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29 sofa designs for every kind of interior
The sofa is arguably the most important thing you're likely to buy for your living room, and will likely be one of the biggest investments you make when it comes to furniture. As our Style Decoration editor Ruth Sleightholme advises, “as far as living room furniture goes, I would always start with the sofa. Once you have somewhere to rest your rump, the urgency is off. Everything else can simply wait until you find the perfect piece.”
We have the Victorians to thank for the ubiquity of sofas, which had formerly been confined to the houses of the rich. ‘Sofa’ comes from the word ‘suffah’ in Arabic meaning ‘bench’ – Arab countries were using rudimentary forms of group seating long before the Europeans cottoned on. But the couches that we're familiar with today have their origins in the 17th century, explains House of Hackney's Decorating Consultant, Steve Corcoran: “The Drop End or 'Knole' sofa, for example, takes its name from Knole in Kent where it is believed the style originated in around 1640, and where the original still resides today. It is distinctive for its high back, is matched by equally high sides which drop down at each end and are held in place by ropes, often with decorative tassels at the ends." By the 19th century, the Victorians had developed advanced upholstery techniques like deep-buttoning and coil-sprung seats, and a period of industrialisation meant tasks previously only possible by hand could be mass-produced in less time and for less money.
The move towards Modern, Art Deco and Contemporary styles of furniture in the 20th century brought about a more streamlined version of sofa design. The 1950s saw the rise of matching furniture suites; the 1970s introduced comfortable fabrics like corduroy and velvet in earthy colours. The 1980s and 90s were epitomised partly by a revival of frilly, chintzy sofa designs, but also by the rise of clean lines, neutral colours and ergonomic design. With each evolution, there's a sense of inching towards an acceptance that we spend a huge amount of time slouching on the couch. (A study from 2024 shows that around 78% tend to eat their dinner on the sofa.)
With increased usage comes a growing need for durability. Whilst you can't control the inevtable footfall of toast crumbs and cat scratches, Fiona McKenzie Johnson reminds us that “what you can control is how that sofa (and indeed any armchairs) is covered.” For “full indestructibility” Henriette von Stockhausen of VSP Interiors recommends the following: “first know that a woven pattern will be more durable than a print,” then “loose covers which can be regularly washed (I’ve used a woven ticking for mine, which is inexpensive and machine washable – and soaks up salt water before it gets to the feather filling), or upholstering a sofa in a rug, kilim or “vintage Anatolian fabric.” As for an incredibly sturdy design, Henriette recommends George Smith. You can, of course, simply put a blanket or throw over your sofa – and this is good for a dog (especially since it’s easy to remove when you’ve got guests). Caravane now offers a handy amalgamation of a sofa cushion and a blanket in the form of their ‘sofa cover’, a kind of luxurious futon layer that could either be dedicated to a (very luck) dog, or saved for “best" for an instant sofa upgrade.
Indeed, sofa dressing is an entire art form, as our Features Editor reminds us. “ There is something very sad about a sofa upholstered in a plain fabric without a single patterned cushion to spice it up,” says Elizabeth. “The opposite is equally jarring – a sofa in a lively fabric without cushions to ground it can end up sticking out like a sore thumb. At the other end of the spectrum, however, you might end up with a sofa so laden with cushions that it fails to serve its core purpose – to provide comfort.”
Then it comes to thinking about how you like to use your sofa. Do you like to lounge in deep, pudding-like upholstery? If so then buy something deep and squashy. If you have more of a tendency to perch, or if the sofa is for a formal drawing room, then perhaps you can cope with something a bit more upright, even an elegant cane-backed antique option rather than something fully upholstered. Don't feel that you have to stick to traditional shapes either - there's a whole world of sofa designs out there. If you're prepared to hunt the perfect piece down, 20th-century design can offer a wide range of interesting forms, and contemporary sofas can be as wild and extravagant as you like.
Whatever your preferred style, scroll down for inspiration, and then check out our selection of the best sofas to buy now.
Astrid Templier1/27The tonal blue and green scheme in this Herne Hill house by Pandora Taylor is tied together by this neatly formed but comfortable sofa, which features a lovely skirt, and is custom-made in ‘Bagatelle Rain’ by Linwood. The blue velvet sofa on the right is from Sofa.com and the scalloped rug is by Jennifer Manners
Christopher Horwood2/27In the pink sitting room of Hatta Byng's Georgian house in Yorkshire, the walls in ‘Masquerade – Mid’ by Little Greene are the backdrop for a relaxed mix of pieces including a large sofa in ‘Josephine’ linen from Nicole Fabre Designs and an armchair found on Ebay, now re-covered in Fermoie’s ‘Marden’.
Boz Gagovski3/27Stella Weatherall's citrus yellow sofa is upholstered in Pierre Frey's ‘Craft Linen in Mimosa’ and is perfectly offset by the jute rug from The Conran Shop. The cane-wrapped standing lamp is from Foster & Gane, paired with a hand-stitched lampshade from Howe. The cushions in red and navy blue artfully highlight the colours in the rest of the room, ensuring the yellow sofa doesn't feel like an outlier in the scheme.
Dean Hearne4/27In this comfortable snug in an interior designer's 17th-century Devon farmhouse sits an antique reconditioned sofa covered in a stripe by Mulberry Home, which takes centre stage in the snug with its inflated pillows and selection of cushions from Ralph Lauren Home.
Mark Fox5/27The low-slung, 1970s style sofa in Orlagh McCloskey's London house is the ‘Baxter’ from Milano Sofa. The cushions in clashing patterns have been layered to pick out details from the Matisse-esque painting above the sofa. The Picasso cushions are from The Conran Shop, the blue are from OKA, and the brown ones are Soho House.
Mark Roper6/27Christabel MacGreevy used opulent materials in this Islington house, to elevate a formerly blank, white space. In the living room, the dainty mouldings added to the walls by Christabel frame a work by the fashion photographer Tim Walker. The motif is echoed in the upholstery of the pink sofa, a Facebook Marketplace find. The sofa fabric is from Romo and the coral-red piping from Samuel & Sons in a colour drawn from the picture above.
Jake Curtis7/27The London flat of interior designer and dealer Georgie Stogdon has an elegantly pared-back aesthetic, with white walls warmed up by textiles and interesting pieces. The sofa fits in with this serene aesthetic, designed by Georgie, in a Japanese canvas from Cloth House.
Michael Sinclair8/27Opposite the fireplace in the opulent sitting room of Martin Brundnizki's 17th-century Sussex flat, And Objects’ ‘Binderton’ sofa in Fadini Borghi’s ‘Budapest’ fabric sets the tone and palette for the entire room. The ikat material has a range of colours in it - reds, pinks and greens - all of which are picked up by the cushions in various fabric offcuts which creates a rich, dynamic sofa tableaux.
Christopher Horwood9/27In the first-floor drawing room of this Huguenot weavers' house, the black and red striped sofa sings against the dusty blue panelled walls. The Howard-style sofa, made bespoke by Larsen Oliver, is upholstered in antique Anatolian textile, ingeniously used in reverse so that there are no tufts on show.
Owen Gale10/27The comfortable sitting room at the front of Angus and Charlotte Buchanan's London townhouse is dominated by this wonderfully puffy and bold Studio Sofa by Buchanan Studio in Ruby Studio Stripe. A bold stripe is contemporary but timeless, and works well in most sitting rooms. This material is also very durable, working well in a house with young children and a dog. The ottoman was also made by the studio, and features a bottom half in Ticking Rose and a top upholstered in leather.
Adrian Brisco11/27Sofas don't have to be bulky, fully upholstered behemoths. This elegant French Fifties, faux-bamboo-frame sofa from Lorfords Antiques is a much lighter option, perfectly suiting its summer setting. The sofa is upholstered in 'Kristina' (51B), cotton, £75 a metre, from Les Indiennes
Davide Lovatti12/27An Ensemblier ‘Hanmer’ sofa in a Jasper fabric by Michael S Smith and a George Spencer velvet takes centre stage in Tara Craig's tiny London flat.
Paul Massey13/27Henriette Von Stockhausen has restored this wonderful 19th-century house with beautiful fabrics and attention to detail. The sofa is probably by Ico Parisi.
Simon Upton14/27'An informal sitting room should be a place where guests feel like they can put their feet on the furniture, with everything at hand,' says Nicky Haslam, whose living room this is. 'Next to sofas should be a place to rest things at arm's length. This may seem like a silly detail, but it is an important one in practice. The sofas are slip-covered in 'Jaisalmer' by John Stefanidis, a hard-wearing off-white cotton. The covers are the same ones I had when I first moved in 40 years ago and they still don't need to be replaced.'
Jérôme Galland15/27Pierre Yovanovitch's chateau in the south of France is packed with the best of 20th-century design, showcasing some of the unusual shapes you can find if you're prepared to hunt through auctions and design galleries for the perfect piece. This sofa is by Axel Einar Hjorth and was designed in the early 1930s.
Michael Sinclair16/27If you're lucky enough to have expansive rooms to fill, why not try a non-traditional shape, like the long curves of this elegant sofa by Vladimir Kagan, which exerts a decidedly Hollywood feel. The owners of this London house have called upon the expertise of Maddux Creative's design duo to maximise space and light and play up the distinctive period details. The first floor drawing room is a glamorous space, where curved furniture and voluminous curtainsreflect the curved shape of the window and ornate architraves.
Rachel Whiting17/27If you invest in a good sofa, it's something you can keep for the rest of your life, so why not consider having something custom-made? In Gabby Deeming's Bloomsbury flat she says ' Very little felt consciously designed, with the exception of the sofa, which was made for me by David Seyfried; it's a deeper, longer version of his ‘Cadogan’ design.'
Owen Gale18/27Susan Deliss designed this Suffolk house, showing her love of colour and print via the sofa, which is upholstered in Lewis & Wood's 'Nantes' Overdye fabric.
Rachel Whiting19/27For small spaces, an antique sofa can be an excellent option. Consider something like this 'Liberty' 1920s velvet-covered sofa from Matthew Cox.
Paul Massey20/27A marble fireplace from Jamb is flanked by two Beaumont & Fletcher sofas covered in Claremont’s wool/silk ‘Toile Chenonceau’ in a London flat by Virginia Howard.
Matthieu Salvaing21/27Another unusually shaped sofa from Pierre Yovanovitch's chateau - this one by Frits Henningsen, designed around 1930.
Michael Sinclair22/27Relaxed seating characterise this room, including a George Smith sofa recovered in 'Icelandic Poppies' velvet by GP&J Baker and Habitat's 'Higginson' sofa, in natural linen by John England. These are found in the living room of a cottage in Oxfordshire.
Tim Beddow23/27Sarah Vanrenen transformed a drab Victorian house with her signature use of pattern and colour. The smart armless sofa, sandwiched between two bookcases, is covered in Sarah's 'Sunda' linen in red, which is sold at Penny Morrison's shop and works excellently with the bold red patterned carpet.
Simon Upton24/27An Anglo-Indian sofa covered in 'Antalya', an embroidered linen by Vaughan, and four armchairs upholstered in a green mohair velvet make up a smart seating area at a seventeenth-century farmhouse in the Chilterns.
Rachel Whiting25/27This Fifties loveseat, by Cesare Lacca from Béton Brut is an amazing distinctive shape, made particularly rich when covered in ‘Rooksmoor Velvet’ (mulberry), cotton, £90.85 a metre, from Lewis & Wood.
Michael Sinclair26/27The sofas in Guy Tobin's south London house were made for the space and have been covered in cotton velvets – the yellow one is in Lelièvre’s ‘Cosmos’.
Mel Yates27/27For the drawing room of this Hampshire vicarage, antique dealer and interior designer Max Rollitt used a Regency sofa - a non-bulky option that suits the airiness of the room.
