem Three-seater sofa
Dimensions: 77 x 224 x 85
London’s hotels and restaurants are great inspiration for your own interiors, and this plush sofa looks like its been plucked straight from a five-star resort in the capital.
Adding a dose of glamour to your interiors, the spacious three-seater Willem design can be made up in a range of fabrics, from boucle, velvet and Swoon’s Smart Leather, which “boasts the same hardwearing benefits of real leather and can be wiped clean with a dry cloth.”
There are three colourways in this option: tan, slate grey, and our pick, a stately home olive green. You can also swap the legs too so that they include a brass finish - it’s all in the details.
Buy now £1709.00, Swoon
World of Leather Relax Station Komodo 3 Seater Power Leather Sofa
Dimensions: 99 x 162 x 209cm
A leather sofa may have old school connotations, but World of Leather’s Komodo design brings things firmly into the 21st Century. Relax on the deep bucket seats and soft leather upholstery while recharging your devices through the built-in USB ports by the armrests.
The centre seat folds down into a mini coffee table complete with cup holders so you’re never in danger of working up a thirst and when it’s time to kick back, engage the recliners for a seat so comfortable you’ll have real trouble getting out of it.
We love the petrol blue hue, a refreshing change from the usual brown and black.
Buy now £1795.00, Furniture Village
Best anti-stain sofas
Whether you live in a busy household or you’re flying solo, sofa stains are bound to happen at some point - it’s merely a question of when, not if. Anti-stain sofas will spare your blushes when guests come over: a quick dab with a wet cloth, or wiping down with a microfibre cloth is often all it takes to restore it to showroom-levels of new. See the full ES Best list of the best anti-stain sofas here.
Love Your Home Bloomsbury Sofa
Dimensions: 98 x 217 x 100cm
Designed in collaboration with Homes & Gardens magazine, the Bloomsbury sofa is as well-heeled and oozing in elegance as the London area that shares its name. All gentle flowing lines with a hint of midcentury style, the legs are set on castors to make it easier to move around to the optimum position (that's bang in front of the telly, then).
It's available in a range of fabric choices, but not all of them are stain-repellent: choose the velvet or linen to guard against accidents and wear and tear, like this option in a searing clementine colour. The perfect statement piece that'll stay looking as lovely as when you first got it.
Buy now £2430.00, Love Your Home
Swyft Model 06 - 3 seater left corner sofa in pumice
Dimensions: 95 x 270 x 96cm
No need to wait endlessly for your brand new sofa to be delivered: sofa-in-a-box brand Swyft lives up to its name and can have it to you in just a few days (or even 24 hours).
No tools are required for construction: instead it comes together through a variety of clever interlocking systems, no tool kit necessary.
Model 06 is the latest design to join the Swyft family and you could argue it’s the most sumptuous of the lot with blissfully deep seats and squishy cushions filled with a mix of feathers and foam for support.
It’s offered in linen and velvet, and while the colours and textures may vary, the one thing they all share is stain resistant technology. It shields your sofa from the effects of everything, from a blurry wine-and-cheese night with your pals to melted chocolate from your little one’s teatime treat. Wipe the offending stain with a damp cloth and it’ll be like it never happened.
Buy now £4199.00, Swyft
Best bouclé sofas
An off-shoot of mid-century modern mania, bouclé has been enjoying an interiors revival, with more people searching for fluffy cloud-like furniture to give their space heavenly appeal. It’s easy to keep clean - yes, even white versions.
See the full edit of best bouclé furniture here.
Soho Home Olivier Sofa, Boucle
Dimensions: H85 x W221 x D91cm
Is a white sofa the ultimate status symbol? It’s a very secure person who can have one in the house, especially if you share your home with pets, kids or a serial spiller.
A story of curved edges and a sumptuously soft boucle, this fantasy house sofa is inspired by the 180 Aldwych brand of Soho House London. It can seat up to three of your chicest pals - time to pick your favourites.
Buy now £2995.00, Soho Home
Fairmont Park Evins Sofa
Dimensions: H63 x D99 x W149cm
For those who like the idea of lounging on a cloud in their downtime, this unusually-shaped sofa will delight. It's a modern look encased in white boucle fabric and can fit two people at a push, though you'll have a better experience with just one. A nice option for a teenager's bedroom or gaming chair.
Buy now £379.99, Wayfair
Soho Home Vivienne Modular Four Seater Sofa, Boucle
Dimensions: 82.6 x 331.5 x 105.4cm
Inject a member’s club vibe into your home (minus the annual fees) with Soho Home, which has a selection of furniture and furnishings plucked straight from the Houses for retail. This four-seater modular sofa is all soft edges and curves, heightened by the soft boucle cover. Add a few more cushions and you’ll have a delicious place to snuggle down into.
Buy now £4585.00, Soho Home
Daals Clapham 3-Seater Ecru Boucle Sofa
Dimensions: 206 x 89 x 86cm
Balancing comfort and style, this ercu-coloured three-seater sofa is the fastest way to elevate your interiors. The neutral tone means it’s ripe for mixing with your existing textiles and soft furnishings: think statement scatter cushions and throws. Got a smaller space? There’s a two-seater version (£469.99) available too.
Buy now £559.99, Daals
Swoon Kallas three-seater sofa
Dimensions: 74 x 236 x 95cm
Get ready for some good sittin’. Swoon’s generously-proportioned sofa claims to seat three, but we reckon you can get a few more on its elegant frame. Full of chic details, this sofa comes complete with matching scatter cushions. If your nerves can’t cope living with this pristine ivory, Swoon offers the boucle option in six other colours spanning grey and black.
Buy now £1419.00, Swoon Editions
Best linen sofas
Temperature-regulating linen is a fabric to have on call year round - and not just in your wardrobe. It performs beautifully as upholstery too and if your covers are removable, you can simply put them in the wash to keep them looking and smelling like new.
Sofas & Stuff Fairmont sofa
Dimensions: 87 x 209 x 106cm
Whether you want to play interior design master or you’ve got a specific look in mind, Sofas & Stuff allows you to create a bespoke perch in all sorts of fabrics, including this vintage-look floral linen. Best suited to those with generous living room proportions, the seats are so deep and comfy you may never want to rise again.
Buy now £3210.00, Sofas & Stuff
Best statement sofas
Practical and looks good while doing it. Say hello to the head-turning, statement-making sofas, bound to dominate any room.
Anthropologie Louise Spencer Sofa
Furniture or art? This gorgeous sofa manages both with a wide roomy design wrapped in watercolour floral upholstery. The single-seat back cushion gives it a seamlessness allowing admirers to gaze at the pattern uninterrupted by lines while the perfectly spherical legs add a sense of playfulness without sacrificing elegance.
Since it’s over 30kg (it weighs double that at 65kg), the sofa will be delivered to the room of your choice with all the packaging stripped and removed, so you can enjoy your new purchase in peace.
Buy now £1998.00, Anthropologie
Abigail Ahern Calverton Cowhide Print Armchair
Even cowboys and girls need somewhere to retreat after being in the saddle all day. Luxury designer Abigail Ahern has the answer in this Western-themed armchair, covered in a cowhide print. The accent piece creates an instant focal point whether you position it in the bedroom or parlour.
Buy now £1090.00, Abigail Ahern
Anthropologie Celestial Petite Accent Chair
A petite chair to sit in a bedroom, hallway or living room corner, the design unites a classic shape with cool astrology-themed upholstery. With a spring seat, it's as comfortable to sit in as it is lovely to look at.
Buy now £698.00, Anthropologie
OKA Tarma 2-Seater Sofa - Lazaret Blue
Now granted, this isn’t the sort of sofa you’ll spend all weekend in front of Netflix on, but if you’re looking to bring bouji B&B vibes to your bedroom it’s just the ticket. Covered in a hand-dyed Lazaret print and finished with a tassel trim for extra flair (removable for easy cleaning), no two sofas are exactly the same thanks to the handcrafted element. Set it in the hallway or at the foot of the bed and congratulate yourself on your fabulous taste.
Buy now £2195.00, OKA
