There’s no better way to spend an evening curled up on the couch with my friends and family, and with the best sectionals, everyone can comfortably fit all in one place. Sectionals, more than standard sofas, have a kind of chameleonic style that can adapt just as easily to a basement movie room or the family den.
As former AD editor Benjamin Reynaert puts it, sectionals allow for “a level of customization akin to bespoke furniture, but without the high costs that come with building a piece from the ground—or sofa leg—up.” But deciding between just the right sectional versus a regular old sofa can be tough. If you’re worried that sectionals can lean a bit stodgy or will have trouble squeezing into tight spaces, I’m here to ease your mind with some of our team’s first-hand findings from years of sitting, napping, and binge-watching on the best sectional sofas around. We even have several apartment-friendly options on our list (yes, most of us live in New York City walkups) if your small space is in need of a thoughtfully designed set-up. Whether you’re looking for a chaise to stretch out on or a corner piece to anchor your media room, there’s a versatile silhouette just waiting to be brought home. Shop our favorite picks from plush, sculptural picks to sleek, midcentury classics.
Our Top Picks For the Best Sectional Sofas
Featured in this article
Best Customizable Sectional
Overall couch rating: A
Interior Define’s Sloan sectional offers more customization options than the traditional furniture brand. Choose from dozens of upholstery materials (and colors!), various seat depths, cushion fills, and even leg styles. The personalization is largely why contributor Malia Griggs chose this sofa for her living room. “I really do love this couch. If you enjoy tailoring your décor to your taste, are willing to pay a bit more for quality, and have the patience for a made-to-order process, this is a wonderful sectional—especially for a smaller space (and even with cats),” she says. Having stretched out on the chaise for movie nights, naps, and even one full night, Griggs touts the sofa’s firm yet cozy seat and durable upholstery.
Even with two rambunctious cats, the sofa has held up against spills, stains, claws, and even one poorly timed hairball. “The sectional has held up surprisingly well against their havoc—wrestling on the chaise, treating its sides like a scratching post, and near-constant shedding absolutely everywhere,” Griggs elaborates. She also says that a soft-bristle brush helps maintain the velvet texture and disguises any aggressively clawed areas. “While I wouldn’t call velvet a low-maintenance upholstery choice (it definitely attracts lint and pet hair), it has performed better than I expected,” she says. “Velvet has a short, dense pile that doesn’t snag the same way as my previous chenille sofa—so even when my cats do go to town with their claws, the fabric doesn’t show damage as obviously.”
Specs
- Dimensions (standard size without any customizations): 92”W x 63”D x 35”H
- Materials: Wooden frame, fabric upholstery (velvet, chenille, linen, tweed, woven, texture), wooden or metal legs, down or down alternative cushion fill
Shipping & Returns
- Shipping: Because of the custom nature, sofas from Interior Define ship between eight and 12 weeks after ordering.
- Return policy: In-stock items must be returned within 30 days and will incur a 15% processing and shipping fee deducted from the total amount paid. Sale and made-to-order items must be returned within 60 days of delivery and will incur a 50% processing fee.
Best Vintage-Style Sectional
Overall couch rating: A
Benchmade doesn’t stop at sending fabric swatches. The company will send you a true-to-size printouts so you know exactly what you’re getting, among more than 125 material and fabric combos of your choosing. That way, you can go beyond visualizing how the Modern Vintage sofa will fit in your space. The brand’s recently launched Vintage collection is for those of us who pine for retro designs but don’t want to spend the hours thumbing through Facebook Marketplace for a secondhand option. The line offers midcentury modern-inspired designs in patterned prints from the likes of Kravet and textile house Pollack. Contributor Noah Kaufman chose the plaid upholstery seen here from Pollack (which is available later this month) and a silhouette with sled legs to fit with his Victorian home’s aesthetic. “In a home with a more midcentury aesthetic, or one that uses more pronounced colors and patterns, it would fit right in,” Kaufman says, noting that the sofa reminds him of the couch in his childhood home.
Specs
- Dimensions: 100" wide, 36" deep, 33" tall
- Materials: FSC certified engineered wood, CertiPUR-US foam; boucle, chenille, leather, woven, velvet upholstery.
Shipping & Returns
- Shipping: Shipping starts at $149 for made-to-order upholstered furniture & will be automatically calculated at checkout.
- Return Policy: Items returned within 14 days will receive a refund on the full amount paid less the shipping fee. Items returned within 100 days of delivery (and outside of the 14 day return window) will receive a refund on the full amount paid less a 10% processing fee and the shipping fee.
Best Reclining Sectional
Overall couch rating: A
The Arhaus Coburn reclining sectional is a blocky, yet modernized option (we love the exaggerated seams) for anyone looking for a comfortable recliner that’s trimmed of all the bulk of the Lay-Z-Boys from the early aughts. “The couch is exceptionally comfortable and plush, especially when you use the reclining feature,” says AD contributor Blake Bakkila, who cautions that when you’re not using it in recliner mode, it doesn’t provide as much shoulder or neck support. Another perk of the sofa is its kid-friendly surface, put to the test by Bakkila’s toddler. “The kitchen (and his beloved berries) are a quick sprint from the couch, and we’ve never noticed any stains,” Bakkila adds. It does need ample inches of clearance at the back in order to recline, so it would be better suited for floating furniture layouts rather than a room where it would need to be placed against a wall. Note that this sofa also needs to be plugged into a power source or equipped with battery packs to use the reclining features.
Specs
- Dimensions: 121"W x 44"D x 31"H
- Materials: Reinforced hardwood, poly fiber fill, down, elastic webbing, performance fabric
Shipping & Returns
- Shipping: White glove delivery starting at $299
- Return policy: Within 14 days, a 10% restocking fee will be applied to items if they are returned for reasons other than manufacturer’s defect or damage.
Best Modular Sectional
Overall couch rating: A
Thuma made a name for themselves with easy-to-build bed frames which lock into place via well-crafted Japanese joinery, though they quickly followed that up with bedroom furniture like nightstands and other modular shelving arrangements. Their most recent launches have positioned Thuma as a brand to know for beautiful furnishings in every room of the house, starting with their new modular sofas. Enhanced with additional lumber support and enforced with liquid-coated steel, these pieces are sturdy and also elegant, with commerce partnerships manager Evan Russum giving them top marks for style and design alone.
“This couch stood out to me because it avoids the bulky, overstuffed look a lot of sectionals lean into,” Russum says. “Instead, it feels streamlined and modern, with modular pieces that clip together in a seamless way that echoes the bed frame’s design ethos.” He noted that there is plenty of room to sprawl out for his lanky 6’5 frame and that despite its delicate ivory color, the couch hasn’t seen any scratches from his cat, snags, or noticeable wear from daily use.
Specs
- Dimensions: 121" W x 43" D x 32.25" H
- Materials: Engineered wood frame; steel connection system; foam, feather, and polyfiber cushions; steel pocket springs
Shipping & Returns
- Shipping: White glove delivery available for a flat fee, couch arrives in two separate boxes
- Return policy: 100-day trial, during which returns are complimentary
Best for All-Day Lounging
Despite being known for budget-friendly bamboo and breezy linen bedding, Quince’s recent foray into furniture met our team with equal parts enthusiasm and curiosity. Handmade in North Carolina, where some of the best American furniture hails from, the pieces are designed to be home staples with a timeless aesthetic and for those who aren’t willing to shell out five figures for a sectional. After years spent with a well-loved, second-hand grey sofa, audience development manager Emma Tubbs knew it was time for an upgrade. Enter: Quince’s modern silhouette, the Ashford Deep Seat Chaise Sectional in the performance velvet. “When I found this Quince piece, I was immediately drawn to the gorgeous, deep brown velvet, but the deep seat is really what sold me,” she says. “I love being able to cozy up and lie down on a couch, and in my opinion, there's nothing worse than a narrow sectional.” With a 28-inch seat depth and cushions filled with high-density foam and a feather/down blend, this sofa is meant for all-day comfort. Her one critique: Tubbs notes that while the seat is supportive and plush, the back cushions easily lose their shape and need fluffing after every nap. That said, “the overall construction feels solid and well-made, and I’ve already taken many naps on the couch and woken up refreshed and without any back pain,” she says.
Velvet isn’t always the right upholstery choice for those looking for durability, but the brand’s performance velvet easily withstands spills and pets, needing just a spot clean when you notice a stain. Overall, Tubbs notes that it’s great for game nights just as it is for sick days and rainy weekends spent reading indoors. Even her dog gives it the thumbs up: “While we’re trying to limit our 80-pound very hairy German Shepherd’s access to the new couch, it does warm my heart that the couch can comfortably accommodate all three of us sprawled out.”
Specs
- Dimensions: 119”W x 70”D x 34”H
- Materials: Kiln-dried hardwood frame, fabric upholstery, and foam and feather cushion fill
Shipping & Returns
- Shipping: Quince offers free white-glove delivery for larger furniture items
- Return Policy: 30-day returns for in-stock items, seven days after delivery for made-to-order pieces.
A Versatile Sleeper Sectional
Castlery’s Hamilton sectional has a classic design with its tapered arms and boxy shape, and it also happens to be a sleeper sofa. Suiting a more modern or traditional aesthetic, the sectional keeps its structure while still being a crazy comfortable place to lounge around. “My partner and I are true couch people and love to lie around, so getting another sectional was the obvious choice,” says contributor Susie Plotkin. Plotkin goes on to describe this couch as wildly comfortable, and having the kind of silhouette that makes her living room look more polished than it is. It won’t be your living room’s signature piece of decor, but for those looking for a sectional that can easily adapt to their ever-evolving design style, the Hamilton might be for you.
The perk of having a sleeper sofa and a sectional in one is that there is plenty of room to spread out. And for those short on closet space, the chaise lifts up to reveal a storage compartment underneath. But unlike other jack-of-all-trades furniture pieces, this one delivers in just two boxes. Plotkin opted for white-glove delivery, and the entire couch was assembled and ready for a movie night in under an hour.
Like most sleepers, the built-in, memory foam mattress may not compare to your plush bed setup, but Plotkin insists that guests have touted the Hamilton’s comfort, night after night. “We’ve already had people sleep on both the pull-out mattress and directly on the chaise; both got glowing reviews,” she says. “The middle seat is a hair stiffer than the others because of the pullout mattress, but even that is very lounge-able. It feels well-made and durable, and because the high-density memory foam cushions retain their shape, the couch doesn’t sag.” Overall, Plotkin is extremely pleased with her sectional, especially the way it's held up against her two very rambunctious kittens (and their claws). The performance upholstery is stain-resistant and has a subtle texture that adds depth to the otherwise all-white look. Since she doesn’t have a guest room, she was looking for a versatile piece—“not just any sleeper sofa, though, a seating unicorn: a stylish, comfortable, non-bulky sleeper sectional” for her space. “It didn’t even occur to me to look for storage—I was already being greedy with my requirements, so when I found the Hamilton, it skyrocketed to the top of the shortlist,” Plotkin adds.
Specs
- Dimensions: W116" x D67" x H34" when closed, 89” D when sleeper is open
- Materials: Engineered wood, stainless steel, high-density foam, performance upholstery fabric
Shipping & Returns
- Shipping: In-stock items typically arrive within two weeks
- Return Policy: Returns allowed within 30 days.
Other AD-Approved Picks
Overall couch rating: A
It’s easy to see what makes Sven a best-seller for Canadian retailer Article. Available in fabric upholstery (including velvet) or leather, the tufted, midcentury–inspired silhouette checks all the boxes if you’re looking for a classic sectional couch. Not too soft, not too deep seated, not too small (or too big!) for a family of three, the Sven is what shoppingg editor Audrey Lee calls the “Golidlocks of couches.” Because of its solid construction, it might take a minute or two to get the lived-in look of a well-worn leather sofa, but we have a feeling it will be worth the wait. “After a year of post-workday naps, movie nights, and lazy days binge watching whatever streaming show TikTok influenced me to watch, the Sven sectional is still in top-notch condition,” Lee says.
Specs
- Dimensions: 100" wide, 67" deep, 34" tall
- Materials: Natural leather, solid and composite wood, foam, fiber, and feather fill cushions
Shipping & Returns
- Shipping: Free shipping on orders over $999, in-room delivery available ($99), in-room delivery and assembly available ($169). Delivery in 2+ weeks depending on inventory
- Return Policy: 30-day return policy for items in original condition with original packaging ($49 return fee applies). Additional $50 fee applies for items without original packaging
Best Midcentury-Modern Sectional
Overall couch rating: A
Albany Park is a relative newcomer to the direct-to-consumer furniture scene—founded in 2019 by former NFL player Darryl Sharpton and his wife, Jessica—but the brand has quickly become one of the names to know in stylish, but approachable seating. They offer several styles of quick-shipping, easy-to-assemble sofas-in-a-box, from the midcentury Park style seen here to more adaptable options like the Lido sofa we reviewed last year.
Contributor Terri Williams, described the Park style as a family-friendly sofa with just the right amount of elegance, one that hasn’t shown any signs of wear and tear in the months she’s been testing it. “The cushions are shallow, as opposed to being deep, making the sofa perfect for people who want to sit on the sofa, as opposed to being swallowed by it,” she says, noting that the new couch’s quintessentially midcentury angled legs blend into a variety of decor styles.
Specs
- Dimensions: 114" wide, 63" deep, 35" tall
- Materials: Vegan leather, velvet, performance fabric, bouclé
Shipping & Returns
- Shipping: Free shipping to the front door of your building, delivery in 3–5 weeks
- Return Policy: 30-day return policy for items in original condition with original packaging (10% restocking fee applies, 20% repackaging fee applies)
Best Corner Sectional
Overall couch rating: A
Sabai Design is known for its sustainable approach to furniture—you won’t find chemically-treated upholstery here. In fact, the Essential Corner Sectional seen here uses exclusively recycled velvet or upcycled poly. The mid-size L-shaped couch is ideal for creating a wraparound seating situation where people can converse in a group. Our tester, commerce producer Lauren Arzbaecher, was influenced by the resurgence of the earth-tone in the color of the year and went with the dark chocolate hue because it also has a grounding effect on the overall room design.
She noted that the seat cushions do feel firm at first, but soften with use. (Unlike couches that can sag or feel like a sinking sand pit.) “Even if I drop my whole body weight onto it, it doesn’t feel like it’s going to collapse on me—it’s just a nice place to land,” Arzbaecher says.
Specs
- Dimensions: 32” H x 88” W x 88” D
- Materials: Recycled velvet (9 colorways) and upcycled poly (5 colorways); Metal and wood leg options (4)
Shipping & Returns
- Shipping: Products shipped in recycled packaging via FedEx Ground, 2–5 week estimated delivery time
- Return Policy: Accept returns within 30-days of delivery. Must repackage for pick-up via FedEx. Refunds take 5–7 business days and are credited to the original form of payment. There are no exchanges. Any piece you’d like to return outside the 30-day window can be sold via Sabai Design buyback program.
Best Budget Sectional
Overall couch rating: A-
The Burrow is a family-friendly addition to your living spaces no matter what kind of square footage you’re working with. This three-piece sectional that’s just slightly larger than a loveseat is especially accommodating for smaller layouts and thoughtfully designed with the flexibility to tack on more seating (an ottoman, chaise, or extension here or there) as your family or space changes. The sofa’s stain-resistant upholstery, solid plywood frame, and CertiPUR-US–certified foam base also ensures lasting durability and high-quality comfort. The brand also offers a one-year warranty to give you a bit more peace of mind.
Contributor David Kaufman placed it an entryway area of his home and called it “a great starter sofa for a first home or apartment that you won’t have to send to a landfill when you’re ready to move.” He noted that it falls on the firmer end, but vouches that it’s still a comfy crowd-pleaser among the family. “It’s especially well sized for the twins to curl up in with a friend.”
Specs
- Dimensions: 61" wide, 61" deep, 28" tall
- Materials: Stain resistant fabric, plywood, foam, shredded fill, and fiber wadding
Shipping & Returns
- Shipping: Free delivery, 5–10 business days
- Return Policy: 30-day return policy for items in original condition with original packaging (10% restocking fee applies, 20% repackaging fee applies)
How We Tested
There are many factors we considered in each of our reviews to give you the insight you need to select the best sectional sofa for your home, including:
Ordering and customization process: Shallow seats or deep seats, armrests or armless, right-facing chaise or left-facing chaise, down seat cushions or foam cushioning, upholstery or leather, L-shape or U-shape—each of the sectionals we tested has possibilities. We also documented the lead times and expected delivery timelines for each model.
Couch delivery and assembly: Curbside or white-glove, fully assembled or DIY. And, if DIY, how many pieces did the sofa arrive in and how difficult was the assembly?
After installation: Here we asked some tough functionality questions of each sectional: Is it practical for a modern home? Is the couch kid- and/or pet-friendly? What are the care and cleaning instructions? And did it look better IRL than in the photos?
Durability and longevity: When possible, we followed up with testers to see if they still stood by their original reviews months or years down the line.
How We Chose These Sectionals
We updated this story for Seat Week 2025 with couches that AD staffers and contributors spent the summer vetting, including a new reclining sofa. Above all else, we prioritized picks during testing that were stylish, comfortable, reasonably easy to assemble, and durable enough not to stain or tear even when pets and children are present. Only picks that earned at least a B grade in our testing (which was appointed according to the factors outlined above) made the cut. Over the last successive updates, we’ve delisted picks from Lovesac and Sundays that felt less elevated than their peers for the price point. Meanwhile, a best-selling style from Albany Park that we tested has been retired by the brand as of 2026.
Of course, our homes and apartments can only fit so much seating, so we added a section of runner-up styles that we hope will round out your search for a beautiful, comfortable sofa, no matter what your budget may be. We haven’t tested these models firsthand, but we made sure to choose design-forward styles that are sold at reliable retailers. Most even include customer reviews that offer a glimpse at how these sectionals would hold up in your own home.
FAQs
What Kinds of Sectionals Are Out There?
Deciding what sectional shape you’re in the market for will help you streamline your decision making. Take into account exactly how much square footage you have to fill, along with what kind of space it will occupy (a family-friendly space with lots of foot traffic will require different kinds of materials than a rarely used guest room, for example).
L-Shaped Sectional: Arguably the most traditional sectional shape, and the one you’ll come across most on this list, L-shaped sectionals are suitable for just about any space. They’re space maximizers—snugly fitting into corner areas and making the most out of your square footage. They also create a shape that can be corralled around a few accent chairs or a statement-making armchair (something like an Eames lounger). If you’re looking for styling inspiration, we’d point you in the direction of this Parisian apartment which coordinates the sectional and wall color to create the illusion of a bigger room, or this Gramercy Park apartment where a sectional sits back in an otherwise open layout.
U-Shaped Sectional: U-shaped sectionals are ideal for larger families looking for lots of seating as well as the perpetual hosts and hostesses, who want party guests to have a spot to kick back. For true U-shape inspiration, look to Stacey Bendet’s Upper West Side abode, where a green velvet U-shape sectional serves as the centerpiece in the designer’s colorful living room.
Curved Sectional: A cousin of the L-shaped and U-shaped sectional, the curved sectional isn’t bound by static lines. At times it takes on a true "U" design, while we’ve also seen configurations take on a snake-like S-shape. Like an L-shaped sectional, some curved sectionals work nicely in corner spots like this one in Pierre Yovanovitch’s Paris office. Curved sofas and sectionals are also unique because they don't necessarily feel out of place in the center of a room, whereas a more angular couch may create an awkward flow. If you think this type of sectional might be your vibe, we'd use the curvaceous seating arrangements in Chrissy Teigen and John Legend's home designed by AD100 designer Jake Arnold as your style inspiration.
Modular Sectional: We consider modular sectionals to be the jack-of-all-trades of the seating world. With a modular arrangement the world is your oyster—want to add more seating to your L-shaped sectional by making it into a U? No problem. Not happy with a sectional all together? Lots of modular designs actually allow you to re-configure your furniture into single and loveseats. Think: Colman Domingo’s impressive Ligne Roset Togo configuration or the Mario Bellini velvet number in this Los Feliz home.
Sofa With Chaise: If you’re not completely sold on the idea of a sectional, a sofa chaise is the perfect middle ground. With this option, there’s no need to agonize over whether a left or right facing chaise works with your space—the detachable chaise allows you to switch it up.
What Features Should I Look for in the Best Sectional Sofas?
Determining the right size sectional for your space is key to a) getting it in the door and b) ensuring that the arrangement doesn’t overwhelm your living room. We would classify three size categories to help you narrow down which to make shopping a little easier on you:
- Petite: Less than 80 inches long
- Average: 80 to110 inches long
- Large: Larger than 110 inches long
Seat depth—or the distance between the backrest and the outer edge of the seat cushion—is another factor that you’ll want to consider for the ultimate comfort to match your height. There’s no right seat depth, per se, but a deeper-seated sofa is better suited for someone leggier or simply sprawling out, while something more narrow is ideal if you’re looking to sit more upright. Brands like Interior Define also custom make sectionals to your exact depth preference if you have a specific number in mind.
While we’d all like to champion the white couch lifestyle, it’s not always practical if you’re sharing a home with little ones or pets. Thankfully advancements in upholstery tech have developed performance fabrics that promise resistance to spills and durability against everyday wear and tear. You could easily add a luxurious feel to your space with a jewel-toned velvet à la John Legend and Chrissy Teigen or Vanessa Hudgens. But if you’re a traditionalist, you might find inspiration from neutral picks like Ashley Tisdale’s Sixpenny or Taylor Hill’s cloud sofa.
What’s Trending in Statement Seating?
Lately, designers are demonstrating that statement sectionals are something to aspire to. One look at Kendall Jenner’s “grandma-chic” chintz sofa upholstered in Lee Jofa’s Hollyhock Handblock print, under the guidance of AD100 designer Heidi Callier, is an invitation to expand your own floral dreams. (Open Door viewers wouldn’t stop praising the bold design choice.)
A recent report on designers’ couch trend predictions for 2026 are generally pointing to a shift from blocky silhouettes to styles with rounded edges (à la Mario Bellini’s infamous Camaleonda sofa). These bulbous styles owe a lot to the popularity of conversation pits, encouraging banter between seated guests and a comfy, closed-in feel. Postmodern, relaxed silhouettes like the Natuzzi and slouchy Maralunga profiles are also enduringly relevant as cool personas of the sofa world.
When it comes to colorful choices, florals, plaids, and stripes are offered more frequently as ready-to-ship. People are also overwhelmingly gravitating to 1970s colorways and styles that are laid-back and comfy. But unlike something you’d find in an old wood-paneled basement, the upholstery is often applied to modern silhouettes.