Family-friendly sofas should be a prime relaxation spot for adults decompressing after a long work day, kids watching their favorite TV shows, and furry friends taking yet another nap. This all means a few things: For starters, since family sofas will get plenty of use, they need to be durable. They should also be easy to clean since kids and pets love to leave messes behind. And for the adults in the family, key considerations to help with design and comfort include fabric type, sofa size, modularity, and sustainability.
If this sounds like a lot to keep in mind, fret not – we tested the top five family-friendly sofas so you don’t have to. Below are some key couch features to consider as well as our ratings for the top five family-friendly sofas.
Key sofa features to consider
Fabric performance and rub count
You should prioritize performance, liquid-resistant fabrics for easy sofa cleaning and stain resistance. Look for sofas with removable cushions you can easily wash and replace as well.
You should also choose commercial-grade sofa fabrics with a high rub count. The higher the rub count, the more impact and friction a couch’s fabric can experience before it starts to wear down. That’s important with a whole family using the sofa (and with all the potential messiness that entails).
Sofa size, storage, and frame
A family-friendly sofa should accommodate everyone in the family and fit comfortably into your space. Great options include two-to-eight-seater sofas and L- or U-shaped sectionals. Extra storage is also a plus for hiding your kids’ and pets’ toys in plain sight, so look for sofas that include a storage ottoman or chaise. And speaking of kids, a sofa with a padded frame is typically more child-proof than one with a sharp wooden frame.
Modularity
You can rearrange a modular sofa in several different shapes, making them great for all kinds of family occasions. While some sofas are entirely modular, others are only moderately modular – for example, you can move the chaise around but not the other parts. The best modular sofas often include removable arms and legs, identical seat units, or a frameless design.
Sustainability
Whether there’s someone chemical-sensitive in the family or you just want to be eco-conscious, seek out sofas that are sustainable. You should also look for eco-solvent wood finishes, GreenGuard Gold Certified and OEKO-TEX certified materials, Blue Sign Certified fabrics, wood with low VOC, and TSCA Title VI Compliant materials.
Sleeper sofas
When space is tight, creative solutions for transforming your family space into a guest room become necessary. Enter sleeper sofas.
The most common types of sleeper sofas include daybeds and pull-outs. Either way, you should look for sofas that are, or can become, at least as wide as a twin mattress. Pull-out options or sofas with attached ottomans also work – often, they can become full- or queen-sized for truly dream-like sleep. Plush, cloud-like sofa cushions with memory foam, feathers, or down can take all this comfort to the next level.
The top 5 family-friendly sofas
- The Jones Modular by Maiden Home
The Jones Modular sofa from Maiden Home is available in 70 different leathers and fabrics. Its 17-inch seat height is low-profile enough that kids and pets can easily get onto the sofa. The spring down cushions and foam-wrapped spring system add comfort for the whole family. Plus, this modular couch is FSC Certified and made in the U.S.
Overall rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Maiden Home checks lots of boxes with this couch, but not quite enough to justify the comparatively exorbitant price point.
- The Bondi Sofa Collection by Inside Weather
Inside Weather’s Bondi Sofa Collection is available in over 100 fabrics that run the gamut of liquid-resistant, commercial-grade, performance-grade, and pet-friendly options. The Bondi is a modular chaise sofa with fully removable, washable cushion covers. It can be your own bespoke dream of a sofa too – you can fully customize its upholstery, configuration, and wood finish. Plus, the Bondi’s dimensions make it a great guest bed for a full night of sleep.
Inside Weather is committed to sustainability as well. Construction doesn’t begin until you place your fully customized order, resulting in no waste. Plus all Inside Weather sofas, including the Bondi, are Oeko-Tex Certified, FSC® Certified, and made of 100% recycled down alternative. They’re also made in the U.S. to lower their transportation carbon footprint, which sets up a major advantage: No months-long delivery times due to delayed overseas shipping.
Overall rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Inside Weather’s Bondi collection checks all the boxes of a family-friendly sofa, and you’ll face no delays in getting your fully customized sofa to your doorstep.
- Henry® 2-Piece Queen Sleeper Sectional w/ Storage by West Elm
This West Elm sofa is family-friendly given its storage chaise and pull-out bed. The mattress inside this sofa is queen-sized and made of gel-infused and high-density foam. Removable legs add child-proofing to this sofa, and the reversible cushions can hide any unsightly stains or built-up pet fur. You can order the Henry with the storage chaise on the left or right to better fit the sofa to your space.
Overall rating: 3 out of 5 stars. The Henry is passable as a family-friendly sofa, but it lacks the distinctly durable, easy-to-clean features of other sofas.
- The Modular Sola Sectional by Poly and Bark
Poly and Bark’s Modular Sola Sectional is available in multiple configurations. There’s high-resiliency foam in the seat and back cushions alongside a fiber blend and feather topper. The space between the couch arms is 12.5 feet, with the chaise coming in at just under five feet, leaving ample space for the whole family. The lumbar pillows and low-profile, deep seat cushions are comfortable too.
Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars. Though spacious and durable, the Modular Sola Sectional isn’t necessarily easy to clean, plus it’s not fully customizable.
- Bryant Daybed by Joybird
This daybed can fit the family and a couple of kids given its dimensions: 56” wide, 54” deep, 20” high. It’s available in 37 pet-friendly fabrics, with cushions made of high-density polyethylene foam and no chemicals or flame retardants. The glue holding the daybed together is water-based and low-VOC as well.
Overall rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars. The Bryant Daybed is comfortable, sustainable, and high-quality, but it’s only big enough to fit a small family. Larger families, especially families with pets, might find this option limiting.
Overall Takeaway
The right sofa for your family will depend on your number of kids and pets and how messy they all get. Our top pick across the board is Inside Weather’s Bondi collection given the high-performance fabrics, extensive customizability, thorough durability, easy cleaning, and complete sustainability. Plus, since Inside Weather makes its sofas entirely in the U.S., delivery happens fast – and Inside Weather is offering a Labor Day Sale – Up to 20% off sitewide with code: LABORDAY at checkout.
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