5 Tips for Buying a Sofa

1. Choose your frame.

Clean lines, curved arms, deep cushions or trend-forward style—it’s important to bring home a sofa that fits your style and your space. To help get you started, we’ve rounded up three different styles that are equally fantastic in their own ways.

Classic & Comfortable

Magritte Sofa “Magritte is a beautiful, European-inspired skirted loft sofa that will make any room look oh-so refined. This design is all about soft and sophisticated lines, paired with a gorgeous linen fabric. You can choose from a classic 2/2 cushion or a lounge-worthy bench seat.”—Michelle Sexton, Senior Merchant

Made for Lounging

Gather Sofa “If you are looking for a sofa that has it all, the Gather Sofa is for you...It's deep and comfortable. We got our sofa in the Icon Pearl performance fabric, and I can vouch for the easy stain removal.”—TiaGee (customer review)

Curvy and Compact

Josephine Sofa “I love our new Josephine Sofa and how she takes on curve. The tailoring is flawless, and it is perfectly proportioned for smaller spaces! This design is perfect as a standalone or pairs beautifully with an accent chair.”—Michelle Sexton, Senior Merchant

2. See how it fits.

Once you’ve found the one, use our dimension guidelines (listed at the bottom of every product page on our website) to see exact measurements. (Measuring is also important to make sure the sofa you love will fit through doorways.)

You can also use your phone plus our super-handy 3D view-in-your room feature to see how a sofa will fit and look in your space.

3. Find your perfect fabric.

Not sure if you’re more of a velvet or cotton person? Or maybe you’re ready to try a bold pattern. If you have kids or pets, you’ll probably be interested in exploring performance fabrics. It’s so important to love the look, feel and durability of your new sofa, which is why we recommend ordering free swatches, so you can touch, feel and see which fabric is perfect for your style and how you live.

4. Well-made matters.

Behind every comfortable sofa is a well-made frame. And a well-made frame starts with solid hardwood (not particleboard or plastic). A hardwood frame won’t warp or split. It’s built to last. We’re proud to say that our frames are benchmade in North Carolina and undergo a rigorous 20-point inspection process.

5. Design is in the details.

From the tailoring to the tufting to the profile, the design of every sofa tells a unique style story. So have fun looking for design elements that speak to your personal style.

If you’re not sure how a sofa design will work in your room or if you have a design vision you want to bring to life, you can work with one of our Design Experts online to create a virtual mood board.