A good place to sit - that isn’t your bed - is crucial in any home, whether you own your place or you’re renting.
Whether you’re catching up with your weekend reading or unwinding in front of the box after a tough day at work, your sofa is the centrepiece of your lounging at home experience.
So, it’s only right to invest in the nicest, comfiest option you can find, and bonus points for designs that allow the flexibility of being swapped or moved around.
Enter: the modular sofa.
What is a modular sofa?
Think of them as upholstered furniture versions of Tetris. Modular sofa designs are formed of moveable sections (modules) like arm or chaise longue pieces that you can swap around to create a different look or expand the size of your existing modular sofa.
What are the benefits of a modular sofa?
It means you can increase your seat space from two to three just by getting one extra piece, or create a corner sofa from a standard three-piece suite by adding a corner unit or chaise onto one end. With a modular sofa, you can switch between an L-shaped or a U-shaped formation with a little rearranging.
Some modular sofas have an ottoman or footstool included which you can push against the sofa for extended leg space and literally raise the comfort levels, or use as a padded bench to create a more dynamic seating area when you’ve got friends and family over.
When it comes to flexible furniture, it really doesn’t get much better.
Modular sofa buying checklist
Furniture brand ScS has some helpful tips on what to consider when mulling over a modular sofa purchase:
- Ensure you take accurate measurements before ordering, as there are several components involved, be mindful to add all of these dimensions together. It’s equally as important to take accurate measurements of the area in which you intend to place your sofa.
- Choose the best configuration to maximise your space and how you typically use your living room.
- As modular sofas have a large surface area, it’s important to choose upholstery that you won’t tire of, a neutral shade may work best as you can easily dress this up with interchangeable accessories rather than a loud print that has the potential to look busy.
Ready to take a look at some designs? We’ve rounded up the nicest, most stylish and comfortable-looking modular sofas on the block for your browsing pleasure.
See our edit below
Best sofa brands UK: stylish and comfortable seats to lounge on
Best fabric sofas: velvet, leather, linen and boucle designs to suit your space
Best anti-stain sofas that look good for longer
Best loveseats for the bedroom, living room and small spaces
Dunelm Modular Arne Tan Faux Leather Chaise Sofa
Dimensions: 73 x 268 x 97-176cm
Type ‘modular’ into Dunelm’s search box and you’ll bring up a selection of sofa jigsaw pieces to add to your existing piece or build one from scratch.
If, however, this is your first modular sofa, it’s best to begin with a complete set, like this faux leather design that comes with a matching footrest which can be used in conjunction with a corner seat to transform it into a chaise.
Comprising four items, you could create a two-seater and a separate chaise with the blocks if you wish too. See how the corner sofa version looks here (£2054).
Buy now £1326.00, Dunelm
MADE Sully Modular Large Floor Cushion, Teal Cotton Slub
Dimensions: 70 x 90 x 90cm
Giving you the freedom and flexibility to conform your own seating style, MADE’s Sully seating blocks can be used to create a range of sofa-esque looks, from a standard two- or three-seater, to a chaise when used with a matching pouffe (£195).
They come in a range of colours too, so you can mix and match if you fancy a more statement look.
Buy now £280.00, MADE
Heal’s Lilli Right Hand Curved Corner Sofa
Dimensions: 74 x 287 x 227cm
Make your spacious lounge feel more homely thanks to Heal’s Lilli sofa, designed especially for the furniture company by Danish design firm Says Who. Its soft curves and choice of upholstery in fabrics like brushed cotton, boucle, velvet and linen means it’s an inviting place to sit and chat when guests pop round.
What’s more, you can buy individual modules like this curved corner sofa unit (£1449) to add more twists and turns to your design.
Buy now £4446.00, Heal’s
Dwell Ferrara Right Hand Facing 2 Piece Chaise End Sofa
Dimensions: 76 x 334 x 92cm
If you’ve the space and the inclination, why not turn your sofa into the star of the living room show? This dramatic design pairs a two seater chaise with a tear-drop shaped module on the right to create a corner sofa that’s guaranteed to turn heads. It’s covered in lush green Opaca velvet which has a slightly matte finish and comes with a 15 year guarantee.
Buy now £1299.00, Dwell
MADE Livienne 3 Seater Sofa, Natural Hazel Weave
Dimensions: 68 x 270 x 119
With fat plump cushions you’ll want to sink right down into, there’s no question of this modular sofa’s comfort. The three-seater has a low back and deep seat, making it ideal to accessorise with throws and cushions as per the changing seasons. Available in four other muted shades.
Buy now £2125.00, MADE
Corrigan Studio Dahlin 3 Seater Modular Sofa
Dimensions: 83 x 245 x 162cm
Available in royal blue or an elegant grey, the chaise on this three-seater sofa can detatch to become a standalone seat from the couch. Move it elsewhere in the living room or to another room entirely if you like. The L-shaped design is covered in super soft velvet and is made with a solid eucalyptus wood frame reinforced with black chrome legs for extra durability.
Buy now £889.99, Wayfair
Darlings of Chelsea Holland Corner Range
Dimensions: 87 x 175 x 322cm
Covered in a soft linen dove grey cotton, this corner modular sofa features pared back arms to maximise your lounging space and a chaise longue forming the luxurious corner element so you can properly kick back and relax come the weekend.
Buy now £4661.00, Darlings of Chelsea
Spirit Home Interiors - Nine Seater Blue U-shaped Modular Arabic Style Majlis Sofa Set
Dimensions: 330 x 70 x 10cm - see full measurements on the listing.
In Middle Eastern and Asian cultures, traditional seating is low to the ground on highly padded floor cushions covered in beautiful embroidery. As well as offering plenty of lounging space, you can easily revise the seating plan for different events or to fit into various room sizes.
If you want to adopt the look, you'll find this blue based set at Amazon - not only does it come with seats and cushions but a matching pouffe and a rug is included too.
Buy now £1349.99, Amazon
Snug the small biggie
Dimensions: 286.5 x 204 x 103 x 98cm
Giving monumental bang for your buck, Snug’s corner modular sofa design includes a pull-out bed - so not only have you got a place to seat all your mates when they pop over, but they can stay the night if they need to too. This design is in fact a bundle of two Snug pieces: a 1.5 Snuggler and a three-seater sofa bed, illustrating beautifully the flexibility and possibilities of a modular sofa arrangement.
Buy now £3839.00, Snug
Swyft Model 06 in Burgundy
Dimensions: 270 x 95 x 96cm.
Get your comfort zone exactly how you like it thanks to sofa-in-a-box brand Swyft. Both its 03 and 06 models focus on modular designs, in jewel tone and neutral colours to fit in or stand out in any home. Model 06 boasts just the right amount of firmness and squish that we’re all looking for in a sofa with blocks that you can reconfigure as your space or mood dictates.
Buy now £3700.00, Swyft
