I Searched High and Low for a Customizable Sleeper Sofa—This Compact Sectional Was the Winner

PublishedApr 29, 2025 2:11 PM EDT

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So when my husband and I decided to downgrade from a two-bedroom to a one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn last fall, the decision came with several other choices to make. Was it time to swap our rugs for something lighter and brighter? Absolutely yes. Maybe a new bed was in the cards? Also yes. Did we want to give up our one unobstructed living room wall to a TV? Definitely not (which is why we went witha projector). And, finally, did we need a sofa that could pick up the slack after losing precious square footage? You can probably guess the answer.

After going deep down the sleeper sofa rabbit hole, we narrowed our hunt to compact sectionals from brands that offered semi-customization. The idea was that the piece had to fit snugly into a specific corner of our new home and hold up in several different situations. We wanted something relaxed enough for crashing on at the end of the day, upright enough so dinner party guests could perch with a drink, and with a concealed mattress comfortable enough for overnight visitors. This was a surprisingly hard combo to track down—but when I discovered thatInterior Define's James designwas available as a sectional with a sleeper component and lots of details to tweak, I knew I'd found our sofa. It's been six months since ours arrived, and here's why I think it's a total game changer for small spaces.

Here's the thing—sofa shopping is like mattress shopping: super personal and really hard to get right without an actual sit test. At Interior Define, free fabric swatches ship in two to four business days, and the brand also offers some handy digital tools to help you narrow things down, like an online designer chat and virtual appointments.

But, if you live near one of the 14 brick-and-mortar storefronts across the country, I highly suggest popping in to get a feel for the several styles and 150-plus upholstery options. I honestly don't know if I would've sprung for the performance chenille based on photos or swatches alone, and understanding the difference between the three cushion fills and the two sleeper sofa mattress densities helped me feel really confident in our choice.

There were a few reasons I liked the James design more than anything else I looked at across retailers like Crate & Barrel, Sixpenny, The Inside, and Pottery Barn. For one, I just really wanted a wrap-around sectional over a chaise. There's something so incredibly inviting about the style—you can snuggle into the corner, stretch out on one side, or squeeze in a bunch of friends. But I didn't want a prescribed size, it couldn't be super-deep, and I didn't really want to go for a beige-y neutral—our new apartment was a blank slate and I love layers of texture and color and objects.

The other options in this category at Interior Define had details I wanted to avoid (the arms of theScarlettwere too narrow, the flange cushions of theSkylerwere distracting, and the silhouette of theSloanwasn't exactly my bag). The James also offered a version that only had an arm on one side, called a bumper sectional. This really appealed to me for our specific apartment layout, and I also loved that it would let one of our plants create a boundary instead of a hard arm edge.

Here's a run-down of everything you can customize in this style. Choose your bumper side first, then select your fabric (there are several weaves and velvets that won't add to your total, but you can choose from a variety of performance and natural options at the $250, $300, and $400 price point). There's even a 'buy now and choose your fabric later' button, which honestly seems useful for certain situations. I pined for a natural linen at first, but after visiting the store and touching literally every swatch, we went for the rose performance chenille. The color is a little lighter in person than in the photos online, making it more of a neutral without losing any personality. It felt amazing to sit on, is structured enough without feeling stuffy, and supposedly cleans up easily. And that's proven true—we've already been able to scrub away pen stains, old book smudges, and some flecks of spilt guacamole. Casual!

Then, you choose your bumper length (the standard 85 inches was fine for us), amount of seat cushions (we chose a bench, which is $100 more), and your cushion fill. Standard down is included, and the down alternative option is a best seller. But we went for the double down blend, which offers the softest sit and makes the cushions reversible. The brand says it requires frequent fluffing, but we haven't noticed that; besides, we don't mind a lived-in look and we absolutely love the sink-in feeling.

The last item on the list to make decisions about is the sleeper mattress. The 72-incher lives in the longer, non-bumper module, and pulls out smoothly from the frame. The standard is just a box spring mattress with foam, but the $200 upgrade is made with high-density foam topped with memory foam. That's what we went for, and now that several guests have slept on it, we've only heard glowing reviews. Taking the bench cushion off is a whole workout—fair warning to those with weak arm muscles! But I love that the back cushions settle back in as a makeshift headboard.

I don't know if it's even possible, but I'd love for the bumper component to have a storage option like there is in thechaise style—I would have scooped that up in a heartbeat if it was available. I'm always carving out more stash spots in our small space.

I ordered our sectional at the end of August, and it arrived exactly 12 weeks later, which is the higher end of the window (starts at eight weeks) that the brand estimates. Coordinating delivery with the distribution center was a breeze, and since it was a made-to-order item, the fee included white glove service. The two sectional frames are incredibly heavy, so they really stay put—I'm glad we knew exactly where we wanted to put it ahead of time.

It's important to note that Interior Define, founded a decade ago, has had its share of bumpy periods over the last several years, particularly later in the pandemic. After a bout of expansion, the supply chain crisis hit the brand hard, then sales dipped, andthenthousands of customers had unfulfilled orders (including people I know personally). But since an acquisition by Havenly in 2023, the ship seems to have been righted. Good to know!

I'd place this sofa smack dab in the middle of the price bracket of similar products. It's not entry-level by any means, but it's also not tipping into $7,000 territory. Something also worth considering: it's smashing two pieces into one, and you aren't buying a separate bed for a guest room or office (or, if you're us, you're all-in-one living room). With anchor furniture pieces, you need solid (i.e. more expensive) construction if you expect it to last through the seasons of life, and that always makes the case for me. I suspect we'll be lounging on this beauty for many years to come.

Samantha Weiss-Hills is the managing editor for Domino. She edits and writes home tours and features, and she's the friend who everyone texts for glassware, sofa, and sheet recommendations. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Alex, and their beagle-corgi, Elsa.

Belle is the in-house photographer and associate photo editor for Domino, capturing everything from home tours to gift guides, plus the occasional how-to project. She joined the photo team as an intern in 2018 and was brought on full time in January 2021.

Brit Ashcraft is an award-winning creative director and graphic designer. She led design at Domino from 2019 to 2025. She has over twelve years of experience working in branding, design, and marketing specializing in interiors, lifestyle, and real estate.

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