How to buy a sofa you’ll still like in ten years

A sofa is the single biggest furniture purchase most households make, and the one where the difference between good and bad is invisible in a photograph. The upholstery you can see; what matters is underneath.

01The frame is the sofa

Kiln-dried hardwood frames (beech and birch are common) that are glued, dowelled and screwed will outlast every other component. Softwood and chipboard frames held with staples are why cheap sofas die young. Retailers rarely advertise a weak frame — if the listing doesn’t say, that is the answer. A 10- or 15-year frame guarantee is the honest signal to look for.

02Seat fill: the comfort trade-off

• Foam — holds its shape, firmer sit, no daily plumping. High-density foam (35kg/m³ and up) keeps its shape for years; bargain foam softens fast.
• Fibre — softer, relaxed look, needs plumping every few days or it flattens and stays flat.
• Feather or feather-wrap — the deep, sink-in sit and the highest maintenance; genuinely daily plumping.
• Pocket-sprung seats — the premium option; supportive, durable, and usually worth it if offered.

03Fabric, honestly

Check the rub count (Martindale): 20,000+ for everyday family use, 30,000+ if the sofa is the household’s main habitat. Woven textures hide wear; velvet shows pressure marks and loves them; bouclé is beautiful and a lint-roller commitment. With pets or small children, a removable, washable cover scheme matters more than any single fabric choice.

Leather is its own economy: aniline leathers age beautifully and scratch easily; corrected and pigmented leathers shrug off life but feel flatter. All leather wants to be sat on evenly — rotate cushions if you can.

04The four measurements

• Seat depth: 55–60cm suits most people sitting upright; 65cm+ is a lounging depth that shorter sitters will slide around in.
• Seat height: 42–48cm. Lower is harder to get out of; consider 45cm+ for anyone with knees that vote.
• Overall depth vs the room: keep at least 75cm of walkway in front of the seat.
• Access: measure the front door, hallway turns and stairwell before ordering. A surprising share of sofa returns never touched the living room.

05Corner, sofa bed, or two sofas?

Corner sofas seat the most people per square metre but commit the room to one layout for good. Two smaller sofas facing each other cost more per seat and give you a room you can rearrange. Sofa beds have improved — look for a proper sprung mattress rather than folded foam if anyone will sleep on it more than a few nights a year.