A sofa is usually the largest, hardest-working piece in a room, and with custom upholstery made to order, it’s not something you swap on impulse. In Charleston homes, where open floor plans and abundant natural light leave furniture nowhere to hide, your sofa style is even more important.
Choosing a sofa breaks down to a series of smaller decisions: the silhouette that fits your room, the arm style, the shape and arrangement of the cushions, and the fill that determines how it feels when you sink in. Understanding what each of these terms means makes it easier to compare pieces and to know what you are ordering.
Below, we break down each of those elements, starting with the silhouette.
Sofa vs. Settee vs. Sectional: What’s the Difference Between These Common Sofa Styles?
The word you use may vary, but the silhouette you choose shapes the feel of the whole room.
A sectional is modular and can be configured in different ways to fit a specific space. L-shaped and U-shaped forms are among the most common.
A standard sofa seats three, and today, “sofa” and “couch” are often used interchangeably. The size of a sofa can vary, but it’s typically between 80 and 90 inches.
A settee always has a back and arms but is sized for two.
An apartment sofa keeps three full seats while trimming the frame to roughly 68 to 80 inches wide, with a slightly shallower depth to fit smaller rooms.
Sofa Arm Styles Explained
Arm style is one of the most defining details of a sofa. The shape, height, and profile of the arm contribute to the overall character of the piece, helping determine whether it feels traditional, transitional, contemporary, or somewhere in between. While there are many variations, several arm styles appear again and again across different sofa designs.
Sloping Arm: A sloping arm starts at the full height of the sofa’s back and gradually angles or sweeps downward toward the front in a smooth, continuous diagonal line. This distinctive profile creates a clean, sculptural silhouette and can give the sofa a more contemporary, streamlined appearance.
Sock Arm: Softly rounded and padded, the sock arm has a relaxed, inviting appearance. Its rounded profile can range from subtly curved to more substantial and pronounced, depending on the design.
English Arm: The English arm is characterized by a low, gently curved profile that flows into the back of the sofa. Rather than standing prominently above the seat, the arm is typically set back and integrated into the overall silhouette, creating a soft, understated look.
Track Arm: Defined by its straight, linear profile, the track arm extends vertically from the seat without a pronounced curve or roll. Track arms can vary considerably in height and width, but their defining characteristic is the clean, uninterrupted line of the arm.
Sofa Cushion Styles: Bench Seat, Straight Cushion & T-Cushion
The way a sofa’s seat cushions are shaped and arranged changes both its look and its upkeep. The bench seat, straight cushion, and T-cushion are three styles you are likely to meet when shopping.
T-cushion: Named for its shape, a T-cushion (pictured left) has a seat that extends past the front of the arms, forming a T when viewed from above. A sofa may have a single T-cushion spanning the seat or multiple cushions, with the T shape formed at each end.
Bench seat (pictured): One continuous cushion runs the full length of the sofa, with no divisions. The result is a clean, minimalist line that has seen a strong resurgence in contemporary design.
Straight cushion: Individual seat cushions with a straight front edge that runs in one line from arm to arm. The cushions stop at the inside edge of the arms rather than wrapping around them, so each cushion reads as a simple rectangle.
Cushion Fill: Down, Down Alternative, and Spring Down
Cushion fill determines how a seat feels and how much maintenance it requires.
Down: In upholstery, down almost always means a blend of waterfowl feathers and down wrapped around a foam core and sealed inside downproof ticking. Down settles and relaxes with use, which is part of its character, and it needs regular fluffing and rotating to keep its loft.
Down alternative: Down alternative typically refers to polyester fiber, often blown into channels so it cannot shift, wrapped around a similar foam core. It approximates the softness of down and holds its shape longer between fluffings.
Spring down: Spring down wraps a pocketed-coil core in foam and a layer of down, combining a softer surface with coil support underneath. It is the standard seat construction on many premium styles.
Brands like Lee Industries and The MT Company publish their cushion packages, so you can compare exactly how each option is built before you order.
How Custom Upholstery Works at GDC Home
Custom upholstery is made to your specifications, so it helps to know how the process unfolds. At GDC Home, it moves through a handful of clear steps.
It begins in one of our Charleston-area furniture and home decor stores, where you can walk through styled spaces, touch the fabrics, and test the comfort of each piece in person. Coming prepared helps: bring photos of your space, your room measurements, and swatches or even a throw pillow to work from.
From there, you choose a frame from hundreds of styles spanning sofas, sectionals, accent chairs, and ottomans, then select a fabric from hundreds of in-stock and special-order options, including performance fabrics built for daily life. You are welcome to take swatches home to see them in your own light.
Next come the details. Depending on the frame, you can specify cushion fill, leg finish, and trim or skirt. Once everything is confirmed, delivery can be scheduled through GDC, arranged with your own carrier, or handled by pickup. In-store interior design consultations are always complimentary. Learn more in our guide to ordering upholstery at GDC Home.
Finding Your Perfect Sofa Style at GDC Home
Silhouette, arm style, cushion shape, and fill are the vocabulary of a sofa, and knowing what each term means turns a big decision into a series of smaller, clearer ones. What once looked like a single overwhelming purchase becomes a set of preferences you can name.
At GDC Home, our showrooms let you compare silhouettes, arm styles, and cushion fills side by side, and our custom seating program means you can tailor a sofa to your exact space and taste. We partner with trusted American makers like Lee Industries, CR Laine, Coley Home, and MT Company, and our design team can walk you through fabrics, proportions, and fill options so your choice feels effortless.
From August 17th through the 31st, you can save 20% on all upholstery, including in-stock, custom-order, and clearance, at all three showrooms. This discount does not apply to prior purchases and cannot be combined with other offers.
To find the silhouette that fits your home, visit your nearest GDC Home location and explore our custom seating in person.
Shop the Look
Hartley Sofa
The Hartley Sofa pairs a clean, tight-back silhouette with two generous seat cushions for a refined, streamlined look.
Henry Slipcovered Sectional
With bench seat cushions, an exposed oak base, and an added chaise, the Henry Slipcovered Sectional brings contemporary lines and room to gather.
