Short answer: Cozey's modular sofas suit a first apartment because they arrive in separate boxes, you choose the size, and you can reshape them when you move. Decide in this order: route, room, size, fabric, then setup. Measure first, and pick the sofa second.
A first apartment is usually small, up some stairs and not your last address, so the sofa has to pass the door, fit the wall and move with you. Most buying advice starts with style. This page starts with the decisions that cannot be undone, and links our deeper guides instead of repeating them.
On This Page
- What order should a first-time buyer decide things in?
- How do I measure the room and the route?
- What size sofa should I start with?
- Do I need a sofa that moves with me?
- Which fabric suits a first place?
- Should my first sofa be a sofa bed?
- How hard is setup, and can I try the sofa first?
- What do I buy after the sofa?
- Our recommendation
- Explore our sofas
What order should a first-time buyer decide things in?
At Cozey, we suggest seven decisions, with the hardest to change first:
1. The route. Measure every door, turn, stair and elevator between the street and the room.
2. The room. Tape the footprint on the floor and keep a walkway.
3. How long you will keep it. A sofa that can change shape suits a place you may leave.
4. The size and seat depth. Pick a width for the wall, then a seat depth for how you sit.
5. The fabric. Choose for your household, and test it with swatches.
6. Setup. Plan who will carry the boxes and when you will build the sofa.
7. The trial. Every order comes with a 30-day risk-free trial.
Money belongs in this list too: set the total first, and buy only the seats you need today. Our guide to buying a sofa on a budget covers that in detail.
How do I measure the room and the route?
Measure the route before the room, because a sofa you cannot carry in is not a choice. Our sofas ship as modules in separate boxes, so what has to pass your stairs, elevator or doorway is a box, not a finished sofa. Across our indoor collections, the longest module box is the Orian arm box at 41.7 inches, and the heaviest is the Ciello chaise extension box at 59.5 lb.
Use a tape measure and work through this list:
- Doors and turns: measure the clear opening at the tightest point, including hinges and handles, and any hallway corner where a box has to pivot.
- Stairs and elevators: measure the stairwell width, the headroom and the landing depth, or the elevator door and cabin.
- The room: tape the sofa footprint on the floor, and as general advice keep walking paths at least 30 inches clear, with 36 inches more comfortable.
Our guide to measuring stairs, elevators and doorways lists the box size and weight for every collection.
What size sofa should I start with?
Start with the wall the sofa will sit against, then check the depth against your walkway. At Cozey, our two-seaters with arms run from 60.6 to 77.2 inches wide, so there is a size for most first living rooms. Our collections at a glance:
What size sofa should I start with?
| Collection | Defining trait | Two-seater width (with arms) | Overall depth | Seat depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ciello | One of our softest sofas, with deep, loose cushions | 74.75 inches | 37.5 inches | 21.5 inches |
| Gaia | A soft seat with a high backrest and slim arms | 67.7 inches | 35.0 inches | 24.0 inches |
| Cassini | Curved and low, with a 45-degree wedge module | 60.6 inches | 36.0 inches | 26.5 inches |
| Atmosphere | Medium-firm seating and our deepest seat | 77.2 inches, rounded arms | 38.5 inches | 27.5 to 29.5 inches |
| Neptune (sofa bed) | Storage in every seat | 64.6 inches | 39.0 inches | 22.5 inches |
| Orian (sofa bed) | A two-seater that converts to a queen bed | 72.8 inches | 41.0 inches | 25.5 inches |
For a wall up to 60 inches, an armless Cassini is 53 inches wide and an armless Atmosphere is 59 inches. For a corner, the armless Cassini L-shape is about 62.5 x 62.5 inches and the armless Gaia L-shape is 65.4 x 65.4 inches. In a small room, a straight sofa has the smallest footprint of any layout.
Seat depth is about how you sit. As general advice, a shallower seat sits more upright and a deeper seat suits curling up, so sit on a few at a friend's place or a showroom before you decide. Our guide to choosing a sofa size explains width, depth and seat height, and our list of the best sofas for small apartments and condos goes deeper on tight rooms.
Cozey Studio lets you check the shape before you order. You build the sofa one module at a time, and the overall dimensions appear at the bottom left of the screen, so you can compare them with the tape on your floor.
Do I need a sofa that moves with me?
If you may leave within a few years, yes, it is worth choosing one. At Cozey, every sofa collection is modular, so you can add, remove and rearrange compatible modules, for example turning an L into a straight sofa in a new room, where the layout allows. The modules also travel in their boxes, which makes the next move easier than carrying a finished sofa.
There are limits to know before you plan. In Ciello and Gaia, Regular and XL modules cannot be mixed. In Atmosphere, regular, storage and sleeper modules cannot be combined. Some arms are handed, and a module from one collection should not be assumed to fit another. We also cannot promise that a module or fabric will stay available over time.
A fixed sofa is still sensible when you have measured the route, know it fits and plan to stay. Our comparison of modular and traditional sofas for a small apartment sets out both sides, and our guide to how many modules you need helps you start at the right size.
Which fabric suits a first place?
Choose the fabric for how you live, then check it with swatches. Fabric strength is measured in Martindale double rubs, and a higher number means a more durable surface. The fabrics we offer on all four of our sofa collections are the first to compare:
Which fabric suits a first place?
| Fabric | Martindale double rubs | Offered on | Our assessment for pets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aquaforte Velvet | More than 200,000 | Ciello, Gaia, Cassini, Atmosphere | Excellent |
| Aquaforte | 78,000 | Ciello, Gaia | Good |
| Performance Chenille | 48,000 | Ciello, Gaia, Cassini, Atmosphere | Good |
The covers on our Ciello, Gaia, Cassini and Atmosphere sofas are removable and machine washable, which matters in a first place where spills happen. On the Orian, only the seat and back cushion covers come off; the arm and base covers are fixed, so spills there need spot cleaning. Wash cold on a gentle cycle and air dry, and avoid bleach and high heat.
Our free swatches let you see a color in your own light before you commit, and our guide to choosing a sofa color helps you narrow the shortlist. Our Aquaforte Velvet colors guide shows the eight shades, and our list of the best washable sofas for pets and kids compares fabrics for busy households.
Should my first sofa be a sofa bed?
Only if you expect overnight guests and have no other bed to offer. Our two sofa beds, Neptune and Orian, are built for small rooms, but a sleeper needs floor space when open. The Neptune three-seater reaches about 60 inches from the back of the sofa when open, and the Orian reaches 80 inches. Check that number against your room before you choose one.
If you are furnishing a studio, our guide to the best sofa bed for a studio apartment covers size and layout. Our guide to buying a sofa bed online lists what to check before you order.
How hard is setup, and can I try the sofa first?
Setup is manageable alone, and the trial gives you time to be sure. Our typical setup time is 20 minutes per module for the Atmosphere, Ciello, Ciello XL, Gaia and Neptune sofas, so a larger sofa takes longer. Our product pages describe tool-free assembly for Atmosphere, Gaia and Cassini, while Neptune legs attach with hand screws. Our assembly time guide has the details.
Standard delivery leaves the boxes at the front door or building lobby, so plan for help with the heavier ones on stairs. Every order has a 30-day risk-free trial; keep the original boxes during it, and read the current terms on our site before you order.
What do I buy after the sofa?
Buy the sofa first, because its size decides everything that follows. Our living room essentials guide gives the order for a rug, a coffee table, side tables, a chair and storage, and our guide to furnishing a small apartment shows how to keep a small space calm.
When floor space runs out, go vertical. The Cozey Themis modular wall system is a set of shelf and cabinet units, each 32.0 inches wide and holding 50 lb; the shelf and cabinet can be wall-mounted or freestanding. The Cozey Altitude wall shelves and cabinet are another wall option. In a rental, check the building rules before you drill. For the coffee table, read how to choose a coffee table.
Our recommendation
Cozey's recommendation for a first apartment is to measure first and buy the smallest layout that seats you today.
- Narrow stairs, a walk-up or a small elevator: compare the longest box in your layout with your tightest turn.
- A wall under 60 inches: an armless Cassini or Atmosphere two-seater.
- A deeper, lounging seat: Atmosphere or Cassini. A shallower, more upright seat: Ciello or Gaia.
- A busy household or pets: Aquaforte Velvet or Performance Chenille, with covers you can wash.
- Occasional guests: Neptune or Orian, after checking the open depth.
- Not sure: preview the sofa in Cozey Studio, and order free swatches.
Explore our sofas
- Sofas
- Sectional sofas
- Sofa beds
- Cozey Studio
- Cozey Studio guide
- Buying a sectional online
- Measuring stairs, elevators and doorways
- Themis modular wall system guide
- Altitude wall shelves and cabinet guide
Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.