5 Keys to Picking a Sofa That Will Never Go Out of Style

Transitional style often gets a bad rap for being unexciting, but the flip side — and the reason it always remains so popular — is that it’s supremely versatile. A sofa like the StyleWell Winnick in Oyster Beige, with its clean lines and simple arm and cushion shapes, will work in any room and play nicely with just about any other furniture you place around it. So if you decide to redo your mid-century modern living room to reflect your new love of, say, farmhouse style — this baby will roll with it.

If you’re absolutely sure that you’ll never grow tired of a certain look — like a classic rolled arm — you can indulge your desire for iconic details and still have a piece that will age gracefully by staying away from exaggerated versions. The gently rolled arms on the StyleWell Briarwood Classic Rolled-Arm in Sand Beige make the stylistic point without shouting “English country house”— which in turn means it can work in any house.

It’s a classic for a reason. Leather looks right on an ultra-modern stainless steel-framed sofa, and on a traditional button-tufted Chesterfield. You’ll also have a piece that easily coordinates with any color scheme. The mid-century-leaning StyleWell Goodwin Square Arm in caramel faux leather is flexible enough to suit minimalist living rooms and traditional, men’s-club-style dens alike.

It goes without saying that you should never buy a sofa you don’t find comfortable — but remember that length, height and depth have design implications as well. In particular, pay attention to the floor-to-seat measurement, which in sofas can be as short as 15 inches and sometimes as tall as 28 or 29. The former makes for a low-slung look that really works best in super-casual or very contemporary rooms. The latter might be a little more versatile visually, but it can be hard to find coordinating chairs and tables that look appropriate with that height. All the options shown here from The Home Depot — including this subtly modern StyleWell Doherty Flared-Arm — measure between 18 and 20 inches from floor to seat, a nice middle ground.

No, this isn’t a design tip, but if you’re going to the trouble to choose a sofa that will feel stylish for years, then you also want it to last for years. This upholstered version of the StyleWell Goodwin is covered in a microfiber fabric that looks and feels luxurious but can stand up to some pretty serious wear and tear. Opting for synthetic blends or other high-performance fabrics over mohair, silk and the like can extend your sofa’s lifespan significantly.