Modern Castle is supported by readers. When you buy with our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Joybird Sofa Review

Derek Hales

Written By: Derek Hales

Updated on:

BEST CUSTOM COUCH?

moderncastle-fs-table__image

Joybird Sofa

Joybird offers an incredible level of customization with 59 sofa styles and 81 fabrics. They aren’t cheap, however, you’ll be hard pressed to find a greater level of customization elsewhere. With Joybird you can customize a couch’s style and feel to get exactly what you’re looking for.CHECK PRICE

Pros

  • Exceptionally comfortable
  • Multiple styles and accessory pieces available within the Joybird collection
  • Extended 365 day trial period
  • 81 different colors and 59 different sofa styles to choose from

Cons

  • Higher price vs. other online retailers
  • Longer lead times (4-7 weeks) for most custom orders
  • Return shipping not reimbursed if over 14 days from purchase

Table of Contents

Rather watch instead of read? No problem. We’ve got our full Joybird review in video form right here:

YouTube video

Joybird Couch Testing

Joybird has a massive couch line, and we could talk extensively about any of their furniture pieces.

Joybird Hughes sofa review

For this Joybird review we’re going to split our time between discussing Joybird’s furniture line in general and our tests of the Joybird Hughes sofa (which we tested at our home-lab).

Joybird Materials & Design

The Joybird sofa collection has an extremely wide range of options. Each sofa consists of the same parts, but the multiple selections within each part, resulting in a huge amount of unique sofa options.

Hughes Sofa Legs

The Joybird Hughes sofa we tested uses the tapered solid wood leg in the mocha finish.

Joybird sofa legs

The style is simple and clean, giving it a wonderfully modern aesthetic.

Joybird Sofa Legs Options

Each and every Joybird sofa starts off with a set of legs on the floor. Multiple leg styles help to give each piece a unique look from the rest of the collection. Joybird’s leg material options include:

  • Straight Taper (ex. Eliot Leather sofa)
  • Angled Taper (ex. Hughes Grand sofa)
  • Dramatic Taper (ex. Aubrey sofa)
  • Caster / Bun (ex. Liam sofa)
  • No Leg (ex. Logan Leather sofa)

Wooden Legs

Most of the wood legs that Joybird offers have the mid-century feel to them. For a straight tapered wood leg, check out the Eliot Leather Sofa.

Joybird wooden legs

They also offer something a little more classic mid-century, like on the Hughes Grand Sofa, where the legs have a slight outward angle, paired with the taper.

For die-hard mid-century modern fans, it’s hard to beat the dramatic tapered wood legs of the Aubrey Sofa.

Caster / Bun Legs

For a more traditional look, you can also consider the Liam Sofa, which comes with bun legs or you can upgrade to caster legs for $100.

Joybird caster legs

No Legs

Technically, there are still legs, but the might as well be invisible. With the Logan Leather Sofa or the Bryant Sofa, the legs are so short and stocky that they appear to go away and the main focus is on the sofa seat itself.

Joybird no legs

Metal Legs

Joybird offers several metal leg choices, including:

  • Tube steel (ex. Franklin sofa)
  • Metal Point (ex. Aime sofa)
  • Wood + Metal (ex. Chelsea Apartment sofa)
Joybird meta legs

For a more modern look, Joybird also offers steel legs, like on the Franklin Sofa.

Metal legs can also be designed in the mid-century style with the slender gold legs, like on the Aime Sofa. For a middle-ground between wood and metal legs the Chelsea Apartment sofa blends the two materials for a unique look.

Joybird Sofa Structural Frame

The frame of each Joybird sofa may also vary. The company prides themselves on a tagline of “Choose your fabric. Choose your frame.”

Joybird Hughes sofa frame
Structural frame of the Joybird sofa

This speaks to the sheer number of combinations that there are to choose from when building a Joybird sofa.

Joybird furniture - sofa seat styles

Cushions on the Hughes Sofa

The cushions on the Hughes sofa are removable and split into two sections.

Joybird couch cushions

The foam itself is 6″ thick and made of 3 separate layers of foam. The white layers of foam appear to be comfort foam. They are 1″ thick and softer than the yellow foam.

Joybird cushion foam layers

6″ total foam layer; 1″ comfort foam (white), 4″ support foam (yellow), 1″ comfort foam (white). 2.8 PCF.

The yellow foam is a more supportive foam and acts as a foundational base.

According to Joybird.com the foams have a density of 2.8 PCF (pounds per cubic foot).

What about the suspension?

The cushions sit on top of Joybird’s poly webbing spring back suspension system.

Joybird sofa suspension system base

Joybird Couch Cushions

The seat of the Joybird sofa also can vary greatly.

Most couches use seat cushions that are between 4-7″ and use of blend of poly foams.

Depending on the sofa style you select, the couch may come with individual cushions for each seat, like the Holloway Sofa, or one long cushion for the entire length of the couch, like the Korver Sofa.

Do all Joybird sofas feel the same?

The answer is no.

Depending on the style that you select, each Joybird sofa has a distinctively different feel.

That being said, there are some Joybird parameters that they work within. There are basically two main types of cushions.

  1. Standard Cushion: This cushion is made using 2.8 PCF, high resiliency foam. This foam is noted for its balance between comfort and support. Joybird also uses this foam since it is able to hold the lines of the products well, which is a trademark feature of the mid century modern design.
  2. Softer Cushion: For those customers that are looking for a softer sit, Joybird also offers some items with Trillium fill. Trillium is a synthetic fiber designed to mimic the luxurious feel of down and feather, but is hypoallergenic, offers greater resiliency (keeps its lines/shape better) and can be offered at a lower cost than down and feather products. To exclusively see the sofas outfitted with Trillium cushions.
  3. Combo Deal: Of course, there will always be people who want something in the middle and Joybird has one unique sofa designed for that crowd—the Serena Sofa. This is the only one that uses a foam cushion with a layer of alternative down on the top, for balanced blend between the two styles.

Hughes Sofa Arms

The arms on the Hughes sofa are 25″ tall and 7″ wide.

Joybird Hughes sofa arms

Additionally, they have a fairly thick foam padding, making them just as comfortable to lean against as the backing of the couch.

Joybird sofa arm seams
Seams between the back, arm, and cushions

I found the height to be quite comfortable whether I was sitting or laying and both positions felt natural and relaxing.

Joybird Sofa Arms

There are many different sofa arm styles offered by Joybird.

Joybird Straight Flat arms

Straight, flat arms: With this style, the arms extend vertically from the side of the cushions and terminate with a flat top.

These arms greatly range in height from dramatically low, like the Presley Sofa to dramatically high, like the Chelsea Apartment Sofa, and everything in between. 

For a nice middle ground, you may want to check out the Levi Sofa.

Joybird Slopped Arms

Sloped arms: The sloped arm starts high at the back of the sofa and gradually lowers by the time it reaches the front of the seat.

This creates a soft look and a notes of mid-century modern design inspiration. The Holloway Sofa is a great example of a Joybird sofa with a sloped arm.

Joybird Scroll Arms

Scroll arms: For a more traditional look, the scroll or rolled arms is a plush option that provides extra padding for a more prominent arm. This is typically paired with tufted cushions for a bit of a royal look, like the Liam Sofa.

Tapered arms: For that classic mid-century look, it’s hard to go wrong with a good tapered arm. Joybird offers many different degrees of taper, from the soft taper of the Hughes Grand Sofa to the sharp tapers of the of Fitzgerald Sofa or Eastwood Sofa.

Joybird Tapered Arms

Hughes Sofa Back

The Hughes sofa uses a fixed back, meaning the cushions do not come out.

Having a fixed back helps to give this sofa a leaner overall profile and also makes setup quick / easier.

Joybird sofa tufting
Tufting along the back of the Hughes sofa

The back of the Hughes sofa uses a slight tufting, which adds a certain timelessness to the piece. However, the tufts aren’t deep and are not buttoned.

I personally really like this design decesion, as it works well to contrast the overall modern style of the piece.

 Joybird Sofa Backs

As with most features of the Joybird sofa, there is also a wide variety of back cushion options to consider.

Joybird Hughes Sofa
Joybird’s most popular sofa, the Hughes Sofa

Tufted back cushions are one of the most popular, with some being a tufted back, like the Liam Sofa or Hughes Sofa, and others being loose tufted cushions, like the Eliot Sofa.

Below is a list of the different back design options:

  • Ultra-Tufted (ex. Liam sofa)
  • Double Tufted (ex. Eliot sofa)
  • Single Tufted (ex. Hughes sofa)
  • Flat (ex. Briar sofa)
  • Fluted (ex. Chelsea sofa)

RELATED – If there are other rooms in your house that need help, see our best furniture guide. It can help you get started.

For a more modern look, there are alternative options like the flat back of the Briar Sofa or the fluted back of the Chelsea Sofa.

The exact material composition and feel of each back cushion varies by style of each Joybird sofa.

Joybird cushion foam layers
6″ total foam layer; 1″ comfort foam (white), 4″ support foam (yellow), 1″ comfort foam (white). 2.8 PCF.

Is the Joybird Sofa Comfortable?

Overall, I’ve been impressed with the level of comfort on the Joybird Hughes sofa. It strikes a nice balance between firm support and pressure relieving comfort.

Is the Joybird couch comfortable?

On a scale from 1-10, where 10 is the most firm, I would rate the Joybird Hughes couch at a 6 out of 10.

Joybird Hughes firmness

I would describe the feel as “medium firm”.

Let’s talk design and comfort…

The Joybird is deeper than other couches I’ve had in the past, which I really like for sitting, but especially sleeping or lying down.

Joybird sofa with pets

The arms of the couch have a nice give to them and plenty of foam padding, so they are equally as comfortable for sitting back into them.

What about other Joybird sofas?

Not all Joybird Sofas have the same feel, but there is a consistent quality among all Joybird sofas.

We did some digging into other people’s experiences with these Joybird sofas. The quotes below highlight some of the comments we found regarding overall comfort from user reviews.

ArchiNurd thoughts on the Joybird Hughes reversible sectional 

“Its a firm sofa, not something you’re going to sink into, but still very comfortable to lounge on.”

Lesliethewizard thoughts on the Gervin sectional 

“It’s very shallow so it’s great for sitting up normal, but the corner gives some good lounge area.”

EasyDoesIt18

“We have one of [their] sectionals and love it. It sits fairly low to the ground. I don’t see why it wouldn’t be comfortable for shorter folks.”

Best Joybird Sofas

Deciding the “best sofa” within a particular brand is hard. For most of us, the best couch is the one that works the best with:

  • your design
  • use needs
  • comfort preferences

Below, we’ve listed 4 of the most popular sofas that Joybird sells (we asked them directly what was most popular).

PRODUCT DETAILS

BEST SOFA

moderncastle-table-__image
Hughes Sofa
  • Type: Compact sofa
  • Dimensions: 90″w x 37″d x 33.5″h
  • Score: 4.8 / 5
Check Price

BEST BIG SOFA

moderncastle-table-__image
Lewis Sectional
  • Type: Sectional sofa
  • Dimensions: 108″w x 60″d x 32″h
  • Score: 4.8 / 5
Check Price

BEST SLEEPER

moderncastle-table-__image
Eliot Sleeper Sofa
  • Type: Sleeper sofa
  • Dimensions: 78″w x 36″d x 33″h
  • Score: 4.7 / 5
Check Price
moderncastle-table-__imageLewis Sofa
  • Type: Standard sofa
  • Dimensions: 83″w x 42″d 32″h
  • Score: 5.0 / 5
Check Price
Joybird Hughes Sofa
Joybird’s most popular sofa, the Hughes Sofa

Popularity doesn’t always indicate what’s the best sofa, but based on the sheer popularity and number of positive reviews each has received, we think it’s a good place to start.

How to Assemble A Joybird Sofa

Unlike other online furniture manufacturers that offer flat-pack furniture, Joybird takes a more traditional approach. Their furniture will not come in tidy little UPS boxes sitting outside your door and they’re not particularly light or easy to manage.

Joybird sofa shipping options

But in exchange, what Joybird can offer is more design options and additional shipping options to make the transition a little easier.

If don’t care about all the extra options and just want something faster you may be better off with the Campaign Living or Burrow couch.

Is one strategy better than the other?

Hard to say.

A lot of it depends on personal preference and there are pros and cons to both methods.

Joybird offers three tiers of shipping options:

  1. In-home delivery – this is your more typical white-glove delivery. They set the sofa up in your home and it costs $99.
  2. Curbside delivery – this is only available on some products. They deliver to your front door, but don’t set it up in your home. For products under $999 it will cost $49 to ship with this option. For products over $999, it will cost $99.
  3. Hold it – if you want to place an order, but don’t want it delivered right away you can order with the hold it option. Joybird will ship it at the specified date you give them.

Joybird Sofa Fabrics for Kids & Pets

Joybird sofas offer a wide range of fabrics to choose from.

Below is the complete list of pet friendly fabrics (though these would also be great for kids):

Joybird pet friendly fabrics

There is a collection, specifically appropriated for kids and pets, which may be prone to more messes, as well. These pet-friendly fabrics range in style and feel, but all include this icon:

Joybird pet indicator icon

…which notes that it is ultra-durable and, many times, stain resistant.

Wovens

Woven fabrics come in a wide range of colors and provide an ultra-durable, stain-resistant finish. Due to the tight-knit nature of wovens, pet hair is also kept at bay. Avoid cleaning wovens with harsh chemicals or wet towels.

Velvet-Textured Microfiber Fabrics

Unlike traditional velvet which can be incredibly expensive and hard to maintain, Joybird’s velvet-textured microfiber is low-pile, durable, and easy wipes clean with a dry or damp cloth. The low pile also helps pet hair to resist sticking.

For pet hair that does find its way onto the fabric, you can simply wipe away using a rubber glove.

Joybird pet friendly couch

Safeguard Fabrics

Joybird’s Safeguard line is one of the most stain-resistant collections that they offer. You can read more about their testing and Stainguard fabric performance here. This collection is resistant to stains, sun-exposure, and the rough-housing tendencies of a busy life with kids and pets.

Regardless of your couch fabric, cleaning in between the cushions can be a pain. However, handheld vacuums can be a big help. Or alternatively, a vacuum with upholstery cleaning attachments, like the Dyson V10 and other Dyson vacuums.

RELATED – See our full list of vacuum reviews here.

Joybird Furniture Showroom Locations

Since they are an online furniture company, Joybird doesn’t have many showrooms.

However, if you happen to live in New York you can visit them in Brooklyn at 445 Albee Square W, Brooklyn, NY 11201.

In the FAQs, Joybird recommends seeing their furniture first-hand in your own home, as they offer no on-hand inventory.

The lack of official showrooms is not necessarily a deal-breaker for online furniture makers.

Many companies choose to partner with local businesses across the US, outfitting the business with one of their products at a reduced or free cost, in exchange for a local hot-spot where people can try out their products. Burrow, for example, employs this tactic for more in-person exposure.

See our Burrow couch review here for more information.

How to Buy A Joybird Sofa?

Welcome to Joybird

When you first land on the Joybird website, it can feel a little daunting. There are hundreds of options between style and customization that they offer, which allows you to create something unique to you.

From the Joybird home page, it’s immediately apparent that sofa production is not their only gig either, as they offer a wide range of products including:

  • Sofas
  • Chairs
  • End tables
  • Coffee tables
  • Bedroom furniture
  • Dining tables
  • Beds
  • Pillows
  • and more!
Joybird product line

From the home page, once you filter it down to just sofa selections, once again, there are many choices.

You can filter:

  • materials
  • overall style
  • leg style
  • cushion style
  • size
  • price

We highlighted a few of these options above, but this filter tool is an easy way to see exactly what you want and none of the extra pieces that don’t fit the bill (or your style).

Joybird customization options

Shipping

Shipping is likely one of the biggest drawbacks of the Joybird sofa—frankly, it’s not quick.

Shipping for most sofas varies from 4-7 weeks, when you select custom fabric options and stains.

Joybird does offer a line-up of quick ship products that ship within three days, but you give up quite a few selections when you go this route, as quick ship options tends to only have one or two colors available.

If you need a couch that can arrive faster (but still has a good level of customization) see our Article sofa review.

One user made the following Reddit comment on her waiting experience with Joybird.

“What’s cool is they send you an email every step of the way. They built the frame, cut the fabric, upholstered it, and now it’s in QC. From there, once it’s approved, they’ll call and schedule shipping.” –awd3495

If the wait is not a factor, you’re ready to place your order. As mentioned above, Joybird offers three different-tiers of shipping:

  1. CURBSIDE SHIPPING | For $49-99, your items will ship and be delivered outside your door. Your items will not be unpacked or assembled, but this method does deliver your items 3-6 days quicker than In-Home Shipping. Also, it’s important to note that this shipping method is not available for all items.
  2. IN-HOME SHIPPING | For $99, your items will ship and be delivered inside your home. Your items will be unpacked, assembled, and the trash will be taken away.
  3. NO RUSH SHIPPING | Joybird also offers “no rush” shipping, which allows you to place your order, but delay delivery until you are ready. This would allow you to take advantage of sale prices when they happen, without having to worry about where to put it if you’re planning on moving soon.

Trials & Returns

Joybird offers a lengthy 365-day trial period. Anytime in that window, you can request a return and Joybird will send a team out to pick up your item.

But what about the fine print (isn’t there always fine print)?

Two quick notes to mention about Joybird trial period and return policy.

  1. Make note of the first 14 days. If you decide to return your sofa within the first 14 days, you will get back 100% of the cost INCLUDING return shipping cost. If you return outside of this first 14-day window, you will get back 100% of the item cost, but you’ll need to pay return shipping. This is the policy for any return between day 15 and 365.
  2. Keep the original packaging. Although it’s bulky, you’ll need the original packaging in order to submit ANY return, ANY TIME the window of your trial period.

Should You Buy the Joybird Sofa?

So that’s it—the Joybird line-up all in one location.

Feeling overwhelmed? You’re likely not alone.

Joybird couches are inundated with options and customization, which tends to result in a more unique feeling product, but it requires a bit of patience and a good design eye to know exactly what you want.

I would recommend a Joybird couch if you:

  • Want a fully customizable sofa: With a Joybird couch, there are hundreds of different customization options, including fabric, arm height, seat style, back style, leg style, and more. If you’re looking for something ultra-specific, it’s likely that Joybird has something for you (especially if your tastes tend to lean towards mid-century modern style.)
  • Want excellent comfort: Overall, I’m really impressed with the level of comfort. Joybird does an excellent job of combining resilient quality, in terms of fabric, foam, and structraul design, and comfortable pressure relief. It strikes an ideal 6 out of 10 firmness and is comfortable for sitting, sleeping, and lounging around.
  • Want white-glove delivery: If you don’t plan on putting it together yourself, there’s no need to limit yourself to a flat-pack sofa. Joybird comes packed in large, heavy boxes, but it can also be delivered by an assembly team who will install your sofa in your home and even take the trash with them for a flat rate of $99.
  • Don’t mind waiting on the shipping: There’s not really a nice way to say it, but buying a custom Joybird sofa will likely mean a lengthy wait for your new couch to arrive. Typical lead times range from 4-7 weeks from the time your order is placed. They do offer a line of quick-ship items, but going this route will also mean forgoing all the fabric options, as quick ship options tend to only include one or two colors.

To learn more about Joybird furniture or buy one for yourself, check them out on at Joybird.com.

Update Log

  • April 20, 2019 – As of today Joybird terminated our affiliate relationship with them. We removed our affiliate links and replaced some of them with non-affiliate links. Our score and opinions on the Joybird sofa remain unchanged.
  • December 14, 2018 – Cleaned up a few typos and mistakes from our 12/13 update. Also updated formatting, images, and content in several places.
  • December 13, 2018 – Added our in-house testing data and experiences of the Hughes sofa, as well as additional photographs. Updated score based on our new tests. Score increased from 94% to 96%. Updated formatting.
  • November 20, 2018 – Fixed one image. Added a new best Joybird sofa section.
  • November 16, 2018 – Made a few minor formatting updates. Added a coupon.
  • October 26, 2018 – Updated our links to affiliate links (previously, they were non-affiliate links).
  • August 3, 2018 – Updated the review score as part of our site-wide 1.0 scoring overhaul. Score remained the same.
Ultimate Customization, Slow Shipping
  • Design - 97%
    97%
  • Performance - 97%
    97%
  • Quality - 95%
    95%
  • Usability - 95%
    95%
  • Value - 94%
    94%
96%

Summary

Joybird may be one of the most customizable sofas available. With 59 different couch styles, 81 color choices, and a variety of leg stains and styles, there are quite literally thousands of potential custom combinations. The wide customization means there is something for everyone in terms of style and comfort. The cons are they aren’t cheap and they don’t ship fast, but you can be sure you’ll have a product that’s totally your own when it finished!

About Derek Hales

Derek HalesDerek Hales is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ModernCastle.com. He has been featured in Fast Company, Reader's Digest, Business Insider, Realtor.com, She Knows, and other major publications. Derek has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University. Hales has been testing and reviewing products for the home since 2014.