Should Your Sofa Have Arms? This Detail Changes Living Rooms
Choosing a sofa is surely among the most important design decisions you’ll make for your home, but it’s one that presents lots of questions. Should the filling be foam, fiber, or feathers? Is a longer silhouette better for stretching out? How deep is too deep? With the rise of modular styles and the popularity of mix-and-match sectionals, though, there’s another one worth asking — should your sofa have arms?
Armless designs are one of this year’s top sofa trends. While it might feel relatively insignificant compared to choosing a color or picking upholstery, opting for arms (or leaving them out) impacts so much more than simply looks. Comfort, circulation, and space all come into play, too. “As designers, we’re now thinking much more deliberately about whether arms are actually necessary,” explains Nomad’s Jack Simpson.
So, should your sofa have arms? Take a seat and let’s discuss.
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When Should a Sofa Have Arms?
“Arms are no longer a standard component on a sofa, but a tool for shaping how it is used and how it sits within a room,” says Portia Fox.
(Image credit: Richard Pickavance. Design: Portia Fox Design)
Perhaps unsurprisingly, arms help to make a sofa feel complete. This makes them a wise choice for standard-sized designs, as opposed to sprawling modular configurations that can seat ten or twelve.
“Arms work particularly well on standalone two- or three-seater sofas,” agrees Marcelina Janizewska, head of interior design at Project London. “They give sofas a clear beginning and end, making them feel more finished.”
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Pippo Stripe Linen 3-Seater Sofa in Sapphire
This traditional silhouette, arms and all, gets a contemporary makeover in graphic, multi-directional stripes.
This definition makes a sofa with arms ideal in rooms where the piece becomes your focal point. “Arms give a sofa presence, allowing it to anchor a room,” explains interior designer Portia Fox. They also create a feeling of enclosure, making a sofa feel like more of a standalone destination in your space.
“Arms provide a sense of embrace,” Portia adds. “They give you somewhere to lean or nestle, which is particularly worthwhile in rooms where you seek comfort or want a feeling of retreat.” In other words, a sofa with arms adds intimacy and creates a cocooning spot worth settling into. One quick caveat? Don’t automatically assume you have to go for arms on both sides.
Working across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, Portia designs luxury residential and commercial interiors. Her eponymous studio is known for creating spaces that blend sensory richness with contemporary elegance.
When Does an Armless Sofa Make Sense?
“An armless sofa needs to feel generous enough that the simplicity looks deliberate,” says Jack Simpson.
(Image credit: Sarah Button. Design: NOMAD)
If the benefit of having arms on your sofa is defining it and making it the anchor of your room, then taking them away helps to loosen up your floor plan. “Armless designs are particularly successful where space and circulation are important,” explains Jack Simpson, creative director at Nomad. “Removing arms reduces visual weight, meaning even a substantial sofa can feel noticeably lighter.”
This allows armless styles to work well in open-concept spaces as well as in rooms used for different purposes throughout the day. “They give you more freedom, especially when you don’t want the piece to create a hard divide,” agrees Jack, who regularly uses modular designs in his projects. “Leaving these armless allows you to extend the sofa with another module, or use individual sections almost as separate pieces of furniture. This flexibility is ideal in contemporary interiors, where one rigid furniture arrangement feels impractical.”
“As modular designs become more popular, people have become much more comfortable with the idea that a sofa doesn’t need to be one fixed shape,” says Stephen Nash.
(Image credit: Helen Leech. Design: All & Nxthing)
Of course, not all armless sofas are modular and you don’t need a particularly large design to gain the benefits. “Without arms, a sofa becomes less prescriptive and allows you to create a more informal mood,” explains Stephen Nash, the London-based interior designer and founder of All & Nxthing.
Visually, a silhouette without arms strikes a fresher, more contemporary note that influences how the piece actually gets used. Armless sofas tend to offer more relaxed, varied uses rather than being somewhere exclusively reserved for sinking into. “You can sit on one from different directions, perch on the end, and let the sofa become part of how you use a space rather than just an object sitting within it,” says Stephen.
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Boro Stripe Kori Modular Armless Sofa
This casual modular sofa can be customized with individual seats, ottomans, and even additional corners — with arms.
How Do You Make an Armless Sofa Work?
“Embrace the modularity of an armless sofa, rather than trying to make it look like a traditional sofa without its arms,” suggests Project London’s Marcelina Janizewska.
(Image credit: Aaron Hargreaves. Design: Project London)
When you remove something, there’s always a danger that you’ll end up compensating for it — don’t. Make the remaining elements more beautiful instead.
“The key is to make a feature of the details that remain on your sofa, rather than trying to disguise the lack of arms,” explains Carina Raymond, founder of Studio Raymond. “Beautiful upholstery and interesting detailing on seat cushions can make an armless sofa feel very deliberate and designed, rather than as though something has been left off.”
“Removing the arms reduces the physical and visual footprint of a sofa, which is ideal in open-plan spaces where the sofa can participate in several areas of the room,” say Neda Kakhsaz and Zabie Mustafa.
(Image credit: William Jess Laird. Styling: Austin Whittle. Design: Studio Muka)
Think about what you would use sofa arms for, and then aim for a more useful alternative — the arm of a velvet sofa isn’t the best place to perch a wine glass, say, and it wasn’t designed to hold a paperback or your phone either.
“We like pairing armless sofas with low tables, occasional tables, ottomans, and other pieces of furniture that can provide some of the functions an arm traditionally would,” explains Studio Muka’s Neda Kakhsaz and Zabie Mustafa, who created the space above.
Based in Los Angeles, Neda and Zabie combine architectural expertise with an instinct for good design. “We believe it is an ever-evolving process,” they explain. The duo work on high-end residential and commercial projects across the United States.
Making those pieces work seamlessly with your sofa is key — without arms, a sofa opens up to its surroundings. “An armless sofa needs to feel like part of a larger composition,” the pair agree. “The relationship with the furniture around it becomes especially important as the room provides a sense of structure that would otherwise come from the arms. A small table pulled tightly against the sofa, for example, creates a useful edge while keeping the overall arrangement open and flexible.”
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Togo Large Settee in Alcantara Chic Grey
This sofa is a design icon for a reason — it is one of the most flexible styles out there. Available in endless fabrics, gray is a classic choice.
Whether you’re in the market for a form-led sofa or want to know exactly what makes a sofa look expensive, considering whether or not to go for arms is key. While they give a sofa a sense of definition and make a standalone piece a focal point, taking them away and going for an armless sofa opens up your space in a very contemporary way.
In the end, the decision all comes down to how you use your space — either way, you want a sofa that feels as good as it looks.
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