A sofa is a long-term investment, so it’s a good idea to pick a style that’s timeless. There are so many sofa styles on the market these days, but which ones will read too trendy years from now, and which are just plain impractical?
We asked four interior designers about the sofa styles that look dated—no matter the brand. These include overstuffed recliners, chesterfield sofas, and even cloud couches (really!). Here’s why the pros warn against these couches—and the sofa styles they recommend instead.
Overstuffed Recliners
Maybe you recall kicking back on a recliner in your home as a kid. While comfortable, overstuffed recliners are no longer all the rage, explains Jason Saft, the founder of Staged to Sell Home.
“They were designed around maximum comfort at a time when furniture didn’t have to work visually,” he says. “Today, they read bulky, suburban, and disconnected from the rest of the room.”
The worst culprits, he adds, are styles that incorporate features such as visible seams, shiny leather, and built-in cupholders, to name a few. And Saft isn’t the only designer who feels strongly about recliners.
Dusti Jones, the founder of Dusti J Design, agrees that bulky sofas of any kind are not the right fit for today’s homes.
“Steer clear of the ones that are labeled with adjectives like ‘overstuffed’ or ‘recliner,'” she says, noting that these types of pieces are often not visually appealing and can be “awkward in size.”
If you’re looking to get nice and comfy without sacrificing style, Saft encourages that you seek out a velvet bench sofa instead.
“The bench seat keeps it clean and tight looking,” he says, noting that of course pillows will add the extra cushiness that you crave while contributing to a room’s aesthetic, not detracting from it.
Chesterfield Sofas
Another sofa type that you may wish to avoid is the chesterfield, says Jennifer Hunter, the founder of Jennifer Hunter Design.
Although it’s not as sizable as a recliner, this style of sofa isn’t exactly streamlined, either.
“Chesterfield sofas can feel outdated due to their bulky proportions, deep button tufting, and low backs,” Hunter says.
That said, Hunter says a tufted look isn’t entirely out of vogue. A great contemporary alternative to consider is a sofa that features a tufted back along with loose seat cushions, the designer explains, noting that a style that also offers roll-arms is especially elegant.
Cloud Sofas
The cloud couch has been a major player in the furniture scene in recent years, but Danielle Kalish, the founder of Parklyn Interiors, isn’t such a fan of this style, noting that this sofa design can “feel very deconstructed.”
But that’s not all. “They instantly feel sloppy with only a couple uses, and they don’t have much character,” she says.
Instead, look for a sofa that offers more structure, Kalish encourages. You can still go for a design that offers deep seats and full cushions, she explains, but go for something with a structured arm. Better yet, choose a piece with legs!
“I have been loving sofas with legs to add even more character and interest,” Kalish says.
In addition to their shapelessness, Kalish doesn’t love the lack of colorways cloud sofas come in. (See: Mostly white and gray.)
She is partial to designing with sofas that are either blue, green, or printed and says that she is all for customizing these pieces with additional touches such as cording or trims to “tie the look together and make it one-of-a-kind.”