10 Best Sofas That Will Elevate Your Living Room
5 min
Think of home, and think of…the couch. Family is important, sure, but a couch? That spells relax with a capital Lax. Sometimes outrageously expensive, sometimes surprisingly affordable. Check out are our top 10 sofas where you are sure to find the one that speaks your lounging language.
Atelier Sofa
The gorgeous, curvaceous Atelier from Coco Republic is coolly romantic in the way it wraps around you. Curves are so relaxing, and when they look this chic you’d expect to find it in an apartment on Haussman. The textures on offer are very on trend, and the optional pillows elevate the designer concept to true European elegance.
Barret Leather
Putting your feet up is never easier than with a little electrical assistance – take the Barret Leather sofa from Freedom Furniture. A strong piece from a design point of view, with leather stitched to perfection, and available in an amazing range of colours. It just needs a little extra space to lay on down.
Wilkes Modular
For a home that salutes colour and energy, you could not miss trying out the Wilkes Modular by Herman Miller. A mid-century style that is at once light on its legs, while packing a huge post-modern punch. Walking in the door and seeing this in your apartment, well, you’d be so happy to be home.
Horizonte
Described as a ‘floating island with square lines’ the Horizonte from Marcio Kogan/Studio mk27 is a sophisticated take on lounge furniture. It really does appear to float, the idea extending to the sympatico customisation of a built-in coffee table extension. This is James Bond suave. You could see it fitting like a glove into an ultra-modern minimalist, or eccentric maximalist décor.
Jasper
The flagship design of the King Furniture line, the Jasper is perhaps the father of all modular design. In a range of sizes, the familiar timber armrest-tables look as clever as ever, and now they offer even more ‘add ons’ such as a wireless charging table. Cool. Very deep, very springy, they have lasted this long because they fit into every lifestyle from beach house to townhouse.
Finlay
Not everyone can afford the moon when it comes to sofas – but do not be discouraged. Fantastic Furniture has a really smart looking three seater with chaise that has ‘pulled in’ seat stitching, which adds interest, and a choice of timber or metal legs. Easy on the eye and the pocket, it is a non-precious, relaxed sofa solution.
Mateo
Rarely does one want to see something ageing – but the simple, dramatic lines of the leather Mateo sofa from Coco Republic are only going to look more beautiful in 10 years’ time. This is a confident design, with generous stuffing – especially on the arms – it would be a perfect one to fall asleep on while bingeing on Netflix. Pewter or Taupe colours – both richly rewarding.
Lexington
Ultra-modern is the best way to describe the angular, unique silhouette of the Lounge Life’s Lexington. One of the few sofas available that uses its mass to advantage, making a rather monumental statement. It has windswept arm rests too – perfect for lying back doing Wordle while the news is on. Combined with the adjustable headrests, this is multi-option sofa available in fabric or leather.
Lucia Cane
The cane detailing (which wraps around the entire piece) in the Castlery Lucia Cane sofa adds so much character that the piece just has to become a focal point in any room. The combination of the cane with the black detailing gives it an organic, breezy kind of vibe; with the potential to enhance an Asian themed or beach house décor. If you’re looking for something different, yet stylish, it’s a definite go-to.
Getaway Sofa
Here’s a sofa that says family, friends, dogs and cats. In short, it says relax and have fun. From Aussie brand Koala, the five to seven seater looks at its absolute best in gum tree green, as the timber feature panels (which are actually storage drawers) and matching feet just work so well with the forest theme. Big robust fluffy cushions, and a huge ottoman on offer, this is the one for those who just love to plonk down and chill out.
How can you tell if a sofa is good quality?
In a word: framing. A good quality frame will ensure your sofa will not only provide comfort but will last for 10 years or more. While solid timber framing is standard, there is also steel framing available. Don’t be afraid to ask to lift the sofa to give you an idea of weight, which is an indication of the quality of the framing.
What is the average price for a good quality sofa?
Everyone’s budget is different and you can certainly get excellent value for money in the secondhand sofa market. For new sofas, expect to pay upwards of $4000 to $5000 for a good quality modular sofa and $2,000+ for a two or three-seater that is made to last.
What sofas are the most durable?
If you’re talking about upholstery, it’s leather all the way. Easy to wipe down and able to take the hard knocks, leather sofas tend to age better than fabric sofas, making them ideal for family environments. For framing, solid timber or steel frames last extremely well. When purchasing, talk to your retailer about reupholstery services when the time comes. It’s a good indication of whether they are prepared to stand behind their product over time.
What are the best quality sofas to buy?
This is totally subjective and will depend on what you value, and how much you can budget for. Perhaps the easiest way to seek high quality is to ask about warranties. Look for sofas that have at least a 10-year warranty. In terms of coverings, genuine leather and natural fabrics such as linen and cotton offer a superior look and feel.
What should you look for when choosing a sofa?
Beyond choosing the right framing and fabrics for your sofa, shape and being fit for purpose is everything. If you have a family living space to fill, a modular sofa where everyone can spread out is ideal. For smaller apartment spaces, a pair of two-seater sofas might be a better option. Make sure you measure carefully, including the entranceways, before you buy.
From making unpopular decisions to learning when to listen, leaders from five businesses reveal what nobody prepared them for — and how running a company has challenged their expectations.
Technology and semiconductor shares fell sharply as investors questioned the debt financing the AI infrastructure boom and confronted higher rates and Chinese competition.
Elon Musk is exploring a potential merger between Tesla and SpaceX, a deal that could reshape the future of AI, robotics, autonomous vehicles and space technology. With a combined valuation potentially reaching $3.5 trillion, the move could bring Musk’s vision of an interconnected technology ecosystem closer to reality, although a deal remains uncertain.
5 min
Elon Musk has engineered ties between Tesla TSLA 3.41%increase; up pointing triangle and SpaceX SPCX 7.79%increase; up pointing triangle that are hard to break, and now he wants to fuse them together permanently.
Musk has run both Tesla and SpaceX concurrently over the past two decades, using a schedule that dictated which days he spent focused on each business.
The companies have often shared resources and personnel, signaling their close ties. Last year, SpaceX looked into creating a spacesuit for Tesla’s humanoid robot Optimus, a person familiar with the matter said. Tesla last week showed off its new Roadster, a vehicle featuring SpaceX rocket thrusters that it hopes to soon bring to market.
And in recent months, Musk has repositioned both companies by expanding beyond their core operations toward a shared mission centered on artificial intelligence.
The world’s richest man on Tuesday signaled his interest in tying up SpaceX and Tesla, marking what would be the biggest corporate merger of all time. Because he serves as chief executive of SpaceX and Tesla, Musk said committees of independent directors at both companies are evaluating a possible deal, adding that a transaction might not come to fruition.
The committees will likely evaluate, with lawyers and bankers, how each company would fare in a potential deal and how a deal might best be structured. They then present their conclusions to their respective boards, who typically vote on whether to proceed.
“It’s an odd Kabuki dance where two groups of people are talking and I can’t be in the conversation,” Musk told SpaceX investors on Tuesday in response to an analyst’s question about a potential deal.
For Musk, the merger supports his vision of a world full of autonomous cars, humanoid robots and weekly rocket launches, as well as the data centers and satellites required to keep the whole thing running.
Some investors and analysts said they expect a transaction would be structured as an all-stock deal, with SpaceX potentially paying a modest premium for Tesla shares.
SpaceX, which has a market value of about $2 trillion, said it is seeing sharp growth in revenue across its businesses, which include operating data centers, launching rockets and operating satellite networks such as the internet service Starlink. Tesla is valued at about $1.5 trillion and is expanding its operations beyond its automotive and energy business. Shares in both companies traded higher following the news Tuesday.
Musk’s substantial ownership stakes in both companies, along with voting control at SpaceX, has enabled him to set the deal in motion. Analysts and investors said the deal will probably face regulatory scrutiny internationally, though some see Musk’s close relationship with the Trump administration as an asset to getting approval.
Blurred lines
The companies haven’t said which directors are on the special committees evaluating a potential deal. Several SpaceX and Tesla board members have either personal or business ties to Musk. And like Musk, venture capitalist Ira Ehrenpreis sits on both boards.
In a filing this week, Tesla outlined millions of dollars in business agreements with SpaceX and its subsidiaries last year, including $143 million in car sales to SpaceX, $3.3 million in advertising that it bought on the social-media platform X and $430 million in revenue from the sale of Megapack batteries for SpaceX’s data centers.
The companies also split the cost of resources including the use of Musk’s SpaceX jet and the bill for his personal security, which he runs through a private company.
Employees at both companies routinely move between companies to work on special projects, and some executives have dual roles, including Charles Kuehmann, vice president of materials engineering at both SpaceX and Tesla, and Ashok Elluswamy, the vice president of AI software at Tesla who runs a joint venture with SpaceX called Digital Optimus.
Over the years, Musk has launched new startups within his empire, including brain-implant company Neuralink, underground-tunnel developer the Boring Company and xAI, the AI startup that merged with SpaceX in February.
It is that AI business that Musk thinks can serve a market worth tens of trillions of dollars, justifying the need for a merger.
The business case goes like this: Tesla is developing robotaxis and robots, which it calls “physical AI.” SpaceX is working on the back end of physical AI: the data-center capacity and internet connection required for those robotaxis and robots to operate continuously.
“I don’t see what the value of Tesla is if it’s not merged with SpaceX,” said investment adviser Ross Gerber, a former Tesla bull turned critic invested in both companies. “If they don’t merge, the brains of everything that runs Tesla is owned by another company.”
On top of it all, both companies face constraints on the supply chains they need to make this world a reality, particularly when it comes to chips. To address this, Musk earlier this year announced a joint venture between Tesla, SpaceX and Intel to design and manufacture chips in Texas. “The most epic chip-building exercise by far,” he has said.
Musk at the wheel
For Musk, a merger would also solve two problems: demands on his attention and his lack of control at Tesla.
Tesla for years was Musk’s only public company, a status that came with greater scrutiny. There, Musk reports to a public board, as well as individual investors who make up around 30% of Tesla’s voting power, according to FactSet.
The question of Musk’s attention became a particular focus for investors and the board in recent years after he acquired Twitter in 2022 and launched xAI in 2023, and again in 2025 as he spent time in Washington, D.C., running the Department of Government Efficiency in the early months of President Trump’s second term.
As Tesla’s car business suffered in 2025, Musk threatened to take his AI ambitions outside the company if he wasn’t granted 25% voting control. Last November, Tesla shareholders approved a new pay package for Musk, which created a path for him to vastly expand his stake.
As of Sept. 30, Musk owned a roughly 20% stake in Tesla, according to the company’s proxy filing.
The SpaceX IPO gave Musk a different path. When SpaceX went public in June, the deal’s structure enabled him to have more than 80% voting power at the company—so much that he can’t be fired and decisions can’t be made without his support.
If SpaceX acquires Tesla, he will likely stay in control.
From Italy’s $93,000-a-night villas to a $20,000 Bowral château, a new global ranking showcases the priciest Airbnbs available in 2026.
Records keep falling in 2025 as harbourfront, beachfront and blue-chip estates crowd the top of the market.
