The Sofa Guide: our curated edit of 50+ of the best sofas on the market

Pull up a pew for House and Home’s curated edit of 2019’s best sofas

Palace velvet 4-seater sofa €2,329, dfs.ie

Who doesn't love a little look at a brand new sofa or seven? Us, that's who. And we know you do too, so we thought it was high time we put together an edited selection of the cutest and comfiest couches on the market right now.

Whether you're looking for something totally on-trend or wildly futuristic, we've got you covered, and with some expert buying tips to boot...

4 top sofa buying tips straight from the experts

&Tradition Loafer sofa, €4,923, Nest.co.uk

Custom sofas

Why have your couch made? A bespoke couch allows for much more than choice of shape or fabric, according to Kilian Finane of Finline Furniture. Cushion density in the sofas can be tailored to your liking, whether you prefer things firm and supportive or soft and squishy, and they can even be designed to support bad backs too.

“Often customers will request a higher back cushion for neck and back support, or even a slight increase in the seat height. It’s all easy to do and can make a big difference to your health and comfort,” he says. Take it high tech and add a USB port and a swivel tablet or phone holder into the arm of your sofa too.

Size sofas right

Sofa size can be deceitful in the expanse of a showroom and you can end up with a larger style than you’d like. The standard depth of most sofas is 95cm to 100cm, says Lorraine Stevens of Lomi Design so measure your room to determine what you can comfortably accommodate. If you’ve found a style you like, take its measurements, then create a template from newspapers at home. This will allow you to see the space it takes up IRL.

Alexander and James Button Back Imogen sofa, €1,399, Arnotts.ie

Curvy sofas

“Curved, cocooning sofas have become increasingly popular in line with the trend for seventies inspired forms, colours and textures,” says Lauren Harris, Senior Designer at DFS. Think buttoned-back detailing in luxurious velvet fabrics. To keep your velvet sofa in great condition, Harris advises lightly brushing in the direction of the pile to loosen surface dust and dirt before vacuuming gently. If you are wary of tackling stains, the five-year fabric protection plan from DFS allows you to call on the professionals if a spillage occurs.

Find your focal point

Find the focal point of the room and use this to determine what shapes you buy and where you place them, suggests Dorothy Power of Roche Bobois. “Is it the fireplace or a lovely view out to the garden? Would you prefer a U–shaped or corner sofa so everyone can see the TV?”

Access in and out of the room should be considered in order to maintain a flow and Power says a set of occasional armchairs is a smart solution: “They add seating but are flexible so you can walk through them to another area. A swivel armchair can be turned to look into the garden or at the TV at night.”