L-Shaped Sofas for Families

An L-shaped sofa, whether it’s a large modular sofa with long legs on both sides, or just a small chaise end sofa, is an ideal piece for a family home. It makes it easy to have the whole family sit around together when needed, or to have a couple or individual sit in comfort with their feet up. However, when you’re thinking of a sofa that’s specifically for use in a family home, there are a few other considerations than just the shape and size.

Family-friendly materials

For a sofa that might be climbed on by young children wielding pens or wearing dirty clothes, or jumped on by pets, it’s well worth choosing a material that’s durable, stain-resistant, and easy to clean.

Alice Modular Sofa in Aqua Clean Bellagio Smooth Velvet

Many sofas are available in specifically family-friendly fabrics. These tend to be blends incorporating artificial materials that have a high rub-count and are stain resistant. They can be scrubbed clean without damaging the material, and are often strong enough to resist damage from a pet’s claws, which also makes them a good choice for families with pets.

Devon Corner Sofa in Stain Resistant Velvet Pampas R10

Equally, wool is naturally stain resistant so can be a good choice for a family sofa, although it’s a little less resistant to damage from cuts or scratches.

Venice Corner Sofa in Hard Wearing Leather 10BK

Finally, just good old leather can be a great choice, especially semi-aniline leather that won’t absorb spills too easily. Many leathers are strong and resist scratches and damage, and they are also often wipe-clean and not prone to staining, making them a great family-friendly option.

Practical Colours

It’s probably not surprising that darker colours are generally more family friendly as they don’t show up dirt or stains quite as easily. Dark greys and dark browns work particularly well, but so could deep red or bottle green. Black is an option although does tend to show up fluff and some stains, and may also fade in the sun.

Haymarket Extra Deep Sofa in Coco Plain Noir Fabric

Patterned fabrics work particularly well as they have the added benefit of disguising a lot of small stains or marks.

Alice Modular Sofa in Patterned Fabrics

Family-friendly comfort

A particular consideration for a family L-shaped sofa is comfort. If this is where the family will sit around to watch television or celebrate special occasions, it’s vital that it be comfortable and inviting. A deep seat and well-stuffed cushions are essential, and an even better option is to have one or more seats recline, offering the ultimate in comfort when watching television or relaxing with a book.

Epping Corner Sofa in Vintage Feather Velvet

Making your choice

Choosing a family-friendly sofa sometimes means making some decisions that aren’t purely about style, but that doesn’t mean that a family-friendly sofa can’t also be stylish. If you bear in mind the need for a good family-friendly fabric and the right choice of colour, you still have plenty of options open to you to find a design that appeals and fits in to the style you are after.

Darwin Corner Sofa in Habitat Cloud with Mystic Dove Piping