We Tested (and Rated!) Every Sofa at Cozey

If you’re a renter or someone who’s just a little afraid of committing to a big furniture piece, opting for a modular sofa over a traditional sofa is a smart move. Modular furniture is composed of individual pieces that connect together, which makes it incredibly easy to take apart and rearrange. Not only does that make moving easier, but it also gives you tons of options for customizing the perfect configuration for your life (and you can add or remove pieces as necessary). 

Modular sofas have been around for decades, but newer home brands have cropped up in recent years that specialize in modular designs. One such brand is Cozey, which is based in Canada but ships to the United States (for free!). As part of our Personal Shopper series, we visited Cozey’s New York City storefront and checked out all of its modular sofas in person, so you can get the firsthand experience of shopping in store without leaving your home. Read on for our thoughts on all of Cozey’s sofas, including a smart sleeper and a family-friendly couch filled with storage. 

Cozey is headquartered in Montreal and was founded in 2020, which makes it a relatively recent launch in the direct-to-consumer furniture space. It specializes in modular seating that requires little assembly, and is known for its range of customizations, including arm and seat configurations. Cozey’s furniture is designed to grow with you — not only can you add or remove seats as needed, but the upholstery is also performance fabric that can withstand whatever you (or your pets or kids) throw at it. Plus, when it comes to specific sofa styles, you can actually purchase additional washable covers to change out the look of your furniture entirely (FYI: This is true of the Atmosphere and the Gaia collections). And, on top of that, all of Cozey’s sofas (including the Neptune Sofa-Bed) are compatible with the brand’s Sleep Kit, which includes a mattress topper, sheets, and pillows.

The modularity makes it a particularly good brand to shop if you’re a renter. If you live in an apartment building and are worried about assembly, fear not: Cozey delivers its sofas in boxes, so you don’t have to worry about navigating a large sofa around tight hallways. Assembly is tool-free (white glove delivery is not offered), and shipping is completely free no matter what you order.

Cozey has been on our radar for a while now, and we’ve tested out a few of its products in our own homes. In addition to seating, Cozey sells tables, shelving, and washable rugs (its newest offering). 

We judged every Cozey sofa based on the following criteria:

• Overall sit: What posture does the sofa best support? How deep or shallow are the seats? Are the cushions soft or firm on the back and arms?
• Seat firmness: How soft or firm are the seat cushions? How do they contribute to overall posture and comfort?
• Customizability: Does it come in different varieties? How many colors, finishes, materials, or sizes is it available in? How granular can you get when customizing the sofa?
• Multifunctionality: Does it have storage capacity? What else can the sofa do or help with?
• Sturdiness: Is the frame made from durable, high-quality materials? Does the sofa wobble or creak when you’re on it?
• Appearance: What style does it best suit? Does it lean more traditional (i.e., deep hues, busy details, flanged edges) or more contemporary (i.e., clean lines, low profiles, mid-century modern design elements)?

Every sofa at Cozey’s New York City location was tested by Danielle Blundell and Emma Dangel. Danielle is Apartment Therapy’s executive home director, which means she oversees all decorating and design content and is a big part of bringing the Small/Cool event to life. She loves discovering new brands and is passionate about art, design, and vintage furniture.

Emma is Apartment Therapy’s style editor, and works closely with Danielle on decor and design articles. She has been at Apartment Therapy since 2022 and loves DIY and vintage, and testing new products that make life at home easier. 

We saw both the original Ciello and the Ciello XL in the store, and both are impressive — in fact, the Ciello is Cozey’s most popular sofa. It has a design-forward look that’s classic and trendy, with deep seats and thick cushions that look (and feel) perfect for lounging. The XL version has the same look and feel as the original, but with a deeper seat (26.4 inches versus 21.7 inches). Both options have a really nice pitch — aka the angle at which the back of the sofa is tilted relative to the seat. 

This is a sofa you could easily spend hours on. It’s right in the middle between soft and firm, with more of a sink-in feel that still conforms to your body. You’ll definitely need to fluff up the cushions from time to time, but that’s to be expected with softer seat cushions. The arm rests feel like big pillows too, especially if you opt for the high-angled style, which offers more comfort when leaning back. (You get to choose between that and the regular block arms.)

Like all Cozey sofas, the Ciello is endlessly modular, with 12 different configurations to choose from (with the option to add more seats in the future). You can also add on a chaise if you want a non-corner sectional, or storage ottoman for extra space to stash blankets and throw pillows. It comes in eight color/upholstery combinations, all of which are removable and washable for peace of mind.

• Styles: Also available in the original size and as a sectional (12 configurations total)
• Dimensions: 114.2 x 40.2 x 37.4 inches
• Upholstery: Performance, chenille, corduroy, or Aquaforte
• Colors: 8
• Frame: Plywood

We both love the look of the Gaia, which has French seam cushions and slim arms for a more transitional look that’s also super versatile. The arms, like the back, are pretty tall, offering lots of support as well as style. Even though the arms aren’t thick, the included side pillows make them more inviting to lean on. (They’re super comfy, too!)

The firmness is somewhere in the middle (probably around a 3.5 out of 5), with seats that feel both comfortable and supportive thanks to the padded base and high back. The seat cushions look more like pillows, which add to the stylish-yet-laidback vibe, and the slipcovers are all removable for easy maintenance. They do need to be fluffed up regularly, though — we noticed that they looked a bit misshapen after sitting on them.

One of the best parts about the Gaia is the affordability. It’s the least expensive option we saw at Cozey, but has all the features of the other Cozey sofas — it’s modular, comfortable, and upholstered in performance fabric. Like the Ciello, it’s also available in an XL size that has deeper seats than the original (but is still priced relatively affordably). It doesn’t come with any storage options, but you can add on a non-storage ottoman or two for even more comfort.

• Styles: Also available in XL and as a sectional (13 configurations total)
• Dimensions: 99.2 x 33.9 x 37 inches
• Upholstery: Performance, chenille, or Aquaforte
• Colors: 4
• Frame: Plywood

We immediately took note of the Luna’s sleek look, which is clearly inspired by mid-century modern design. Like the Gaia, this couch has thin arms that are made cozier by the addition of side pillows — and if you really want to get comfy, you can add on three extra support pillows (one for each seat) for an extra fee. In fact, the Luna is one of the more supportive options we saw, with a firmer feel that offered total bounce-back when we stood up. 

The best thing about this couch, though, is the adaptability. This is easily one of the most versatile couches we’ve ever tested, and you have tons of customization options to really make it yours. Both the arm height and leg height are available in low and high versions — the higher version is easier to get out of, but the lower version offers more modern style. You can also opt to remove the arms entirely, or get just one arm for a more casual sectional design.

And of course, you can add on an ottoman (although not a storage version) or chaise configuration for even more comfortable lounging. There are only five colors available, though, which is fewer than what the Ciello offers and is a bit disappointing considering how customizable every other part of the design is. For an especially MCM-inspired look, we recommend the Moss Green, a sophisticated hue that is a bit more eye-catching than the other neutral color options.

• Styles: 13 configurations total
• Dimensions: 101.2 x 34.3 x 31.3/33.9 inches
• Upholstery: Performance or Aquaforte
• Colors: 5
• Frame: Plywood

For a low-profile, contemporary look, the Atmosphere is the whole package. It sits flush to the ground and has super-deep, almost block-like seats (the deepest of them all, in fact, including the Ciello XL), complete with chunky arms that come in two heights. And good news for those who like to work from their couch: The “regular” arm height is perfect for setting down a laptop. We think the Atmosphere’s seats are firmer than the Luna’s and Ciello’s — although we still felt comfortable sitting on them, they didn’t have a sink-in feel, and there were few wrinkles left behind once we stood up.

One of this couch’s best features is the option to add seat storage. Each storage seat has a hollow base that is revealed by lifting up the seat cushion, which is roomy enough for stowing blankets, games, toys, or whatever else you want to keep out of sight. It’s super easy to access (you just lift up the seat), and offers more space than the Ciello’s storage ottoman.

The Atmosphere is another super-versatile option. Similar to the Luna, it comes with four different arm configurations and two arm heights, as well as a whopping 20 different color/fabric combinations. We saw the cypress green corduroy option in store, and loved both the soft, textured feel and warm color. If you prefer a more textured sofa, the corduroy is definitely a great choice. You can also choose to add an ottoman or longer chaise — the latter option is best for saving space because it’s not as long overall as the seat plus ottoman combined.

• Styles: Also available with storage and as a sectional (12 configurations total)
• Dimensions: 110.6 x 40.6 x 28.3 inches
• Upholstery: Performance, chenille, or bouclé
• Colors: 20
• Frame: Larch & plywood

The Neptune might just be the most versatile sleeper sofa we’ve ever seen. Unlike a typical sleeper with a full pull-out bed, the Neptune has pull-out seats, which combine to form a bed. There are both pros and cons to this design: On the one hand, you get a completely modular sofa, which is impossible with traditional sleepers. On the other hand, the bed itself isn’t as comfortable as a mattress would be, and you can feel the ridges of the individual seats beneath you. You can solve this issue, however, by adding on a mattress topper to create a softer, more uniform feel.

When it comes to the actual sofa, the Neptune looks pretty classic, with tall arms and thick block legs. It’s not as stylish as the Gaia or Atmosphere, but it’s practical — not only does it turn into a bed, but it also comes with storage seats to easily keep linens and extra pillows (or toys and blankets) close by. And if you don’t want a sleeper sofa, you can buy this couch with just the storage seats — no pull-out cushion included.

Again, this is a firmer couch (we would rate it a 4 out of 5), and has a nice pitch that feels supportive. We also appreciate that it comes with pillows for the back cushions, which offer more lumbar support and extra cushioning — plus, you can use them as pillows when you use the sofa bed. One of the coolest features, though, is the headrest extension option, which creates a taller back that’s super comfortable to lean against while watching movies. 

• Styles: Also available as a non-sleeper sofa with storage and as a sectional (14 configurations total)
• Dimensions: 89.8 x 39 x 33.9 inches
• Upholstery: Performance or Aquaforte
• Colors: 5
• Frame: Plywood