Sofas UK 2021: The best sofas and couches to furnish your home, whatever your budget
Whatever your style, here you’ll find a comfy, hard-wearing sofa to match
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A new sofa should be a source of excitement, offering, as it does, the opportunity to introduce a distinct style element into your house, and ante up the comfort levels at the same time. The opportunities are myriad – from timeless practicality to Avant Garde fashion sofas, there’s something for everyone.
You likely haven’t failed to notice that sofas come in at every imaginable price point. And yes, as always, spending more will likely result in a more luxurious sofa, made of hard-wearing materials and with firmer, more long-lasting packing. But there are some great choices for those on a tighter budget – Made.com and Wayfair are reliable.
Mid-range, Nkuku, Swoon, Cox & Cox, Maisons du Monde and Darlings of Chelsea are our go-tos when making recommendations, while if you’re in the position to flash some serious cash, The Conran Shop crafts luxuriant sofas, with top-flight specifications.
We’re wary of citing interior trends, because in our experience it is smarter to purchase furniture to match your living situation, rather than buy a fashionable piece that won’t blend in with the rest of your surroundings. We do have some advice, though.
If you’re a renter, bold colours or more interesting prints can be a good way of introducing some personality into a flat which will otherwise not necessarily have décor to match your taste.
Think about the fabrics you enjoy the feel of, or will serve your lifestyle. Velvet is fantastic if you love tactility. Leather is a great go-to if you live with mucky creatures, who will leave paw-prints or hand-prints wherever you go. If you’re worried about the feel of leather under (ahem) bottom, rest assured there are some delightfully soft, buttery options available now, that simply soften and improve with age.
If you’re in an open plan home, or a studio space, consider a sofa that may serve as a room divider, which can help create a sense of specific, fit-for-purpose areas without interrupting the appealing flow of an open plan room.
Small rooms, and a sofa with a slim footprint can create cosiness without impinging on all what little space you have available. Consider low slung sofas with raised legs (to let light through) – this helps suggest spaciousness in a room that is anything but.
Harper Sofa in Dusty Rose Velvet
If you’re looking for a sofa that you can plant yourself on, and then never want to get up, the Harper Sofa is in. With a gorgeous velvet upholstery, it’s soft to the touch, while the sofa itself is perfect to slouch on – the reclined back is ideal for lengthy spells of idleness. Lovely low-slung armrests for if you need an afternoon nap, too. The shell-shaped design is ever so chic. We love it.
Absolutely. There’s too many to list here, but it can be made in any colour, or material, you can imagine. That said, we think the dusty pink velvet model is too, too gorgeous.
Depends so much on how you chose to customise that it’s not worth itemising here.
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Joules Fluted Velvet Sofa
This is a very reasonably priced sofa that, made by Joules in collaboration with DFS, will nevertheless last well (and is awfully comfy). The Art Deco, fluted design is effortlessly cool, and by being armless it avoids the ‘boxed-in’ feeling some more traditional sofas can give to a room.
Available in rich blue or grey.
Materials: wooden legs Upholstery: Velvet Dimensions: H 79.5 x W 130 x D 68cm
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Ritchie 3 Seater Sofa, Anthracite Grey with Rainbow Buttons
This design-led, mid-century Danish sofa is cheerful, fun, and eye-catching, with its rainbow buttons and angular design.
With tapered solid wood legs, and firm, but yielding cushioning (great at bouncing back to shape), it has a distinctly modern feel and is perfect for smaller spaces.
You have a choice of seven different, rather muted, colour block shades.
Materials: foam filling, wooden legs Upholstery: polyester Dimensions: Height 86cm, Width 188cm, Depth 85 cm, Weight 38kg
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New Houston Leather 3 Seater
Because, to be frank, it looks utterly cool. Extremely comfortable, it has a deep seat to sink into, and curved arms and chunky walnut wooden feet to give it a rustic look – but still thoroughly modern. Best of all, the layered fibre deep cushioning makes its bliss to sit on, while the leather upholstery makes it effortless to clean.
Materials: masonite frame, wooden feet, foam filling with layered fibre Upholstery: leather Dimensions: W221 x D101 x H84cm
There’s a choice of 27 different leathers, in different colours.
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Sutton
The Sutton wouldn’t look out of place in an English manor house, but will look equally handsome in a family home or chic apartment. With brass capped feet, for that classic feel, it contains feathers in it’s filling to help make it plushly soft to sit on.
Dimensions: 164 cm x 90 cm x 66 cm Weight: 39 kg Materials: pine and engineered wood frame, beech legs Filling materials: foam, feather and polyfibre
Yes, with an exterior of velvet, smart wool, or soft wool fabrics, in a choice of multiple different colours – all solid, block colours.
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Chiddingfold
Inspired by a 19th century Petworth chair, the Chiddingfold has that old-school elegance, matched to the high-performance materials of modern day. With a Howard arm and a deep, button back, it looks chic, feels great to sit on, and will remain forever in style.
Materials: Traditional hardwood frame, solid oak feet, feather wrapped foam seat cushions. Dimensions depend on the model purchased.
With fabrics from a choice of velvet, linen, plain, cotton, wool, and corduroy, in a choice of solid block colours or patterned fabric, and as a chair, two, three, or four seater – if you can dream it, they can make the Chiddingfold to match.
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Deni Grand Sofa
Love to sink into your sofa? The Deni is for you, deep seated with plush cushions for proper relaxation. It’s intended for two people who want to stretch out and relax – no fighting for couch space here.
Dimensions: 78 X 225 X 110cm Materials: wood frame and legs Upholstery: pure linen cloth
Aesthetically, its gentle contours look contemporary, not stuffy, but manage the neat trick of being timeless, too. If you love real, hard-would floors, exposed brick, and earthy tones, the Deni will likely suit you to a T.
The fabric is always pure cloth linen, but you can choose one of six solid block colours, in muted tones.
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Rondo Sofa Tan Leather 3-Seater
The Conran Shop proclaims this sofa to be “created as a celebration of the art of leather working” and my word, is it ever. British designer Lucy Kurrein collaborated with design house Molinari Living and the Conran Shop to create a luxury leather 3-seater sofa meant to be reminiscent of a boxing punching bag. We think that undersells this astonishing piece, which is just effortlessly glamorous. The cushions are hefty and full, while the legs are slim and discrete. With leather so buttery you’ll be tempted to eat it, this masterpiece is ideal if you’re after a sofa that’s – miracle of miracles – firm and cushy all at once. If you can afford it, you won’t regret it.
What, try and improve upon perfection?
Nobilis Tegola tan leather Dimensions: 240cm (w) x 75cm (h) x 96cm (d)
Seat Height: 44cm
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Lennox 2-Seater Sofa
Everything the Conran Shop produces is of superlative quality, and the Lennox 2-Seater is one of the few sofas they sell that is affordable, as well. In plush velvet, this is a deep-seated, soft sofa, that nevertheless provides enough support to look after after or ailing backs. Understated and chic, it will fit almost any surroundings. Lovely stained beech wooden legs, too.
there are 42 different colour options, paired with 6 fabric options. 178cm (w) x 78cm (h) x 91cm (d) Seat Height: 45cm
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