I Got This Luxe Velvet Sofa from Quince Sight Unseen, and It Exceeded My Expectations

I listen to a lot of podcasts, which means I hear a lot of ads for Quince, the trendy direct-to-consumer company that sells everything from sheets and luggage to cashmere sweaters and silk skirts at lower prices than competitors. We’ve reviewed several products on Apartment Therapy to figure out if Quince is worth it, and still, despite my high brand familiarity, I was surprised to learn that they also sell furniture — including sofas and sectionals!

Because I was in the market for a new couch, I was intrigued by the opportunity to try one from Quince — which meant choosing it sight unseen, based only on the website photos and customer reviews. After lots of careful reading and photo zooming, I decided on the Sierra Performance Velvet Curved Arm Sofa. I’ve had it for just over a month now, and I already can’t imagine my living room without it. Here are all of my honest thoughts on it. 

When I first saw pictures of this sofa on the Quince website, I was drawn in by the sleek bench seat that extended slightly beyond the curved arms. My previous sofa was a mid-century modern style loveseat with a tufted seat and tapered wooden legs. This one, in contrast, had solid wood block feet so low it looked like the sofa was sitting directly on the floor. 

Paired with the performance velvet upholstery, the whole design had a chic, sumptuous look that struck the balance between modern and timeless I’d been wanting for my eclectic living room. The sofa comes in 11 colors (one stocked and 10 made-to-order), but because I have a lot of brick, wood, and ’70s-reminiscent orangey-red in my home, I was drawn to the deep brown Java color. 

Because Quince is an online-only brand, I wasn’t able to do the things I’d normally do before choosing a sofa, like testing out how comfy it would be for couch naps or running my hand across the fabric to see how likely my cat would be to scratch it. However, it did have 66 reviews with a 4.8-star average rating on the Quince site (at the time of ordering), so I placed my order and crossed my fingers.

The sofa arrived via Quince’s white glove delivery service, so two lovely delivery people carried it through my door and into my living room in a single piece within about 10 minutes. Its entrance into my home was met by a slight panic, because although I had measured the space (I got the 7-foot frame, which is the smallest option) I intended it to go, I hadn’t accounted for a valve on the floor that easily tucked under my previous couch, but wouldn’t under this extremely low-slung sofa. After relocating it, I immediately loved how it looked. Here’s what stands out in over a month of owning this sofa.

My first impression was how perfect the color was. It’s not a warm chocolaty brown, but a very dark brown (almost a dusty black in low light) with cooler undertones. I have such a warm-toned living room that it balances everything out so well. It really anchors the space, and the tone is moody but inviting at the same time. 

As for the feel of the upholstery, I was a little wary of how the “performance velvet” would feel without having gotten to touch it. I was hoping for fabric that felt soft and had a bit of texture to it, rather than a smooth microfiber look — and that’s just what I got. I’ve seen multiple reviews note the quality and thickness of the velvet, and I agree. Running my hands across it, I can feel the grain of the velvet, and it’s super soft to the touch. It doesn’t have a very deep pile, but it still looks and feels quite luxe.

Best of all, as a cat owner, I can attest to its durability — at least in the month or so that I’ve owned it. My (very active and curious) kitten has hardly even tried to scratch this sofa (rare for her), but when she has, I haven’t seen any visible marks left behind as of yet. I can’t say the same for her white fur, though; that’s on me for choosing the espresso color, but needless to say I am vacuuming the sofa every single day.

When I sit on the sofa, I appreciate the feeling of sinking in without it feeling like there’s no support. I’ve tested enough couches as part of our Personal Shopper series to know my ideal seat feel, and as much as I love the plush comfort of down, I don’t always love the feeling of sinking into the cushions as I often sit on my sofa while I work (I know, I know! Not the most ergonomic choice). These cushions are stuffed with a “foam and recycled fiber blend,” which makes snuggling up on the couch for a movie night very cozy, but doesn’t instantly lull me to sleep when I’m sitting down to send an email.

I will note that the cushions don’t have instant bounce-back; when I stand up, there is an impression left behind, and I can tell which side of the couch I sit on more often. Although they may require less fluffing than down cushions, I have still needed to fluff them up a couple of times in the past month. 

I also love how deep the seat is: 24 inches with the back cushion. It’s deep enough that my boyfriend and I can cuddle up lengthwise for a nap, and it’s also extra cozy when I just want to sit all the way back while watching something. When I work from my sofa, I put a throw pillow or two behind my back for some extra support so I don’t get too comfy.  

I’d recommend this sofa to anyone looking for a deep, comfortable sofa with a luxe, modern look. While it’s not the most small-space-friendly option (the most petite frame is 7 feet long), I live in a 600-square-foot apartment and don’t regret one inch of the space this couch takes up. It’s also great for pet owners, as I haven’t seen any damage from my cat’s claws yet (although it does attract fur, so if you don’t like vacuuming on a regular basis you might want to opt for the basketweave version instead). 

Although buying a sofa without sitting on it or touching it requires taking a leap of faith, I’m glad I took it for the Sierra Performance Velvet Curved Arm Sofa. It’s really grounded my living room, and I’m so excited to sink into it every evening during this cozy season. 

Buy: Quince Sierra Performance Velvet Curved Arm Sofa (7-foot option), $1,450.00