Buying The Best Sofa Online: The Design Lover's Ultimate Guide

Have you been searching online for the best sofa to no avail? Truthfully, there is no “best": there is only the sofa that’s right for you. But when you can’t sit on or even touch the contenders, how do you figure out what's right and what's not?

Well, as Livingetc's sofa expert, I can reassure you right now that there are plenty of tried-and-tested ways to narrow your choice down. I've spent the past two months doing nothing but talking with sofa industry experts and manufacturers for their buying tips and warnings; testing out top brands' sofas in-store and in real homes; reading independent reviews, as well as those of our competitors, from happy — and unhappy — customers; asking friends and colleagues for reviews of their own couches; researching on-trend and classic styles; and much, much more in the hopes of creating a buying guide so detailed and so informative that it streamlines your online sofa buying process exponentially. And not to speak out of turn, but … I think I hit it out of the park. Welcome to your new favorite sofa-buying guide (although do note that this piece is still a living document that I will add to over time).

On this page, I’ll be focusing on what’s important to me (and should be top of your list, too) when buying a couch, whether online or in person. I’m talking things like frame construction, upholstery, and cushion filling … all the nuts and bolts that make a stylish sofa look as good in five years as the day you bought it. I’ll cover lifestyle considerations, sofa colors, sizes and shapes, and even styling and placement, both of which are key in bringing your new piece of furniture to life. I will also dive into specific brands and their niche pros and cons, the list of which will grow over time. Eventually, I will add my top product recommendations as I test more over the coming weeks and months. And I will continue to update and add to all buying considerations as I interview additional experts on the latest and greatest sofa news.

Until then, however, here's what we're working with:

Table of Contents

• How I built this guide - if you want to know what qualifies me to have crafted this piece, I summarized it all for you below.
• The best sofa brands - Where to shop when you don't know where to start.
• Shop your lifestyle - Dogs and white sofas don’t necessarily mix. Make sure you’re making the right choice for your household.
• Sofa colors - The sensible, the dirt-hiding, the trends to avoid.
• Size considerations - What to know to ensure you’re selecting a sofa that isn’t too large or too small, but just right for you and your space.
• Measuring up - Sofa height vs. seat height, sofa depth vs. seat depth.
• Upholstery - You have plenty of options; let’s discuss the pros and cons of each, including feel, maintenance, and price.
• Joinery - Making sense of the joints that hold your new sofa together.
• Durability of the frame - Which material is best for you?
• Sofa placement - How should you orient your new couch in your room?
• Sustainability and wellness - How to make the healthiest, most eco-friendly choice.
• Flame retardants - Should you be worried?
• Expert sources - A list of everyone I spoke with when compiling this guide.
• How this guide has changed - And what's up next.

How I Built This Guide

This guide will walk you through the full online sofa purchase process, from start to finish, based on 40+ hours of recent research, expert interviews (see my full list of sources at the end of the article), and in-store testing, which included visits to Pottery Barn, the Anthropologie Home Outlet, and IKEA. To supplement all of the above, I even visited the American Leather factory in Dallas, Texas, where I took a tour of the brand’s manufacturing facilities and spoke with top company executives about their process. This guide only includes the tried-and-trusted brands I've worked with, shopped, and tested over the past few years, and will only mention specific sofas if I have testing evidence from trusted friends and family, my own first-hand experience, or scouted excellent first-person reviews online. My work on this project is not yet done and I will continue to add to it over the next weeks and months. Buying a sofa is an incredibly personal choice, with thousands of combinations of sofa styles, shapes, colors, finishes, and sizes to choose from. But in reading this guide, you'll take my buying mastery (and soon yours) into account. We'll be shopping only the best sofa brands — and only the sofas I can hand-on-heart recommend.

Brigid Kennedy

Having been immersed in the cross-section of high design and online shopping for over a year now, I am uniquely positioned to craft Livingetc's new and improved sofa buying guide, especially when considered alongside my news-writing background. Not to mention I just purchased a new sofa myself (the Aspen Tranquil Blue L-Shaped Sectional from Living Spaces, to be exact). To bolster my knowledge, I visited a variety of furniture stores, including Pottery Barn, IKEA, and an Anthropologie home outlet, and even took a trip to Dallas, Texas, to tour the factory at American Leather. I am also planning a visit to High Point Market in High Point, North Carolina, next month. I know there are plenty of publications offering similar information as I am now, which is why I also read those articles, eager to learn more about sofa buying, but also eager to improve upon the competition. What you will find here is not only a “how to choose” guide, but also a highly-curated shopping list that prioritizes aesthetics as much as quality and make. My experience crafting shopping edits and sniffing out internet trends will inform this information, just as it informed the color advice I gave in the “Sofa Colors" section below. There aren't many places you can get it all in one go; but at Livingetc, you can.

The Best Sofa Brands

I will further build this list out in future iterations of this article, but for now, here is a quick look at some of my favorite and most trusted brands for sofa-buying, including a link to their site and a quick blurb about their style and benefits. (And as a bonus, I added in my top three product picks for three of the retailers. Something to tide you over!)

• American Leather – A bit harder to find online but worth the search. Known for its sleeper sofa, but the whole catalogue is worth shopping. My Top Product Pick: The Clara Comfort Sleeper
• Anthropologie – Whimsical, high-design pieces with both stocked and customizable pieces. Non-traditional in the best way.
• Article – Modern furniture at middle-of-the-road prices. Perfect for interior design lovers who don’t want to break the bank.
• Benchmade Modern – Customizable widths and upholstery options in as little as two weeks. A quick Google search shows its products have been dubbed “the internet’s favorite sofa.”
• Burrow – Very much an internet brand, with a focus on modularity and strength in small spaces.
• Castlery – A hidden gem in the sofa-buying world. Well-made and strong sales.
• Crate and Barrel – Icons in the furniture world. On the more expensive side, but great mass-market quality. My Top Product Pick: Lounge Deep Sofa 83"
• IKEA – Scandinavian design at budget prices. Minimalist, simple, and often quick-delivery. Just be sure to read the reviews.
• Living Spaces – Another forgotten gem offering more than just couches and sectionals. (Note: I bought my couch here.
• Pottery Barn – An American classic. Simple, traditional investment pieces that will last a long time. My Top Product Pick: PB Comfort Modern Square Arm Sofa
• Room & Board – On the high end of expensive, but made to last. Worthwhile investment pieces; highly customizable.
• Target – Great for trendy buys at affordable prices, especially when shopping Target brands.
• Walmart – Budget marketplace with some hidden gems. Price is prioritized over style and quality.
• West Elm – More modern than Pottery Barn, but less modern than CB2. Oftentimes cheaper than both.

Shop Your Lifestyle

When sofa shopping, how you live is just as important as aesthetics, price, shape, and size. For example, a black dog and a white sofa aren’t exactly a match made in heaven. “If you love hosting movie nights or gatherings, having a larger sectional will be ideal to fit more people,” suggests Anna Tatsioni, lead interior designer and architect at Decorilla Online Interior Design. “In my projects, I always keep in mind whether or not my clients have kids or pets, which will require a more durable and spacious sofa.” And “if you prefer a more minimalist and less cluttered space, having a sleek and compact sofa will be the right choice. Think about how you use your living room every day and choose a size that fits those needs.”

Here are a few other areas of consideration to explore:

Size of Household: Do you live alone? If so, you probably don’t need a sectional or a three- to four-seater. If you have or plan to have a large family, however, something bigger and more functional is likely preferred.

Pets: If you have pets, you should be on the lookout for (1) a darker fabric to hide marks and stains; (2) removable and washable cushion covers, to ensure longevity; and (3) performance upholstery, which is typically more stain-resistant than the alternative. Alternatively, and perhaps surprisingly, a cream or white sofa with covers that can be bleached might be right for you if you have time to wash and dry when they get mucky. I’d steer clear of velvet or bouclé regardless (the latter of which might snag on your pet’s claws) and opt for something like polyester or maybe even wool (typically easier to clean) instead.

Young Kids: Children are tough on couches – and not just from a stain perspective. They’ll hang from the seats, climb over the back, and walk all over the cushions. You need a frame and seat construction that holds up. For starters, avoid nubby, textured fabrics that kids might find exciting to pick at or play with (bouclé, I’m looking at you).

Intended Use: As Anna mentioned, you don’t want to invest in a thousand-dollar sectional if hosting friends and family isn’t your speed. Consider why you want the couch and how you plan to use it, and let that inform your choice of shape, size, and style. Be honest with yourself about how you plan to sit on the sofa. Are you a big couch napper? If so, a single-cushion sofa might be preferred, as you won’t fall between the cracks between seats. Or, maybe you’d like a chaise sectional, where it feels much easier to stretch out.

“If you’re selecting a sofa for a media room, go deep so you can really lounge,” suggests Dan Campbell, president of BenchMade Modern, “but if it’s for more of a formal living room where you’ll be seated upright, a narrower piece is best to provide the right support.”

Climate: Mads Holm Rabjerg, Head of Product Development at Denmark’s Carl Hansen & Søn, brought up an excellent point during our conversation: when selecting upholstery, factor climate into your decision. If, like Mads, you live in a part of the world or country where it's cold nine months of the year, a wool sofa might be great for you. But if you reside in sunny SoCal or the deep South, you probably want something … not so warm. (Leather in the summer, in a house without AC? Pass!)

Moving Plans: Do you plan to move in the next 3-5 years? If the answer to that question is “yes,” you might prefer a couch that is (1) easy to disassemble and reassemble); (2) modular, so you can reconfigure the same couch to your new space; and (3) upholstered in an easy-to-clean fabric like leather or microfiber (because moving trucks are dirty).

Accessibility Accommodations: It’s worth considering whether you or those sitting on the sofa might need certain accommodations either currently or over time. Is your partner 6’3” or taller? They’ll likely prefer a seat depth of 25” or more. Does your mother, who frequently visits, have a bad back? She’ll probably like something firmer and with an upright back versus a cloud sofa or low-profile option.

Sofa Colors

“When picking a sofa color, think of it as choosing the lead actor for your living room's blockbuster movie,” says interior designer Amanda Foster. “Consider the wall color as the backdrop, the purpose of the room as the plot, and your existing decor as the supporting cast.” For homes with neutral walls, “go bold with the sofa!” she continues. But “if the room is already a riot of color, maybe a more subdued hue will keep the peace. And remember, your home is your canvas — paint it with memories and personality!”

Generally speaking, lighter sofa colors are more difficult to maintain and clean, unless you can bleach the covers; if you have kids or pets, a darker couch — or maybe even a genuine leather one — is probably better for you. Try a shade like slate or chocolate brown, which “hides pet hair and crayon marks like a pro,” Amanda says. Patterned fabric is also a great choice for chaotic households, as mishaps and spills might blend right in with the busy print. Otherwise, “charcoal gray, navy blue, and earthy tones like taupe” are timeless, practical options.

Optically, lighter sofas like grays or creams are great for brightening and opening up a space. Darker sofas have the opposite effect but are therefore great at warming up a large room.

• Red: A bold color that makes a bold statement. “We love a red sofa when it isn’t the lone color in the room,” says Lauren Sweet-Schuler of Studio Sweet-Schuler. Off-white, gray, blue, and mustard yellow are other colors that go with red.
• Yellow: “Ideal for a sunroom or a playful family space in a contemporary home,” Amanda continues. “It brings cheer and optimism.”
• Green: Grounding and easy to style. “Olive green is hot right now and a beautiful sofa color for all style living rooms in a bouclé, velvet, or [a] blend. You can’t go wrong with a deep green,” Lauren muses.
• Blue: Pale blue/gray and navy are often treated as neutrals, but some designers, like NYC’s Ghislaine Viñas, are using pastel and sky blue to the same effect. Very calming (always) and very coastal (but only when styled as such).
• Purple: Purple is quite auspicious, so be sure the piece in question has “personality and can handle this bold choice,” Lauren warns. If so, it can add a touch of luxury or glam to a room, adds Amanda.
• Brown: Versatile, practical, warm, and looks great in a library or a den.
• White: Clean and crisp in look and feel. Great for minimalist rooms, beach houses, or all-around contemporary homes.
• Gray: “The ultimate neutral for modern, transitional, or industrial spaces,” per Amanda. “It's sophisticated and adaptable, fitting well in both traditional and contemporary designs." Gray is probably one of the most versatile options on this list; jazz it up with some colorful blankets and pillows that pull in other shades of the room.
• Cream: Offers a traditional versatility that’s great for rustic and farmhouse settings.
• Beige: Warm, versatile, timeless, and “suitable for both modern and eclectic spaces,” Amanda says.
• Pink: A blushy pink sofa looks playful and elegant; a bolder pink sofa is best in a shabby chic setting.

Sofa Sizing

The look and feel of your sofa is only half the battle – the other half has to do with sofa dimensions. If you pick a couch that’s too big, it might overwhelm the room. But if you pick a couch that’s too small, it will look out of place.

For starters, it’s helpful to understand the average sofa size from both a sofa depth and length perspective; you need a solid benchmark from which to begin your search. “In general, 85” long is a great size for a sofa,” says BenchMade Modern’s Dan Campbell, “as it comfortably fits three seated people and can also fit into most spaces.” In terms of depth, “a 23” depth sofa is a good average size, but 24” or 25” is ideal for a more lounge-y, curl-up feel or for people who are a bit taller.”

Here’s what else to consider:

Room size: You don’t want your sofa to dwarf your room, and you don’t want your room to dwarf your sofa. “As a general rule of thumb, your sofa should be about two-thirds the size of your room, although that depends on a variety of factors, including how you use the room and what other furniture is in it,” Dan says. “Leave about a foot and a half as a walkway around your sofa so people can still move in between pieces of furniture.”

Your height: If you’re on the taller side, you should try for a deeper sofa seat — Dan suggests something that’s at least 24” or 25” deep. And in that case, you might like a taller back panel, as well. Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn have plenty of deep-seat options, as does Room & Board.

Doorway size: Even if a larger sofa is best for your lifestyle or preferred for your space, it’s a nonstarter if you can’t get it through your doorway. To ensure your couch will make it from the delivery truck to your living room, first measure the size of your door frame and hallway — vertically, diagonally, and horizontally (Room & Board has a great guide for this) — as well as the size of the box, if possible (Article always includes this metric among its product specifications). If you live in an apartment, you should also measure the width of your elevator and stairwell. “Measure from the top back of the sofa to the bottom front to ensure it can fit through doorways or tight corners during delivery,” advises Mackenzie Collier of Mackenzie Collier Interiors. “This is crucial!”

Other furniture: Picture this — you’ve found your dream sofa … but it sticks out like a sore thumb next to your other furniture. And a new couch is no good if it doesn’t work with what you already own. “Ensure all furniture in a space is of a similar scale and style,” Mackenzie adds. “Mixing patterns is encouraged but should be done thoughtfully. Measure accurately before adding new furniture to ensure it will work well in the space.”

How to Measure

Reading product dimensions correctly is especially important when shopping online. And friends don’t let friends confuse overall depth with seat depth. Here’s the lowdown:

Overall Width: Measure from one arm of the sofa to the other. Take these measurements at the widest point. Note: length and width are often used interchangeably here.

Overall Depth: Measure from the outside edge of a seat and all the way to the back.

Diagonal Depth: Measure from the top back of the sofa to the bottom front. As Mackenzie mentions above, this is “crucial” for ensuring your couch will fit through doorways or tight corners.

Overall Height: Measure from the floor to the highest point of the sofa back.

Seat Depth: Measure from the front of the seat cushion to the back of the seat cushion. This will dictate how much actual seating space the sofa provides.

Seat Height: Measure from the floor to the top of the seat cushion.

“Measure how much seating space you want (or need!) vs. the overall size of the sofa, as the width of the arm or the side pillows can minimize the actual seating area,” suggests Benchmade’s Dan Campbell. “Focus on the size of the interior seating area first, then figure out how that works with the size of sofa that fits into your room.”

Some designers suggest mapping the size of the sofa out on the floor with duct tape so you can better visualize the size; BenchMade Modern even “offers life-sized paper printouts of your custom sofa or sectional, so you can unroll that into your space prior to finalizing your order,” Dan continues. “Have your family and friends sit right on the printout,” then test if you have “enough clearance around the sofa to move in the room. This visual really helps determine if you’re selecting the proper size for both your lifestyle needs and your room’s sizing.”

General design guidelines suggest 30” to 36” between seating where possible; otherwise, try and leave about 18” to 24” on either side of the sofa for end tables, lamps, etc. “Make sure you measure your room – distance between sofa and coffee table, sofa and walls, sofa and chairs, and so on. Your furniture needs to breathe, so give it that room!” Dan says.

Most importantly: you must, must, must measure the height and width of your doorway, as well as your stairwell and elevator for apartment dwellers. Map out your path into the living room. Factor in ceiling height, banisters, and corners, too — if you suspect an obstacle, measure.

Upholstery

Especially at retailers like Crate and Barrel and Interior Define, you’re quite spoiled for choice on the upholstery front. Below, we’ll dive into the common fabrics, plus a few pros and cons of each, courtesy of Meagan Endres, category manager of upholstery at Raymour & Flanigan.

One important note — as you read product descriptions, you’ll see plenty of brands touting something called “rubs,” which is the unit of measurement for a textile durability/abrasion analysis known as the Martindale. This test determines how long a fabric can last before it shows signs of distress; things like thinning or pulling. The higher the Martindale, or “rub count” listed, the stronger the fabric.

“The Martindale test is done on upholstery fabrics to measure [heir] durability and check suitability for various uses (e.g. indoor, domestic use vs. commercial use),” explains Rebecca Andrews, vice president of Category Management at Article. “The test is also known as the 'rub test', and tests for abrasion resistance. The industry standard rating is 20,000 rubs so you’ll want the upholstery you choose to exceed that.” Article subjects its fabrics to up to 50,000 rubs.

Sofa Joinery

As its name suggests, joinery connects and reinforces the joints of your sofa, providing structural support that contributes to the longevity of the frame. There are a few different processes here, but Meagan recommends sticking to mortise-and-tenon or dowel joints for “optimal sofa durability.” Joints secured with staples or nails “should be avoided” as they “weaken over time.” This information should be available on a retailer’s website or in the product specifications/tear sheet.

In our conversation, Mads at Carl Hansen & Søn spoke highly of dovetail joints, as well. These joints are “more difficult to do,” he tells me, as they require “very sharp tolerances, and you have to assemble it a certain way.” If the manufacturer or craftsman took the time to do this, “they generally know what they’re doing,” he continues. “It’s a quality stamp, in my opinion [...].”

Frame Durability

Think of the frame as the bones of your sofa. If the bones are strong, so is your purchase. Where possible, look for solid hardwood (ash, oak, beech, and walnut are good options) or engineered wood/plywood; this information should be readily available in the product description. Some experts or articles will tell you that the wood should be kiln-dried, but Carl Hansen & Son’s Mads Holm Rabjerg says that’s not necessarily a make-or-break mark of quality. All that matters, he says, is that the wood reaches the correct humidity before construction begins, whether that’s via kiln or air.

A metal or steel frame is not a bad choice, per se — they are typically strong and durable, adds Meagan from Raymour & Flanigan — but they “can be heavy and may not offer the same level of comfort as wooden frames.”

Avoid particleboard where you can; it’s a common material, but “the density is low and can easily break when pressure is applied,” per Rebecca Andrews. Ameer Radwan, owner of LA-based upholstery studio SOOT Design Studio, also suggests you avoid a pine frame, if you see it. “[Pine frames] aren't necessarily going to break, but it's going to be a situation where you can sort of just grab the arm and shake it multiple inches,” he tells me. “It's going to feel lighter and it's going to feel jankier every time you experience it.”

How to Place the Sofa

Wondering how to get the best living room seating plan? For starters, Benchmade’s Dan Campbell recommends “centering your sofa on elements in the room — such as a fireplace, TV, or a window — and then build from there. This will give the room symmetry.” Consider how you use the space; if you’re a big Netflix fan, place your sofa in front of the TV. But if you’re more of an eat-and-drink-on-the-couch-while-you-read kind of girl, setting up shop where there’s room for an end table and a lamp might be more prudent.

Generally and if your room allows, you should avoid pushing your sofa against the wall. But if you must, float it out ever so slightly for a room-largening optical illusion. You should also avoid placing your sofa in front of a window — you don’t want to block any natural light! — but you could get away with it if you (1) use a sofa with a shorter back panel and (2) pull it out from the wall. Be mindful of heating or air vents, as well. You wouldn't want your sofa so close it presents a fire hazard or blocks airflow.

Sustainability and Wellness

Broadly speaking, the most sustainable sofa you can buy is one you will keep. If you’re looking for a rule of thumb to follow without getting into the nitty gritty of natural fabrics and delivery options, that is it: invest in a well-made, high-quality piece of furniture you can use for years. This might mean you look for cushions or cushion covers that are reversible or replaceable; it might mean you try a modular sectional that you can easily reconfigure no matter the room; or it might mean you opt for a performance fabric with a higher Martindale so it will last longer against kids and guests.

Mads suggests prospective buyers also consider how their sofa could be repaired if it breaks. Are replacement parts available? Or is a busted frame a one-way ticket to the dumpster? If you can fix the piece, that’s probably the more sustainable option.

At Retroloop, an eco-conscious and longevity-minded brand from entrepreneur Amanda Beare, modularity is the secret sauce … and the principle around which the rest of the project revolves. “We really were focused on creating a modular sofa, because we know that life happens, and in the event that some piece of your sofa gets damaged, we don't want the whole thing just to be thrown out,” she tells me in an interview. “So that was kind of the first piece of thinking about manufacturing — how do you design something that can is timeless in its design, it'll withstand the test of time, and it's designed so that if something happens to it, the whole thing doesn't need to be disposed of?” The answer: modular components.

Even better (and something you yourself can look out for when shopping), Retroloop uses what’s called “flat-pack shipping,” where the different components are packaged and shipped in separate, relatively flat boxes. Such an arrangement, which is “a lot less bulky and cumbersome than just delivering furniture on pallets,” is much easier to deliver, as you can fit more orders on one truck, and has a “lower carbon footprint than shipping on pallets.”

From an upholstery standpoint, Amanda recommends looking for OEKO-TEX® and UL GREENGUARD-certified fabrics if both wellness and sustainability are on your mind. Both offer various certifications re: product safety and sustainability as they pertain to textile manufacturing. For example, an OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 fabric is certified harmless to human health, and every "thread, button, and accessory have been tested against a list of over 1,000 harmful substances." The GREENGUARD certification from product testing company UL Solutions is similar, although the label goes beyond just textiles and instead speaks to the product as a whole.

“We look at performance, not just from what you can see, [but] we also look at it from what is off-gassed from that product in your home,” Brayden West, Global Senior Product/Service Specialist at UL Solutions, tells me. Specifically, the company is looking at VOCs, or volatile organic compounds. “We're screening for over 12,000 different volatile organic compounds and chemicals,” he continues. “And then we have a strict limitation on the total off-gassing that comes from a product, as well as individual levels.”

If you’re looking for more information or to check a specific product against the GREENGUARD criteria, try UL Solutions’ extensive public sustainability database known as SPOT. “It’s essentially a point of truth for consumers,” Brayden says. Of course, it includes products and brands with that GREENGUARD certification, but “we have everything from recycled content programs, recyclability, [and] zero waste to landfill,” too.

An important disclaimer: While OEKO-TEX and GREENGUARD certifications can offer peace of mind from a sustainability and health standpoint (and you’ll likely encounter others in your search, like “FSC-Certified” wood and “CertiPUR-US” foams), it’s important to remember that these are voluntary certifications; they only apply because the company or manufacturer behind the product could pay for it and found it valuable. It doesn’t necessarily mean that one couch is better than the other; rather, it just means that a third party was involved in vetting the manufacturer/company’s sustainability and health claims.

Flame Retardants

Now, you’ve probably also seen or heard all the hullabaloo about couches containing potentially harmful flame retardants. But the good news is that most couches no longer use them, thanks to a labeling law passed in California. So while OEKO-TEX and GREENGUARD certifications are helpful benchmarks from both a health and sustainability perspective, you can otherwise check a sofa for flame retardants by reading the label, on which manufacturers are required to denote whether the product contains such chemicals. (Since California is such a large market, the majority of manufacturers and brands comply with the state’s regulations.) If your product does contain flame retardants, well, it’s not cause for panic. Honor your comfort and use your discretion, of course, but such chemicals “are usually present in your couch at such low levels that they’re not going to turn you into a mutant ninja turtle,” writes Alex Back, CEO and founder of Couch.com + founder of Apt2B.

For more on chemicals, off-gassing, and sofa-related frame retardants, I highly recommend the aforementioned write-up from Couch.com.

Expert Sources

In addition to standard conversations with interior designers, I also conducted interviews with multiple sofa experts to better understand the couch buying and manufacturing process. I also visited my local Pottery Barn, Anthropologie outlet, and IKEA, and flew to Dallas, Texas to spend a day touring the American Leather sofa factory.

See a full list of sources below:

• Ameer Radwan, owner of SOOT Design Studio
• Rebecca Andrews, vice president of category management at Article
• Taylar Hoffman, product director at American Leather
• Dan Campbell, president of Benchmade Modern
• Meagan Endres, category manager of upholstery at Raymour & Flanigan
• Mads Holm Rabjerg, head of product development at Carl Hansen & Søn
• Amanda Beare, founder and owner of Retroloop, a sustainable furniture company
• Christiane Lemieux, furniture designer and owner of luxury furniture brand Lemieux et Cie
• Brayden West, global senior product/service specialist at UL Solutions Retail & Consumer Product
• Aaron Masterson, president at Local Furniture Outlet
• Anna Tatsioni, lead interior designer and architect at Decorilla Online Interior Design
• Amanda Foster, interior designer and founder of Foster Decor Consulting
• Lauren Sweet-Schuler, interior designer and founder of Studio Sweet-Schuler
• Mackenzie Collier, founder of Mackenzie Collier Interiors

How This Guide Has Changed

If you’re an avid Livingetc reader, you might have noticed that this specific page looks quite different than before. What used to be a list of our favorite sofas, selected for aesthetics and from some of our most trusted couch brands, is now a much deeper consumer report, one I hope improves the already-stressful process of online sofa buying. Indeed, instead of reading 15-20 different articles about sofa height and cushion fill, among other dry topics, everything you need to find your perfect couch is right here — and served to you through an omnipresent lens of aesthetics (because this wouldn’t be Livingetc if it weren’t). Important to note is that I am only featuring brands in which I have complete confidence regarding durability, comfort, quality, and value, and will only highlight individual couches if I or one of my trusted colleagues, friends, or family members has lived with them or tried them in-store.

This is a living document, so expect it to change over the coming weeks. I'll soon be adding additional product recommendations, as mentioned above; in-depth information regarding each of the included retailers; photos and videos from my trip to High Point, where I hope to test at least 100 different sofas, meet with industry experts, and look into upcoming sofa trends; and further insights from designers and brand reps well-versed in the world of sofa styling and manufacturing. Just another month in the life of a sofa connoisseur! Stay tuned, dear reader.