The 10 best couches for apartments
Photo courtesy of Floyd
Narrow stairwells, small doorframes, tiny apartments, multi-purpose spaces–these are just some of the factors that make purchasing a sofa for an apartment challenging. But today, there are a lot of new direct-to-consumer brands that specialize in modular furniture, as well as tried-and-true companies that have adapted their designs for an urban lifestyle. Ahead, we’ve rounded up the best couches for apartments, but don’t be fooled–you probably won’t want to give these away when you do upgrade to a bigger space.
All of these products have been hand-selected by team 6sqft. We may receive a commission for purchases made through affiliate links. All prices reflect those at the time of publishing.
Photo courtesy of Burrow
Burrow: Range 3-Piece One Arm Sectional Lounger with Table
When Burrow launched as a startup in New York City five years ago, people were excited about the fact that their reasonably-priced couches are shipped in several small boxes and are easy to put together. This makes the brand perfect for apartment dwellers who are worried about getting a couch up the stairs (we can’t help a Friends reference here–“Pivot!”) or through their doorframe. Plus, their fabrics are stain- and pet-proof.
We love Burrow’s Range Collection because it has a contemporary feel unlike a lot of the other designs out there. The 3-Piece One Arm Sectional Lounger with Table is especially great for small spaces because within its small footprint–it’s 74.5″ wide and 60.5″ deep–you get a couch, chaise, and end table. It’s very unusual to find a sectional in this size frame, and you always have the option to add additional modules down the line. But even with this option, there are several configurations you can arrange. It comes in three color choices–gray, charcoal, and navy blue–and three leg finishes–walnut, oak, and black metal–and starts at just $1,395.
Floyd is another startup (founded in Detroit) that wants to change the furniture game. The co-founders created modern, simple, customizable shapes with the idea that their reasonably priced pieces would last years. Since the furniture is modular, any component can be replaced if something breaks instead of having to trash the whole thing.
The Sofa comes in two, three, or three seats + a chaise. The two-seater is perfect for small spaces and small budgets; it starts at $1,195! It’s just 60-inches wide and 31-inches deep and comes in five lovely colors. And the best part is, you can take it apart again when you move (no Couch Doctor, here!). You’ll also get a 10-year warranty.
Photo courtesy of Albany Park
Newcomer Albany Park was founded by Darryl and Jessica Sharpton after their own, overwhelming sofa-shopping experience. To eliminate decision fatigue, they created three distinct yet timeless models, and to do away with having to wait months to receive your sofa, theirs are delivered by UPS in just 3-5 business days. How, you ask? The sofas come packaged in apartment-friendly, space-conscious boxes. They’re easy to assemble (the company has a video that shows you how to do it in just five minutes!), come with a 30-day in-home trial, and have a lifetime warranty.
The 82-inch Park Sofa is super chic. It mixes a bit of mid-century style with a more classic design and comes in grey fabric, olive velvet, distressed vegan leather, and, our personal fave, blue velvet, which is priced at an unbelievable $995. We love the idea of adding the matching armchair or ottoman if you have space.
Photo courtesy of Castlery
Castlery’s mission is to “create affordable designs for the modern home.” A lot of their designs skew mid-century, but what sets them apart in the direct-to-consumer field is that they have a ton of options, which is achieved via their collaborations with designers from around the world.
At 63 inches wide, this stylish, modern loveseat is perfect for small spaces. But its slightly deep seating makes it compact yet comfy. In addition to this light-grey fabric, which is $1,199, the Hans Loveseat also comes in a pecan leather for $1,529. In the Hans silhouette, there’s also an 82.6″ sofa, an armchair, and the ottoman, which is just $299.
Photo courtesy of Article
Chances are, you’ve seen this Article sofa featured on one of the design accounts you follow on Instagram. There’s just so much to love about it–the soft leather really holds up (I can personally attest to this!), the frame is petite but the couch still feels plush, and the design is that contemporary version of mid-century that you’ve been looking for. And for apartment residents, the 2.5-seater is a very small-space-friendly 72-inches wide. The $1,799 price tag for real leather is also a selling point.
The Sven model also comes in an 88-inch wide three-seater, and either size is available in the popular tan leather, as well as a dark chocolate leather, black leather, and unique blue leather. There are several fabric and velvet options, too, that will drop the price.
Photo courtesy of Interior Define
Interior Define: Ms. Chesterfield Sofa
Founded in Chicago in 2014, Interior Define describes their furniture as “accustomed to being custom.” All of their pieces can be customized by fabric, length, depth, leg style, and cushion–pretty great when you’re on the hunt for an apartment-ready couch. They also have a Soho showroom if you want to go sit on one in-person. Designers are crazy about this brand, too. Most claim the couches are super comfy, and they can be made shorter or wider by up to four inches.
All of this is especially exciting for the Ms. Chesterfield Sofa. Like many New Yorkers, I’ve been dreaming of a Chesterfield for years, but 99 percent of the time, their bulky frames make them the opposite of apartment-friendly (as do the steep price tags). Starting at $1,695, this model ranges in width from 74 to 106 inches, and there are two depth options–the standard 34.5″ or the deep 38.5″. It’s available in a slew of colors and fabrics, from velvet to linen to knits. There are even 18 leg options!
Photo courtesy of Interior Define
Interior Define: Gray Leather Loveseat
Because of their versatility, we couldn’t include just one Interior Define couch! We’re absolutely in love with the contemporary-yet-cozy design of the Gray Leather Loveseat. It comes in this color (Polomino) or darker Pecan leather. What makes this style so design-forward is that it’s clearly modern, but will not clash with any more classic pieces you might have (take this from someone who added such a couch to counterbalance her fiance’s former love of Restoration Hardware!). But the coolest thing about this couch is that you can choose the arm height, and even opt to have one high, one low. It ranges in width from 69 to 77 inches.
Apt2B: Logan Drive Apartment Size Sleeper Sofa
Apt2B doesn’t necessarily design furniture for apartments as the name might imply, but their model of creating modern, affordable pieces tends to produce just that. They have tons of options, great sales, free delivery on every order, and 100-day returns.
If you’re in the market for a sleeper sofa, this model was designed specifically for apartments. It’s just 68 inches wide and 36 inches deep; when the mattress is pulled out, it’s 89 inches deep. It’s a bit pricier, as sleepers go, at $2,458 for a deluxe innerspring mattress and $2,708 for a memory foam mattress, but it’s available in 57 color/fabric options and three leg finishes. And if this specific silhouette doesn’t do it for you, there are several other apartment size sleeper sofas–Bannister, Brentwood, and Filmore.
Photo courtesy of IKEA
IKEA: HÄRLANDA Sofa with Chaise
You knew you couldn’t get through this article without an IKEA mention, right? When all else fails, this apartment mainstay will have something to meet what you’re looking for. And at just $899, can you really beat this sofa? It’s not exactly small–it’s 102 inches wide, but the attached storage ottoman is perfect for a space short on closets. Like a lot of the other modular options we’ve featured, the sofa’s sections can be combined in different ways, and you can always add a section in the future. And if you have kids or pets, the cover is removable and machine-washable. We’re totally in love with this light green, but it also comes in white, natural, medium gray, dark gray, and light red.
Photo courtesy of Kavinet, via Artemest
Kabinet: Curvy Cottonflower White Sofa
It can be tough to find funky, retro designs in apartment-friendly sizes, but this curvy beauty is just 71.65 inches wide. At $6,180 (available via Artemest) it’s not cheap, but it comes from high-end Italian brand Kabinet. The Cottonflower shape also comes in a fun armchair, upholstered in this same textured cream wool fabric.
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