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Why Is It Better for Sofas to Have Legs?

Investing in a new seating plan is an essential part of a living room refurbishment project, upping the ante when it comes to creating a stylish environment. However, choosing a design that embraces both form and function is key, which leads to customers asking us: “Why is it better for sofas to have legs?”

Often overlooked, these unobtrusive components are actually far from insignificant, providing a slew of advantages that improve your overall living experience. Why? Because they actually provide critical structural support, ensuring both the resilience and lifespan of your sofa.

Let’s take a look at their many advantages and why you should make them a prime consideration.

Cleaning and airflow

Sofa legs play a key role when it comes to both cleaning and airflow, helping to contribute to a healthier, more hygienic living environment. Here’s how:

Air circulation

The extra elevation allows air to move freely beneath the seat and framework, increasing ventilation and thereby reducing the accumulation of unwanted moisture. Not only does this eliminate the buildup of mould and mildew, but it also helps to prevent musty odours, resulting in a fresher living environment.

Mopping and vacuuming

The existence of legs facilitates vacuuming and cleaning, allowing easy access to any spills and debris that naturally accumulates over time. This contributes significantly to the overall cleanliness of your living spaces.

Allergy prevention

The higher the sofa, the less likely it is to succumb to dust. Keeping it off the floor ensures that the fabric and cushioning stays cleaner for longer, reducing the risk of allergies for those suffering from respiratory sensitivities.

Structural support and durability

Aside from aesthetic appeal, legs provide important structural support and help to increase the durability of your seating plan. This is why:

Weight distribution

The overall weight of your sofa is spread equally between the legs, eliminating concentrated stress on specific regions. This balanced approach keeps the structure from being overstressed and guarantees its ability to handle the demands of daily use.

Stability

Providing additional support and stability, a robust set of legs will reduce unnecessary movement and wobbling. This is especially necessary for larger, heavier sofas that may be subjected to greater stress, preserving their structural integrity over time.

Warping

Due to constant pressure on the base, a sofa without legs may slump in the centre or warp along its sides as it ages. Conversely, sound elevation miters out the weight more evenly, ensuring that it maintains its original shape throughout its lifetime.

Adaptability and style

When it comes to both versatility and elegance, stylish sofa feet contribute to the personality of your ensemble, creating a beautifully curated aesthetic in terms of:

Versatility

In the world of luxury sofas, the availability of leg designs is almost endless, enabling you to find something that matches the existing style of your home decor. From tapered wooden legs that enhance a Japandi look to modern metallic versions as seen in the Tango sofa by Leolux, creating harmonious appeal is a cinch.

Customisation

Many top manufacturers offer customisation options on a wide variety of sofa components, allowing you to choose a specific leg colour or material to suit your tastes. This potentially gives you the opportunity to modify them further down the line in order to reflect a change in the genre of your living room ensemble. For instance, the beautiful velvet-upholstered legs, backrest and cushions on Brabbu’s Begonia sofa can be changed to leather, suede or twill in a plethora of elegant colours.

Design Impact

Every aspect of your decor contributes to the visual appeal of your spaces, so a gorgeous sofa foot will add the depth and refinement of your overall look. Match them with other furniture pieces or use them as a standout feature. The striking solid ash legs and frame of the Romain sofa by Porada, for example, will set the tone for the rest of your aesthetics.

Floor protection and manoeuvrability

Protecting your expensive living room floors and enhancing the functionality of your room as a whole should be a priority, making sofas with legs an attractive option. This is why they outperform their non-elevated counterparts:

They impede abrasions

Legged sofas create a protective barrier between their seating structure and your flooring, preventing large scratches and scuffs from occurring over time.

They arrest long-term damage

With a more even distribution of weight, pressure on your hardwood, tiles or rugs is reduced, thereby preventing the risk of them becoming permanently damaged or imprinted.

They enhance mobility

If you want to give your space a bit of an upgrade, rearranging your seating plan is an easy place to start. Sofas with feet are far easier to move because their elevated profile provides a gap beneath the seating that is easy to hold onto. This also applies if you need to move your furnishings for cleaning purposes.

Why Is It Better for Sofas to Have Legs?

Height and ergonomics

Our previous post on the role of ergonomics in luxury sofa design will tell you everything you need to know about what to look out for in a good seating plan. Legs play a distinct role in the overall efficacy of these factors and will:

Provide an optimal seat height

Elevating a sofa through the use of feet will allow you to sit and stand with greater ease, aligning its structure to the natural movement of the body. This will encourage good posture, relieve pressure on the back and knees and give a general sense of comfort while sitting for long periods of time.

Allow for a seamless aesthetic

It’s far easier to align your sofa with other seating options like ottomans and armchairs if you choose one with legs. Not only will this enhance the visual appeal of your room, but it will also encourage better social interaction and conversation.

Aid those with mobility issues

People with limited mobility will find it much easier to sit and get up from a sofa if it is slightly higher off the ground. It will also facilitate those who have trouble bending or lowering themselves into a seated position.

Visual appeal and perception

From a design perspective, the higher the sofa, the greater the illusion of space. Consider the following:

It will give your room a touch of personality: By raising a sofa above ground level you are able to see the floor beneath it, which provides depth and character to the overall design of your room. This helps to create a more visually dynamic aesthetic that could even become the focal point of your ensemble.
It will create a sense of airiness: Open spaces beneath a sofa will add to the lightness of a room, making it look brighter, welcoming and more vibrant. This is particularly useful if you’re designing a smaller, more constricted setting.
It contributes to optical harmony: Choosing the right leg types, materials and finishes will add to the cohesion of your decor, giving your living room a touch of sophistication and refinement. They imply attention to detail and a well-considered interior design plan, boosting the overall look and feel of your room. They also allude to your taste and style, giving your guests a sense of who you are and what makes you tick.

The Best Sofas with Legs (According to Our Interior Designers)

From bun feet to sled legs, when it comes to raised sofas there are plenty of options to choose from. So, to help you get the ball rolling, here are 3 that we think you will love:

The Blossom Sofa

Designed for Potocco by Bernhardt & Vella, the Blossom is an absolute classic. Featuring tall, squared legs and a sturdy base in solid ash enriched by comfortable cushioning and a gorgeously pleated back, it’s a must-have for traditionalists. Available in a range of sophisticated fabrics and leather to suit any colour palette.

The Renegade Sofa

Known for their exceptional leather upholstery and fine Italian craftsmanship, Gamma & Dandy are masters in sofa design and their Renegade collection is no exception. Sleek and modern with sled legs that exude architectural allure, this pared back option is enhanced by a linear backrest, giving any contemporary home an unquestionable sense of style.

The Napoleone Sofa

If you’re looking for an expansive sofa with an outstanding aesthetic, the Napoleone by Dom Edizione is sublime. Its striking galvanic metal feet in a choice of brass, chrome or bronze are its main focal point, adding to the grace and opulence of its beautifully refined profile. Upholster it in leather or fabric to suit your taste.

Shop luxury sofas at FCI London

With all of the above benefits, it's easy to see why it is better for sofas to have legs. And, from industrial designs to the ultimate in chic, we have a range of bespoke options that will elevate your home interior.

To find out more, get in touch today or visit our spectacular London showroom and let our expert design team introduce you to some of the best furniture brands in the world.

Talk to a designer now or book an appointment.