sofas buying guide
everything you need to know
no piece of furniture works harder than the sofa. it is truly the heart of the living room where everything happens: from movie nights with the family, afternoon naps on a lazy weekend, long conversations with friends, to a child’s first fort.
in a Hong Kong apartment, it usually has to earn its floor space twice over, anchoring the room whilst leaving space to live around it. when you choose a quality sofa, you can rest assured it will live through your best moments for many years to come.
we have been helping customers furnish their living rooms with sofas for over 20 years, and we find the same five considerations guide almost every good decision: the type of sofa that fits how you live, the size your room can genuinely take, the comfort details that photographs never show, the fabric it wears, and whether a modular design should be part of your thinking.
1. which type of sofa suits how you live?
once you’ve determined where the living room will be (and how much space it will take up), you’ll then need to decide what type of sofa you’ll need, as its shape can impact the rest of your layout. a 2-seater or 3-seater is the classic answer: a single clean silhouette that faces the television or the window and leaves the rest of the room free. a L-shaped or angled sofa can help form a cosy corner and, in an open plan apartment, create a natural boundary where the living area flows into the dining space. sectional and modular designs go further still: individual seats, corners and chaise units that combine into whatever arrangement your room and your household ask for, and recombine when either one changes.
our range covers all of these, from compact 2-seater designs (which can transform into L-shaped designs with an ottoman) to expansive sectional configurations, in contemporary and relaxed silhouettes. an armchair is the natural companion to most of them: a second seat that faces the sofa and closes the conversation circle (if space allows).
2-seater
offers: compact footprint; fits where nothing else will
suited to: studios and smaller living rooms
3-seater
offers: the family anchor; most seats in one clean line
suited to: family homes and/or where space allows
L-shape / angle
offers: turns a corner; defines the living zone
suited to: open-plan apartments
sectional / modular
offers: flexible design that lets you create a sofa to suit your exact space
suited to: rooms that change, households that grow
sofa types at a glance
| type | what it offers | suited to |
|---|---|---|
| 2-seater | compact footprint; fits where nothing else will | studios and smaller living rooms |
| 3-seater | the family anchor; most seats in one clean line | family homes and/or where space allows |
| L-shape / angle | turns a corner; defines the living zone | open-plan apartments |
| sectional / modular | flexible design that lets you create a sofa to suit your exact space | rooms that change, households that grow |
shop sofas
2. size and space: what fits a Hong Kong living room?
the sofa is usually the largest single piece of furniture in the apartment, so the size question deserves the most care. the footprint itself is only half of the calculation; the other half is the space you keep around it, because a living room you can circulate through comfortably will feel larger than its floor area suggests.
our sofas are 132–433cm wide, which is a deliberately broad range: at one end a 2-seater for a compact apartment, at the other a modular arrangement that fills the long wall of a family living room. as a general guide, a 2-seater is typically 140–180cm wide, a 3-seater 180–240cm, and an L-shape 240cm or more along its longer side. we recommend that you first decide which wall you plan to put your sofa against: measure that, then work backwards.
most of our customers know what size sofa is needed for their space, and visit our stores to determine which style is right for them. above are some of the key measurements you might want to keep in mind as you find your perfect piece. if you do need advice, we’ll be happy to make recommendations – send us your floor plan or bring it with you when you visit us!
key measurements for Hong Kong living rooms
| measurement | as a general guide |
|---|---|
| walkway around the sofa | 60 cm minimum; 75 cm feels comfortable |
| sofa to coffee table | 40–45 cm: close enough to reach, far enough to pass |
| sofa to television | roughly 2.5 times the screen size |
| doorframe width | 76–80 cm is standard in Hong Kong; check before ordering |
before you commit, mark the footprint on the floor with masking tape and live with it for a day or two; walking around it tells you more than any floor plan. think about the delivery route at the same time: the lift, the corridor, the turn into your front door. modular and sectional designs arrive as individual units, which takes the anxiety out of tight access. for other sofas, we can also advise on the piece’s accessibility. if you live in a walk-up building, talk to us before ruling anything out: our delivery team can carry pieces up the stairs for an additional charge.
3. comfort: the details photographs never show
two sofas can look identical in a photograph and feel entirely different to sit on. the differences live in three measurements that rarely make it into the product shots: seat depth, seat height, and what the cushions are made of.
seat depth decides how you sit. a shallower seat holds you upright, which suits reading, working and anyone who likes their feet on the floor. a deeper seat invites you to curl up, tuck your legs in and stay a while. our sofas offer seat depths up to 95cm, generous enough for a genuine lounge feel, whilst seat heights up to 47cm keep getting up easy rather than an effort. as a general guide, taller households lean towards deeper seats and higher backs; if you share the sofa, look for a depth that works with cushions arranged for each of you.
underneath, the cushioning does the long-term work. the majority of our sofas are foam-filled with high-resilient polyurethane foam, chosen for the way it springs back rather than settling into a hollow, over supportive seat foam and quality frames. this is a combination you can only truly judge one way: by sitting down. our 25,000 sq ft showroom at Horizon Plaza, Ap Lei Chau holds our widest selection of sofas, made up so you can take the time testing each shortlisted design; no photograph or measurement replaces that. we always encourage our customers to sit, lounge and lie on our sofas (and even take their shoes off if needed!), so that they can determine if the piece is truly right for everyone’s space and needs.
4. fabric and upholstery: what stands up to daily life
fabric is the part of the sofa you live with most closely, and it is where durability is won or lost. every fabric we select carries an abrasion rating of 20,000 rubs or more, designed, tried and tested to keep its looks under normal wear, and with over 50 fabric options in various colours and materials there is room to match taste, space and décor rather than compromise on any of them. some of our sofas come with removable covers, which makes professional cleaning straightforward and gives the sofa a second life whenever you want a change.
as a general guide, tighter weaves and darker tones forgive the most in busy family pet households, whilst lighter linens and textured weaves reward calmer rooms with a softness that deepens over time. choosing between them is a bigger subject than one section can carry, so we have written a full guide to choosing sofa fabrics for your home; read it alongside this one if fabric is your deciding factor.
where the fabric comes from matters to us as much as how it wears. our sofas are produced in Poland, Vietnam, Indonesia and China, and we hold every one of those workshops to the same standards we hold ourselves. fabric is also the strongest reason to visit the showroom, where you can browse our extensive selection (with our most popular fabrics in-stock for immediate delivery) at full scale and in daylight, against the timber pieces they will live beside. our sofas can also be customised to the colour of your choice, which may require a longer lead time.
Kate Babington, Managing Director at TREE
“there’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing the fabric and colour of sofa – it really comes down to your personal style and lifestyle. we do find that lighter coloured fabrics such as cream and light grey can create a sense of airiness, making them ideal for smaller homes or open plan homes. darker hues such as navy or charcoal absorb light, and are perfect if you want a space that feels warm, inviting and cosy. we also like to recommend removable, dark-coloured fabrics for families with kids or pets, as they’re a little better at hiding everyday stains.”
5. modular thinking: a sofa that changes with your home
Hong Kong homes change more often than most: a move across the harbour, a second child, a living room that becomes a home office three days a week. a fixed sofa answers the room you have today; a modular one keeps answering as the room changes. our modular options allow custom configurations to suit individual homes and needs: start with a corner and two seats, add a chaise when the room allows it, split one large arrangement into two smaller ones if the next apartment asks for it (or if you prefer a different look for a new season).
modularity is practical in other ways too. individual units can be easily carried through lifts and stairwells that a full-length sofa never could, and rearranging the living room becomes an afternoon’s experiment rather than a removal job. once the sofa is settled, the rest of the room follows: our coffee tables, side tables and shelving units are made to sit alongside it, and an armchair completes the circle. whether a modular design or a classic 3-seater serves you better comes down to how much change you expect; if you are unsure, our showroom is the place to see a modular system at full scale and understand how the pieces connect.
6. caring for your sofa in Hong Kong
a quality sofa asks for very little: a simple rhythm of small habits that keep the fabric fresh and the cushions full. day to day, that means a weekly once-over with the vacuum and a fluff of the cushions when you pass; season to season, it means giving the fabric a little help to stand up against Hong Kong’s humidity and sunshine. seat and back cushions naturally change shape a little over time as they settle into how you actually sit, and regular fluffing keeps them comfortable and looking their best.
Hong Kong · Spring care
Spring in Hong Kong can get particularly humid, with indoor humidity spiking above 90%, and that is when upholstery appreciates a little extra airflow. a dehumidifier or air conditioner keeping the living room between 50% and 60% sees the season out comfortably, and leaving a small gap between the sofa and the wall helps air circulate behind it.
- vacuum weekly: use an attachment with a soft brush and a light hand; this lifts dust from the weave and helps prevent pilling.
- fluff the cushions: plump seat and back cushions regularly to maintain their shape and comfort; it takes a minute and makes years of difference.
- keep it out of direct sunlight: position the sofa shaded or shielded from strong sun so the fabric keeps its colour; sheer curtains do the job in bright rooms.
- spot clean with a damp cloth: a slightly damp cloth lifts everyday marks; a little colour may transfer onto the cloth as you clean, which is entirely normal for upholstery fabrics.
- book a professional clean when it is due: removable covers can be professionally dry cleaned, and where covers are fixed, professional upholstery cleaners will visit homes and offices in Hong Kong.
our after care page holds all of our care guidance, including the TREEtment manual for the solid wood pieces that live alongside your sofa. and if you are ever unsure what your fabric needs, our team is always happy to talk it through for your specific home and the members of your household (including furry ones!)
what size sofa should I choose for a Hong Kong living room?
start from the wall, not the sofa. measure the wall it will sit against, then keep at least 60 cm of walkway around the sides you use and 40–45 cm between the sofa and the coffee table. in many Hong Kong living rooms that points to a 3-seater of 180–240cm; an L-shape often fits more comfortably than people expect, because it uses a corner the room was not using anyway. our range is 132–433cm wide, so there is an honest answer for almost any room.
how do I know a sofa will fit through my door and lift?
measure the route before you decide on a sofa: the lift door, the corridor, the tightest turn, and your doorframe, which is typically 76–80 cm wide in Hong Kong. compare those against the sofa’s height and depth, since sofas usually travel on their side. modular and sectional designs arrive as individual units and pass where a full-length sofa cannot, and our delivery team can carry pieces up walk-up stairs for an additional charge; if access worries you, talk to us before ruling anything out.
what is a modular sofa?
a modular sofa is built from individual units: seats, corners, and chaise sections that connect into one arrangement and can be reconfigured later. the appeal is flexibility; the same units can form an L-shape in this apartment and a long straight sofa in the next one. our modular options allow custom configurations to suit individual homes and needs, which makes them a natural fit for Hong Kong living, where homes and households change often.
what seat depth and height are most comfortable?
it comes down to how you sit. a shallower seat keeps you upright with feet on the floor, which suits reading and working; a deeper seat, and ours go up to 95cm, invites you to curl up and lounge. seat heights up to 47cm keep standing up easy. there is no universal right answer, which is why we make the case for the sit test: ten unhurried minutes on a made-up sofa in our showroom tells you more than any measurement.
how do I clean a fabric sofa at home?
gently and regularly. we like to recommend vacuuming your sofa weekly with a soft brush attachment and a light hand to lift dust and prevent pilling, and use a slightly damp cloth on everyday marks; removable covers can be professionally dry cleaned, and for fixed covers, professional upholstery cleaners in Hong Kong will visit your home. little and often beats one deep clean a year.
how long should a sofa last?
a well-made sofa should serve you comfortably for many years to come, and the difference is in what you cannot see: the frame, the foam and the fabric rating. our sofas combine quality frames with high-resilient polyurethane foam that springs back rather than settling, and every fabric carries an abrasion rating of 20,000 rubs (Martindale test) or more, tested for durability under normal wear. cushions changing shape slightly as they settle is normal; regular fluffing keeps them at their best.
which sofa fabric should I choose for my home?
think about who uses the sofa before you think about colour. as a general guide, tighter weaves and darker tones are the most forgiving in busy family households, whilst lighter and textured fabrics reward calmer rooms. with over 50 fabric options rated to 20,000 rubs or more there is genuine room to choose on feel as well as practicality; our library guide on choosing sofa fabrics for your home walks through the decision in full, and the showroom lets you see every option in daylight.