The Sofa Scoop

This week, I asked my readers about their favorite sofa purchases, and their least favorite! I received hundreds of responses. I sifted through all the comments, did some research of my own, and pulled together the whole scoop to bring you this blog post!

A sofa is such a personal purchase. The right sofa for you is going to depend on your height, how you prefer to sit or lay on the sofa, how much wear and tear it will get, and where in your home it’s going. So, narrowing down all the recommendations to the top ten sofas was a challenge! I took into consideration many factors. Be sure to read through to the end for all the 411! And be sure to test out some on your own to determine the best option for YOU. (Just be sure to come back and shop my links in support of this blog 🙂 …)

A few things to remember before making a sofa purchase:

1. Beware of Pilling – Be sure to select a fabric that will not pill. Sunbrella or performance fabric is a sure way to go, but if that is not an option, avoid fabrics that are fiber blends of both synthetic and natural fabrics in one. Choose a basketweave / woven fabric to prevent pilling.
2. Shop Around – Go to lots of stores and sit on lots of sofas before you decide! Again, a sofa is a personal purchase. You and your significant other should be able to sit comfortably on it! Just be sure to come back and make your final purchase here in support of my blog. 🙂
3. Ethical Manufacturing* – In every consumer industry, there are companies that purchase parts and products, from suppliers overseas that partake in forced labor and/or child labor. This is also known as modern day slavery / human trafficking. Though major corporations don’t directly force labor themselves, traditionally, some have turned their heads as to how their suppliers make their products, for the sake of lower prices and higher revenue. It’s something to be aware of. I recommend really digging into the company policies online and see what their stance is on child labor trafficking before supporting a business that might be enabling this to happen. I have pointed out the companies below that have clearly taken a stance against forced labor & child labor, and are actively performing audits of their partners to ensure they are meeting their standard of ethics, by notating them with an asterisk: *.

Reader Favorites

Arhaus and Crate and Barrel are made in the United States and known for their quality, ethic standards, craftsmanship, and longevity! They both had raving reviews! One reader said “Arhaus brand sofas! American made and sooo comfy yet super durable with kids!” and countless others just responded that their favorite sofa purchase ever was from Crate & Barrel or Arhaus. So here’s the list of the best of the best!

The Top Ten Sofas of 2021

1. *Arhaus Baldwin or Baldwin Sleeper Sofa – This sofa is the apple pie of all sofas. It’s what you thought of growing up when you drew sketches of your dream house as a little girl! It’s the cookie cutter, 100% American girl, American-made sofa!
   
   One reader commented that it, “Holds its shape and quality!” Another reader said, “Crypton fabric is made to make it spill proof!” I had dozens of recommendations for Arhaus sofas. They are made in the U.S., and they are known for their craftsmanship and heirloom quality. With Arhaus, you have a LOT of fabric options. On their website, be sure to click into the additional fabric and color customizations to see them all!
   
   It’s important to me that they take a zero-tolerance stance on child labor and human trafficking. Their website states: “At Arhaus we value the importance of human rights and international labor standards. Through our strict code of conduct, we fully support the California Transparency in Supply Chain Act and any other efforts to eliminate all illegal and unethical treatment of individuals, including acts of slavery or human trafficking.” – Read more on their website here.
   
   The Arhaus Landsbury sofa looks very similar to Baldwin without the slipcover! This one is gorgeous in the sectional version!
   
2. *Crate and Barrel Axis II*, or Axis II Queen Sleeper Sectional* – If you’re looking for a more modern track-arm sofa (Think Caitlin Wilson mix of modern furniture with whimsy or traditional decor), then this might be the sofa for you! There were sooooo many other positive responses for this particular sofa.
   
   “Crate & Barrel Axis II has been great, and I am a picky sofa gal!”, said one reader. Another reader said, “We moved 2 years ago and got the Crate & Barrel Axis II. Love love love it!”
   
   I know that this sofa is manufactured in the United States, and it comes in many different sizes and configurations! I also love that Crate & Barrel shares the same commitment to social responsibility that Arhaus does. See Crate & Barrel’s zero-tolerance policy for human trafficking within their supply chain here.
   
3. Kelly Clarkson 90″ Rolled Arm Sofa – Who knew the girl we watched singing on American Idol would have such fine taste in home decor! I have heard so many wonderful things about The Kelly Carkson line. Everyone I have talked to who has purchased furniture from this line says they were very pleased and surprised by the superior quality. Given the beautiful design of this sofa, the reasonable price, and the fact that it comes in 107 different fabric options, this sofa is high up on my list!
   
   More in this style: Kelly Clarkson 82″ Rolled Arm Sofa / Kelly Clarkson 91″ Round Arm Sofa Bed
   
4. Serena and Lily Miramar Sofa with Bench Seat – One of the most beautiful silhouettes for a sofa I’ve ever seen. The price puts it lower on the list, otherwise it might be the top. I don’t personally know anyone with this sofa, but I don’t care, this sofa is goals! (Truth be told, I tossed this one in here on the basis of good design–that’s it!) And to be honest, Serena and Lily has been touted by Vogue, Business Insider, and countless other publications as a top designer brand, so there’s that.
   
5. Serena and Lily Jamieson Skirted Sofa – This sofa looks beautiful in blue! I love the clean lines of this sofa, and it could really go with any style decor! Ummm….have you seen all the pretty fabric options at S&L? Check them out!
   
6. Ballard Designs Candace – I love the elegant sloped arm design of this sofa. In all transparency, I got mixed reviews on Ballard sofas, but the only identifiable reason was because of low-grade fabric, which is a buyer choice. If you go with Ballard, absolutely be sure to get a higher-end performance fabric.
   
7. Ballard Designs Eton – This is a beautiful sofa. It has a similar look to the Serena and Lily, for a lower price, and one of my readers raves, “I have two Eton sofas from Ballard covered in Sunbrella and love them! Great for pets and kids!” Be sure to get the performance fabric!
   
8. Jameson U Shaped Sectional by Birch Lane – Birch Lane had lots of positive reviews from my readers, and this sectional would be so adorable with DIY fabric trim around the bottom! I would just be sure to get a fabric that isn’t prone to pilling. See my notes above about which fabric to select to avoid pilling. This style actually comes in many shapes and sizes!
   
   More in this style: L Shaped Sectional / Slipcovered Symmetrical Sectional
   
9. *Arhaus Ashby Sofa – On the modern side, but with an elegant sloping arm, the Ashby sofa is also one of my favorite lounging sofas from Arhaus. The deep seat cushions are just begging to you to lay down and watch a movie! The low profile of this sofa gives you more of a relaxed look without sacrificing elegance or style. With Arhaus, you have a LOT of fabric options. On their website, be sure to click into the additional fabric and color customizations to see them all!
   
10. Macy’s Radley Sectional – A couple of readers suggested this one. If you’re looking for a comfortable, well-made sofa for a budget-friendly price, this one is highly recommended! It has a timeless look that works with any aesthetic.

The Other Sofa Scoop

1. Bassett – This one had mixed reviews, but there were some shocking bad reviews. One reader commented, “I have a large sectional from Bassett. Do NOT buy from Bassett. Mine was $7,000 and cushions are crappy. They feel comfortable at first, but they collapse eventually, especially in the favored seating locations. Bassett will replace the cushions under their warranty, but when it expires, you’re left with collapsed cushions. This should not happen in a sofa that costs as much money as the Bassett ones do.”
2. Pottery Barn – We were so disappointed in our Pottery Barn sectional, and I did receive tons more comments from readers about their discontent with their Pottery Barn sofa or sectional. However, there were two styles that came up more than once that had POSITIVE reviews. Those were the York Collection and the Pearce Collection.
3. Klaussner – This one had mixed reviews, here’s one of the reader comments, “Have to say I bought a Klaussner sectional almost 3 years ago and had it made in the revolution fabric. Within three months it had terrible pilling, and water stains from bottled water! It’s been my most disappointing purchase ever.”
4. LoveSac – This one had mixed reviews! One reader said, “We just got a love sac and we did a deep configuration which does NOT come with the back cushions needed. So….. super annoyed that it was misrepresented on the site and we have a sloppy looking $3500 sofa. I went to order the right cushions and they don’t even offer cushion covers on their site!”
   
   Another reader says, ” My friends bought one and the seats are all held together with a clasp. They ended up returning the couch because the seats were slipping away from each other.”
5. Ethan Allen – Some people swear by their sofas, but I hesitated to get behind it because I received some polar opposite reviews too. One reader said, “NOT Ethan Allen, Mine is so uncomfortable!”
6. Ikea Ektorp or Uppland – A lot of people recommended this one. Here’s my issue with it. These are made in China, which gives me suspicion that unethical manufacturing could be involved. Ikea is not known for the heirloom quality or longevity, so that’s why it ranks lower on the list. If you’re looking for an affordable sofa, this seems to be one of the favorites, but I’m not sure that I would personally recommend it for a long-term purchase.
7. Beware! The lowest price isn’t always (or often) the best! One reader said of Wayfair’s Keeter 101″ Reversible Sectional with Ottoman, “It’s THE WORST!” For a sectional, having a $700 price tag is tempting, but that does not mean it is worth even $700!

There were so many other great recommendations, but I chose the ones that came up over and over again for my top 10! Thank you so much to everyone who responded to this Instagram story. Follow me on Instagram and LiketoKnow.it if you aren’t already!

Be on the lookout for more Reader Recs! In the mean time, browse my pinned items for the living room below!