Snug is a gamechanger in the way we buy large furniture pieces. The self-assembly “rebel” arrives in separate boxes, meaning you don’t have to worry about taking the door frame off or hulking the settee up a winding staircase – music to the ears of city dwellers in top-floor flats. With a thoughtful design, the sofa slots together with ease and, once fully assembled, offers instant modern glamour with its rich velvet upholstery and chic tapered wooden legs. It’s also surprisingly comfy for a piece that comes in pieces. You wouldn’t know, in fact. 

The Florence sofa mixes angular lines with the ultimate in cosy – we loved this interplay of different styles. In chic grey velvet, the settee features luxuriously deep seats with puffy back cushions to sink into, hitting just the right note between supportive and snuggly. This one’s ideal for curling up on – the curvature of the armrests ensures a relaxing sit. In stark contrast, slim metal feet in a matte black finish both elevate the body of the settee and create the illusion of extra floor space. This one may be boxy, but it looks like it’s floating.

With its wealth of fabric choices, including Biba’s fabulous dark natural leopard, this is a simply shaped two-seater that allows the material to do all the talking. Of course, if you wanted to keep the look perfectly minimalist you can plump for plain, too. With a nod to mid-century modern design, the settee features an exposed wooden plinth-style base (choose from English oak or dark mahogany), while its comfy seat and back cushions are sandwiched between fuss-free, upright armrests. It offers understated elegance in any upholstery fabric. 

Oliver Bonas’s furniture offering continues to impress, not least with this velvet-clad loveseat. Bringing high end to the high street, the fabric is, in fact, a varese cotton velvet by Designers Guild. With its curvy solid beech frame and plump buttoned body, this is a contemporary take on a classic, suiting modern-day drawing rooms and stylish boudoirs alike. We loved the springy raised seat and ergonomic, curved back with roll-top shaping. And unlike antique pieces of the same ilk, this one offers a lustrous sheen. Cosy for two and commodious for one. 

This is a veritable design classic – with a price tag to match. But this two-seater is a stylish contemporary furniture piece to invest in. With its ergonomic design and enveloping shaping, the togo is as soft as it looks but thankfully not quite as slouchy. It offers a supportive sit despite its complete lack of hard points. The settee is made up of three foams of different densities and it is a delight to recline in. We were hard pushed to move out of it. Choose from a range of muted earthy tones and textured fabric finishes. 

The mid-century inspired Brighton is not only retro in its shaping but in its upholstery fabric, too. The hard-wearing material is a textured weave that recalls the Nineties fuzzy bouclé furniture fabrics that are now back in vouge, and in the vibrant “sea spray” shade made a cheery colour pop amongst our Sixties walnut furniture. With its hardwood frame and tapered oak legs, this two-seater offers quality craftsmanship despite its surprisingly affordable price. We love its charmingly simple design and its extra armrest cushions. Unlike most, this comfy settee also comes with complementary scatter cushions. 

With its sloped armrests, upright back cushions and luxuriously deep seats, this is one inviting settee to dive into and curl up on. Contemporary in shape with just a hint of mid-century modern design (note the tapered wooden feet), it is a versatile and future-proof investment piece that won’t be going out of fashion any time soon. Expect top-quality craftsmanship from this brand along with a design appointment to discuss your needs. There’s a wealth of fabric choices on offer here including linens, wools and velvets, so it can be quite a minefield. 

Recalling the best of 20th century Italian design, Sofology’s Fellini is an instant classic. As a two-seater, its angled back and armrests create an inviting spot that’s impossible not to relax in: it’s upright but with a slight recline. With its mid-century styling, the settee perfectly marries style and comfort. We loved its tapered wooden legs that borrow straight from the Sixties, as well as its extra cushioning on the arms. As with all of Sofology’s seating, this handsome piece comes in a huge range of fabrics – but we loved the soft, tan buttery leather of “Alaska Brittany”. Perfect for a cosy movie night.