Shopping for a sofa – also known as a couch – can be exciting and confusing. There are so many gorgeous choices out there that it can be hard to nail down just what you want or need. Today I’m going to talk about the one question I hear most from clients about sofas: Should the sofa have one, two, or three seat cushions?
The easiest answer is that it depends on how you use it. So as we look at what makes each of those seat-cushion options different think about how you and your family really use the seating to find the perfect fit for you!
In the project above, I used a three-cushion sofa and a four-cushion version.
Three-Cushion Sofa
If you have a lot of family members, this may be the choice for you. Having three (or more) seat cushions helps define a seating area. People are more comfortable sitting next to others on this cushion arrangement because everyone has a “place.” It also is great for those who have small kids and pets – if there are messes or stains that need to be cleaned, you can flip one cushion or remove it to be replaced or cleaned. That’s harder to do when you have a one- or two-cushion sofa. Three or more pillows are also better for extra-long sofas so you don’t get sagging or loose fabric on the cushions.
CR Laine’s Brentwood Sofa, with three seat cushions and three back cushions.
In the project above, I used a two-cushion sofa with low arms and a camel back.
Two-Cushion Sofa
If you entertain, think about how often you’ve seen three people sit on a sofa together at a party. Not very often, right? While that’s comfortable for family members (unless your kids are fighting), it isn’t usually something that guests will do. So a two-person sofa is perfect for entertaining. And if you’re a two-person household, this makes a great choice for watching TV or reading – there’s a larger space for each of you. But if you have a napper in the family, this may not be the right selection for you since a person’s hip might sink right into that gap between the cushions.
CR Laine’s Fisher sofa, with two seat cushions and two back cushions.
I loved using a skirted sofa with one long bench cushion in the project above.
One-Cushion Sofa
I really like this look – it’s also known as a bench cushion, and it is a modern but still nicely tailored look. This makes a smaller sofa look bigger because there is one long line at the seat. It’s perfect for lounging and napping since the long seat doesn’t have any gaps at all.
My Julianne sofa for CR Laine comes with a single bench seat in a tufted or untufted version. Here it is in yellow leather.
No matter which seat cushion choice you decide to buy, be sure to pay for the very best fabric and pillow construction you can. After all, this is where your family will spend the most time and you want to get the most out of this hard-working piece!
xo,
