Question:
I’m looking for a sectional for 2 average size adults.
Our budget is about 3k.
We spend a lot of time on the couch, and comfort is important. I love the look of Joy bird but haven’t heard the best things about them.
What brands would you recommend?
Answer:
Joybird was a great company, until it was bought by LaZBoy and moved production from California to Mexico.
Joybird’s quality is OK, but its prices are higher than several other brands with similar styles and quality.
Here are a few suggestions for sectionals similar in style to Joybird but better quality.
Mantle Jasper sectional – A little over $3,000, but you get a genuine high-end 8 way hand tied sectional. If you get the upgraded 2.5 density foam or Spring Down cushions and a high performance fabric, this very comfortable sectional should last 20+ years.
Hydeline Soma leather sectional – Constructed with solid hardwood frames (and some plywood.) At $2999, this leather sectional should last 10 – 15 + years. Pocketed coil seat cushions should last twice as long as 1.8 density foam, but may feel firmer. Choice of leather colors.
Hydeline also has a couple of leather sectionals currently in its Outlet (discontinued) section. These are a few hundred dollars less with the same specs:
Hydeline Elm leather sectional – Steel Grey color only with same specs priced at $2700.
Hydeline Elm leather sectional – Silver Grey color only – with same specs priced at $2300.
Several Direct-to-Consumer RTA (Ready-To-Assemble) brands have similar styling and a comparable comfort level to Joybird, but at lower prices.
None of the RTA brands will be as comfortable as Mantle or Hydeline after about a year of use.
Some of the brands listed below are slightly lower quality, with even lower prices.
You can see comparisons of Quality & Value for most of the brands listed below, including Joybird, in my article, 58 Sofa Brand Quality & Value Ratings for 2023.
Check out:
Another possibility for sectionals in your price range would be Costco.
Costco sells several different sectionals under $3000 in both fabric and leather. These will not be the same style as Joybird, but Costco’s profit margins are lower than furniture stores, so their seating is usually an excellent value.
Costco is also the only furniture seller that has a “no-questions-asked” 100% Satisfaction Guarantee return policy – no matter how long you’ve owned the furniture.
If you get a Costco sectional with pocketed coil seat cushions, it may feel a bit firmer than most of the other brands listed above, but should hold up for 10+ years.
If you like my Insider’s Guide To Furniture please encourage your friends and family to check it out.
Unlike other furniture review sites, I do not solicit or accept payment from any of the brands reviewed or mentioned on my website.
My 45 years in the furniture industry have provided me with a detailed knowledge of furniture brands, construction, quality & value.
Over the past decade, I have written over 2,000 articles, reviews, and answers, seen by over 2 million viewers.
If any company or individual feels that the information on this website is out-of-date or inaccurate, please let me know and it will be promptly corrected.
Important Note about advertising on this website:
I do not solicit or accept payment from any of the brands reviewed or mentioned on InsidersGuideToFurniture.com.
Despite this, you may see ads on the website. These ads are generated by Ezoic.
Ezoic is a Google platform for website publishers. It is completely automated!
I do not have contact with any of the companies or agencies that choose to advertise on this website through Ezoic.
Hi Jeff,
I submitted this question a little while ago via the “Ask an Expert” page, but wasn’t sure if it went through or not, so wanted to re-share here, as I had a somewhat similar theme to the above:
We are a young couple looking for a contemporary sectional, ideally to last us more than 10 years. One of us is 5’11” and likes a softer, deeper seat, while the other is 5’3” and likes a firmer seat. Because of our difference in preferences, we’ve been going to showrooms in person (in NYC) to make sure we’d both be comfortable — essentially looking for something in the middle of the road for firmness, 21”-25” in seat depth, 19”-20.75” in seat height.
The sectionals we ended up liking do not seem to rank super high on your brand reviews, so wanted to reach out for some guidance. For reference, some of our favorites just based on comfort:
– Joybird: Bryant — similar to the above request
– Pottery Barn: York
– Crate & Barrel: Barret II & Gather Wood
– Interior Define: Charley
Style: We would both want to be able to put our feet up — so either an L shape, a sofa with a chaise and bench seat, or 1 chaise and an ottoman perhaps
Size: 115” long is our max, and we go up to 108” wide
Stationary, and a cat-friendly fabric
We are both average in weight, and below 6’
Our budget is around $4,500
While we’ve prioritized retailers with physical locations in NY, we would be open to purchasing something online if you think it would fit our parameters
Thank you so much!
Julia
The Crate & Barrel Gather sectional (with chaise) should work for you. Ask the salesperson to recommend a “high performance” fabric that is tightly woven.
Have you seen my review of the Crate & Barrel Gather sectional?
I do not recommend the Crate & Barrel Barrett II. The Barrett’s foam cushions will only last half as long as the coil spring cushions in the Gather before losing their shape and comfort.
The Pottery Barn York, in the 105″ width might be OK. The foam cushions are larger (in surface area) than the C&B Barrett II above, which will help the cushion last longer.
Just check and make sure that the foam core is at least 5.5″ thick. If the foam core is thinner than that and puffed up with dacron polyester fiber, it probably won’t last more than 5 years.
If you buy from Pottery Barn, get the Chenille Basketweave fabric. It is extremely durable, easy to clean and pet friendly.
Pottery Barn has a lot of fabrics that they call “Performance Fabrics,” but some are 100% cotton (which will not clean as easily as polyester or olefin) and others have double rub counts below 50,000, which gives me concerns about long-term durability.)
Interior Define gives no information about how their furniture is made. (That is usually not a good sign.)
Joybird has received a lot of negative reviews from its customers since LaZBoy bought the company and moved the factory from California to Mexico.
For some alternative choices:
Hydeline’s Soma leather 105″ sofa with chaise. -$2999 in choice of leather colors.
This is a company I found last week when I was at the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, NC.
What makes this line special is that they have a real leather sectional (sofa + chaise) with coil spring cushions for $3000. According to the salesperson, the leather has some kind of new finish that is scratch resistant. Also, the cushions are extremely comfortable.
Hydeline is a Direct to Consumer manufacturer, so you will need to call them to ask questions.They also have larger leather sectionals that are within your budget.
Also, the website has a special outlet section, where they sell the identical furniture for hundreds of dollars less when they have a discontinued style or leather color.
A similar sofa with chaise is available in the outlet section. The discontinued Steel Gray leather is $2797. The Silver Gray leather is $2297.
The best thing about buying at Costco is their 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.
You can take the furniture back for a full refund for any reason (including cat scratches) no matter how long you have owned the furniture.
Check out my article, Is Costco a Good Place to Buy Furniture?
Another option is Mantle’s Jasper sectional.
Mantle is a custom manufacturer and can alter the size to be anything you want.
The cost, as shown, is $3450, including 8 way hand tied foundation, so you should be able to get a custom size, a high performance fabric, an upgrade to a 15+ year cushion that meets your comfort requirements, and still stay within your budget.
Mantle has at least 10 different cushion options, so if you tell the customer service manager, Jess, exactly what you want, she should be able to help you.
Mantle’s Ruby sectional has a slope arm similar to the Pottery Barn York, if you like that style.
Medley Home Rio 112″ sofa with chaise. This company makes one of the sturdiest frames available anywhere. Their cushions are 2.5 density foam and either 6 or 7″ thick, depending on style. They will last a very long time.
Medley saves money by using a sinuous wire foundation instead of 8 way hand-tied, but it should last 20+ years without problems.