5 Tips to Find The Most Comfortable Couch (Or Sectional!) (2024)

Pictured: Lala Bumper Sectional in New Delhi Bleach fabric

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When shopping for a new sofa, it can be easy to focus on designover comfort. It's helpful to imagine how you want to use your new furniture—and if your vision includes long, cozy lounge sessions, movie night hosting, or collapsing into a good midday snooze,we have a fewmeasurements to keep in mind. We've been doing this for a while (15+ years!) so, we've done the research and put it all together for you. Read on, friends.

Below we're breaking downfivehelpful tips to find the most comfortablecouchor sectional for you.

TIP #1

Start with seat depth

Finding the rightseat depth starts withthinking about how you like to sit. Do you mostlysit with your feet on the floor, or doyou like to tuck your legs in?

If you like to sit upright, you'lllikely respond wellto a seat depth thatsupports your thighs,keepsyour kneesbent at a 90-degree angle, and allows your feetto comfortably touch the floor.For a person between 5'4 and 5'10, a seat depth of 21" to 22" will allow plenty ofclearance between the legs and the front edge of the seat. For a taller person, a seat depth of 23" to 25" is a good option, and for asmaller person, a seat depth ofabout 20" could work well.

If you like to curl up rather than sit straight, you'llbenefit fromsome extra room—a deepsofawould be a great choice here.You can start by addingafewinches to the standard measurements listed above; ifyouplan to add a lot of accent pillows, you can go a little deeper and factor that extra support in.Depending on what you're looking for, you might also consider opting for a sectional over a sofa to give yourself more space.

TIP #2

Match your seat height

When asofa's seat height is really off, taller folks can feel as though they are simply squatting instead of sitting, while those on the shorter side might find their legs dangling above the floor.

Ageneral rule is that the deeper the seat depth, the lower the seat height needs to be and vice versa.Sofa seat heights can vary, buta standard range is typically between 15" and 29" from the floor to the top of the cushion, with an average range falling between 17" to 18".

TIP #3

Find yourfavorite filling

Consider whether you're someone who likes to sink into your sofa or prefer the look and feel of something more firm.At Medley, we offer several filling options ranging indensity, firmness,and fluff:GOLS-certified organic plant-based naturallatex foamwrapped in wool, high-resilience poly foam certified by CertiPUR-US®, and a down-wrapped poly foam option for extra softness and squish (p.s: we have a detailed review of the differences here).

Our GOLS-certified organic plant-basedlatexand wool cushionstrikes a balance that's dense yet soft and responsive.Back pillows are filled with fluffy, lofted woolforsink-in comfort—unlike down, wool's resilience requires no fluffing to maintain its pillowy lift and support. The frames on our natural latex-filled furniture are covered in thick needled wool, and the arms are padded with a thin layer of latex for extra softness.

CertiPUR-US®-certified poly foamprovides luxurious, exceptional comfort with a medium level of firmness. Classically cozy and comfy, this 2.5 lb. high-resilience foam isultra supportive yet soft. We offer theoption of addingdown to this poly filling,popular for creating a more relaxed look. Keep in mind that if you choose a down filling foryour seat cushion, you might sink a little more than astraight foamcushion. Also, notethat the down filling may shift (which is totally normal!) and the cushions will need to be fluffed on occasion to keep their shape.

TIP #4

Considerback heightfor support and style

The ideal back heightfor your sofa willagain depend on your own height.If you plan to place a tv in front of the sofa,consider how you'd like your back supported.A typical back heightforthe most comfortable couch generally ranges from 26” to 32”,with taller people usually finding a higher back tofeel more supportive.

In addition to impacting how comfortable your sofa feels to you, the back height willimpacthow comfortable the furniture feels in your space.If you have standard 8’ ceilings, consider how ahigher-profile sofa with a tall backmightfeel in your room versusa low-profile piece. It all depends on your preferences and how much space you have to work with.

Another element to consider: sofas with slightly angled backs are excellent if you mostly use your sofato recline. You can still sit up straight on this type of couchwith throw pillows, however a sofa with a straight back is potentially a better choice if you have back problems or simply prefer a more vertical seat.

TIP #5

Pick alength to lounge the way you like

If you plan to recline on your sofa regularly,you might consideropting for a 3-seat couch over a 2-seat couch.

Atypical length for a3-seat sofa is about7 feet, or 84 inches, but you can go longer or shorter depending on how much you want to stretch out and how tall you are. A sectionalof course,willoffer some more flexibility.