WhichSofais right foryou.
Choosing a sofa can be one of those lovely yet slightly daunting decisions. It can become the place you'll sink into at the end of a long day, the spot your family somehow ends up on come Sunday afternoon. And if you are a dog lover, it will be the one place they are absolutely not allowed — and then somehow become their sofa more than yours.
One thing to know from the very start: our sofas are designed to live happily together, and they get along beautifully with other pieces you already own and love. There is no need to buy a matching set. I have always thought that a room full of things chosen one at a time, over years, is always the loveliest sort of room.
Whether you are looking for something deep and soft to disappear into, or a shape that brings a sense of occasion to a room, I think you will find your forever sofa. Let me introduce you to our sofa family: Coco, Cocobella, Felix, Barton, Henrietta, Isobel and Sophia.
Which One Will Suit Your Room?
Each of our sofas has its own character. The shape of the arms, the depth of the seat, the style of the legs. They are often small things, and they help set the whole mood of a space.
The Sofa Family
Coco
Our bestsellerExtremely adaptable because there are many different ways to dress her. For instance, you can choose a loose cover or a fixed cover, box edge cushions for a more formal look, or knife edge for a more casual, relaxed feel. Then there’s the different trims to the cushions, oxford borders, contrast piping or no piping and much more too.
Cocobella
Coco's younger cousinThe same laid-back charm, the same soft and generous proportions, with deeply padded arms and back cushions to sink into. She comes in a smaller range of fabrics and in set sizes rather than made to measure. The specification differs from Coco — see the full comparison.
Isobel
Quintessential old EnglishA softly curved back, low arms, a deep seat and separate back cushions, based on an original from Howard & Sons, the celebrated London makers founded in 1820. Entirely timeless — the sort of shape that quietly belongs in almost any room you put her in.
Felix
Neat and elegantAnother variation on the classic Howard sofa, with clean, tailored lines and an integrated upholstered back. Felix never overwhelms a room, and looks just as good in a formal sitting room as in a more casual one.
Barton
Classic EnglishRolled arms, traditional lines and one of the deepest frames we make, based on a much-loved family original of ours, the Burnham. Barton loves a generous room and rewards anyone who likes to stretch right out — though plenty have found their way into cosy cottages too.
Salthrop
A Barton variantExclusive to John Lewis. Like Cocobella, it comes in a narrower range of fabrics and limited sizes options.
Henrietta
Our most formalA faithful copy of a late 1800s sofa given to me by my mother, Lady Caroline Conran. Traditional through and through, with ornate hand-carved legs, fully sprung in the base and the back, and a fixed cover to keep those lines crisp. Beautifully suited to a grander room.
Sophia
Compact and uprightBased on a late 18th-century sofa I have owned and loved for over thirty years. She goes elegantly where a fuller sofa might not — a hallway, beside a dining table, even a generous bathroom. Remarkably comfortable, with beautifully hand-turned legs.
Think first about how you actually live in the room, and how you like to live within it. Then let the shape follow.
It is so much easier than the other way around.
Are They All as Well Made as Each Other?
Yes, every single one. They are all handcrafted here in the UK or in the USA by skilled makers who genuinely care, using traditional construction and lovely materials. There are small differences in how each is built, but the standard never wavers. The result is a piece made to last — in the way it looks, and in the way it holds up to years of being loved.
And Which Is the Most Comfortable?
The honest reply is that it depends entirely on how you like to sit. Some of us want a supportive seat that holds us up; others want to sink deeply into something soft at the end of the day.
The cushion fillings can be tailored so that any of these sit exactly the way you like. Firm and supportive, soft and cloud-like, or somewhere in between. It is your sofa, after all. These options are not available on Cocobella and Salthrop.
How Each One Sits
Comfort, honestlyAt a Glance
Seven designs, side by sideCoco
Relaxed, casual, our bestseller
Feather-soft, made for lounging
Everyday family living
Cocobella
Cheerful and easy; smaller fabric range, set sizes
Soft and well padded
Relaxed homes
Felix
Elegant, neat, tailored lines with a classical heritage
Balanced support and softness
Formal or relaxed rooms; loose or fixed
Barton
Classic English, rolled arms, very deep
Deep and enveloping (loves a plump)
Larger rooms, country and period interiors, and anyone who likes to stretch out
Henrietta
Our most formal; upright, ornate legs based on an 1890s original
Tidy and supportive, fixed cover
Grand, traditional rooms
Isobel
Classic Howard shape, timeless English
Curved back, low arms, deep seat
Almost any room
Sophia
18th-century origin, compact and upright, curved legs
Comfortable well beyond her size
Hallways, kitchen tables, smaller spaces
If You Would Like a Hand Deciding
If you are at all unsure, send us a photograph of your room and we will help you choose your perfect sofa. We create complimentary floor plans and photorealistic renders of your room with our sofas in it. No obligation — just friendly help from people who do this all day and love helping you find your forever sofa.
If you would like to gather your measurements first, our guide to measuring your space before buying a sofa walks you through it.