How to Pick a Family-Friendly Sofa

room setting including york 87-wide sofa in dawson cement, callan chair, corbett coffee table, dia rug.

From accidental spills to messy little hands to rambunctious pets, it can seem like your family is targeting your sofa with every possible challenge. If you’ve ever thought: “This is why I can’t have nice things,” we’re here with a solution. Armed with a few tips, you can find a family-friendly sofa that is not only durable, comfortable and stain resistant but also in line with your grown-up modern style. 

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Finding the Best Pet- and Family-Friendly Sofa

The most important place to start, of course, is comfort. Key to that is finding proportions that make everyone happy. Not too short, not too deep, not too soft… just right in all the ways. 

Our family-friendly sofas are designed with these magic proportions in mind, plus are available in a lovely array of options. So you can find the right fit for your household. Our Sofa Comfort Guide helps you compare sofas. Plus we make it extra-easy with info on each sofa page noting how it feels in terms of firmness plus seat depth and height. 

Living room with Rae 18-diameter round end table in White oak with Jasper leather sofa.
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Choosing the Best Low-maintenance Material

The best material for a couch when you have kids or pets is a durable, easy-to-clean fabric. And you may be surprised to learn that leather is also a great option. It’s durable, plus there’s the unique beauty of the patina a well-loved piece acquires over the years.

Use our Fabric Guide to see our recommendations for family-friendly fabrics. We offer a great range of color and textures. Plus every fabric in our kid-friendly list resists rips and tears and is stain resistant. 

For beautiful and durable leather options, see the semi-aniline finished choices in our Leather Guide. All have a protective finish that’s easy to wipe clean after a spill. For both fabric and leather, you can order free swatches to compare how they feel, how they look, and even do a little spot-test ahead of time.

One other consideration: indoor air quality. Some treatments on stain-resistant fabrics can include harsh chemicals. Room & Board offers GREENGUARD Gold Certified® fabrics, which meet strict standards for indoor air quality. 

living room with fireplace, ericson chairs, metro sofas, tansy rug, corbett coffee table.
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Consider the Cushions

Cushions are the (very soft) backbone of your sofa, and make a big difference in how your sofa looks and feels over time. We recommend loose (unattached) seat cushions and back cushions for families for two reasons. 1) Having the option to flip and rotate the cushions helps them last longer, especially if your kids like to jump on the sofa. 2) If you end up with a bad stain or a snag in the fabric, you can flip a cushion over to hide it. Check out our Metro sofa collection, popular for this very reason and more. 

Another tip: cushions with down in them respond really well to a good plumping, going right back into shape. But you’ll need to fluff them pretty often, just like you would down pillows on your bed. If that kind of maintenance isn’t your thing, consider a sofa with foam cushions, which hold their shape longer (but don’t fluff up as nicely,) Or choose a tight (attached) back for a tidy look.

As you look for the perfect combination of aesthetics and family-friendly in a new sofa, check in with our experts and use our free design services. They can spill a few hints regarding fabric choice, cushion depth considerations and more. 

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