Best Sofas & Recliners

Popular Lounge Types

Modular lounges

Also called sectional sofas, these consist of different modules or sections that can either be pushed together to form one unit, or used as individual pieces of furniture.

For example, a 5-seater modular lounge could be used to seat 5 people when all the pieces are arranged together. However, it could also pull apart to form a 3-seater lounge, an armchair and an ottoman.

Modular lounges are known for their versatility. If you enjoy mixing and matching different pieces of furniture based on the mood of the day, a modular lounge can be a great pick. They're also great if you entertain frequently, as you can change your living room's layout based on the type of party or casual gathering you're hosting.

Some downsides of modular lounges are that they often take up a lot of room, so may only be suitable for large, open plan spaces. Modular lounges are also more expensive than fixed sofas.

Chaise sofas

These have an extended section for at least one lounger to prop up their feet on the sofa. Whereas a regular sofa is designed for sitting upright with your feet planted on the floor, on a chaise sofa you can stretch out your legs in front of you.

Chaise sofas are typically available in L-shaped designs, which have one extended section for stretching out on, or U-shaped designs, which have two extended sections.

Corner lounges

A corner lounge is a sofa that tucks neatly into a corner in your living room, thanks to the corner of the lounge formed by a right angle.

Corner lounges are designed to save space. Even if they’re relatively bulky, the fact that you can place them flush against a wall and backed into a corner potentially frees up a lot of space.

Sofa beds

These handy 2-in-1 pieces of furniture offer the flexibility of a sofa during the day, and a bed to crash on at night. They're a useful option if you have a small living area, or don’t have a dedicated guest bedroom.

Buying a sofa bed is also more affordable than buying a bed and a sofa separately. The mattress in a sofa bed will be included as part of the bed, and is permanently stored under the seat cushions of the sofa.

• Comfort: Since cheaper sofa beds can be uncomfortable, it’s important to test out how comfortable they are in-store. Test the comfort level of the sofa and the bed independently of each other.
• Frame: When it comes to choosing the most comfortable sofa bed, one with a bi-fold frame is likely to be more comfortable than a sofa bed with a tri-fold frame. Bi-fold frames only fold over once. This makes them more compact, so they can accommodate a thicker mattress.
• Mattress: There are three mattress materials commonly available in sofa beds. Of these, memory foam is often more comfortable than foam or inner springs, and is also a newer mattress technology.

Lounge Suites

A lounge suite is like a package deal where you get various pieces of furniture for a single price. For example, a 3-piece Recliner Lounge Suite may consist of a 3-seater recliner lounge, and two recliner armchairs (making 3 pieces in total).

Lounge suites are good for creating a cohesive look in a living room, as all the pieces of furniture will naturally coordinate well. If you score a good deal, lounge suites can also be a more affordable option than buying multiple furniture pieces independently.

Recliners

Recliners are often a household favourite. They let you lean back and relax, simply by pulling a lever or pressing a button to rest and recline.

Recliners are often considered more comfortable than fixed-back sofas. They also allow you to stretch out fully, cat-style, without worrying about impinging on another lounger’s space.

Recliners are available in a variety of different options. This includes their configuration - with recliner sofas, recliner armchairs or recliner chairs, their material - leather recliners or fabric recliners, and their reclining mechanism - traditional recliners or power recliners.

Traditional recliners operate using a manual lever, while power recliners adjust their angle after you press a button. Electric recliner chairs and lounges are often equipped with more modern features, such as integrated USB chargers and adjustable power headrests.

Tips for buying a recliner

Make sure your new recliner measures up

Recliners will take up more space than fixed-back lounges or armchairs. Before buying, it’s important to measure the length of a recliner when it's it’s fully expanded. Measure from the top of the headrest to the end of the footrest, to make sure you'll have enough room for it in a room.

Account for both wall clearance and clearance from other items - like coffee tables in front of the footrest.

For most recliners, you’ll need at least 30 cm of space between the headrest and the wall, so the recliner won’t hit the wall whenever you pull the lever.

Consider the mechanics

• Independent reclining actions: Traditional recliner chairs and lounges extend both the footrest and headrest simultaneously. They have 2 settings - upright or rest/recline. With power recliners, you can have independent reclining options, like popping out the footrest while you're still sitting upright.
• Range of motion: Every recliner has a unique range of motion. The maximum recline angle will vary, but some recliners are marketed in a way that can give you a clue. Some recliners are ‘lay flat’ recliners, which offer an 180-degree recline angle, or close to it. Other recliner types, like wall huggers, often a more limited range of motion.

Are recliners bad for you?

While recliners are renowned for comfort, some models out there may encourage poor posture and misalign your spine while you'r busy reclining. If this is a concern for you, sourcing a recliner with proven ergonomic support can help prevent this.

Also make sure the recliner is the correct size for your height. While seated, your head should align with the headrest, and your feet should firmly touch the floor. If multiple people will be using the recliner, match the recliner’s size with the person who will use the recliner most often.

How can you tell if a couch is good quality?

A good quality couch is the sum of its parts - so to assess whether a couch is made to last, find out what it’s really made of.

Inspect the specs

• Frame material: Frames constructed from hardwood or steel will be more durable than frames made from synthetic materials. This includes plastic frames, as well as wood composite materials like plywood, particle board and fibreboard (LDF or MDF).

• Cushioning: Consider the density of the cushion materials. Thicker density cushions are more supportive - a good pick if you need back support or ergonomic friendliness. Low density materials have a more airy cell structure (like feathers). They are less supportive, and may require regular maintenance through plumping to stop them from forming a lumpy or uneven surface.

• Suspension: Along with cushioning, solid seat suspension will help a sofa resist sagging over time. The strongest suspension is provided by either steel S-springs (also called sinuous springs), and eight-way handtied springs. These are widely considered more durable than webbing, however sofas that use them will generally sell at a higher price point.

How do I choose a lounge?

Number of Seats

Consider the number of people who’ll be using your couch, and how they’ll be using it. For example, if you’re one half of a couple buying a sofa for a small apartment, a compact 2-seater lounge is likely to be a good option.

On the other hand, a spacious modular lounge could be better choice if you have a large household or frequently entertain guests. To find the right size, it can often be helpful to visit a furniture store, sit on a few different lounges, and figure out what size tends to work best for your household and lifestyle.

This exercise is also useful because not all lounges are sized the same. For example, say you have a family of four and you all like to pile onto the lounge at the same time. A 4-seater lounge made by one particular brand may fit perfectly, however with a different brand or manufacturer, a 5-seater option may be just right.

Lifestyle factors

Apart from how many people are going to be using the lounge, consider the following:

• Frequency of use: If you’re only going to be using the lounge occasionally - or you have a big household but only 1-2 people use the lounge at once - you may want to consider downsizing a lounge or spending a bit less money on one.
• Lounge room demographic: If you have young kids, you're probably looking for a lounge that won't easily become dirty, stained or discoloured. In this case, a thick, tan leather lounge could suit. In another example, if frequent loungers experience back, shoulder or neck pain, an ergonomically friendly lounge could make sense.

Scale and Proportion

These interior design principles involve considering how the size of your lounge will look when placed in a room.

Scale refers to how suitable the dimensions of a sofa are for the size of your room. While you may opt for a large modular lounge because you have a large family, if the room is too small for your choice, it will look and feel cramped.

Proportion refers to how a new lounge looks in relation to other items in the room. If your entertainment unit and bar stools feature the sleek black metal forms of an Industrial style, a plush, then an overstuffed lounge is likely to look bulky and out of place.

To get the proportions right, also consider how populated with existing furniture your living room currently is. For example, does it already have a coffee table and side tables? If a room is already pretty furnished to begin with, adding a lounge will visually take up more space.

To save space, sometimes it helps to select a more streamlined shape (such as an I, L or U-shaped design), or a corner lounge with either a left or right-hand configuration that slots easily into a free corner.

Balancing Comfort and Support

Comfort

When it comes to sussing out the comfort factor of a new lounge or recliner, nothing beats the sit test. A couch might look comfy, but until you actually put your bottom in the seat, you won’t know for sure. Shopping in-store is superior to buying online for this purpose, as you can carry out the sit test.

How comfortable a lounge is will also depend on the height of the people sitting in it. For example, taller loungers might prefer tall backs and deep-seated cushions, as these are more spacious for them.

Support

Always remember to balance comfort with support, however. If a lounge isn’t supportive, it will soon become uncomfortable. For example, while 100% down feather back cushions feel cuddly, your elderly aunt may soon begin complaining of back pain (or even you, post-Netflix binge sesh). This is because the material - while comfortable - is just not dense enough to be supportive.

Ease of Cleaning

Fabric lounges

Lounges that are upholstered in fabric give a space a more cosy, homely feel. However, they are also likely to become dirty more easily.

Unlike leather, which can be wiped down easily, fabric will more likely absorb a spill.

However, if your heart is set on fabric, look for lounges with machine-washable upholstery fabric. Removable covers that you can zip off and pop in the wash will quickly prove their usefulness. Some fabrics are also stain-resistant, which can let you focus on living life rather than avoiding making a mess.

Leather lounges

Leather is often considered a more luxurious look than fabric. If you’re big on aesthetics, a leather lounge in a neutral colour like black can infuse a room with elegance.

In other good news, cleaning a leather lounge is an easier process than cleaning a fabric lounge. Spot cleaning is also possible, using a damp cloth and gentle soap.

On the flipside, some types of leather like suede are delicate and can be damaged easily. If due attention is not paid to their maintenance, leather lounges can also look aged and ragged after some years. If you'd rather not bother, there are fabric options that also look classy, like velvet sofas.

Appearance

Lounges are available in a wide array of options when it comes to appearance and design.

There are plenty of popular design styles available to suit existing design schemes or decor in your living room. These include contemporary styles like Scandinavian, industrial, minimalist and urban, and more classic styles like Mid-century modern, art deco and retro.

While not every piece of furniture in a room needs to match, having a coordinated style can be impactful in terms of home aesthetics. You can play it as safe or be as daring as you like.

Lounge Colours

While you may love the elegant look of a white or cream lounge, dark coloured lounges will be easier to keep looking clean.

Neutral or common colours are also easier to find in a readymade lounge. This makes them a cheaper option than ordering a customised colour or pattern for your new lounge. Also keep in mind that picking a more classic style is likely to give your couch more longevity than opting for a bold colour like a bright pink couch, or a loud design that may go off-trend and become dated.

Moving your new lounge in

Lastly, it’s usually helpful to consider the logistics of transporting a couch. Consider whether it’ll fit through the door - and if you live in a high-rise apartment, how you’ll move the couch up the stairs.

Stores offering door-to-door delivery can take the hassle out of the experience. This service could be complimentary or provided for an extra fee - but may be worth it. Just check with the store beforehand what this specifically involves - you don’t want them dumping your couch on the kerb outside your apartment block.

Wrapping up

In a nutshell, there are a few things to consider apart from the appearance and price of a new sofa or recliner lounge. Also consider sourcing a lounge with the right blend of comfort and support, one that's constructed from durable materials, and that's easy to clean and maintain. Thinking about who uses your lounge the most, and how they use it, will help you choose a couch that is a long-time winner in your home.