You may never want to stand up again.
A few months ago, I was lucky enough to buy a house. As a first-time homeowner, I had many questions: What the heck is escrow? Will I ever have money again? How many hours will I spend searching “how to fix…” on YouTube? But the most fun query was this one: Which sofa shall christen my new space?
After years of apartment living, this is the biggest home I’ve occupied since I moved out of my mom’s place at 18. I suddenly had so many places to sprawl out, and I felt joy just looking at the empty spot where my new couch would go. It could be big. It could be luxurious. It could make my lounging dreams come true.
The brand I chose first grabbed me with its name, which describes what I have increasingly become in my 30s: Homebody. But I also responded to what the website said about the company’s approach to couchmaking: “In an industry that’s all about lush, plush, and cushy, comfort should be priority numero uno. But lately it feels like it’s fallen by the wayside — put on the backburner in favor of striking aesthetics.”
I wanted something that felt intentionally designed, but not at the cost of coziness. Homebody’s sofas looked like a place I’d want to sink into for weekends at a time, but also well-crafted enough to exist alongside all the cute furniture I’d been collecting to make the house my own. So how did it stack up? Come along with me for a carefully cushioned journey to find out.
What the Homebody couch offers
Beyond the things every sofa aspires to be — cozy, sturdy, versatile — Homebody’s take on this essential piece of furniture includes two factors that caught my eye.
The first is that it’s super customizable. When you shop the Homebody website, the prompt you’ll see is “design your own couch,” and that description is apt. First, there’s the choice of seats: You can have two, three, four, or more. You can arrange them in a straight line, or in an L-shape, or in a U-shape. You can add an ottoman. You can reconfigure that ottoman to function as a chaise.
Then there are the color options. If you’re looking for a flashy piece, this may not be the company for you, but if you want something neutral that fits into a number of decorative styles, shades like “warm sand,” “evening fog,” and “koala” are perfect. I went with “gloomy day in,” a nice gray that leans toward the darker side without feeling as heavy as the name implies. (If you’re the type who prefers to know exactly how something will read in your home, you can request fabric samples to see it with your own eyes before ordering.)
The second big perk of Homebody is that you can add a recliner to your sofa. Or two recliners! Or even three recliners, if no one in your household enjoys being vertical for too long. In my quest for the ultimate mode of relaxation, I loved the idea of stretching out until I looked more like a corpse pointed at the TV than a sentient human being. It’s also nice that the recliners are separately operated from one another but attached to the same base, meaning you and your partner can choose your own adventure without having to miss each other too much.
My Homebody couch review
This thing is extremely comfy. The size is just what I was looking for: The seats are deep and wide, offering plenty of room to spread out without disturbing your seatmate — or to snuggle up without feeling like one of you might roll onto the floor.
I went with a standard two-seater, but even the smallest couch Homebody offers doesn’t feel “small.” It’s about seven-and-a-half feet long in total, and while about a foot of that is taken up by the arms on either end, there’s still enough space for my 5’10” body to lie flat without feeling anywhere close to cramped.
The customization I mentioned earlier comes into play more with bigger sizes. (Though I could arrange my two-seater as two separate sitting options if I wanted to.) While I can’t speak to the experience of trying multiple arrangements for one of the bigger models, the assembly of the basic one was a cinch, and the same methods apply no matter the size. The pieces are bound together with U-shaped connectors that slot easily into place, and they can be removed just as simply if you ever wanted to reinvent your configuration.
This ease of assembly was a major positive for me, as I have been medically diagnosed with an inability to build furniture without getting angry. (Please do not contact my doctor to verify this.) The instruction manual was very clear, but because I’m always afraid of making a mistake, I also consulted Homebody’s helpful YouTube video, which has all the instructions you need once your couch has been delivered (and offers a helpful window into what to expect if you haven’t bought one yet).
The shipment you’ll receive is quite large, not that that’s surprising for a couch. Mine came in six boxes. It was delivered curbside, which was fine for me now that I’m in a single-level house rather than an apartment with stairs, but I would recommend reviewing Homebody’s delivery options if the prospect of lugging boxes is a turn-off. White glove delivery, which is complimentary for six seats or more and available at a fee for smaller sizes, could certainly be worthwhile if it’s a long journey from your front door to your couch’s new resting place.
And what about the recliners? Reader, I’m in lumbar heaven.
Reclining on this couch feels like being at one of those movie theaters with fancy chairs you can control with the touch of a button — but without all the anxiety of sitting in the spot where a stranger just gorged themselves on Milk Duds. It’s a luxurious treat to lay back and watch my favorite shows, but it’s also great for working with my laptop, since you can get extremely comfy without getting too close to supine.
One thing I don’t necessarily love is that, because the recliners require a source of power, there’s a cord running from the couch to the outlet on my wall, since I’ve placed it in the center of the room. I’ve mostly covered the cord with a rug, but you should plan a work-around if you want it to be totally hidden. But because it’s wired up, you can charge your phone from inside the cushions, which is a lovely perk.
The recliner is operated with buttons next to that charging port, or with a remote control that you can tuck into a convenient pocket on the headrest. So far I’ve had to charge the remote every three to four weeks, which is a bit more often than I would’ve expected, but by no means a headache.
I love this couch. My dog loves this couch. (I have noticed some pilling on the cushions from him jumping on and off, but I can’t fault Homebody for my chihuahua’s particularly sharp claws.) My friends love this couch. My 12-year-old niece, who spent a couple of nights soundly sleeping on it, also loves this couch. And I hope you’re not reading this review while sitting on your own Homebody couch, because if so, chances are that you’ll have fallen asleep before getting to the end.