Currently on our to-do list: a modern living room refresh. We're contemplating modern sofa designs and styles while figuring out what would look best in our space. Looking for a new sofa silhouette, a fresh aesthetic, or a more functional piece for your living room interior? Keep reading for our comprehensive advice on modern sofa designs and more – or skip ahead to the info you need most.

Modern Sofa Designs
Modern Sofa Styles
Modern Sofa Backs
Modern Sofa Arms

Modern Sofa Designs

If you're in the market for a new sofa, the first thing to consider is the design you're looking for and how it should elevate your modern living room. Below we break down the five most popular modern sofa designs.

Standard: Standard sofas have a back, arms on either side of the sitting area and typically come as three-seaters. Most are fabric or leather upholstered and might have removable cushions.

Modular: Modular sofas are made up of individual pieces of furniture that give you tons of design versatility and adjustability. You can change the setup based on your home's layout.

Curved: Curved sofas are generally one single piece of furniture with an unexpected and distinctly modern curved design. These sofas won't sit flush against a straight wall, but they will create an intimate seating arrangement.

Sofa Bed: Sofa beds are sofas that can be converted into beds. They are designed to lay down flat and include a mattress to sleep on. This is either done by way of a sleeper sofa, which has a bed inside the sofa, or with a futon, which folds open to create a bed to lie on.

Chesterfield: Chesterfield sofas are known for their quilted, tufted design and come in both fabric and leather upholstery. Some are only tufted on the back and arms, while others are tufted on the seat as well. Chesterfields have deep seating and high, rolled arms. Their frames are also very large so make sure you have the necessary floor space.

Modern Sofa Types

Need assistance to determine the type of seating design that would work best in your space? Aside from the typical sofas on-site, we also recommend loveseats and sleepers too.

Loveseat: A loveseat is just as deep and high as a traditional sofa, but not quite as wide. While your typical sofa can seat three, a loveseat will provide comfortable seating for two. Loveseats are great for small spaces.

Sleeper: A sleeper sofa pulls double duty as both a sofa and a bed. It comes in a couple of configurations, from futons to pullouts. This streamlined piece of furniture is great for mixed-use spaces like a guest room/office combo or for small apartment living rooms and overnight visits from family or friends.

Modern Sofa Styles

Modern sofa designs are heavily influenced by style. Below, we walk through our high-quality modern styles and what makes each one unique.

Mid-Century Modern: Mid-century modern (MCM) sofas are known for their clean lines and geometric shapes. MCM sofas come in soft fabric materials like suede and linen. You'll be able to tell them apart because of their low-slung seats and tapered legs.

Glam: Glam sofas are uber luxurious and will make a statement in any interior. Glam sofas are generally tufted or button-tufted to give them an extra touch of elegance. They usually come in velvet upholstery but can be made from genuine leather as well.

Minimalist: Minimalist sofas are known for their clean lines and simplicity. Minimalist sofas value a functional design but are still very comfortable. They are usually monochrome and unpatterned.

Scandinavian: Scandinavian sofas are similar to the minimalist design, but feature different materials. You'll be able to choose from sofas with light-toned leg materials, like beech and birch, and upholstery made from linen, cotton, or warm, buttery leather.

Industrial: An industrial sofa looks like it just stepped off an assembly line in a furniture factory. It is made from dark materials such as lived-in leather and dark wood or wrought iron. Industrial-style sofas and furniture items work especially well in loft apartments and homes with exposed brick.

Modern Sofa Backs

While shopping for sofas, it's important to take a peek at the different back styles you can choose from. Back styles will determine the sofa's comfortability and how easy it is to clean.

Loose Back: Loose-back sofas have removable leather or fabric cushions. The cushions are comfortable for lounging on and great for an easy cleanup. Simply pop the cushions off to vacuum the sofa.

Tufted Back: Tufted sofas are very textured and have a cool retro aesthetic. The tufts are either stitched or nailed in a repeated design to give the sofa its classic dimpled look.

Tight Back: Tight-back sofas have an upholstered backrest that is either smooth or tufted. It has a clean aesthetic and will keep its shape over time. Because tight-back sofas do not have cushions, you won't have to worry about flipping or rotating them. Tight backs can be very firm, so it might be smart to add throw pillows to give it some plushness.

Cushion Back: Cushion backs are one of the most common types of sofa, with cushions that are cut to perfectly fit the back of the sofa. You won't be able to remove the cushions on a cushion back.

Pillow Back: Pillow back sofas have an upholstered backrest but rather than a cushioned back, they have a loose assortment of pillows arranged across the back. The pillows are usually upholstered in the same color as the sofa and they give the sofa a comfy, luxurious feel.

Modern Sofa Arms

A sofa's arm style is what gives it character and can offer extra comfort.

Track Arms: Track-arm sofas have rectangular armrests with clean lines and a mid-century modern aesthetic. The angular silhouette makes it easy to position a track-arm sofa against a wall or in a corner. The flat arms are convenient for resting your phone.

Tuxedo Arms: Tuxedo arms are the same height as the backrest and create a very clean-lined look. The back of a tuxedo arm sofa is tight and tufted and creates a bit of an upscale aesthetic.

Rolled/Round Arms: Rounded or rolled arms are one of the more classic sofa styles. The rounded arms will typically be shorter than the backrest and feature a low seat, short legs, and plump cushions.

Recessed Arms: Recessed arms are low-set with a sloping silhouette and traditional look. Typically, recessed arms are a bit shorter than the width of the sofa's seating base.

Flared Arms: Flared arms are similar to round arm sofas, but rather than the arms curling in on themselves they splay outward to create a warm and welcoming feeling.

Pillowtop Arms: Rather than traditional arms, pillowtop arms have fabric cushions or overstuffed pillows in place of armrests. Pillowtop arms are plush and comfortable enough to rest your head on.

Ready to find your modern living room sofa?