How to choose a sofa: frame, springs, cushions and fit

Start with how you will use it

Before frame or fabric, decide what the sofa is for. A sofa that hosts films and naps every night needs a different shape from one that seats guests for conversation twice a month. Three questions settle most of it:

• Do you sit upright or lounge? Upright sitters want a shallower, firmer seat. Loungers want depth, softer cushions and a back they can sink into, or a chaise.
• Who uses it? Count the people who sit at once on a normal evening, not at your biggest party. Allow roughly 24 to 30 in (61 to 76 cm) of seat width per person.
• What has to survive it? Children, dogs, cats, red wine and sunlight each narrow the cover choice. Settle this before you fall for a color.

Write the answers down. They will save you from buying a beautiful sofa that is wrong for the room it lives in.

Check the frame first

The frame is the skeleton. A weak one creaks, racks out of square and cannot be repaired economically, however good the cushions are. You usually cannot see it, so ask, and test it in person.

• Kiln-dried hardwood (such as beech, ash or oak) is the traditional benchmark. Kiln drying removes moisture so the wood is less likely to warp or split as it adjusts to your home.
• Engineered or multi-layer plywood of good grade is strong and stable, and is widely used in well-made sofas, often alongside solid wood in high-stress areas.
• Metal frames and spines are common in contemporary and modular designs and are very rigid when well made.
• Particleboard, MDF or softwood in the structural frame is a warning sign at any price.

Joinery matters as much as material. Look for corner blocks that are glued and screwed, dowels, or mortise-and-tenon joints. Frames held together mainly with staples loosen with use.

The in-store test: lift one front corner of the sofa about 6 in (15 cm) off the floor. The other front leg should rise almost at the same time. If it stays on the ground, the frame is flexing. Then sit on the edge and on an arm: nothing should creak, shift or feel hollow.

Understand the suspension

The suspension sits under the seat cushions and decides whether the sofa stays supportive or sags into a hammock. There are four common systems:

No system is automatically best. A well-executed sinuous or webbing deck beats a poorly made coil one. Press down hard on the deck with the cushions removed: support should feel even across the seat, with no soft spots near the middle or the arms.

Choose the cushion fill

Cushion fill decides how a sofa feels on day one and how it looks after year three.

• High-density foam holds its shape and needs little maintenance. For seat cushions, a density of 1.8 lb per cubic foot or higher is often cited as the benchmark for durability. Ask for the figure; density is about longevity, while firmness is a separate measure.
• Foam wrapped in fiber or down combines a supportive core with a softer surface. It is the most popular all-round choice.
• Down and feather blends are sink-in soft and look relaxed, but they compress and need regular plumping. All-down seats look slouchy within weeks.
• Pocketed coils inside the cushion, usually wrapped in foam, add bounce and resist flattening.
• Polyester fiber fill alone is inexpensive and tends to flatten and clump; avoid it for seat cushions.

Back cushions can be softer than seat cushions because they carry less load. Also check whether cushions are loose and reversible (you can flip and rotate them to spread wear) or attached (tidier look, less upkeep, but wear concentrates in your favorite spot).

Get seat depth and height right

Comfort is mostly geometry. Three numbers decide whether a sofa fits your body:

• Seat height is typically 17 to 19 in (43 to 48 cm) from floor to top of cushion. Lower seats feel relaxed and look modern but are harder to get out of; higher seats suit taller people and anyone with stiff knees or hips.
• Seat depth (front edge to back cushion) is typically 21 to 24 in (53 to 61 cm) on a standard sofa. Deep-seat sofas run about 25 to 28 in (64 to 71 cm) or more, good for lounging, curling up and tall people; shorter people often find them hard to sit upright in without extra pillows.
• Back height sets head and neck support. Low backs look clean and keep a room open; if you like to rest your head, look for a high back or adjustable headrests.

A useful test: sit all the way back with your feet flat on the floor. Your knees should be roughly level with your hips, and the front edge of the cushion should not press into the back of your knees. If it does, the seat is too deep for you. Test for at least ten minutes, in the position you actually use at home. Our sofa dimensions guide has the full size chart.

Size it for the room and the route

The most common sofa mistake is buying one that is too big for the room, or one that will not get through the door.

• Proportion: a sofa typically looks right when it takes up no more than about two-thirds of the wall it stands against.
• Walkways: leave about 30 to 36 in (76 to 91 cm) for main paths through the room.
• Coffee table gap: about 14 to 18 in (36 to 46 cm) between the sofa front and the table edge.
• Tape it out: mark the sofa's footprint on the floor with painter's tape and live with it for a day or two.

Then measure every point on the delivery route: building entrance, hallways, stair turns, elevator, and each door, including its height and the width with the door open. Compare these with the sofa's height, depth and diagonal depth. Removable legs and modular pieces make tight routes far easier. In smaller rooms, a compact model like the Borgo keeps a full sofa's comfort in a smaller footprint. For layout help, see the living room layout guide.

Pick a cover you can live with

The cover takes the daily wear, so choose it for your household before your mood board.

• Leather wipes clean, does not hold pet hair or dust, and develops character with age. Protected (pigmented) leather is the most practical finish for families. See leather vs fabric and types of leather.
• Tightly woven fabric offers the widest range of color and texture and feels warm to the touch. Performance fabrics are made to resist stains and abrasion.
• Loose weaves and loop textures such as some bouclés look soft but can snag on claws, jewelry and zips.
• Removable, washable covers extend the life of a family sofa considerably.

Check the fabric's cleaning code: W (water-based cleaners), S (solvent-based only), W/S (either), or X (vacuum only). For abrasion, a Wyzenbeek rating of 15,000 double rubs or more is commonly cited as heavy-duty for home use. Always order a swatch and look at it in your room, in daylight and at night.

Set a budget and a checklist

Spend where it cannot be changed later. A sofa with a sound frame and suspension can be reupholstered or have its cushions refilled; one with a weak frame cannot be saved. If the budget is tight, give up extras like power functions or a premium cover before you give up construction.

Our Editions living collection is designed for everyday family life, for example the Piazza with pocketed-coil seats and protected leather. Made-to-order Italia sofas such as Quiete, built around layered, posture-focused support, sit at the investment end. You can also configure size, cover and modules with Create your sofa.

Sofa buying checklist

1. Room measured, footprint taped out, walkways of 30 to 36 in kept clear.
2. Every door, stair turn and elevator on the delivery route measured.
3. Frame: kiln-dried hardwood, quality plywood or metal; glued and screwed or doweled joints.
4. Suspension tested by hand with cushions removed: even, no soft spots.
5. Cushion fill and foam density confirmed.
6. Seat height and depth tested for at least ten minutes, in your real sitting position.
7. Cover chosen for kids, pets and sunlight; swatch seen at home; cleaning code noted.
8. Delivery, returns and care terms read before paying.