As Apartment Therapy reader LilyC commented on Good Questions: Deep Sofa for Tall Folks?, "comfort is in the rear of the beholder." My sentiments exactly.
Your height and the length of your legs matter, as does the amount of, ahem, padding you have on your backside. For some, a comfortable couch is one that you sink into, a place where lounging evolves easily into sleeping. For others, a comfortable couch is one with a bit of structure and support. But in a review of Apartment Therapy posts on sofas and couches, a handful of winners do emerge. I have also thrown in a few from my own personal experience, both in my own home and on floor models in area stores.
• 1 Lounge from Crate & Barrel. $1,449+. Very deep and very squishy without being saggy, the Lounge is the kind of couch on which you can watch 4 seasons of The Sopranos without a break. I practically fell asleep on the floor model today when I did my test-drive at the store.
• 2 Couchoid from Blu Dot, $1,179. Some people swear by this funky sofa. In answer to our post, Good Question: Is Blu Dot's Couchoid Comfortable? one reader commented that the low arms make it difficult to lean back so isn't a "sink-into-the-cushions" couch. But I know folks who have no problem chilling out on the hip-looking Couchoid.
• 3 Coussin by French designer Inga Sempé for Norwegian manufacturer L.K. Hjelle. I found this baby on My Modern Met Oh, my, does this sofa look amazing. I cannot track down a price but I fear the worst. The Coussin is like a bed with pillows from your head to your toes. If this were my couch I would watch a lot more TV.
• 4 Jasper by Room & Board, $1,399. Our post Room & Board Couch Round-Up: the Good, the Bad, and the Un-Comfy, garnered 46 comments, with very little consensus on the Jasper. Some folks claim it is the ultimate in lounging comfort; others say it is too upright and bouncy for serious laziness.
• 5 Axis from Crate & Barrel, $1,699. The salesperson at Crate & Barrel told me that the Axis and the Lounge (#1) are the store's bestsellers in the comfort category. And I must say, the Axis, especially the sectional, was indeed very deep and enveloping when I (literally) climbed into it.
• 6 Case Study from Modernica. $2,695. I have never sat on one of these couches but I have a friend who adores hers. Looks pretty upright and firm, though, so not for the lounger who likes to be engulfed by a couch.
• 7 Togo from Ligne Roset, $3,135. Here's a couch that makes a style statement but also gets rave reviews for being incredibly comfortable.
• 8 Gabriel II from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. I thought this was the best of the bunch at Mitchell Gold, though I haven't been to the store for a while. Would love some input on this and other couches from the store responsible for the book "Let's Get Comfortable."
• 9 Grand-scale roll arm from Restoration Hardware, $1245 – 3250. This is the couch we have in our "McMansion room," the uber-macho room on our top floor where my husband hunkers down to watch his 72-inch TV. He is 6'5 so this long and quite deep couch is ideal for extended (read: compulsive) TV viewing. I must say, it is a bit too big and sloppy for me. I think I prefer a little more structure.
• 10 Jackson from Room & Board, $1,899. Apartment Therapy readers are divided on the Jackson's comfort quotient. Some readers say it is just about as comfortable and cozy as a couch can get.
What is your favorite comfy couch? Did we miss any?
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It should be noted that the price you have listed for the Togo is only for one of those pieces, not the grouping pictured.
Damn that beautiful, expensive thing.
none of these have really long cushions, which to me make a counch much more comfortable. I have two West Elm walton chaises pushed together and I rarely want to leave it.
Those are pretty much all gorgeous, but so not in my price range! I'll stick with my PB Square sofa I got from my grandmother.
wow. i didn't realize that the only comfortable couches had to be thousands of dollars.
maybe AT should come up with a wider range of couch options in ALL prices ranges, not just expensive options.
This one I have in my place.
http://www.homedecorators.com/P/Boxer_Tufted_Sofa/270/
It pretty deep, which I love and pretty comfortable and it is on sale right now!
While shopping recently, the sofas most comfortable to my husband were uncomfortable to me, and vise versa. We compromised on an inexpensive, sturdy, black leather American Signature sofa whose look and comfort we both found OK. The dogs, who use it most, find it very comfortable.
The Macy's Corona and Chloe sofas are very comfortable, and much more affordable (it's usually less than $1,000).
I'm all for the Ligne Roset sofa. Especially the Alphaville knock-off. Its very comfy (and inexpensive).
The PB Basic is a superior napping machine.
follow-on... I've had mine for about 2 years now and absolutely love it. My wife, who hates low-slung seating, hates it.
http://www.alphavilledirect.com/alphaville-downlow-sofa-set.html
The quality is quite good.
I'm waiting for my Axis loveseat to be delivered. I went back and forth between the Axis and the Troy in the showroom, and the Axis won out with its softer, down-blend cushions. The loveseat will be used for solitary lounging (reading, napping) vs. socializing, so the deep cushions appealed to me.
I have a Macy's Zen sofa, which doesn't look as good as the Corona, but fit my 5' height better. It's suprisingly comfortable for lounging - the sloping back is just the right angle, with or without pillows, and the solid bottom cushion makes it easy to prop up a book or the laptop on my knees. On sale ~$600, with a 7 year extensive warranty. It's not a forever couch, but it works for me, for now.
(re#6: Modernica Case-study couch)...
We have the Case study chair (and the Split-Rail couch... and the Papa Bear Chair). The Case Study pieces are indeed firm and a bit small/shallow. It's definitely not a "movie watching" piece and the Split-rail is even more unforgiving.
Modernica's pieces are beautiful and particularly well-made -- the craftsmanship is really top-notch (save the strapping on our Papa Bear which is sagging and not-warrantly-replaceable).
However, the pieces are small in scale and not really optimized for the way "modern people live". In other words, better for a showplace living room or office and not as appropriate for a sofa that you flop down on and watch TV.
totally loungin' on my CB Lounge now.
I have a sofa from Scandinavian Designs (seems to be local to the Bay Area?). http://www.scandinaviandesigns.com/home_living_sofas_fabric/item/3546
It was about $900 and similar to several of these, especially the Crate and Barrel Axis. It only came in a couple of colors at that price (extra charge for custom fabric), but for the price, it was the most comfortable couch for us. The only other couches you can get at that price are ones from Ikea or damaged/floor models from C&B or PB-type stores. The main problem is that the big back cushions are so wide that they're now somewhat saggy after leaning against them nearly every day for 4+ years. We can fluff them up to some degree, but it seems like the microfiber has stretched out to where they won't go taut anymore.
I would probably consider the Alphaville knockoff, but I'm not fond of the color options, or the fabric. If only it weren't microfiber. Yuck.
Looking at the Togo pricing and calculating just how long it would take for me to save up for what I want, in leather. Oh boy...
The Hovas by IKEA is their deepest couch (at 43 1/4" deep without cushions) and quite comfortable. I think it's definitely sturdier than their other couches and it has survived quite well (in the brown corduroy) in our apartment over the past year. It's also more affordable than the other options listed here ($499-699).
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S59864500
I really love my friend's Ikea Kramfors sectional. So deep, with low arms perfect to put a pillow against for napping. I can't imagine why they stopped making it (in fabric), it was one of their more attractive models.
The Togo set shown would probably be more like $11,000, plus tax and shipping. Just guessing. I saved for years and splurged on just the loveseat and ottoman. They are my two favorite inanimate objects.
Surprised nothing from IKEA is on this list. We got a Hovas (which looks a lot like the resoration hardware couch) on craigslist for $180 (pre bed bugs scare, might I add!) I think brand new the Hovas is under $800, too. We've had it for a few years now in our den, and everyone compliments its coziness. They actually don't believe its from Ikea!
The Ikea Ekeskog is also fabulous, but looks like its been discontinued.
We have the Elliot sofa from Macy's, and it's super comfortable and perfect for napping and lounging. The cushions are reversible, too, which is what sold me on it. (I wanted to buy the Corona, but my boyfriend nixed it because he didn't think it was comfortable.) It's $899 right now, but we got it on sale for $699, plus an extra $100 off when we opened up a Macy's card, so it was a real steal, and much more affordable than the options up there. :D
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=475452&CategoryID=29391
I own the Crate & Barrel Lounge sofa. I did about three months of research before purchasing, and I could not be any happier with it. It is the deepest, most comfortable couch I've ever sat on. When friends come over, every single person who sits on it comments on how comfortable it is. I've even had three friends tell me they're going to purchase one for themselves because they were in the market for a sofa and loved it so much. I cannot say enough good things about this sofa. I got it for 15% off during the fall upholstery sale, plus an additional 10% off because I had the "Change your address with USPS and get a bunch of coupons" coupon. Delivery was friggin pricey because I live in the "extended" delivery area, but all in all, it ended up being about $1400 total. Well worth it.
My husband and I love our Ethan Allen Hyde sofa. It was a little pricier, $1699, than we originally wanted to spend but once we sat on it we knew it was the one for us. The back is tall and the seats are sooo deep and cushy, all of our friends love it when they come over. We loved that we would pick the exact fabric we wanted, we went with a grey herringbone wool, and it's only gotten softer and more comfy over time.
http://www.ethanallen.com/product?productId=689
Great looking comfortable furniture. Although, I think if you really want lazy you should go with an oversized foam filled bag: http://www.gorillabags.com/
I have multiple of these gorilla bags and they are super high quality and super comfy.
I really hate those Togos. Are they a polarizing thing or is it just me who hates them?
I loved the Lounge sofa from Crate and Barrel but it was a bit too large for my living room (at 46" deep). Instead I went with the C & B Oasis sofa (42" deep) and I could NOT be happier. It's the most comfy couch I've ever sat on and is beautiful to boot...all my guests ask where I got it from. Love it!
My husband and I just bought both the Crate and Barrel Axis and Lounge sofas. We originally ordered the Axis for our basement, but the delivery men couldn't move it in (!), so we had to order a sectional. The only couch we could find with pieces that would be easy to move in was the Lounge Sectional. It hasn't arrived yet, but once it's assembled in our basement it will be over 100" long!
I was not a huge fan of Jasper sofa when I tested it. I went with the Murray. Almost the same look and SO much more comfortable.
Has anyone tried the Blake or Morgan from Macy's? Wondering if the cushions on those are reversible at all...
The Jasper is awesome..took a some time to soften up in the beginning but I love it! I also have purchased the slipcover in white which is great. It fits snug, looks modern (doesn't look shabby chic) and I can wash it. I wish I would have ordered the slip cover immediately as I need to get the actual couch professionally cleaned...
I have the Macy's Elliot Sofa too! I lucked out on a sale as well -- same price as bookishjenny got. So comfortable and soft, big enough to comfortably seat three, or to spoon-cuddle with the fella. Also the cushions are reversible, with two different looks on side (one with cute if flimsy buttons, the other with a grid pattern).
a photo of the couch in my apartment is here: http://homesomethinghome.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/the-pathology-of-cleanliness/
i'd recommend it during sale time.
SeanG: i think the same thing about the toga--i.e., it's too low. have considered the knockoff & havuing a platform built for it, though ... just a simple box-type thing, but something that would raise it to a decent height.
whoops, i meant togo, not toga : )
I have the Ogden Leather Sofa from Sundance.
- It's deep. I think it's deeper than the bed I had in the dorms in college.
- It's long. No need to curl up in the fetal position.
- It's comfy. Between the feather/down cushions and the extremely soft leather, this is my nap time destination.
Now I'm wondering if I can sneak out of work early to go take a nap on it.
@Chanmeleon - I also dislike the Togo. Maybe it looks better in person, but, to me, the pictures look like cheap furniture for a rec room. Or like a sleeping bag. I don't understand the appeal, or the price.
Room and Board Wells.... especially at 101" long....
While I appreciate a comfy couch, I could never sacrifice style. I don't like sloppy, oversized couches and ended up returning my Macy's Chloe because it dwarfed my studio. I now have Restoration Hardware's Double Professor's Chair that functions perfectly for gaming and movie watching.
After much sofa research, my husband and I purchase the 4 piece axis sectional during the fall upholstery sale this year. I have to say, I have LOVED every minute of sitting on this couch. It pretty much hugs you when you are lounging. We have only had it for 4 months, but I am hoping it holds up over the years.
AGree, IKEA Kramfors is so comfy. RH Maxwell sofa is also way comfy (and 4 feet deep) but also pricey. I have 2 togo corner chars and everyone fights for them. They are insanely comfy
Am I the only person who wants to lie down on the same couch with their person? One of us is always sliding off while tv watching, and we keep swearing to get a deeper cozy couch. Any recs for a couch for two?
we got the Blake couch from Macys, and it is super comfortable! It was also only $700.
Definitely the Togo. I am sitting on the same red Togo as in the picture; it is the epitome of couch-potato comfort. We all love it -- my husband, our children, and me. I've loved the Togo since I first encountered two at the age of 8...
I would love to see a picture of the Blake Sofa if you have one carolyncc?
Aristeia, I've been eying the Professor's double chair for awhile now, but I was hesitant about the dimensions (for 2 relatively small people) and the overall comfort.
Do you have the leather or upholstered? How do you feel about the size for a couple and just overall comfort? If you actually had the cushion dimensions and seat height that would be amazing since it's hard to get that detailed of information on this chair. Thanks Aristeia and I hope you're loving it!
I had the Case Study sofa. IT IS NOT COMFORTABLE!!!!!!!!! Its great to sit on for an hour to watch tv, upright. There is NOTHING lounge like about it. NOTHING. Its a beautiful sofa, but the seat cushions are angled in, so you sit upright. Its a great sofa for those who just want something sleek and have a lounger sofa in another room.
I traded it in for ZGallerie's Benny Sofa and am much happier. Its still not a poofy lounge sofa so to speak, but it does the job of comfortable for a lazy tv day as well as being modern and chic.
We have the Jackson from Room and Board in leather. It's held up well over several years and has gotten more comfortable with time (although it did start out pretty comfy). I guess I'm torn about sofa comfort because to me, you can't beat the shabby chic style overstuffed sofa for comfort but I hate the look at least in my home. My home also can't handle oversized furniture (it ends up looking like some set piece from Pee-Wee's Playhouse because older homes like min from the 50's have smaller rooms). Even sofas in the 40" deep range cause trouble. So I go for things that are more tailored all the while secretly wondering if I should have gone all out for comfort with something more like the Crate and Barrel Oasis. I guess it will always be one of those challenges for me. Also, I think Ikea Ektorp is genius (lovely replaceable slipcovers that fit well and are a steal) and had one that held up fairly well over several years and was very comfy. But those rolled arms just aren't my thing. I'll never understand why Ikea doesn't do a good Cado wall shelving knock-off and a good clean lined sofa. At one time I was excited by the Karlstad but one the floor, it always looks so worn and cheap, unlike the Ektorp, IMO.
Pretty stunned at the money people will drop for a comfortable sofa. I guess if money is no object, waxing poetic about $2k sofas is a nice way to pass the time. First world problem: which of these should I buy? Wow.