As the centrepiece of your living room, your sofa not only gives a comfortable place to sit while you consume media — it also creates a distinct visual theme that extends throughout the entire living space.
Sofas come in a huge range of designs, sizes and materials. While there’s no “best” sofa type for every living room, each offers its own range of unique characteristics and advantages that can make it the best option for you.
Below, we’ve listed five sofa designs that are perfect for modern apartments, from a variety of timeless classics to modern favourites. We’ve also listed what each design has to offer when used in a modern space, as well as any notable disadvantages for each type.
Mid-Century Modern
Mid-century modern sofas have a design that — as you might expect from the name — is rooted in the design sense of the mid-20th century. Mid-century design originated in the United States, with its roots in the famous German Bauhaus style of the 20s and 30s.
Ideal for modern apartments, mid-century sofas and other furniture tend to have simple designs that stand out without attracting any extra attention. If you’re searching for a sofa that will never not be stylish and fit perfectly into a modern living space, this style is a great option.
Bridgewater
If you like sofas that are equal parts casual and classic, a Bridgewater could be the ideal choice for your living room. This type of sofa has low arms and a high back, giving it a casual look that can give a lived-in appearance to an otherwise plain and sterile living space.
Compared to mid-century modern furniture, the look of a Bridgewater sofa is significantly more casual. If you want to give your living room a simple, unpretentious feel, a Bridgewater sofa is one of the best choices available.
Knole Sofa
First designed for royalty, the Knole sofa (or Knole settee, as it was originally known) was one of the first sofa designs ever developed. Small and comfortable, Knole sofas have a high back and equally high arms, making them more for sitting than stretching out and relaxing.
Thanks to their small footprint, sofas of this type are a great choice for small living rooms, such as those in inner city apartments. Paired with the right decorative pillows, this type of sofa can give even the most Spartan living room a more timeless, stylish appearance.
Chesterfield
With their rolled arms, deep buttoned upholstery and tall arm height, Chesterfields offer a look that’s as English as it gets. Also known as a “tufted” sofa, a Chesterfield sofa can be a perfect tool for giving your modern apartment a more classic, timeless feel.
Like many of the other sofa types on our list, Chesterfield sofas are available in a large variety of materials and sizes. If you have a small living room that you need to furnish, a Chesterfield loveseat can deliver a great mix of timeless class and compact, comfortable seating.
Futon
Another great option for small apartments, a futon combines all of the benefits of a sofa with the comfort of a bed. Originally designed in Japan, most futons can fold out into a small double bed, making them a great option if you need to host visitors in your house or apartment.
From a design perspective, futons are the definition of simplicity. There are no arms (or, in some cases, only wooden arms), with little in the way of design features at all, making a futon a great choice if you’re aiming for a simple, minimalistic aesthetic.
