Sofas & Seating

Sofas and seating for living rooms, lounges, snugs and compact flats — from L-shaped sectionals for open-plan rooms down to 115 cm loveseats for a box room, plus sofa beds that do both jobs at once.

Browse by seating type

• Sectional sofas — L-shaped and modular designs with storage and reversible chaises.
• Sofa beds — 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 pull-out designs with trundles and bedding storage.
• Loveseats — compact two-seaters from 115 cm in corduroy, velvet, chenille and faux leather.
• Ottomans & footstools — storage seating, tray-lid footstools and end-of-bed benches.
• Floor sofas & loungers — low-profile folding seating for media and gaming corners.
• Armchairs & accent chairs — wingback, swivel, tub and rocking designs.
• Recliner & lift chairs — manual, electric and riser recliners, plus massage models.

How to choose a sofa

Work out how many people actually sit on it day to day before you size up — a generous three-seater is usually more comfortable for two than a tight four-seater. The width in the title is measured across the outside of both arms, so it is the number that decides whether the sofa fits your wall, not whether two people fit on it; our guide to seat width on compact sofas shows how far the two figures can diverge and why only 12 of 51 loveseats give two adults a comfortable 60 cm each.

Then check the seat depth, and check it against a measurement of your own rather than a rule of thumb. A seat is only usable to the back cushion if it is no deeper than the distance from your backside to the back of your knees, which for a median British adult comes out at around 48 cm once you allow clearance behind the knee. Anything deeper is a lounging seat and wants a cushion or bolster behind the lower back — most of our two-seaters are in that territory, which is fine as long as you know it. Our armchair buying guide sets out how to take the measurement and what to do with the difference.

Seat height matters just as much and is easier to check: 41.5 cm to 47.5 cm suits most British adults sitting with their feet flat. Across the 147 sofas here the seat heights that are published run 37 cm to 50 cm with a median of 45 cm, so most are in the band — but note that 48 of the 147 publish no seat height at all, and not one publishes an armrest height, which is the figure you need if you are choosing a side table to go with it. The published seat height is also taken with nobody sitting on the cushion: on the 47 sofas here that give both a seat height and a cushion thickness, 26% to 54% of that height is foam, and settling it drops the seat 3 cm to 5.75 cm. Our sofa seat height guide works out the figure you will actually be standing up from.

Pocket-sprung seats hold their shape far better than foam alone with daily use. Finally, measure your access route at its narrowest point and compare it with the packed dimensions, and consider a modular design if the sofa has to come up a tight staircase.

Sofa and seating FAQs

What size sofa fits a small living room?

A 130 cm to 150 cm two-seater usually works where a three-seater would block a walkway. A compact L-shape can also use a corner more efficiently than a sofa plus armchair. Our small living room guide works through the layout.

What seat height should I look for?

41.5 cm to 47.5 cm suits most adults. Lower seats are harder to stand up from, which is why riser recliners sit higher on purpose — 119 of our 146 recliners publish a seat height and the median is 48 cm, three centimetres above the sofa median. Subtract a quarter of the cushion thickness from any published sofa figure before you compare it with your own measurement; the seat height guide explains why.

How wide does a two-seater need to be for two people?

Judge it on seat width, not overall width. UK guidance allows 50 cm to 60 cm of seat per adult, so two people want 100 cm to 120 cm between the arms. On our range the arms take a median of 20 cm, and in 23% of loveseat pairs the wider sofa has the narrower seat — the seat width guide has the arithmetic.

Which fabric is best with children or pets?

Tight weaves such as corduroy and chenille, or easy-wipe faux leather. Avoid looped fabrics where claws can snag.

Do I need a sofa bed or a spare bed?

For occasional guests, a sofa bed with pocket springs is fine. For weekly use, add a mattress topper or choose a dedicated bed. Our sofa bed buying guide covers the bed sizes the mechanisms actually give.