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What is a modular sofa?

A modular sofa comprises individual sections that can be slotted together or taken apart and rearranged to provide the perfect seating solution for a room. First popular in the 1970s, modular sofas come in a wide choice of shapes, sizes, styles and configurations making them highly versatile and practical. They are, quite simply, sofa superheroes.

Why Are Modular Sofas Popular

Seamlessly blending style with functionality and able to adapt as a home and the way it is used evolves, the modular sofa has become the flexible friend that few can live without. 

Modular sofas can be arranged to seat as few as two people or to welcome the largest of social gatherings by extending into C, L and U-shaped configurations, often with the choice of a left or right-hand elegant chaise lounge and arm and back sections for added comfort.

From a small reading nook to a large cinematic-scale lounge, there’s a modular sofa for every occasion.

In rooms with a challenging layout, they make the space work harder. Whether it’s a tight or disjointed space, or an awkward radiator, window, door or corner to get around, a modular sofa will come to the rescue.

With the rise of open plan living, the modular sofa has come into its own. In a large, multi-functional space, this workhorse wonder provides design freedom and can be used to create a defined seating zone. 

The increasingly popular ‘broken’ plan living, offering a midway point between a traditional layout of separate rooms and open plan by using structural elements to cleverly mark out functional zones, has seen the modular sofa’s superhero status reach epic heights. Place one behind a half-wall, for instance, and you create a cosy, private area in an instant. 

For homeowners and those renting, the modular sofa affords flexibility without compromise when the time comes to move on. No need to worry if the sofa will fit when it can be taken apart, reconfigured and adapted to suit its new abode.

If you downsize, you can split a large modular sofa into smaller pieces. Size up and you can add another element without having to fork out for a completely new sofa.

Benefits of Modular Sofas

From making a space work harder to providing a cost-effective, long-term solution that evolves with changing needs, modular sofas offer myriad benefits.

They can be versatile

Available in a whole host of styles and layouts, they are flexible, adaptable and responsive to your needs at any one time. 

If you want to change a two-seater into a three-seater, a corner sofa into two separate sofas, or a four-seater into a U-shaped showpiece with all the bells and whistles, go for it. Arms, no arms, chaise, interconnecting footstool… however you want to connect a modular sofa and whatever your mood, there’s a new configuration waiting to be discovered.

Space Saving Seating Solutions

Who doesn’t love a space saving solution? And when it’s teamed with elegant design and elevated comfort, it’s a win-win. 

From L-shaped units that fit sweetly into a corner to chic storage chaises that hide a multitude of sins, a modular sofa will make the most of every nook and cranny.

Easy to Put Together

Forget complicated instructions and fiddly tools. A modular sofa is made to make life easy.

So how do you connect a modular sofa and how does it stay together? Well, each individual section is usually designed to slot together and then apart with a fast, convenient and clever click mechanism. Create the layout of your choice quicker than it takes to make a cuppa before chilling out.

Differences Between a Modular Sofa and a Traditional Sofa

What’s the difference between a sofa and a modular sofa? It all lies in the number of connecting pieces. A standard sofa will usually only consist of one piece – two at most – while a modular sofa harnesses several interconnecting modules that can be joined or separated in a plethora of combinations.

With a traditional two or three-seater sofa, if you wanted to add to your seating capacity, you would have to buy an additional sofa or a couple of occasional chairs. You’d also be more restricted in terms of layout if your needs changed as a standard sofa is less flexible.

Is it any wonder more and more people are choosing to buy a modular sofa? Circumstances, needs and mood can change at a moment’s notice, and a modular sofa will rise to the occasion and become your trusty companion for life’s twists and turns.

Are Modular Sofas and Sectional Sofas the Same?

Is there such a thing as a modular sectional sofa? While the terms are used interchangeably and there are similarities between the two in terms of both being a more flexible option than traditional seating, there is a distinct difference between a modular sofa and a sectional sofa.

A modular sofa is a customisable seating solution made up of multiple individual pieces that can be rearranged in an array of ways. A sectional sofa comes in pre-determined sections that are normally in a fixed configuration with less versatility. Put simply, a modular sofa is a master of disguises while a sectional sofa is slightly more rigid in terms of how you can lay it out.

Popular Sofa.com Modular Sofa Picks

If you would like to join the modular movement, there are endless possibilities at sofa.com with handcrafted, bespoke modular sofas made to measure for every budget and taste.

Discover the contemporary Cohen, which looks as good as it feels by offering lumbar support and pleasing-to-the-eye fluid lines.

If you’re blessed with space, the Long Island is a home within a home. Whether you’re catching up on work or want a snooze, this sofa can be arranged in any combination to suit your need, so you literally never have to leave it.

Want to stretch out, but tight on space? You won’t have to cut corners with the Long Island’s slim sister, forming part of the best-selling modular range and perfect for making smaller spaces work hard.

Or if you’re seeking Scandi-style simplicity, the Romy will have you drifting on Nordic clouds in hygge heaven with its quilted effect, feather filling and double cushions. So, what are you waiting for? Power up with your very own superhero modular sofas.