Steal My Sectional
Twenty-three shoppable sectionals, as seen in their passionate owners’ homes.
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your account’s‘Saved for Later’section.
CommentFor our first installment ofIn Situthree years ago, we asked artists, writers, designers, and all-around stylish people to — literally —show us their sofas. When we sat down to create a new version forCouch Week, we decided to go big. Large and modular, sectionals are inherently playful, practically demanding that you gather together on an expanse of cushions and stay a while. We’ve been seeing them in more homes lately (and every brand includes them among their offerings), so we felt like they deserved their own moment. To survey the lay of the L-shaped seating landscape, we reached out to two-dozen folks with excellent taste about the sectionals they love and to show us exactly how they live with them in their homes.
Ali Moran
“As someone in the design world, my days are filled ogling beautiful furniture I adore but cannot afford. My dad is a craft furniture designer, so this sensitivity to quality runs deep — it was basically instilled at birth. I’ve bought most of our furniture secondhand at Etsy, 1stDibs, and Chairish — and my dad has generously designed custom pieces for our home — so Lulu and Georgia was frankly left field but recommended by a friend, and its sectional offering was within our budget. The products are handcrafted and nontoxic with low VOC levels, which is important to me. The Fairfield immediately caught my eye as that rare combo of tailored and relaxed. The brown velvet (which, let’s be honest, reads green in person —but whatever) plays especially well in our century-old home, where character already exists and the furniture just needs to ‘vibe’ with it — not compete.
It’s comfortable. It’s supportive. Up to four people can pile on when we host. It doesn’t tempt our cats into acts of destruction. It scores bonus points fornotbeing bouclé, and, sure, green velvet is nearly astrendy— and one day I may look back and say, ‘Oh, no’ — but within the context of the architecture of our American Foursquare home, it fits. It does its job.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Jake, Emily, and Giaco Nicolella
Graphic designer,photographer, 3-year-old
“We must have looked at over 50 sectionals. We landed on Burrow’s Range sectional because we loved its unique design, the color, and the fact that it could hold up to life with a toddler. He was only a baby then, but we were thinking ahead!
It’s genuinely comfortable. Our whole little family can kick back on it and watch movies together. It’s also easy to clean, which has been a lifesaver. We use it for hosting, working, vegging, playing, and pretty much everything the day holds.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Vito, Monique, and Isaiah Aiuto
Musicians,The Welcome Wagon, student
“We owned the same couch for going on 20 years — had it reupholstered a couple times, a few other tune-ups — but it was finally breaking down beyond repair and time to find something else. Some dear friends down the street had this colossal couch we were always keen on; we loved lounging on it when we were there. ‘It’s like lying on a cloud!’ we said. ‘It’s called the Cloud,’ they said. Well then. When we looked it up, it was pretty far out of our price range, so that was that. But when they needed to move and downsize, they offered to sell it to us for way cheap. We felt alittlefunny about the idea of having a used couch, but then they told us it was actually used to them and we’d be thethirdowners, and how could we say no to that? We couldn’t. So one night we lugged it down the street, piece by piece, pillow by pillow, and reassembled it in our living room, where it has served us well. It’s a little annoying in that you have to re-pouf it every couple days — the cushions sort of deflate and slump a bit if you look at it too hard. But it’s still super-comfy, as people always tell us that when they visit. Maybe one of them will want to buy it.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Sophia Kountakis and Luis Muñoz
Interiorandarchitectural designers
“We needed to accommodate up to five people who are very tall with back problems, while maintaining a contemporary look. It has a higher back, a deeper seat, and the perfect amount of firmness and softness that gets cozier the more it’s used.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Anastasia White
“We moved into our house in Connecticut in the spring of 2021. Our sofa from Brooklyn was too small, and we wanted something with a streamlined shape that filled the living room nicely. The sectional is deep, which is important for lounging and being able to put your legs up to get comfortable. It has held up with small children, multiple spot cleanings, and direct sunlight for the four years we’ve had it.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Anna Speckhart and Carlos Quirarte
“The reason we choose the Neva was this photo in a nutshell. Right before this picture was taken, my daughter somehow got peanut butter all over the cushions. This of course was after she said, ‘I swear I washed my handsrealllygood.’ Life with kids is wild and unpredictable, but we still want nice things. The washable slipcovers allow us to have both. Plus, it’s the only place in the house where there is room for all of us to relax and play.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Lisa Perry
Designer and founder ofOnna House
“This sofa has been the centerpiece of the living room for 25 years. It was a custom design and it’s made out of soft white vinyl. We originally wanted to do a sunken conversation pit, but since that wasn’t possible in an apartment, this was the next best thing. I love it because you can have 30 people in the living room all on one sofa in fabulous NYC style.”
Dexter Peart
Co-founder ofGoodee
“We found this on a trip to Stockholm more than 15 years ago. It has held up remarkably well as we’ve raised our daughters. It’s upholstered in a warm-red Kvadrat wool fabric, which is always uplifting no matter the season.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Heide Hendricks and Rafe Churchill
Principals ofHendricks Churchilland authors of the forthcoming bookDistinctly American
“With windows on three walls, we needed a sofa low enough to sit beneath the sills without obstructing the views. Its clean lines and minimalist profile also complement the room’s mid-century aesthetic nicely. We love sinking into the buttery-soft patchwork leather and how its beautiful patina makes it feel not too precious.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
De Sede DS 11 Modular Sofa
Kristen Noel Crawley
Founder ofKNC Beauty
“I always longed for a Mah Jong. I had only ever seen the Missoni version, but then I went into the store and I saw this gorgeous Kenzo Takada option. I loved this even more because of the stunning prints and colors — it was perfect for my loft, which doubles as my KNC Beauty home office. The colors on the couch ended up matching my brand colors flawlessly, and the lower price point was the cherry on top. I’ve had it for five years, and I still smile every time I walk into that room. You can stack it, lay it flat, and even raise the backrest on one of the pieces. It’s a forever sofa and will work in any space if I need to move one day.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Zanni Watkins and Christopher Baas
“The sofa was on Chris’s mind for a decade, and we pulled the trigger during our loft renovation in 2018. Our home is truly designed around its colors, textures, and coziness. The rug it sits on was even designed by Chris to mimic the dimensions of each cushion in a grid to allow for perfect alignment when moving the cushions around.
We love how modular it is — when we host friends, we can stack or move the cushions around to fit our needs. It’s our everything sofa; we’re not too precious about it. Friends and family have slept on it and our dogs lay on it during the day. Our most-used cushion (the center corner) even earned a few rips after years of use, so we took it to local repair shop Eva Joan and they created beautiful handmade patches, so the sofa has become a bit wabi-sabi. As it gets more loved and worn, we embrace it. We love to sit on it in the evenings with a glass of wine for movie night and occasionally some hookah. (It fits the vibe, doesn’t it?!). We recently adopted a Chihuahua pup, and she loves to do zoomies and parkour off the cushion backs, so that’s become a new favorite thing lately too.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Nwaka Onwusa
“I had just moved to Cleveland and was looking for a couch that could transition from classic to contemporary — a ‘multi-couch’ that was easy to clean and sleep, work, and entertain on. So I went to theArhaus Outletand found this sectional. The prior buyer had customized it, and when it arrived, they hated the color. So, lucky for me, it ended up at the outlet. I love the color, and I love the dang couch.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Sue-Jean Kang
Marketing consultant and founder ofFine Day Fair
“My choice sectional of the three we own is a very OG Ethan Allen custom sofa we purchased in 2013 (my first real piece of furniture). We bought it weeks before our wedding day; we financed it (gasp); and we still own and use it every single day — three moves, two houses, two kids, and two golden retrievers later. It’s a workhorse. Ethan Allen no longer makes the Retreat sectional; the closest it makes now is the Spencer.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Wes Sanders
“My partner and I had a small love seat for the first year or so of living together, which worked for a while, but the space was really calling for a big, comfy sectional. Everything we liked was out of our price range, so I had this harebrained idea that it would be cheaper (it’s not necessarily!) to just build it myself. It was a slow process at first, but last winter I took off two months just to focus on the project — one month for sewing and another month to construct the base, which is designed to slide over the baseboard heaters and sit flush against the wall so that no backrest is necessary. Also, it’s modular! With a quick adjustment of the middle support on the large section and extra side rests for compression, it becomes two individual sofas. It’s big enough for us to both nap at the same time and comfortably seats six for movie night! We’re super-happy with how it came out.”
Jean Lin
Founder ofColony
“When I did a light renovation on my house five years ago, I knew I wanted a leather sofa, but I was on a really tight budget. The Solae from Article checked all the boxes and was reasonably priced. I love the scale; it’s really big and cozy but doesn’t take over the space. I also love the leather. It has aged really well, and spills and scratches turn into a patina. Rather than looking dirty, it looks well loved and reduces a lot of stress. We don’t have to worry about ruining the sofa, we can just use it!”
Editor’s note: Lin’s sectional has been discontinued (except for one module), but here’s something similar from Article.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Sally Breer
“I designed it and had it produced in Los Angeles in 2019. It was sort of our prototype — we’ve since produced a lot for clients. I’m always thinking about comfort and durability without sacrificing looks. A lot of my favorite vintage sofas and sectionals are sculptural and therefore don’t have removable cushions that you can get laundered, so the challenge was to preserve simple structured lines but with a seat cushion (that gets the most mileage) that’s removable and could have duplicate covers made for it.
This sectional has a 30-inch seat depth, which is almost a twin bed. It’s overkill but incredibly luxurious. We started making them in a smaller version too (27-inch seat depth), and that still feels very comfortable. It’s covered in a Perennials fabric — i.e., indestructible! I landed on a woven stripe because it’s so much sectional (it wraps around three walls of a big room), so I didn’t want it to be a visual mass, but it needed to have texture for depth — the little stripe takes it there.”
Annie Zhao
“I always thought sectionals were out of reach for my NYC space and budget constraints. So, naturally, I impulse bought one from Facebook Marketplace for $600. (Including delivery! Shout-out tothe Couch Guys.) It has honestly changed my life: My boyfriend and I can stretch out, and my dog gets her own window perch. We even started having people over more often, and no one has to sit on the floor for movie nights.”
Editor’s note: Zhao’s sofa is discontinued, but here’s something similar from CB2.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Diana Biruk
CEO ofLuke Lamp Co.
“My partner and I got this couch when we moved into a new place almost a year ago. We love hosting, and there are always people in the house and family visiting, so we needed a large, comfortable seating area. We’re still working on the design of our home — it’s very beige at the moment — so when we were picking a couch, we figured it could be a bright spot in the space until we’re able to layer in more lived-in elements.
The couch has really become a centerpiece — and it definitely feels lived-in, especially since our puppy, Mango, has chewed up one of the wooden corners. I thought about calling the store to see if it could be replaced, but ultimately decided against it. The wear makes the piece feel like it truly belongs in our home.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Carly Krieger and Max Heimberger
Founder ofPast Lives Studioandgraphic designer/filmmaker
“My sectional is ade Sede DS-76, designed in 1972, which I purchased at auction and had reupholstered in DedarKarakorumfabric a little over three years ago. It is completely modular, which was key to ensuring the sofa could fit into our oh-so-narrow, 29-inch-wide hallway apartment. This sofa is super-unique because all of the pieces can be disassembled to convert into a guest bed — complete with integrated pillows. Our apartment has a funky and compact layout, but the configuration and proportions of this sofa meant we could still have a corner section that wouldn’t take up too much room within the living space.
I’ve always admired the designs of de Sede, which are streamlined and modern without sacrificing comfort, and as a vintage dealer, it was important to me to find a pre-loved sofa that I could breathe new life into. What I don’t love about this sofa was our silly decision to upholster it in a bouclé. We knew it would be a challenging fabric to have with cats, but we had confidence in ourselves that we could train our two cats to not claw at the fabric and use things like anti-claw tape, etc. We were wrong.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
De Sede DS-76 Sofa
Byron Peart
Co-founder ofGoodee
“This oversize L-shaped sofa has been center stage to countless joyous moments with family and friends over the past decade (and plenty of cozy, lazy evenings in front of the fireplace). My dog, Hugo, can often be found on it — perched above the back pillows.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Danny Kaplan
Founder ofDanny Kaplan Studio
‘The sectional came in toward the final stages of the renovation of my showroom, which doubles as my home. It’s one of those rare finds that immediately draws you in. The form is sculptural yet relaxed — generous in scale, low slung, and modular, which makes it ideal for both everyday living and entertaining. What I love most is how it balances structure and comfort so effortlessly. Rimo Maturi’s design has this refined, architectural quality — the proportions are crisp and intentional — but it’s also incredibly inviting to sink into. That combination of tailored form and deep, lived-in ease really speaks to the kind of atmosphere I try to create in my own work.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
David Bers
Founder ofDavid Bers Architecture
“This sectional is a flat platform with no resilient inner structure, no arms to speak of, an unsupportive back, and makes no effort to accommodate a human being ergonomically. On top of that, this 11-foot behemoth didn’t fit into the building elevator and wasn’t in the best condition, having seen its fair share of Benson & Hedges over its 70 years. But it was beautiful. And beauty sometimes comes at a price. So we took some effort and time to fix it. In exchange for that labor of love, though, you bond with the piece. It becomes part of your story. That’s an experience no mass-produced furniture can really offer.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Lana Schwartz
“I bought my couch from fellow writer and comedian Fareeha Khan via a Facebook post back in 2018, at a time when we were all on Facebook all the time. Many threw their hat into the ring, but I emerged from the comment section victorious, which gave me a sense of superiority that I did not deserve and was not earned. I paid more to move the couch than for the couch itself, first into the apartment I shared with my two roommates and then into my current apartment, which is long and narrow and which my friend Bridgette has described as ‘six-one.’ It is objectively too big for my small living room, but I am too attached to it to give it up — I would rather have a giant comfortable couch that takes up half of the space than a tiny one that barely seats two.”
Editor’s note: Schwartz’s sectional, which is from World Market, has been discontinued, but here’s something similar from the brand.
New! You can now save this product for later.
More From The Strategist
- The Best Things Strategist Editors Have Bought This Year (So Far)
- The Strategist Summer 100
- I Replaced My Tretinoin With This $30 Retinal Cream
- My Hunt for Fisherman Sandals That Won’t Tear Up My Feet
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
