Why the Sven Sofa is Perfect for LIVING in Your Living Room
Why the Article Sven Sofa is perfect for LIVING in your living room. From movie and game nights, to cuddling, napping, and playing, this sofa has been through it all with us. Here’s why we love it so much after 2+ years.
This post is written in partnership with Article furniture. All opinions are my own.
On Sunday, Michael and I realized this is our 3rd Christmas in this house. We moved into the house in August a little over 2 years ago, and it’s been SUCH a good fit for us in so many ways. We love our neighborhood, our schools, and our community, and feel SO happy to be where we are.
During our years of living in apartments and then a rental, we always had restrictions on our decorating. First, it was budget (we were college students when we got married, then had kids young, and then Michael went back to grad school). Then, it was landlord restrictions (no painting or remodeling allowed!), so things like carpet, cabinets, and paint colors weren’t ever up to us.
As this house was being finished, we both looked forward to getting to live somewhere that felt like US. We envisioned lots of the big things, from paint colors and flooring, to cabinets and shutters, to landscaping and the exterior. But just as important was a house we felt we could really LIVE in.
One of my big design rules is that our house has to be kid-friendly and family friendly. I don’t want to spend my time trying to keep everyone off the furniture, or have my heart broken if a stuffed animal goes flying or tiny hands touch something.
That said, I ALSO really want to bring in pieces that feel pretty, functional AND durable, and sometimes it seems you have to choose between looks and function. That is, until I found my dream sofa…
My Dream Sofa: The Sven Sofa from Article.
If you’ve spent any time on Pinterest or Instagram looking at couches or living rooms, you’ve probably seen the Sven sofa from Article. It’s the internet’s favorite couch. It’s shown up in celebrity homes and humble homes. I’ve spotted it in apartments, offices, hotels, and studios.
The classic, modern design and gorgeous finish selections–from the tan leather of our sofa, to the gorgeous warm grey of our birch ivory loveseat, to beautiful rich greens, blues, and more, it’s one of those magic pieces that can blend in just about anywhere.
We’ve owned the Sven Charme Tan leather sofa for a little over 2 years and still LOVE it. It’s the landing place for everyone in the house and the centerpiece of our open living room and kitchen area. It’s the perfect sofa for living in your living room, not just using it for decoration, or grown-ups only. It checks off all my design boxes, and it’s truly a family couch. Here’s why:
Why the Sven Sofa is Perfect for LIVING in Your Living Room:
A Modern & Classic Design
The first thing I was drawn to with the Sven sofa was the design. The cozy back cushions, arm bolsters, and tufted seat (with no buttons kids/pets could pull off!) are GORGEOUS. It comes in leather, fabric, and velvet options, and the shape is flexible enough to work its way into all types of different decor. It’s a perfect blank slate for different design styles:
- Modern farmhouse decor with cozy quilts and squashy pillows
- Fresh, bright minimalist rooms with clean lines and no extra frills
- Mid-century modern homes with retro pillows and vintage accessories
- Classic decor with timeless rugs and linens
- Fun, bright studios with bold pillows and big pops of color in the room
- And so many more. (Seriously–search #svensofa on Instagram and you’ll be amazed by how many ways people have styled this sofa!)
Incredible Comfort
This is a COMFY couch. My biggest worry was that it wouldn’t be very cushy or comfortable, and I couldn’t have been happier when it arrived. The back cushions are very soft and comfortable and the tufted seat cushion is perfect. It’s comfortable while still having enough structure to provide support.
The seat is a bit deep–perfect for our family who likes tucking their legs up during movies and snuggling in, and great for a tall husband with long legs. For shorter folks or those who like sitting more upright, the addition of some throw pillows gives exactly the back support you need.
It’s the perfect sofa to grow with a family
We’re past the bottles and diapers stage, but this sofa has definitely been part of our family life. We LIVE in our living room, and it’s been with us through it all. It’s been the centerpiece of family games and countless movie nights, and endured races, hide-and-seek, and playful (and less playful) sibling wrestling matches. It’s been a fixture in after-dinner dance parties (you should see Milo’s moves!) and sick days. We’ve entertained company and crashed on it for a nap. It can do it all.
Durability – It’s held up ALL along the way.
I was ready to invest in a leather sofa because I was wanted something that would age well (leather is known for aging beautifully). Our Sven Charme Tan leather sofa is 2 years old now and, honestly, it looks practically brand-new. We don’t play it safe around the sofa; we haven’t covered it with anything, and other than not eating goopy/wet snacks on it, we don’t give it any special treatment. The few times there has been a spill, some quick attention with a microfiber cloth has been enough to take care of things, though you *can* use a leather cleaner if you’re so inclined. (We haven’t yet.)
Leather vs. Fabric: Our Experience
We bought our leather Sven Charme Tan Sofa over 2 years ago, and it looks basically brand new. I love the natural patina that comes with leather. It’s got its own natural grain with color variation and creases that help it to continue to look beautiful even after some natural wear and time. (See: sibling wrestling matches above)
We loved our leather sofa so much, we started looking at getting a fabric loveseat to go with it and knew we wanted to stick with Article’s Sven collection. I debated getting the matching Sven Charme Tan Loveseat or to go with it, or opting for a fabric one for a bit more visual interest.
Article sent us this birch ivory fabric loveseat last month, and we have absolutely LOVED it. The light, warm grey color can pair with so many color schemes (it looks darling with bold holiday pillows, soft neutrals, warm pastels, etc.). It’s GORGEOUS, and I’ve been so impressed with the construction and quality. I love the texture of the fabric, which feels more resilient than so many other sofas we’ve looked at.
Visually, I love the interest of pairing a fabric sofa and a leather sofa. I love the color of the tan leather paired with the warm, soft grey. We love it SO much we’re looking at the gorgeous armchairs to complete the look. I can’t say enough great things about it!
Practical Reasons to Love the Sven Sofa–Price & Value
If all those reasons weren’t enough, it’s also perfect from a practical standpoint:
EASY Shopping – Article has a beautifully curated selection of furniture that prioritizes quality design delivered at a great value. I love that I get to shop online instead of dragging kids with me from store to store. PLUS, their return policy is great, so if you do find you want to exchange (for FREE!) or return something, they’ve made it easy for you.
Incomparable Value – I searched in all different price points for leather sofas, and I didn’t find anything that had better reviews (4.8/5 stars and 2900+ reviews!) AND this affordable price point, while still delivering on quality. Since Article cuts out the showroom, there’s no extra mark-up, so you get a great value when buying the sofa. Plus, you get scheduled delivery (and my delivery window has always been just 2 hours instead of all day, like some other companies).
If you’re in the market, I really can’t say enough wonderful things about the Sven Collection from Article. They’re the perfect pieces to feel like home.
Have questions? I’m happy to answer!
Where did you get the fabulous pillows?
They’re from Mae Woven. I love them!
Hi Emily, I have a question about your Sven Charme sofa. I’m looking at the Sven and can’t decide between the Charme leather or the Oxford (blue) leather. I’ve read some reviews about the full-aniline Charme showing every little spot, whereas the semi-aniline Oxford being more forgiving of spills or mishaps. I have two dogs who like to rough-house, plus a kid who loves to eat her dinners on the sofa (with a TV tray). What is your suggestion? Thanks so much!
Tricia – Hi! Great question.
We got our tan leather couch when my kids were 3 and 5. There was still PLENTY of rough-housing and sticky fingers, etc. and our couch has aged really REALLY well, even with a few spills along the way. A pen mark one child got on the couch has faded away and the few spills and smears we’ve had have very much lightened and aged well over time.
That said, we don’t eat on the couch, and don’t have any pets. If you don’t want to deal with visible spots, it sounds like a darker color (like the blue you mentioned or their pretty chocolate and walnut color) might be a better choice for the time being. I hope that helps! 🙂
may seem silly, but where did you get your rug? We have the same couches and I am so struggling to find the right comfy rug.
That’s not silly at all! I love it because it’s SO plush and comfortable and we spend a lot of time playing on the floor in there. I didn’t want anything scratchy or too fancy. Our carpet cleaners were even able to clean it for us last time they were here!
We got it from Amazon of all places! It’s the beige color (but really isn’t true beige in real life. It’s got lots of cream, but just enough warm tan so that it doesn’t show every little thing. It’s very resilient, but looks nice and light. I’ve seen it at Overstock!
would you suggest any other color rug that would work by the same rug, i noticed they have a silver color, ivory, and white. what do you think? thanks, connie. i havent purchased the birch ivory yet, i have a sample of the fabric, and it looks beige and tan and cream colors, but i notice from various purchasers the sofa looks greyish. i guess maybe its just the lighting in my house. i do have the sven tan leather, and love it, of course, lol. !
Great question! My mom’s had the ivory one and it looks lovely. (We just wanted one that could hide a bit more traffic/use from my kids!)
And as for the birch ivory, it’s a warm grey that I really like. It can pull warmer or cooler, depending on what you style with it!
oh, for got to ask you what color, size, shape coffee table do you have? and do you have any recommendations, thanks again, connie
We actually don’t have a coffee table in that room! (Controversial, I know!) We do a LOT of playing in there (dance parties, movie nights, races, games on the floor, etc.) so we’ve felt like a coffee table would cramp our style.
Article has lots of great ideas on their site that go with the Sven!
How high do the back go? I’ve purchased a sofa in the past that had a low back and was disappointed in how low it was. When you flop down on the couch can you lay back and your head is supported or does your next overextend?
Hi, Heather! You can get all the specific dimensions here, but here are a few to keep in mind:
The sofa is 34″ tall & the seats are 24″ deep. If you want to sit upright, your head will be above the back of the sofa. If you want to curl up and watch a movie, your head can rest on the back (depending on how tall you are). I’m 5’2″ and can lean my head back. My husband is 6 feet tall and he has to slouch lower for his head to rest against the back of the couch.
I hope that helps!
I was so HAPPY to read all of this. Then I went over to houzz to read some article reviews (specifically sven) and ALL they said was negative things. pilling and not holding up past 6 months. fabric coming unstapled. cushions wearing thin. SO SAD. Can you help me make a decision? Help me filter these reviews?
Oh my goodness! I’m sorry to hear that. We bought our leather couch in 2016 and it still looks AWESOME. The living room is the center of our house (literally and figuratively), and our couches are definitely not in an unused room or just for show. We got our fabric couch 6 months ago and sit on it, read books, take naps, play, etc., and it’s held up REALLY well with daily use. We don’t have any pilling going on (I just went and looked to double-check), our cushions are nice and plump (no lumps or squashing), and our fabric is all nice and tight.
Honestly, I LOVE both of ours SO much. We’re planning to get the matching grey fabric chairs soon for another room in our house because we’ve been so happy with the way the couches have held up. I can’t make the decision for you, but I will tell you we LOVE ours, day after day, month after month, year after year.
I have two VERY active, playful kids, but we don’t have pets–I’m not sure if that would change things? If you’re really worried about wear, you may consider going with the leather option. The leather ages BEAUTIFULLY, and even with the occasional spill, scratch, or even pen mark, they look basically brand new after 2.5+ years.
I certainly can only speak from my experience, but we truly have nothing but positive things to say about our Article furniture!
Hi Emily –
I’ve done deep internet searches trying to find the perfect blend of style and comfort for a sofa. I actually already returned one sofa I purchased online simply because it’s comfort level was lacking significantly. I keep coming back to the Sven, but have a few questions I hope you can help clarify. It is true – Article’s reviews on their website are great, but they also have disclaimers on their website when it comes to their review policy, so I take the 4.8 rating with a grain of salt since Article controls what is posted. There are 3rd party review sites that don’t paint the same glowing picture as Article, but I am also cautious with those as well.
Here are my concerns.
There are an abundant amount of people (even those that have given a high rating for the Sven) that have stated the one major downside is the loose back cushions. Do they move and slide around a lot? Also – several reviews state that they have to be fluffed constantly and even someone at Article told me that it’s not uncommon to constantly have to fluff the pillows. Can you shed some light on your experience?
I also have a dog. Do you have any experience with pets and if so how the sofa responds/holds up?
Thanks for the detailed review and I look forward to your response!
Nick – I’m happy to help by sharing our experience! We own a fabric Sven and a leather Sven. In 9 months, I’ve fluffed the fabric sofa’s back cushions once. They don’t slip and slide around for us at all. The leather sofa I probably fluff once a month or so and rotate the cushions so they wear evenly, so I like that they are removable. They haven’t fallen down nor do they slide down the body of the sofa at all, but my kids like to cluster right in the center of the couch, so the center cushions do sink down a bit because of the way they climb on it. Our last sofa had attached back cushions and this same behavior caused that sofa to rip where the cushions connected to the back of the sofa, so I MUCH prefer the loose cushions of the Sven for that reason.
We don’t have pets, but we’ve had these couches since our kids were small and they still play pretty rambunctiously. Our friends own a golden retriever and have the leather Sven and it has held up very well. If you’re concerned about wear, I would definitely recommend the leather over the fabric, simply because the natural patina of leather ages so well and can handle any small scuffs that crop up over time.
I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any more questions or if I can help in any other way!
Thank you, Emily. Yes – it does help. I try not to put too much stake in reviews (good or bad), but it’s hard not to do your due diligence when you are buying something before actually testing it.
I also have a Golden, so good to know the Sven has held up for your friends. I was eyeing the tan leather sofa, so good to know that would be your suggestion.
Thanks again!
My pleasure!
I’ve been stalking this sofa for weeks now. Not many people do a follow-up, so thank you for your review. The one thing holding me back is the color — many people on Instagram use filters that make it look darker, more like caramel, while other times it looks almost orange. How would you describe the color?
Josie – I know what you mean! It’s tough to gauge with all the filters these days. Because it’s natural leather, there will be natural variations in color and patina over time, but mine is a warm camel color. The brand photos on Article’s website are really true to what ours look like in person.
How has the birch ivory sofa worn after all this time? Thank you, Steph
We still LOVE LOVE LOVE it. It has had a few pills over the last year and a half in the places it gets rubbed the most, but they’re easy to take care of (you can pull them off with your fingers or use a sweater de-fuzzer (my favorite!). The color still looks gorgeous and the cushions are as plump and fluffy as ever. We love it!
How’s your leather Sven doing now another year and a half later? We’ve been looking at getting one and really want somethings that’s going to last!
Mark – We LOVE it. It still looks awesome. There’s some natural wear, which (like most leather) looks great thanks to the natural patina. The cushions are still plenty stuffed (we still plump up the back cushions regularly), and the leather itself looks great. We LOVE this couch so much.
Hey Emily! How have you liked your fabric Sven? I love that light gray color, but am wondering about pilling and stains? Also, do both the back cushions and sitting cushions come off? Thanks so much!
Haley – We still have and love it! We had a child get sick on one and the stains came right out with Folex. We’ve also gotten chocolate right out with Folex as well.
As for pilling, there is some in the most high-traffic spots, but a fabric shaver (like the kind you can use to de-pill sweaters) has taken care of those for us! Overall, these couches have felt worth the money for us and we’ve had them for years!
Do you have the 2.5 or 3 seater sofa? Wondering what the actual seat cushion length is as it’s not listed online. We have a smaller space so I feel like we might need to go with the 2.5 seater but my whole family likes to pile on the couch we have right now so I’m just wanting to compare the actual seat space.
Megan – The leather couch is the full-size (91″ long) sofa, and the gray one is the 2.5 seat loveseat (79″ long). We love both, but the 4 of us can’t comfortably all pile onto the smaller one. We can easily pile onto the larger one!
Hi! Have you ever tried to restuff your Sven? Mine lived through the pandemic and it’s sagging a bit in the middle. I was going to try to change the foam but it’s sewn on. Any suggestions?
This is a great question, but I haven’t yet. I’d love to know how it goes if you do!