Buying Guides
Sofa buying guide
Creating a homely home starts with a good sofa. The perfect snug to relax in after a long day. A social hub for entertaining friends. A make-shift Sunday movie theatre. A sofa is at the very heart of our lives and living rooms.
So, how do you choose the right one?
We’ve put together a guide to help you answer this and other questions.
Just sit back, relax and let us help you find a new (comfortable) place to lounge away.
Reasons to buy at John Lewis
Guarantee
We offer a 25-year guarantee on our own-brand sofa frames and a 5-year guarantee on ANYDAY sofa frames. That’s a lot of lounging, seating, hosting and relaxing – because your sofa should be prepared for whatever your life throws at it.
Tailored payment plans
A sofa is already a big investment. We make it that bit easier and offer Interest Free Credit (IFC) and Interest Bearing Credit (IBC) options to help you spread the cost. Take a look at our payment plans.
Free delivery
Your sofa will be delivered for free – so all you need to do is enjoy it
20 checks on every sofa
Our upholstery goes through 20 thorough checks. That means that we check it every step of the assembly process until it’s packed and ready to deliver to you.
AMUSF
The Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishing confirms that our suppliers work to high standards and complete verifications across all own-brand upholstered products every year.
Working in partnership with Clearabee
If you need help disposing of your old sofa, we've teamed up with Clearabee to offer you an easy and cost-effective way to do it. We have fixed prices based on the number of items collected, so you'll know exactly what you're paying before you book.
Collections come with a 100% landfill diversion guarantee. As upholstered furniture can't be recycled, your old sofa will be converted into energy to help power production plants.
Find out more by visiting our Clearabee partner page.
Where to start
Design your own
Select from over 70 fabrics and 14 types of leather across our wide range of John Lewis sofas – in store or online. Look out for the Design Your Own icon.
Branded sofas
We sell sofas from coveted Furniture brands, including Halo, Innovation Living, Parker Knoll & G Plan
Need a sofa in a hurry?
We have a selection of sofas, chairs and sofa beds that are available to deliver within 7 days
How to choose
What’s my style?
Your sofa can inform your room’s style, the focal point on which to draw inspiration for the rest of the decor – or it might need to fit into an existing space that reflects your life and tastes. This is where style comes into play. Classic and snug? Or a modern shape with straight lines? Discover our sofa styles below.
Classic
Sofas with wider, deeper seats and arched arms that convey a sense of sophistication. Featuring extra detailing such as buttoned backs and higher-back cushions, these styles work well with luxurious and more traditional decors but can equally make a nice point of contrast in contemporary settings.
Main characteristics:
- Wider, deeper seats
- Curved, pea or scroll arms
- Button back
- Turned legs
- Castors
Our classic ranges: Otley, Camber, Cromwell
Modern
Straight lines, restrained design and sculptural inspirations are all calling cards of modern sofas. Fitted with tapered, angular or straight legs, it’s a style evocative of a clean and pared-back aesthetic with minimal accents, a contemporary colour scheme and optional modular construction.
Main characteristics:
- Sleek, straight lines or gentle curves
- A low-back silhouette
- Clean and unfussy
- Angular, tapered or straight legs in metal or wood
Our modern ranges: Barbican, Border, Draper
Loose Cover
Not sure about the colour or fabric for your sofa? No need to make a final decision with our LooseCover models. Simply choose your sofa from the selected ranges and you’ll be able to buy extra detachable covers that allow you to change your sofa whenever you want.
Our Loose Cover ranges: Loose Cover, Newlyn, Bude
Things to consider
You may be tempted to go with a definite style or a sofa model you love. But before deciding to go ahead with a purchase, it’s worth taking note of a few points.
Proportion
Map out the space using newspaper or mark your floor with masking tape to assess the best sofa size. Keep in mind the 2:3 rule – your sofa shouldn't be longer than two-thirds of the wall it will be positioned against.
Surrounding space
A sofa shouldn’t overtake your space but rather occupy its own area, allowing the surrounding space to breathe. Always make sure you can walk and move freely around it.
Accessibility
Often overlooked, your furniture’s accessibility is very important, as you’ll need to carry it through corridors and door frames. Take measurements of all the necessary areas and choose a model that can be transported in parts and assembled in place.
Full extension
When choosing a sofa bed or recliner, check that there's enough room for it in its extended position.
Size, shape and types
Our sofas are available in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit your space and needs
Sofa sizing
All John Lewis branded sofas follow the below table of measurements
| Size | Seats | Measurement | Tips |
| Armchair | 1 | 82-108cm | |
| Snuggler | 1.5 | 115-150cm | Perfect if you don't quite have enough space for another sofa but want something more substantial than a chair. |
| Small | 2 | 136-163cm | |
| Medium | 2 | 171-180cm | |
| Large | 3 | 191-200cm | |
| Grand | 4 | 212cm+ | |
| Chaise End | 4+ | 217cm+ | These sofas tend to be wider than our Grand sofas and offer an elongated chaise to rest your feet. This will come in a Left Hand (LH) and Right Hand (RH) option. * |
| Corner End | 4+ | 217cm+ | Similar to our Corner sofa with two sections joined at the corner, however, one section is smaller than the other. This will come in a Left Hand (LH) and Right Hand (RH) option. * |
| Corner | 5+ | 256 cm+ | Usually a symmetrical sofa with the same sized LH and RH sections joined at the corner. |
*Corner pieces will be marked with LHF (left-hand facing) and RHF (right-hand facing), as you look at the sofa, rather than as you sit on it
Example of an RH chaise-end sofa:
barbican style
Example of an LH corner-end sofa:
barbican style
Example of a corner sofa:
barbican style
Motion sofas
Achieve the ultimate comfort with our selection of motion sofas, offering reclining positions and adjustable head and footrests.
Main Characteristics:
- Motion footrest – the footrest is controlled by a button and kicks out
- Static footrest – the footrest is manually kicked out
- Full recline
- Adjustable headrest
Our Motion range: Draper, Slant and Gradient
Modular sofas
A sofa that adapts to your ever-changing life? Meet our modular range: these preconfigured styles can be bought assembled or mixed and matched across a series of different parts to configure a personalised sofa that matches your needs.
Our Modular range: Mellow, Border and Newlyn
Sofa beds
These are a smart and space-conscious choice if you regularly host friends and family, need to have an extra sleeping space or have limited space.
Our sofa beds offer a slightly firmer sit than a normal sofa due to their mechanism and are fitted with a 3- or 2-fold system.
3 folds
Supports a 5cm foam mattress, making them suitable for occasional use and generally more affordable.
2 folds
Unfold once to open the bed space; allows for thicker mattress options to be used, often up to 10cm depth.
Mattress types
Open sprung
- Support through polyester fibre fillings for softness and cushioning
- Turn regularly to allow fillings to settle evenly
- Suitable for occasional use
Pocket sprung
- The resilient foam in this mattress is overlaid with polyester for support, softness and cushioning
- Turn regularly for filling to settle evenly
- Suitable for regular use
Memory foam
- High-density foam base overlaid with 25mm memory foam that moulds to the body contours
- Regular head-to-foot rotation allows for even wear
- Doesn’t require turning
We also offer a range of sofa beds different from the traditional pull-out style, including fold-out foam, stacked mattresses, click-clack mechanisms and trundles.
Comfort Guide
When it comes to the comfort of your sofa, you can opt for sofa cushions that feel squidgy with a soft-as-cloud feeling or go for firmer seat cushions with added back support. The upholstery fabric can also affect the overall comfort – natural fibres, like linen and cotton, stretch and slack more than less pliable fabrics, such as leather and suede.
We recommend coming into one of our stores to test our different designs and models. Beforehand, make note of the different comfort levels in our guide below:
Extra soft
Slouchy seat cushions with plenty of give, ideal for those who like to sink into enveloping comfort. Made from a foam base with a GRS-certified feather topper or a mix of GRS-certified feather and foam particles. Feather cushions contour your body but need frequent plumping to keep their shape.
Our extra soft ranges: Mellow, Bromley and Newlyn
Soft
Made with foam or polyester filling on a sprung or webbed seat, soft seat cushions provide the same comfort and sink-in cloudy feeling with added backing for extra support.
Our soft ranges: Border, Nest, Tokyo
Medium
Striking the perfect balance between comfort and support, medium sofas have a structured design that keeps form and offers more backing. Made from denser foam or carded fibres from recycled ocean plastic, these seat cushions hold their shape and require less plumping.
Our medium ranges: Barbican, Camden, Cromwell
Firm
With the highest level of firmness, these sofas offer extra backing thanks to Foam Flex, a high-density foam. The seat cushions are more resistant to slacking and retain shape and form well.
Our firm ranges: Lozenge, Marlow, Eavis
Fabric and leather upholstery
Your lifestyle and family size should guide your upholstery choices. Things to consider are the material’s durability, wear-and-tear resistance, colour resilience to fading and easiness of cleaning. Below, we break down the pros and cons of each upholstery material:
Cotton
Cotton is a soft fabric with a brushed finish, resistant and durable with a flat weave surface. It’s easy to clean and holds colour well, being comfortable and soft against the skin. However, it doesn’t have much stretch and it's prone to shrinkage after washing.
Linen
Preferred for its casual, lived-in look, linen is stronger than cotton, more durable and tends to age well with time, becoming softer with each wash. A durable fabric, it’s pilling and fading-resistant. It’s not as easy to clean as cotton, wrinkles easily and requires more delicate care.
Wool
Wool provides natural warmth and creates a homely aesthetic. Durable, hard-wearing and naturally flame-retardant, wool is a good choice for everyday usage. It can stain easily and requires dry cleaning. Although it resists fraying and wrinkling, pilling and bobbling are a natural occurrence to be expected.
Bouclé
Bouclé yarns have an undulating appearance and a cloud-like feel, creating a sumptuous and comfortable lounging experience. This soft fabric is resilient, durable and resistant to fading. Easy to care for, especially when made of wool, the open-looped texture tends to trap pet hair and lint making it more difficult to clean.
Chenille
A soft yarn, made of natural or synthetic fibres, it has a velvet-like appearance but requires less maintenance. It’s durable, fray- and abrasion-resistant, making it a good choice for everyday wear. It’s prone to pill over time and the weave tends to become flat.
Velvet
Pattern
Patterned fabrics can create a statement sofa and add interest to your room. Woven patterned fabrics are usually very durable, as they combine different yarns to create distinct decorative effects, making the fabric perfect for sofas and regularly used armchairs. Printed patterned fabrics are best left for items that only require occasional use, as the pattern is printed on the surface of the fabric making it less resilient to pilling, snagging and fading.
Aquaclean and Easy-clean fabrics
Our stain-resistant fabrics are easy to clean and require minimal maintenance.
Aquaclean
Aquaclean technology is a revolutionary fabric treatment that allows you to clean stains using bottled water* only.
Easy-clean
Remove common household stains simply, quickly and easily with bottled water* and a mild soap/detergent.
*The high limescale levels of tap water in some parts of the UK can leave a mark after cleaning. Please only use bottled water on our Aquaclean and Easy-clean fabrics.
Good to know
All John Lewis upholstery fabrics are tested over and above standard requirements for domestic wear. The majority will happily withstand family life, though some fabrics in our collection are more delicate and better suited to lighter or occasional use.
Aniline leather
This leather is dyed with aniline dyes, allowing the original leather to shine through. You’ll notice natural blemishes or marks and colour variations. With time, further variations will develop.
Demetra: Our most natural aniline leather, Demetra is untreated with dyes, pigments, oils or waxes. It’s simply buffed by hand to enhance the unique characteristics of each hide and finished with a light protective coat. It will mark, scratch, react to light and age beautifully over time.
Premium: A full aniline leather, beautifully finished to highlight its natural characteristics. An aged patina will develop over time, resulting in a unique piece of furniture.
Semi-aniline leather
This leather has an added protective or light surface coating, resulting in an unprocessed finish. The coating gives more durability and resilience, protecting against stains and fading, while retaining the look and feel of aniline leather. Natural marks, lines and scars will be present along with variances in shading and texture individual to each piece.
Vintage: A beautiful, characterful semi-aniline finished leather. The unique crackle is created by a combination of carefully calculated finishing processes between the use of waxes and time spent in our milling drums.
Pigmented leather
While natural characteristics may be noticeable, this leather undergoes a process where it receives a thicker, coloured coating that covers its natural grain and texture. The coating makes it more resistant to stains and fading and easier to clean, making it perfect for those who seek enhanced durability or a more consistent appearance.
Matt: A new generation of leather that feels buttery soft yet has the durability of pigmented leather.
Leather is a natural product, so there are natural characteristics on each leather hide used to make our sofas. These could be things like brand marks, slight colour variants or wrinkles. A large sofa could be made with as many as four hides, but we have strict guidelines to make sure any noticeable marks aren't in a prominent place. It also means that no two pieces will be the same.
Free sample swatch service
Before committing to a fabric or leather for your upholstery, you can take advantage of our free sample swatch service by simply clicking Order Free Sample, on each sofa page.
Our suppliers will post these to you or any UK address within 5 working days. This is a free service, only available in the UK. These will be posted to you or any UK address by our suppliers
Due to variations in computer screen resolution and settings, the fabric or leather you receive may look slightly different to how it appears online.
Post-purchase care
Help your upholstery last longer with these simple care tips:
- Make sure your sofa sits on a level floor to avoid rocking or damage to the frame
- Avoid sitting on the arms of sofas and chairs as it will eventually distort the upholstery
- Maintain the shape of scatter cushions by shaking them daily
- Rotate seat and back cushions weekly to ensure even wear
- Keep the sofa out of direct sunlight
- Remember to clean or wash colour-coordinated items at the same time
- Keep your pets away from sofas and chairs to avoid causing premature wear
- Address spills first using plain water. If you opt for stain-removing products, follow the manufacturer's guidelines and test on a hidden area to make sure it doesn't fade the fabric.
- Avoid cosmetic products, such as sunscreen or body lotion, coming into contact with your upholstery and beware of sharp objects, like studs, belt buckles and toys snagging fabric
- Follow the specific care instructions provided on our loose covered upholstery – these have a 3% allowance for shrinkage after the first clean
- Recliners have many moving parts and it's normal to hear minor squeaks and creaks while in use
- Take care when using the kickboard of your recliner, as you could damage it prematurely if you wear shoes while relaxing in it
- Upholstery with fixed covers is designed to be cleaned while on the upholstery frame. We recommend that you use a professional cleaning company to clean your sofa, around every 12-18 months.