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6 best sofas tried and tested by an interiors expert for style and comfort

From glamorous design to affordable options, take a pew on one of these fabulous sofas

Ali Howard
Tuesday 23 April 2024 15:23 BST
Choose one wisely and your settee will serve you for years to come
Choose one wisely and your settee will serve you for years to come (The Independent/ iStock )
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Choosing the right sofa is no mean feat. Arguably the most important furniture piece in any living room set up, it sees a lot of action, from morning to night. Whether we’re curling up with our 7am coffee, catching up with friends, or bingeing our latest box set obsession, we need a trusty settee that will have our back.

The best sofas are practical as well as comfortable – and they have to suit the whole household: if you have small children or pets, consider a darker fabric that’s forgiving on stains, or a wipe-clean material, such as leather.

If you enjoy hosting at home, your new sofa’s going to get a lot of heavy use, so think about durable fabrics that can take a bashing – some polyester velvets are surprisingly hardwearing, which in no way detracts from their luxe appeal.

While it’s tempting to follow trends, a sofa is a big investment, so think about future-proofing yours. We’ve found a number of great designs that hint at mid-century shaping or with art deco accents, but overall, they boast a classic, timeless quality. Choose wisely and you’ll have your settee for years and years to come, and you’ll be doing your bit for sustainability in the process.

Just like buying a mattress, the firmness of your sofa’s seat and back cushions is a matter of taste. If you like the slouchy look but need to feel supported, we’ve found some sofas that, with shrewd design, tick both boxes.

How we tested the best sofas

We lounged our way through a range of two, three and four-seater settees, looking for great design, qualify of craftmanship and fine finishes. We considered affordability, upholstery fabric choices, and where appropriate, ease of assembly. Most importantly, we looked to find that sweet spot between comfort and support.

The best sofas for 2024 are:

  • Best overall sofa – Swoon landau three-seater sofa: £1,769, Swooneditions.com
  • Best budget sofa – Dunelm bellamy luxe velvet 2 seater sofa: £499, Dunelm.com
  • Best glamorous sofa – Sofology 3 seat Bridgerton sofa : £899, Sofology.co.uk
  • Best sofa for quality craftsmanship – Raft New York 4 seater sofa: £2391, Raftfurniture.co.uk
  • Best sofa for comfort – Arlo & Jacob Noah medium sofa: £2595, Arloandjacob.com

Swoon landau three-seater sofa

best sofa for all budgets
  • Best: Overall sofa
  • Dimensions: H 79cm x W 235cm x D 92cm
  • Why we love it
    • Generous size
    • Classic look
    • Comfy yet supportive

Generously sized for a three-seater, the landau is one inviting couch, designed for spreading out in style. With a nod to both a traditional Chesterfield and a low-sitting mid-century sofa, it boasts a classic look, promising not to go out of fashion any time soon.

The settee is handcrafted with a birch frame, simple and modern metal feet, and a foam and polyfibre filling, which gives it a medium-to-soft level of comfort and support – there’s no denying this one’s made for diving into. Its finely finished buttoning on the seat, back, and side cushions award it a rich visual texture, while upholstery fabrics, including wools, leathers, and velvets, are in jewel, earthy, or neutral tones.

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Dunelm bellamy luxe velvet 2 seater sofa

best sofa for all budgets
  • Best: Budget sofa
  • Dimensions: H 84cm x W 178cm x D 72cm
  • Why we love it
    • Well-priced
    • Art deco design
    • Feels like a hug
  • Take note
    • S

This is a compact sofa with big impact. Taking its cue from art deco design, the two-seater features a solid upright frame, plush integrated cushioning with attractive pleating, and tall slender metal legs, awarding it an unapologetic flash of glamour. It is upholstered in a soft to the touch but hardwearing polyester velvet and boasts five luxe colourways to choose from, including the chic and understated sandstone.

The bellamy is as sturdy as it looks (despite those lofty legs), while the foam filled seats and backrest offer great support. Thanks to its enveloping form, you can’t help but feel hugged in it. Fine finished with piping, it also boasts top craftsmanship for its affordable price tag.

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Raft New York 4 seater sofa

best sofas review Raft New York 4 seater sofa
  • Best: Quality craftsmanship
  • Dimenions: H 80cm x W 245cm x D 99cm
  • Why we love it
    • Great for those with limited space
    • Laid-back slouchy appeal
    • Chic
    • Lots of material options

As the name suggests, Raft’s New York sofa is made with city-dwellers in mind, especially for those of us who need our furniture pieces to work extra hard to maximise on space. Thoughtfully designed, its fuss-free lines allow it to slot into a tight spot, yet it retains an invitingly laid-back slouchy appeal. And it would still be just as happy in a spacious living room as a compact one.

Boasting satisfyingly wide square arms, tall back cushions, luxuriously deep, supportive seats, and a chic wooden frame with chunky legs that elevate it off the floor, it is as stylish as it is comfy. The sofa is handmade to order and comes in a huge range of fabrics and colour choices – go bold in stain resistant velvet or keep the look calm in a neutral cotton linen weave.

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Sofa.com Izzy 4 seat sofa

best sofa for all budgets
  • Best: Timeless design
  • Dimensions: H 87cm x W 260cm x D 97cm
  • Why we love it
    • High quality
    • Timeless
    • Option of modular configuration

If you’re investing in a quality sofa, you’ll want to make sure it’s future proof. Thanks to its pleasingly simple design, Sofa.com’s Izzy is a timeless piece that promises to become part of the family. As with all the brand’s handcrafted seating, this one boasts exceptional craftsmanship, and that’s palpable from the delicate stitching around the structured arm rests, to the fine finished tapered legs – choose English oak or dark mahogany.

The four-seater boasts a slim but sturdy frame, making it all about the plush seat and back cushions. The angular settee is available in a truly comprehensive choice of fabrics and colourways, meaning yours could be practically bespoke. There’s also the option of a modular configuration if you’d struggle to get it through the door.

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Sofology 3 seat Bridgerton sofa

best sofa for all budgets
  • Best: Glamorous sofa
  • Dimensions: H 80cm x W 202cm x D 96cm
  • Why we love it
    • Charming
    • Balances comfort and support perfectly
  • Take note
    • Slightly less seating space

A distinctive update on the traditional Chesterfield sofa, the Bridgerton boasts a buttoned interior and arresting sloping arms which give the sitter a pleasing, cosseted feel. This encroaches on the available seating space, but of course the sofa’s unapologetic excess is its charm. The angled arms are also perfectly primed to have your back should you want to swing your legs around and adopt the chaise position.

Providing the perfect balance between comfort and support, the seats, back and arms are foam-filled, while serpentine springs distribute weight evenly. We love the way the bulky sofa is elevated with tall, slim wooden legs. Choose from textured slub velvet or a velvety chenille in a comprehensive range of colours, including the Lady Featherington-approved nugget gold.

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Arlo & Jacob Noah medium sofa

best sofa for all budgets
  • Best: For comfort
  • Dimensions: H 75cm x W 203cm x D 106cm
  • Why we love it
    • Stylish and minimalist
    • Generous proportions
    • Reversible cushions
    • Eye catching tones

Stylish and minimal, the Noah is a beautifully crafted settee that boasts generous proportions. This is another contemporary sofa with a relatively slimline frame that prioritises comfort in its cushioning. Medium in size, it measures up to the equivalent of a three-seater, although it boasts a single, reversible seat pad, keeping its lines pleasingly clean and fuss-free. We love its chunky side arm cushions, which make ideal pillows for an impromptu afternoon nap. The sofa comes in a wide range of rich upholstery fabrics including velvets, tweed and linen weaves, with some eye-catching earthy and spicy tones on offer, as well as all neutral shades.

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The verdict: Sofas

Swoon’s landau three-seater sofa ticked all the boxes for us: this is a mid-century inspired furniture piece that’s as comfortable as it is stylish. We loved its plush cushioning, its low-sitting design, and its generous proportions. We were also impressed with Dunelm’s deco-inspired bellamy sofa. This is a quality settee that looks and feels much more expensive than it is.

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