The best loveseat for you might not be the best loveseat for me — which is why the edit I've compiled for you here is full of options that range in price, style, and material. If you're shopping for a two-seater, you're probably looking for a couch for an apartment or smaller home, a couch for an office, or something to accompany your larger three-seater. Everything I've selected should suit those needs.
You see, I've spent the last three months writing about, reading about, and speaking about couches in hopes of expanding my sofa acumen and better advising on how you can select the best couch for you. This long-running and arduous process has involved visits to 10 showrooms (and counting); sitting on 55+ sofas; traveling thousands of miles (I flew from Pittsburgh to Denver, Dallas, and New York City to try some of these couches); and 10 total hours spent interviewing 6 interior designers and 11 sofa experts at leading brands.
Today, we're putting that knowledge on display. The loveseats I've selected below all boast strong customer reviews and a strong rating from me after I spent some time sitting on them (with one exception) in-store. Each boasts its own use case, and each would look dang good in your living room (you know we like to keep style at the forefront here). Moreover, I also included three honorable mentions — sofas I have not gotten to try myself but believe in, have heard great things about, and think would make great additions to any sitting room.
Brigid Kennedy is Livingetc's style editor and in-house sofa expert, who has spent the last 90 days (and counting!) getting to grips with every facet of the couch-buying process. She has visited showrooms in Dallas, Texas, New York City, and Pittsburgh, and obsessively polls her friends and family for information on their favorite loveseats and three-seaters. To date, she has personally tried over 50 couches from some of the leading sofa brands, including Anthropologie and Article as well as internet brands Joybird and Burrow. To supplement her testing, she has interviewed higher-ups and heads of product design at companies like American Leather, Benchmade Modern, and more. Combine this newfound expertise with a year of interior designer e-commerce experience and you have yourself the perfect mentor for sofa buying.
The Best Loveseats
Price: $1849
Size: 32"H x 66"W x 43"D
Pros: Compact frame, customizable leg finish
Cons: Long lead time
I loved the Axis when I tried it. I'd describe the sit as a 4, if 5 were the most firm a sofa could be and 1 were the most plush. Still, though, it didn't feel hard; it had just the right amount of give. I tried the 38" depth and felt it was quite upright, so I think I'd prefer (and would suggest) the 43" D for something that's still compact and built for two, but good to cozy up on. That said, if you have back or knee problems and need help getting up, you might like the 38" depth more.
The Axis comes from a top-rated collection and looked just as good in-store as it does here. I think it has a great conventional sofa appearance; no bells and whistles, no design gimmicks, just a nicely made product with a bevy of positive customer reviews. Note, however, that this is not a quick-delivery sofa; you have to customize the depth, the fabric, and the leg finish, great opportunities for personalization but ones that definitely slow down the lead time. The shipping fee is also quite expensive, but it's a flat rate and in-home, meaning you only pay once (even with a larger order) and the delivery team will bring the couch to your desired room and assemble it.
Price: $1599
Size: 34"H x 72"W x 38"D
Pros: Excellent construction, stunning customer ratings
Cons: Aniline leather will require more maintenance and upkeep
If you're looking for a leather sofa, Article's Sven line is a great place to start. It's the Canadian sofa brand's best-selling collection, according to my interview with Rebecca Andrews, the company's vice president of category management. Aesthetically, it boasts a strong mid-century modern silhouette; one of the most timeless design aesthetics on the market. And cost-wise, it is extremely fairly priced. Although there are some sneaky gems out there, I try not to spend less than $800 on a sofa. And at $1600, this aniline leather-covered, engineered wood-frame constructed beauty has all the hallmarks of something twice its price at a less than-$2000 price tag.
At just 72" wide, this, like most loveseats, would make a great sofa for a small space, but particularly an office, given its more formal look. The leather will soften and patina over time, but be warned you'll likely need to buff and maintain this grade with use. To note: I have not tried the Sven myself, but I have owned an Article couch before. It served me well, despite two additional roommates and a never-ending stream of house guests, who certainly exacerbated what was already extraneous wear and tear.
Price: $649
Size: 72"W x 32"D x 30"H
Pros: Tall, tapered legs give the illusion of room height and size
Cons: The back panel wiggles
The Oliver might sit at a loveseat size, but it could fit three easily. That's the kind of versatility you want in an apartment sofa. The cushion is medium-firm, with a bit of bounce. You do have that somewhat upright sit, but the seat depth is surprisingly bigger than you'd think, which does add a touch of lounge to the overall experience. Still, though, this isn't a couch you'd want to nap on. I'd say it's good for casual TV watching (an hour or two at a time) and office sitting.
Mostly, what I love about the Oliver (which is a best-seller, by the way), is the price, which is quite competitive for the landscape. This dark olive chenille looks ten times more expensive than $700, and if you opt for the pewter linen weave, you can transform it into something pet-friendly (the tightly woven fabric resists pulling and tearing from eager claws). As for downsides, I gave this frame a good shake as part of a stress test and the back panel does wiggle a bit. It might simply be the construction and nothing more, but I think that could prove a pain point if you've got toddlers or young kids at home.
Price: $638.98
Size: 61" W x 38" H x 38" D
Pros: Polyester upholstery is easy to clean
Cons: back cushions are attached, which can complicate cleaning
The Reveon stood out to me immediately during a trip to the Ashley Home showroom. I tried the three-seater, not the loveseat (and would say I liked the look of that more), but the overall sit and feel should be the same across sizes. The back panel felt quite tall, but I really liked the additional support, and the seat depth felt great for both curling up with a book and talking with a cocktail. The green velvet upholstery (which is actually polyester, although that's to be expected at this price point) looked more luxurious than you'd expect (plus it's a versatile sofa color), while a built-in platform foundation system helps resist sagging.
If you need a low-maintenance couch material that's easy to clean, the Reveon could prove perfect. Polyester is extremely durable as well as stain-resistant, meaning grubby paws and messy kids shouldn't be a problem.
Price: $2194
Size: 85.5"W x 39"H x 42.5"D
Pros: Infinitely modular, extra-deep seat
Cons: Slightly bigger than your average loveseat, cushions wrinkle easily, not good if you have knee or back problems
The Kova is an internet-famous sofa if I've ever seen one. But Albany Park sadly has no showrooms, so if you want to try this beauty, you'll need direct access. Thankfully, I have a friend that owns this exact configuration. Personally, I loved it. Fair warning that it's very deep and wide, so there isn't much support getting up and down. Given the cloud-like look and feel, the cushions also need frequent plumping. But it could easily function as an ad hoc bed, and I thought the seats were very comfortable (again, there is little support outside of the boxy, structured frame).
My real draw of the Kova is its modularity; if you buy this loveseat and outgrow it, you only need to purchase another armless component to have yourself a three-seater. Or add in an armless seat + an ottoman for a brand-new sectional sofa. It's such a smart investment long term.
Price: From $1699
Size: 70.5" W x 38.5" D x 37" H
Pros: Slipcovered option available (great if you want a white sofa!)
Cons: One of the plushest options on this list
I fell in love with the Comfort Modern during a recent Pottery Barn sofa testing visit; the salesperson told me it's a best-seller. Design-wise, it has a simple frame — nothing crazy, just a streamlined, square look — but the sit was where I really fell in love. It's very lounge-y, and you sink into the cushions slowly as you get situated (if you choose the down blend option; the memory foam is a quicker drop). This is a pretty plush couch, so opt for something else if you want structure. But otherwise, it's a solid contender so long as you like to lounge.
What's more, the very same model is available in a slipcover sofa, which is perfect if you're in the market for a white couch. The slipcovers are fully removable and washable and did not take away from couch comfort at all in my opinion.
Honorable Mentions
Price: $699
Size: 37" D x 33" H x 75" W
Like most IKEA sofas and sleeper sofas, the Kivik is not without its issues. But from an IKEA standpoint, it's also quite well-reviewed; it's not every day you find a $700 loveseat with 145 reviews and a 4.5-star average. Its simple, boxy shape could make for a great everyday living room couch or a seating option for a nursery, especially since it has a washable cover. Customers say the Kivik is very durable around kids and pets, and that the cushions are resilient. Of all the IKEA sofas I've looked at (and I've looked at plenty), this looks, on the surface, like one of the best options available.
Price: $348
Size: 30.25" D x 50.00" W x 30.50" H
For the price and the ratings, I have yet to find a better Walmart sofa than the Noble House Velvet Loveseat in this gorgeous turmeric upholstery (my preferred choice among the three options). It's quite small, so make sure it's right for your space before you buy. But I love how modern it looks, especially with the birch wood legs (pleasantly surprised to see a Walmart listing that calls out the species) covered in a matte black finish (chic). Most comments are raving about how high-end it looks, and the overall customer rating truly stopped me in my tracks: 4.9 stars across 18 ratings. That's not a huge sample size, but with an average this high, I'm inclined to think they're doing something right. Keep an eye out for discounts here in the Black Friday furniture sales.
Price: $1730
Size: 71" W x 46.5" D x 34" H
The Loop loveseat was built with two things in mind: (1) small spaces, and (2) the planet. Free from added formaldehyde and harmful chemicals and crafted from recycled fabrics, the Loop is a purchase you can feel good about (plus its name implies the circular nature of its build). Much like the Kova, this is also a sofa with modularity at the heart; as your seating needs evolve and grow, you can add additional pieces ad hoc. This saves you money, time, and resources in the long run, as you're merely adding bits and pieces to the same base. While the Loop Loveseat comes without arms, you can add them on for an additional cost.
What size is a typical loveseat?
Figuring out sofa dimensions? We've got you covered.
A loveseat is larger than an armchair yet smaller than a two-seater sofa. However, they can generally seat two people close together, hence the name loveseat.
"Sofas are wider than loveseats," says Paula Cossarini, Product Design Manager at Article. "Loveseats typically range from approximately 55” - 75” in width, and are great for two people comfortably. Sofas can sit three or more and a pet or two."