We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
When it comes to furnishing your home, there may be no bigger investment than a sectional sofa. Designed to seat more than the standard couch, sectionals are a hub for everything from sending emails to binging the latest season of White Lotus. So we probably don’t need to tell you just how important it is for this three-plus seater to not only look good in your living space but feel good, too.
If you’re worrying about how a larger sofa will look in your space, don’t. “Sectionals are often associated with an oversize, casual vibe, but they come in all shapes and styles,” explains Britt Zunio, principal at New York design firm Studio DB. “The possibilities are endless.” Her advice? Pay close attention to your desired comfort level and the available fabrics (performance and stain-resistant options are a must for families with kids and pets). To help you narrow down the options, we rounded up a few of the best sectional sofas that are either already in Domino editors’ homes or at the top of our wish lists.
Our Favorites
- Best Chaise: Crate & Barrel Gather Sectional
- Best Modular: Hay Mags Soft Low Sectional
- Best U Shape: Sundays Movie Night Sectional
- Best Corner: Rowe Sylvie Corner Sectional
- Best Bumper: Interior Define James Bumper Sectional
- Best Budget: Target Woodland Hills Modular Sectional by Threshold x Studio McGee
Best Chaise: Crate & Barrel Gather Sectional
What we like:
- Classic yet modern shape
- 200+ upholstery options
- Two seat depths
Worth noting:
- Not an extra plush sofa
This highly-reviewed Crate & Barrel number is a modern classic, and a comfortable crashpad that comes in all sorts of configurations. Our recommendation is to opt for the chaise, which is equal parts polished around the edges and comforting to curl up on. The FSC-certified frame is crafted from solid and engineered hardwood, and you have your pick of more than 200 custom upholstery options. Choose left or right sides for the chaise placement, select two or three pieces, and then sit back on the generous 43-inch bench. Several reviewers speak to the durability of the innerspring seat cushions, which are wrapped in polyfoam with fiber encased in ticking, and the back cushions, made of full-blown fiber encased in ticking. It’s not a Cloud Sofa, per se, as the cushions are firmer, but we’ve had experience ourselves with the Gather, and let’s just say it makes movie night that much better.
More Chaise Sectionals We Love
Best Modular: Hay Mags Soft Low Sectional
What we like:
- 50 upholstery options
- Free shipping
Worth noting:
- Spring suspension
It didn’t take long for our editor-at-large to fall in love with Hay’s Mags sofa, which she first first laid eyes on while styling Jordan Ferney’s home. Berry quickly snapped one up and confirms that the high-density, down-encased foam cushions remain soft to the touch a few years later (they’re wrapped in plush bouclé). The sofa also continues to hold its shape with nary a wrinkle in sight. If that doesn’t convince you to bring this marshmallowy sofa home, there’s this: You can choose from a narrow or wide chaise, or an L-shaped, corner, or one-arm configuration to customize the versatile sectional to your heart’s content. Whichever you prefer, take a page from Berry’s book and accentuate the bubbly, neutral texture by mixing in a few brightly colored throw pillows.
More Modular Sofas We Love
Best U-Shape: Sundays Movie Night Sectional
What we like:
- Freestanding ottomans
- Stain resistant fabric
- Solid wood frame
Worth noting:
- Better for sprawling spaces
When Sundays debuted its Movie Night sectional a few years back, it was an instant hit. Modular, cloud-like, and stain-resistant, it had cozy evenings written all over it. We’re partial to the U-shape option, which reinforces the snuggle factor. Atop the solid wood frame, deep seats are covered in stain resistant, moisture-repellant, and washable fabric; plush feather and fiber-filled cushions have a foam core to balance the feel while sitting. Connectors are included to keep each modular piece in place, and the hidden feet are anti-slip. Can’t you just see your upgraded den now?
More U-Shape Sofas We Love
Best Corner: Cisco Home Radley Corner Sectional
What we like:
- Versatile design
- Made to order in the U.S.
- Can use your own fabric for upholstery
Worth noting:
- Not a budget pick
We’re big fans of Cisco Home, a decades-old Los Angeles furniture brand that manufactures all of its pieces in North Carolina. They have their own site, but we also love that they sell their wares on Urban Natural, a brand and showroom that prioritizes eco-conscious, ethically-sourced, and U.S.-made products. It’s hard to pick a favorite from the sectional collections (we’re fans of the Donato and Dalia), but the Radley checks all the boxes for a classic corner sectional. Choose your own orientation, seat fill, and back fill, and there are loads of performance fabric options available. A unique offering from Cisco Home is that you can provide your own fabric for the upholstery. They also offer the option for you to select an alternative method of building furniture entirely made from FSC-certified woods, organic latex, jute, hemp, organic cotton and wool; just check the Inside Green box at the top. Make sure to buffer your timeline: like most custom furniture, it’ll take 12 to 14 weeks to ship.
More Corner Sectionals We Love
Best Bumper: Interior Define James Bumper Sectional
What we like:
- Made to order
- Optional sleeper sofa
- Small space-friendly
Worth noting:
- Long lead time
Interior Define saw its share of supply chain woes during the pandemic, but since it’s been acquired by Havenly, the shipments have been righted. And we’re thankful for it, since the bumper sectionals are the perfect middle ground in between chaise and corner options. With several levers to pull, you can customize this piece in ways that include seat style, cushion fill, and depth. The fabric options aren’t as abundant as some other brands, but there are enough to choose from that you don’t feel limited. There are even options for velvet contrast piping and including a sleeper in one portion, for which the mattress can be upgraded to comfy memory foam. Neither slouchy nor prim, the James is suited for evening showtime and after-dinner cocktails.
More Bumper Sectionals We Love
Best Budget: Target Woodland Hills Modular Sectional by Threshold x Studio McGee
What we like:
- Machine washable slipcover
- Lifetime warranty
- Free white-glove delivery
Worth noting:
- 13-week delivery estimate
A sectional sofa doesn’t have to cost a fortune. But you don’t want to go too low in price—that’s a recipe for disaster when it comes to furniture you want to keep longer than a year. This budget-friendly linen pick from the Studio McGee line at Target is one of the most accessible corner sections we’ve seen, and it’s way more affordable (we’re talking thousands of dollars) than the brand’s McGee & Co line. Modular and versatile, the Woodland Hills style can lean modern or traditional in a slew of spaces. Reviewers call it durable and stylish; like many of Shea McGee’s Target designs, it’s the kind of piece that guests will think is way more expensive than it actually is. Plus, it’s made in the U.S.
More Budget Sectionals We Love
Our Shopping Checklist
Seating
“By definition, a sectional is two or more upholstered sofas connected to create a flexible seating arrangement,” explains Zunio. Usually this means it can seat more people than a standard single sofa, but it can also maximize seating in smaller spaces with limited clearance for chairs, especially if you go modular. “Because they come in smaller pieces, sectionals are easier to fit into small elevators or stairwells, a bonus for city dwellers,” she adds. The age of the user is pretty important, too. While low-profile sofas have a cool factor, Zunio says they can be difficult to get up from if you’re supertall or don’t have the best knees.
Fillings and fabrics
Your exterior cover only looks as good as the interior fill—and both are integral to comfort and aesthetics. A foam filling is often used if structure is important to the furniture; Zunio points out that most sculptural sofas include a firmer foam to resist sagging. “This look is a bit dressier and works well in a more formal environment, but I would opt for a softer fill and cozy, stain-resistant fabric for movies and popcorn,” she says. And while we love bouclé and velvet, sometimes it’s best to go with a fabric that promises durability and resists stains. Natural options, like linen, can require a bit more upkeep, so consider opting for synthetic blends—nylon, polyester, vinyl—or leather if you have kids or pets at home.
Design and shape
Another defining characteristic of sectional sofas is the shape, which is why we’ve organized our list by style. Chaises and ottomans can be arranged in different configurations like an L-shape or U-shape. “Overall, sectionals are a great way to maximize seating in larger spaces,” shares Hannah Rice, interior design specialist at Maiden Home. “They define the living space visually and create a focal point that lends itself to both lounging and entertaining.”
Ask Domino
Q: How should I deep-clean my sectional sofa (or do I need to at all)?
The design team at Maiden Home advises you should have your sectional professionally shampooed and steamed biannually depending on your chosen fabric (always double-check with the manufacturer first). Routine maintenance includes flipping seat and back cushions every few months to evenly distribute wear and extend the lifeline of your furniture. Otherwise, you can use a dry brush to loosen up anything that’s been embedded into your fabric and set your vacuum on its lowest setting to suck up leftover dirt, dust, and debris.
Q: Is there any way I can make sure my sectional will fit through the door on delivery day?
Before figuring out pickup or delivery times, it’s crucial to confirm that your sectional couch will fit through the front door and hallway, or that it can even clear the corner around a stairwell. “We advise you to walk the journey of your piece from outside your home to its intended location,” notes the Maiden Home team. “To determine if your piece will fit, follow this simple rule of thumb: The width of the entryway must exceed the piece’s depth or it’s height. In addition to noting the dimensions of your doors and hallways, it is important to account for fixtures, decorative moldings, interior walls, and elevators when measuring—as they may pose an obstacle when delivering to a building or once the piece is in your home.”
The Last Word
Take Zunio’s advice: Be pragmatic. What do you want out of a couch? The best sectional sofa should be as comfortable as it is stylish. A firmer foam may hold its shape better in a formal living room, but a softer fill and cozy, stain-resistant fabric is ideal for cuddling up come movie night.