Ah, the age-old dilemma – finding a sofa that’s both visually stunning and gloriously comfortable. It’s like trying to hit a home run with your eyes closed. There’s just so much critical information you need to make a successful sofa purchase, and the barriers of a computer screen make it nearly impossible to attain.

How soft is the fabric? Is the cushion too hard or too soft? Can you actually crash on this sofa and sleep the entire night through without waking up with irreversible back pain? You’ll never know unless you’ve got a friend who’s tried out your dream sofa or you actually get your bum in the seat yourself. And let’s be real, who has time these days to visit every sofa store in town just to test them out?

Well, consider me and the EHD team your internet BFFs who did just that. We went on a sofa-searching mission, visiting all our favorite spots and plopping down on the coolest couches, so we could bring you the full review. It’s a bloggy blog world, so let’s dive in, shall we?

Affordable Finds from IKEA

Let’s start with those incredibly affordable sofas from that one Swedish furniture store enigma that every person wonders – is this cool or will it break in 2 days? Time to investigate.

This rich blue velvet number immediately caught our eye when we entered the sofa section. At first glance, she looks far more expensive than her price tag suggests, and those nubby little legs make her oh-so-attractive. When we plopped down, we were immediately comfortable, but we did have some debates on the depth of the seat.

As you can see from the photos, as a guest coming into this house and sitting on this sofa, you might be a little unsure if you should sit at the front of the sofa, feeling rather proper with no back support, or if you should just full-on LOUNGE. We decided it’s a great couch for the loungey people or for the folks who like to sit criss-cross-applesauce on their sofas rather than have their feet on the ground. It would also be perfect for extremely tall people like my friend Ajai and her husband, since the deep seat cushions accommodate longer legs.

I gave this sofa the ultimate sleep test, and I give it a 10/10 for someone who’s down to crash on a couch. The back of the sofa is filled with removable pillows, so you can double the width of the “bed” and practically guarantee you won’t fall off. And at 5’7″, I noticed there was plenty of clearance width-wise to sprawl my entire body across it. The velvet was super soft, and the cushions had a great medium firmness – not too soft, not too hard. It’s truly the ideal crash pad for a guest.

Price-wise, it’s a little more than we’d expect for something from IKEA, but at this point, you might as well check out Sofa Spectacular or CB2. That said, this sofa does look a lot more expensive than £1,600, so we still think it’s a fair price for what it is – 8/10.

Another sofa in a similar price range is this mid-century leather number. It has good back support, and the depth is fairly standard – sort of a firm, “if you’re older, you’d probably like sitting on this” kind of feel. Ajai said her 6’4″ husband would want an even deeper sofa, but for most, the depth is just right. The leather isn’t the best quality, though, so if you’re looking for a similar style with better materials, try the Article sofa that we’re all very obsessed with. The one thing we were a little unsure about were the leg “sleeves” – kind of looks like the sofa legs were a little chilly and needed some extra warmth. But overall, not bad, not great – maybe a 7/10.

And then, the IKEA sofa that made IKEA the woman she is today – the classic, affordable, and iconic Söderhamn. Ajai loves this sofa and has used it for multiple clients. People love it because it’s modular and comes in a bunch of different fabrics and colors, so you can really personalize it and make it your own. The depth is really good too – it’s a perfect “ploppable” sofa for movie nights or cozy dens. Some of us thought it could be a little less firm, but if you like a medium cushion firmness level and an affordable price, this is the one for you – 9/10.

Innovative Design from IKEA

This next IKEA sofa, the Vallentuna, is a new design, and we were all wildly impressed. Remember the first sofa we tried out at IKEA – the blue velvet lady? Well, we felt a little awkward sitting down and having a drink because it was too deep for us. But if you’re a tall person, that might have been super comfy. This Vallentuna design lets you have both – tall and short friends can enjoy a drink together on the same sofa!

The back cushions are modular, so you can move them down and double-stack them or stack them on top of each other, changing the depth and sitting position. It’s genius, honestly. The comfort level was a 10/10 as well – not too hard at all, and definitely more cozy-squishy than the Söderhamn. The only downfall was the fabric – it looked a little dirty on the showroom sofa, most likely because it’s that kind of fabric that gets little dirt particles stuck in it. So, other than that, it’s a great design and a good sofa, just may need a little more cleaning.

Sleeper Sofas for Small Spaces

We had to include at least one sleeper sofa, and what better sofa to review than the one all of my friends had in college – the IKEA Friheten. This sofa is so well-designed – the chaise lifts up to reveal a bunch of storage underneath, and the main part of the sofa comes up to create an entire full-sized bed. The design is incredibly smart for small space living, which is why it makes sense that everyone would have this in their college apartments.

The only major con to this sofa is that it’s extremely firm – I’d kinda equate it to sitting on a rock. But for £600 and with how smart the design is, that might just be part of the charm. I mean, check out this design and watch the video of how it all works on the IKEA website – it’s so clever!

Stylish and Comfortable Sofas

Okay, let’s move on to some sofas that aren’t from IKEA. This Harmony modular sofa from West Elm is so classic and so comfortable, you’d have to be a monster to hate it. It’s practically unoffendable, other than the fact that it’s a white fabric that could get dirty (but then you could just get it in a different color, guys, so it’s really unoffendable).

This comfy sofa shape will pretty much never go out of style, and it’s perfectly soft yet feels structured enough that it won’t wear too quickly. And even if it does wear a little, I think it’s so forgiving that it will be that cool, casual look that instantly makes people feel comfortable in your home. We’re big fans, especially Ajai, who has a sofa that looks pretty much identical to this one.

West Elm is really good at nailing the “corporate 30-year-old who lives in Brooklyn and loves MCM” kind of vibe, which is a good thing because their sofas are all really versatile in size and scale. Meaning a lot of their sofas could fit into a Brooklyn apartment, but a lot of their sofas are also made to fit in a large house and go with different non-MCM, mid-century modern styles – lots of modular options and different sizes, which is great.

This sofa is a little higher off the ground, which would bring a lot of airy-ness to a room if you have a lot of low, chunky furniture and want to mix this kind of thing in. She’s sleek, she’s sexy, and she has some very nice legs you can customize and choose the color of, which is fun.

It’s definitely more of a “cocktail sofa” – your friends will be very comfortable sitting on this and chatting in the living room, but it’s less “snuggle and watch a movie” than the giant modular sectional before. It’s definitely more firm than a lot of the sofas we sat on, but not uncomfortable like the IKEA sleeper sofa uncomfortable – 6/10.

This Crate and Barrel Axis sofa is a great mid-century modern option that’s a little more sophisticated than some of the others. It’s a good amount of cushy and plush. Definitely great for small spaces. We’ve been talking a lot about the “den/lounger” sofa versus the “cocktail/living room/formal” sofa, but what if you’re in an apartment and can only have one sofa like me, Ajai, and Jess? This one is a great in-between – comfy enough to lounge, not too deep to the point where guests feel uncomfortable, and stylish yet classic so you won’t have to rebuy a sofa because it was too trendy – 9/10.

And speaking of “classic” sofas, how could we not sit on this CB2 Petrie sofa? She’s THE perfect apartment sofa when you’re low on space, investing in your first big piece, and want to make sure you’ll love it, and other people will too. It’s that sofa that is a sure-fire buy – pretty much unoffendable. A lot better quality than the IKEA version of this sofa, and all in all, a really comfortable 9/10.

Splurge-Worthy Sofas

Now, let’s talk about some sofas that are a little more of a splurge, but are totally worth it. This CB2 Sloan Velvet Sofa is a surprising turn of events – we really loved this one too! The fabric is like a woven grey that’s very pretty, it’s got a foam core, and it’s fair-trade certified (yay!). It has really good back support, and it totally works for tall and short people because the cushions in the back are squishy and can be compressed easily.

She’s not cheap – £1,800 for the sofa version and £3,400 for the sectional – but we all agreed that if you’re going to invest in a nice sofa, this one is definitely worth it because it’s so comfy, and the legs are really pretty. Really pretty – 10/10.

If you love Eclectic English Grandma style but want to do it in a hip and sexy modern way, buy this CB2 Menlo Velvet Sofa. The back has those nice lines, and it’s very comfortable. Plus, it’s velvet, which we believe is the easiest to clean and live with on the day-to-day. You’ll notice with pretty much all of the CB2 sofas, they’ve been doing really cool, interesting designs, which makes their sofas super unique and fun.

And then there’s the CB2 Perimeter Leather Sofa – this one is definitely on the firmer side, but with its shape and back support/cushion softness, it makes the perfect sofa for sitting and chatting for hours. Ajai and Jess literally said, “Wow, this makes me just want to sit and talk to you,” so if that’s the vibe you want, this bad boy is for you.

Jess found the CB2 Decker Leather Sofa quick, and she loved it. It’s definitely on the firmer side, and the leather itself is coated, so if you’re more into the patina, weathered leather look, this one might take a while to get there. Ajai did the scratch test, which made me incredibly nervous – she scratched the sofa and then rubbed it to see if it would come out. It did, thank god, but boy, I was sweating. Good to know, though, if you’re considering this sofa, your scuffs and scratches will rub out fairly easily. Also, that cool chrome detail on the side makes the whole thing. We are in love.

Personally, I think all of these CB2 sofas have been worth their £3,000-ish price point – they’re unique, comfortable, and make a big statement, which we always say you should splurge on for the statement/conversation pieces in a room. And these are all certainly statement pieces in the best way.

The Comeback of Mohair

Mohair is definitely back in again, and we were excited to sit on this CB2 Maddox Mohair Sofa. She’s got great bones and is definitely a statement piece, which if you’re gonna spend £2,000 or more, it’s gotta either be very comfy or a cool statement. This really fit the bill. I love it personally and think it would be awesome in a loungey, sexy living room or bar space. It also comes in a brown/grey color – love!

And when we found out this was a sleeper sofa, we were shook to say the least. The pretty little leather straps on the side unbuckle, and the top seat cushion folds to the floor to create an entire floor mat, and it’s dope. A genius design, a comfortable sitting experience (maybe a little firmer than a “plop down and watch a movie” sofa, but who even cares because it’s so pretty), this was one of our favorites – 10/10.

For comfort and style, the CB2 Roar + Rabbit Reversible Chaise Sectional gets high praise. We really weren’t unimpressed by any of the sofas at CB2 because they all clearly served a statement-y, awesome purpose, but in terms of ploppable comfort, this one wins for sure. We loved the curved sides, and they added a level of comfort since it wasn’t just a right angle that’s awkward for your arm placement or a lean. It also comes with a chaise (not pictured here), but Ajai was worried about the shape of the cushions staying in place – keeping their shape since each seat and back cushion are actually one piece.

The Comfort Kings: Interior Define

Okay, Sofa Spectacular, let me tell you about Interior Define. If there’s one thing they do down to a science, it’s comfort. And as they say, comfort is key. If you’re not familiar with Interior Define, their sofas are what they do, and they do it well.

Jess actually had an Interior Define sofa in her last apartment that was very comfortable, so we love them and were excited to review their pieces. Basically, here’s how it works – they have three levels of cushion fills: double down (softest), down alternative (medium-soft), and standard down blend (firmest, but still cushy). I personally liked the down alternative the best, but Ajai and Jess were big fans of the double down. They said the double down needs to be fluffed the most, but it was so comfy to the point where you might not want to ever get up, which is a plus for some people.

We sat on all of them, so let me show you. Here are the beautiful Ajai and Jess sitting on the Jasper Sectional in down alternative, my favorite. There’s a little give in the cushions, so it’s comfy enough to lounge on, but it’s also not awkward for guests to sit on if they don’t want to get all up in your white sofa upon entrance into your place. It’s also perfectly sized for an apartment that only has room for one sofa (aka most apartments) and is shaped to perfectly foster conversation if that’s what you’re looking for in a sofa. I know I would be – I would 100% buy this exact sofa for my apartment if comfort and conversation-making are both priorities. It’s truly the best of both worlds, and because of its versatility, you’ll get lots of bang for your buck.

Okay, here’s something important we haven’t discussed much in the sofa department – one long seat cushion versus multiple. There are benefits to both, in my opinion. The single-seat cushion gives you fewer opportunities to lose things in your sofa, but more opportunity for wear in the cushion fill, especially if you go for double down like this one below. But lots of people prefer one or the other, and we’re down to debate favorites in the comments below.

Jess said this sofa was a big win for her, and we all agreed it was so comfortable. But I personally thought it was a wee