Take a Seat: 11 Sofa Brands Making a Case for Serious Style and Comfort

Sofas are an invitation to flop down and relax – but there’s a lot to consider when choosing the right one. How will it fit your living room layout? Which design will still feel fresh in five years? And what colour will work with the rest of your home?

With fabric, comfort and style to weigh up, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Sydney interior designer Alexandra Donohoe Church, founder of award-winning studio Decus, has a simple golden rule: “Buy the one you instinctively love. A sofa isn’t a seasonal accessory; it’s the gravitational centre of a living room. If you hesitate, it’s probably not the right one.”

Like any investment piece, finding “the one” takes a little trial and error. You’ve got to test seat depth, firmness, leg height and back angle before committing.

We’ve rounded up 11 of the best Australian sofa brands. Whether you’re after something pared-back and minimal or a striking statement piece, there’s a sofa to suit every space.

Plus, Donohoe Church shares how to pick the right size, when to go for modular designs and the biggest mistake people make when buying a sofa. 

The best sofa brands to shop right now

MCM House 

Sydney furniture label MCM House captures the ease of Australian coastal living. It’s built a following for generously sized, sink-in sofas upholstered in breezy linens and soft, textured fabrics. Deep seats, low-slung silhouettes and relaxed slipcovers bring a laid-back, lived-in feel to rooms while still looking polished. 

Our pick

Eva 

Eva started with a single idea: a mattress delivered in a box. The brand’s sofas follow the same formula: streamlined, modular designs that arrive flat-packed and come together with minimal fuss. Clean lines, durable upholstery and practical details make them well-suited to everyday homes. The Slideaway sofa bed is a Good Design Award winner for balancing comfort, clever functionality and accessible pricing. 

Our pick

RJ Living

RJ Living brings a relaxed approach to sofas and living spaces. Its modular sofas favour curved lines and retro‑inspired silhouettes, striking a balance between sculptural detail and everyday comfort. Styles like the Stretch are made for sprawling, while the striped Sidney range brings beach-house energy to your space. 

Our pick

Rachel Donath 

There’s something old-world yet modern about Rachel Donath’s pieces. The Melbourne furniture designer creates pieces that pair minimal silhouettes with maximalist, considered details. Working closely with artisan communities, Donath focuses on sustainable and ethical practice. They are the kind of styles that become heirlooms.

Our pick

Daniel Boddam

Sydney- and Byron Bay–based architect-designer Daniel Boddam creates sofas that draw on Australia’s landscapes, where soft curves call to mind rolling waves and sweeping sand dunes. Striking yet understated, each piece balances sculptural detail with clean, minimal lines. Made to order locally, sofas can be customised from upholstery to overall shape. 

Our pick

Ellison Studios 

Byron Bay furniture designer Sarah Ellison’s namesake label creates artful and minimalist forever pieces. You’ll often find its retro-inspired designs across some of Australia’s most-photographed (and Instagrammed) spaces. A few years ago, it teamed up with Pantone for a ’70s-inspired chocolate brown sofa. More recently, we spotted its designs inside the apartments of Australian actresses and perennial cool-girls Geraldine Viswanathan, Sarah Ellen and Nadia Fairfax. 

Our pick

McMullin 

Sydney homewares brand McMullin might be best known for its bedheads made from curved iron and soft bouclé. Its playful lines translate into seating with designs like the statement Hugo, while other styles keep things clean and boxy. Upholstery options include lush velvet and textured weaves. 

Our pick

Jardan 

Australian furniture maker Jardan has been making high-quality designs since 1987. Its sofas are made to order in Melbourne and can be customised with a range of upholstery options. There are chubby, tubular designs that wrap around a space as well as sleek, classic forms. 

Our pick

King Living 

Founded in Sydney in 1977 by David King and Gwen King, King Living has built a reputation for engineering-led sofas that prioritise comfort, durability and flexibility. The line-up features sleek leather styles, high-back silhouettes and relaxed curves. Steel frames and removable covers are designed to extend a sofa’s lifespan. 

Our pick

Koala 

For more than a decade, Koala has been making high-quality mattresses-in-a-box. But the range has grown to include bed bases, sofa beds and fuss-free sofas that involve tool-free assembly. That means they’re as easy to put together as they are to cosy up on at the end of the day. Plus, machine-washable covers make for easy living. 

Our pick

Bolia

Danish brand Bolia brought its Scandinavian design sensibility to Australia with the opening of its first Australian store in Melbourne in 2024. Known for collaborating with European designers, its sofas lean into clean lines, natural materials and softly sculptural forms that make a quiet impact. 

Our pick

Alexandra Donohoe Church’s advice for buying and styling sofas 

How do you determine the right size sofa for a room without it overwhelming or underwhelming the space?

The furniture within a room should sit comfortably on the rug. The rug sets the spatial framework of the room, and the sofa needs to belong to that footprint rather than float awkwardly outside it. When the rug is scaled correctly, the sofa size tends to reveal itself quite naturally.

When is a modular sofa the right choice, and when is it not?

Modular sofas come into their own in larger spaces where flexibility matters. They allow you to create generous, relaxed seating arrangements and can be reconfigured as the room evolves. They’re also practical, as individual components can be reupholstered or replaced if they’re getting heavy use. In smaller rooms, though, a modular can sometimes feel a bit bulky or unresolved; a well-proportioned single piece often reads more deliberate.

What’s the most common mistake people make when buying a sofa?

Chasing trends. Sofas that are overly stylised, overly cute, or aggressively “of the moment” tend to date quickly. The best rooms are built on restraint (less, but better) and a sofa should feel resolved rather than decorative. If it feels a bit too clever, it probably is.

How do you choose a style that won’t date in five years? What silhouettes are a timeless pick?

Classic proportions rarely fail. Pieces like the Bon sofa from Jardan, the Za Za sofa available through Cult, or the Muir sofa by Sem from Moebel all have a quiet permanence; they’re confident without being loud. Another strategy is to lean into collectability. Investing in something with design pedigree, like the Alpha Sofa by Pierre Paulin, means you’re buying into design history rather than a fleeting look. 

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