Know Your Sofa Options: Arms, Cushions, Backs and Bases

You’ve decided it’s time for a new sofa, and so off you go to the furniture store, only to be confronted by a confounding array of choices. You probably knew there would be lots of fabrics to choose from, but perhaps you didn’t realize there would be dozens of other things you’d need to make decisions about before your new sofa (or chair) actually makes it home.

The task will be easier if you learn the lingo of the sofa. Here’s all you need to know.

It seems like there are as many different types and styles of sofas as there are people. Yet once you’ve sorted through all the fabric options, there are really only three types of features you need to choose from. It’s the combination of those features that produces the unique piece of furniture that you’ll call your own.

In this photo you can see that a sofa has an arm and cushion style, a back cushion style, and a base style.


Arm and Cushion Style

The sofa seen here shows why we talk about arm and cushion style, and not just the arm alone. This particular arm is called an English (or sometimes London) arm, but you can also see that the seat cushion wraps around the front of it. That is called a T-cushion. So the terminology is English arm with T-cushion.

People with more traditional tastes tend to prefer this arm. It seems to like rooms full of antiques or historic references, whether casual, as in this chic and eclectic Providence, Rhode Island, living room …


… or refined, as in this very formal and grand San Antonio, Texas, salon.


The arm style on this pair of sofas is called a Lawson arm, and when the seat cushion doesn’t wrap around the front of the arm, it is called a straight cushion. Thus, this is a Lawson arm with a straight cushion.

This arm works well with either a traditional or transitional style of interior. The look can range from bucolic mountain lodge …


… to a high-style, elegant mix of French and English formality.

Note: Although each of the arm styles here tends to lean in a direction that’s characteristic of a period or look, there are no hard and fast rules. As usual in interior design, the main thing is what you like the best.


This is known as a sock arm, and in this case it’s paired with a T-cushion. But, as in all these instances, each arm style is usually available with either the T- or straight cushion.

The simplicity and clean lines of this style mean it leans in a more contemporary direction.


This is a pleated arm with a T-cushion. It’s much like the sock arm but has pleats on the front. It works quite well in this more traditional living room, but is very versatile and fits just as comfortably in a contemporary setting.


This sofa-chaise combination sports a track arm with a straight cushion. This arm is for you if you like a more contemporary look; it’s rarely used with a T-cushion, because most people think the straight cushion goes better with a contemporary design.

Although each manufacturer will tweak the look of these arms in different ways, these are the five basic choices from which most arm and cushion styles are derived.


Back Cushion Style

The second choice you’ll be making when buying a new sofa is the back cushion style. There are three basic picks in this category; the sofa shown here is an example of a loose back. The cushions are completely unattached to the sofa, which allows them to be turned and rotated. This is an advantage because, since you’re using both sides of the pillows, the upholstery lasts twice as long. This is my personal favorite for that reason, and also because it is the most comfortable for me.


Just to make things a bit more complicated, there’s the multipillow option, as seen in this spectacularly beamed living room. Since it is really just a variation on the theme of the loose back, we won’t make it a separate category.


The second back cushion style is known as semiattached. It looks just like a loose back but is actually attached to the back of the sofa. Folks who choose this option usually do so because they like the look of a loose back but don’t want to work as hard to keep the piece looking neat.

I’ve had clients tell me there’s actually another important reason for choosing this style: because they have kids or animals who would wreak havoc with loose cushions by building forts or having pillow fights.


A tight back is the third option; it consists of the back cushion being completely integrated with the sofa back. Although it has a much firmer feel, no plumping or fluffing of the back cushions is needed, and it always looks neat.

Note: Throw pillows, like the ones seen here, can also be great projectiles in a pillow fight. But they are much easier to replace than sofa cushions.


Base Style

The last choice you’ll need to make is what kind of base your sofa will sport. Although, as with all of these examples, there are variations within each category, there are really only two basic choices here. The first is an upholstered base, as seen in this striking contrast-welted yellow track-arm sofa. An upholstered base comes in different leg styles and foot styles (like bun feet, turned feet, square or tapered feet, and, as in this case, invisible feet).


The second choice will be some variation on a skirted base. This is a kick-pleated skirt, but as you can imagine, a skirt can come in a plethora of iterations. There can be more pleats or fewer pleats, dressmaker pleats and even ruffles.

Generally speaking, a skirted base is more traditional, and an upholstered base is more contemporary. But remember, these are not rules, just a sense of their general style direction. This very elegant skirted sofa, for example, is part of a beautifully dramatic mix of traditional and contemporary elements.


Putting It All Together

Isn’t it great to know that of the thousands of different sofa styles out there, almost all are built around some version of the three basic categories we’ve seen here? So if you’re shopping for a new sofa, this bit of knowledge will not only help you decide, but might prevent you from feeling like a complete rookie when talking to a salesperson. Have fun!

More: How to Choose the Right Sofa Cushion

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