How to know if a sofa is comfortable when shopping online?

Have you ever looked at a sofa and thought "that looks SO comfortable", only to sit on it and realise it just, well, wasn't? The biggest fear for online sofa shoppers is ordering a sofa online to discover it's uncomfortable. In this blog, Raft explains how to know if a sofa is comfortable when shopping online.

With over 25 years in the industry, we've become very familiar with what makes our customers tick when it comes to a great sofa. Our discovery? While style and sustainability do play a large part in the sofa buying decision, the number one most important thing is comfort.

In-store, testing and comparing comfort is easy; simply sit back and put your feet up like you're at home. In no time you'll be able to imagine you really are and then the decision has been made for you! On the other hand, online shopping for sofas can be a complete minefield.

While shopping online offers convenience and the freedom to take your time to compare with others on the market, the downside of online sofa shopping is taking a risk with comfort. Ultimately, it's almost impossible to guarantee a comfortable sofa, unless you know what to look for. There are obviously a few things you need to know, but one of the key features is something not many people know about... "the rake".

What is the rake of the sofa?

The rake of a sofa is the angle at which the seat of the frame slopes. This will completely determine the way you sit in your sofa and whether it's going to provide you with a slouchy, lounging experience or a more contemporary, up-right feel. Equip yourself with this knowledge to make more informed decisions. Understanding sofa rake means you can decide for yourself if a company has taken shortcuts by presenting a sofa as super slouchy without the framework to match it!

How do you know if a sofa will be "slouchy" when buying online?

A slouchy sofa is essentially one that encourages lounging back and sinking in. For some people, "slouchy" is pretty much synonymous with "comfortable". So, if the idea of a sofa that sends you to sleep is what you've been dreaming about, this is what to look for.

Optics can be deceiving when it comes to slouchy sofas. Unfortunately, as much as a sofa might appear slouchy and comfortable - to the untrained eye it's close to impossible to know. So, let's get familiar with the term "rake".

Slouchy Rake

This is by no means a technical term but it's an easy way for you to remember what to look for if you want that ultimate lounging experience! The front edge of the sofa seat should be higher than the seat where it meets the back of the sofa. So, in other words, a ball placed at the edge should roll towards the back cushion. This will ensure that your knees are higher up than your bum and allow you to sink into your seat.

Saying this, it's important to note that the rules are different for modular sofas. As the point of sectional sofas is to split and move them apart, you're obviously rearranging the direction of each seat. For this reason, Raft implements a different type of webbing and therefore rake on this kind of model. This allows for a comfortable seat, no matter the angle you sit on the sofa from.

How do you know if a sofa will be "supportive" when buying online?

Slouchiness isn't everyone's cup of tea. For example, if you have a bad back, your ideal sofa model might be one that encourages a more upright posture. Same thing goes for customers who simply prefer a more formal setting or a more contemporary style. For these kind of models, a slouchy rake may not appeal to you.

Straight(ish) Rake

There are all kinds of reason why a sofa may not have that sloped rake we mentioned above - it's just about understanding what suits your lifestyle best! Let's call this rake "straight", ie. a seat at a right angle (or, in many cases, a slight tilt of the back but a straight seat).

Although we have allowed for the back of all of our sofa frames (bar modular sofas) to slightly tilt, a flat seat defines our contemporary sofas because this shape allows us to add a decorative front rail. A decorative front rail is the horizontal molding that adds a contemporary, ornamental feature.

How to know the rake of a sofa when shopping online

Reach out to a member of the team via web chat while you're browsing a sofa company's website! This is the simplest and most efficient way to get all the answers you need. Without this human interaction, it's understandable that the prospect of ordering a sofa online would be daunting.

February 27, 2025

FAQs

Popular Blog Posts

View Quote

Spring Sale Final Weekend

Free Fabric Samples

Handmade in London

Interior Design