Living Room Sofa: Where to Buy a French Farmhouse Couch
In this post: Are you looking to buy a living room sofa? This shopping guide full of discount sofas will help you find the best French farmhouse couch.⇒
I have 7 white couches.
My daughter thinks that’s really amusing. So does her Instagram audience.
Well, to be fair, of the 7, one is really a settee and one is a loveseat. But even our outdoor sectional sofa is white.
White sofas bring a light and airy look to a room and go with everything. If you love French Country decor or farmhouse style, you can’t go wrong with a white couch.
I’m including cream and ivory in the family of white, and I have strong feelings about the upkeep of white sofas. (Hint: it’s not as hard as you think to keep clean and would you really want to sit on a dirty dark sofa, just because you couldn’t see the dirt?)
But if you’re still afraid, this shopping guide includes beiges and other neutrals, as well. So read on.
Our living room sofa above is a classic shaped couch with an off white jacquard pattern. I bought it years ago at Ethan Allen and I do not believe it’s still available, but the shape is a common one. It’s soft and feminine and super comfy, and the upholstery fabric is well-treated and keeps dirt at bay, which makes spot cleaning very easy. We’ve probably had this couch for about 20 years, while we brought up 2 kids and a dog, and it still looks brand new.
Tip #1: Go for the best fabric you can afford with the most stain-resistance and protection.
Sofa number two, above, is our main couch, housed in the family room. It’s a huge sectional that takes up most of the room and I spend most of my day here. It’s essentially become my office because I hate to write at a desk.
I actually did not link this in the shopping guide below because it’s a bit pricier than what I generally link, but since it’s such a dominant piece of furniture in the room, we chose to invest in it. I’ve wanted a big deep sectional that you can crawl into for a long time, so when I selected this one, I opted for slip-covers because I knew we’d be using it every day. We’ve washed it many times (but next time I would choose the performance fabric, as well).
It’s often on sale (we got it at 20% off), so if you’re interested I’ve linked it HERE.
Tip #2: Choose slip covers for easy washability.
The pair of sofas, above, are in the entertainment room of our lower level (otherwise known as the basement.. ;-)). We’re lucky to have a walk out basement with a wall of windows, so we do get some light, but it’s still a dark space and benefits from the pale couches. Not used as frequently as our family room, I chose to forego the slipcovers and picked a sleeker shape.
Tip #3: Save the harder to clean pieces for less often used spaces. I also keep throw blankets near all of my sofas, not only for warmth, but to place on the couch if someone wants to have a quick snack.
Our other white sectional is an outdoor piece, and this one too, has weathered many years of entertaining. I can’t imagine achieving the same soft French farmhouse look with dark seating, and so once again I took a chance and went with off white. Not only do we eat outside on this couch, but I also use sunscreen while lounging on it, all summer long.
Tip #4: Use Sunbrella treated cushions on outdoor pieces and add scotch guard every year. I was amazed at the difference from using the scotch guard!
The sofa above I ordered for my dad’s apartment when he moved nearby. It’s super soft and comfy and utilizes the slipcover trick once again. The overstuffed silhouette is perfect for a French farmhouse look, but could also be adapted for almost any other design style. (This one is still available at the time of this writing and is included in the shopping guide below.)
Top #5: If you’re really worried about dirt, choose white over cream, because in the worst case scenario, you can always bleach it.
The last two pieces are a bit smaller, including this loveseat above with lovely wood frame and curvy French lines, along with the settee below with cane back and sides. These charming pieces are newer and tuck perfectly into our smaller rooms, our home office and guest room, respectively.
When selecting seating for any of your rooms, there are many things to take into account, from style and comfort to price and practicality.
But with so many options available these days you can choose a lovely white or neutral sofa to achieve a French farmhouse look and be able to enjoy it for many years to come.
Please check out the selections in the shopping guide, below, to find something that would make a wonderful addition to your home!
Living Room Sofa Resource List
To get the look, click on the items below for direct links to the products. Where actual items were no longer available, I’ve provided many similar options.
In the past I’ve tried to keep the affordable options below $1000 for a sofa, but prices have gone up in many cases. So you’ll find a bit of a range here, yet most are still under $1500 and many are still well below $1000.
I also try to update my shopping guides as often as possible, but many stores change their links frequently, so if you find broken links, feel free to alert me. Happy shopping!
(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.)
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Hi Lory, love the post! Just wondering, where do you find your slipcovers? I apologize if you have a link already available. I wasn’t able to find it. Thanks!
Thanks, Marcia! I actually buy pieces that come with slipcovers. I’d love to find a good source for slipcovers, however, so if I can find one, I’ll come back and post about it.
I bought a Pottery Barn slipcover couch/chair; grand, down cushions, years ago for a beach rental. Off white covers. I have had the cushions redone once and the covers resewn once. They go in the washer/dryer often. Best investment for furniture that I ever made. Mitchell Gold is who does the cushion and slipcover repair for this set which is honestly 20 years old!
I didn’t see in your guide where the outdoor sectional is from?? Thanks!!
It was from Ballard, but they don’t carry it anymore. It was the Sutton sectional.
I love your sectional and wish I had room for one. I had a custom made sofa with white Crypton fabric in a faint herringbone pattern and it is so easy to clean. My 4 year old grandson loves to jump from sofa to ottoman (I would have never let my boys do that!!) and I have not met a stain that will not come off the sofa, including Cheetos! My white Bergere chairs have Revolution fabric and anything can be cleaned off that fabric too. I highly recommend Crypton or Revolution for upholstered furniture, especially if you want white!
Such a great post and sofa selection Lory! I’m probably going to end up painting and recovering the sofa/guest futon, but that doesn’t mean I can’t dream about couches instead! Someday! ?
I love your pottery barn slip covered sofa!! Which fabric did you choose??
Thank you! I have the basic off white canvas, but I would get a performance fabric if I were doing it again. It does wash well, but it needs it often and I think the performance fabrics would need to be washed less frequently, even in a light color.
Lori -where did you buy your father’s slipcovered sofa? I couldn’t tell which one it was-also do you know the sofa name and color?
Yes, it’s this one: https://rstyle.me/+z659CwYPWZL-RwJmCfPubA It used to be called the Clausen sofa, but Wayfair keeps changing the name.