We think you’ll agree with us when we say that having a sofa in the living room is non-negotiable. Like a mattress or a wardrobe, the best sofas offer both function and form – no matter whether you’re a Netflix binger, a book reader, a gossip giver, or a professional napper.
Sofas aren’t just comfortable, though. The right living room sofa ideas can enhance your design aesthetic while offering you the chance to add your own stamp to your living room. But with so many different styles of sofa on the market, shopping for a sofa can seem overwhelming.
That’s why we decided to do the hard work for you. The team at Ideal Home has rounded up our favourite sofa brands, so you know you’re shopping in the right place - no matter what side of the ‘outside clothes on the sofa’ debate you are!
Where to buy a sofa – the quick list
Why you can trust Ideal Home Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
- Darlings of Chelsea: wide range of upholstery options
- Furniture Village: comfortable budget buys
- Habitat: stylish yet affordable sofas
- John Lewis & Partners: practical and stylish
- Loaf: squishy seating that's perfect for lounging
- Marks & Spencer: not just a sofa, but an M&S sofa
- ScS: budget sofas that won't break the bank
- Snug: self-assembly sofas perfect for awkward spaces
- Sofa.com: wide range of styles and great upholstery options
- Swyft: sofa-in-a-box with super fast delivery
- Wayfair: a huge selection of seating
11 of our favourite places to buy a sofa
While we always like to look for the most affordable furniture options for our homes, we’d be lying if we said that sofas were cheap. As they’re one of the biggest pieces of furniture in your house, sofas are more expensive than your average pair of curtains or a new TV unit.
Don’t worry, though. Below are sofas that will fit not only all kinds of shapes, sizes, and styles but also all kinds of budgets. So you can choose something affordable and stylish.
1. Habitat
Long gone are the days of circling our favourite items in the Argos catalogue, but that doesn’t mean that we’ve stopped lusting over Argos products. Especially as Habitat at Argos offers original and on-trend designs while keeping its prices low. So, it’s perfect if you’re looking to decorate your living room on a budget.
Our star sofa from Habitat at Argos has to be the Moda Fabric 3 Seater Sofa, for its effortless style and simplicity. And while we love the neutrality and versatility of the duck egg colour, it also comes in various other colours (including olive, mustard, grey, black, or navy). Because of this, you could tie it into any colour scheme.
2. ScS
Known for its traditional styles and shapes, ScS is another one of our favourite sofa brands. Whether you want a two-seater for your small living room, a recliner for extra comfort, or even a sofa bed for when you have guests to stay, this sofa brand has a sofa to suit all styles and budgets. And we have a particular soft spot for this brand, as its sofas are extremely high quality.
We love a classic look at Ideal Home, and this Inspire Westwood Fabric Grand Split Sofa from ScS is the epitome of classic. From the style and shape of the sofa, it’ll be a hit in any living room. But it's the neutral colours that really won us over. With this as a base, you have the scope to enhance the sofa with the cushions or throw blankets of your choosing.
3. Sofa.com
Not only does Sofa.com offer some super on-trend sofa shapes that rival designer seating (at far more affordable price points), but it offers a brilliant selection of upholstery options that mean you're pretty much guaranteed to find a sofa colour and fabric to match your living room decor.
You can understand why the Tiffany Slim Corner Sofa is our star product from Sofa.com, can't you? While the light terracotta colour is making all of our Mediterranean decor dreams come true, the size and shape also work perfectly for those with large families.
4. Furniture Village
For Furniture Village, comfort is key. This brand understands the importance of having a comfortable place to sit at the end of the day, and its countless sofas in all different shapes and styles revolve around this key point. Upholstery options are somewhat limited, but that means price points are very affordable.
Can you really go wrong with a leather recliner sofa? While many leather recliners are big, bulky, and often incredibly ugly, the Jude 3 Seater Sofa offers something new and exciting. Offering sleek metal legs and taking up a relatively small surface area for a reclining sofa, this Furniture Village find is an absolute steal.
5. John Lewis & Partners
John Lewis & Partners offers a brilliant range of sofas, from contemporary designs to timeless classics. The brand blends comfort, quality, and a great range of upholstery options in its in-house range, as well as offering sofas from independent brands Swoon, Swyft, and more.
The Ideal Home team cannot get enough of this Lozenge Grand 5-Seater Chaise End Sofa, and can you blame us? The boucle furniture trend is still alive and kicking, and this John Lewis & Partners addition is just the latest piece to add to our obsession. Featuring an asymmetric shape and space for five, it’s not as expensive as you’d imagine, either.
6. Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer has really upped the ante with its furniture over the past few years, and this brand now offers some of the best on-trend pieces money can buy - including a dupe of the famous Bordallo cabbage bowl. Its sofas are also extremely stylish while still offering pieces in the price range we love to see at Ideal Home.
You can guarantee strong and sturdy sofas at M&S, and this Monroe Large 2 Seater Sofa is no different. And if you're looking for green living room ideas, this mid-century-inspired sofa could definitely fit the bill. With over 93 fabrics to choose from, though, you can tailor our top pick to your specific design requirements.
7. Darlings of Chelsea
At Ideal Home, we know the importance of the sofa. And if you won’t settle for anything less than handcrafted goodness, Darlings of Chelsea could be the best sofa brand for you. Offering everything from leather sofas to handcrafted sofa beds, it has a sofa to suit every style and budget. Plus, they’re just so effortlessly chic.
If your sofa style revolves around sinking into a giant marshmallow-esque cushion, the Purley Extra Deep Range was made for you. Its extra deep cushions offer the ultimate comfort, while the hardwood frame still offers that sense of stability and quality you need for such a focal point in the living room.
8. Loaf
At Ideal Home, we’re all about that laid-back living, and Loaf offers that in abundance. Focusing on sofas that are the definition of both squishy and squashy, its designs all look as comfortable as they feel. And with sofas in so many different shades and colours, you’re bound to find one that works with your living room colour scheme.
We know a white sofa is risky, but you’ll be happy to know that our top pick from Loaf comes in so many different colours. 132 of them, to be exact. Its Crumpet Sofa offers extra-deep cushioning for extra comfort, and that’s something we just can’t get enough of in the office.
9. Swyft
Alongside Swyft's focus on style and comfort, this brand has focused on practicality and the ease of ordering a new sofa. After all, choosing the right sofa can be stressful! Offering a 'Sofa in a Box,' Swyft sofas will quite literally be delivered in a box on your doorstep. In doing this, they promise super fast delivery times.
Buying a sofa relies on a certain level of understanding of space and size, but the modular aspect of the 3-seater MODEL 03 solves everyone's problems. This is our star product because you can pick and choose how you set up this sofa and move it around in a way that works for you and your living room. And it's pretty stylish, right?
10. Snug
When a sofa brand is called Snug, you know it's worth your time. A firm favourite of the Ideal Home team, this brand is all about offering easy ways to level up your seating game without the hassle. As well as offering countless styles and colour options, these sofas will take just minutes to put together.
If you're in the market for a corner sofa, The Small Biggie Corner Sofa offers both the size and the style that you could be looking for. And while we can't get enough of the soft teal tones of this particular sofa, you can customise it however you'd like. In fact, this style comes in an array of beautiful and soft neutral tones to choose from.
11. Wayfair
At Ideal Home, we're huge Wayfair fanatics. As well as offering amazing Wayfair discount codes throughout the year, this brand also sells everything from Tupperware to Christmas tinsel. And when it comes to sofas, it's fair to say that they're the cheapest on this list.
Who says a sofa is just for the living room? While there's no doubt that this Eleutherius 3 Seater Vegan Leather Sofa would work perfectly in a living room, we can't help but think that this would brighten up a hallway - while also offering a handy spot to sit and pop on your shoes. And as it's vegan leather, you don't have to feel guilty, either.
FAQs
How much should a good quality sofa cost?
When it comes to sofas, prices vary. While you can easily pick up a budget sofa that ticks all of your boxes for under £300, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's good quality. On average, it's suggested that a good quality sofa will set you back anywhere between £1500-£3000.
Of course, everyone's needs and wants are different when it comes to a sofa. So, it's a good idea to set your budget first and then research what you can buy for that price.
Is it worth spending money on a sofa?
If you plan to spend a lot of time on your sofa, and you want it to last a long time, it's definitely worth spending money on a sofa. As one of the main pieces of furniture in your house, it is an investment piece, but an investment that will probably pay in the long run.
After all, cheap sofas rarely stand the test of time and are easily marked and stains. More expensive sofas are normally handcrafted and hardwearing.
What is the average life expectancy of a sofa?
On average, you should expect a good quality sofa to last between 7 to 15 years. This all depends on how much you use it, and how well you take care of it, though.
It's not uncommon to see general signs of wear and tear within the first few years of buying a sofa, but by cleaning it regularly and inspecting the main frame of the sofa for any cracks or fractures, there's no reason why it shouldn't last 15 years.
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