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I'd been searching for the right couch for months. After getting rid of the carpet that had been throughout the house and installing laminate flooring, our home looked and felt different. It was time for a couch upgrade. However, finding the right piece was challenging (and time-consuming!) and not for lack of choices.
My living room is a narrow, awkward shape with an open floor plan that does triple duty as the kitchen and dining room. Although our fireplace looks great, it takes up what would have been a corner, cutting down our already limited space. First and foremost, I wanted a comfy couch because I love to binge-watch my shows, and it also needed to enhance the room but not dominate it. The Kova checked all my boxes.
The Kova is featured as our top pick in our best modular sofa and best sectional sofa of 2023 guides. To create our "best of 2023" guides, we shipped more than 20 sofas to Living Cozy contributors across the U.S. for thorough at-home tests and reviews.
Albany Park is a direct-to-consumer brand, which means it doesn't sell through third-party retailers. Instead, you order from its website, and the sofas are shipped directly to you — this helps the brand keep costs at a minimum, and there aren't any retail markups to bump the sofa price up.
After browsing Albany Park's website, I went with the Kova 84" Sofa. The Kova has seven color options, four in velvet - including the rust velvet I opted for.
As a modular sofa, you can also add new pieces to it at any time to change the size and shape of the couch. For example, a new armless section would make my sofa 121" in length, and additional ottoman sections could give it a pit-like feel.
Discount: Use code LIVINGCOZY12 for 12% off sofas and sectionals.
I knew the sofa was arriving in boxes. I'm not sure what I expected, but what arrived on my doorstep was much bigger than I anticipated. UPS left four, almost chest-high boxes at my front door. They were heavy but manageable — my daughter moved them into the house by herself. I was able to slide the boxes into the living room and unpack the sofa.
The two large boxes included the base sections of the sofa, with the pillows packed in the bottom of the bases, along with the wooden block "legs." The arms and backrests were in the other boxes. The directions were minimal, just pictures. I had put together enough furniture over the years that I felt up to the task.
In a matter of minutes, I unpacked the boxes and screwed the legs to the base, four feet per base. Pretty easy! No tools were required. I was on a roll and thought I would be relaxing on the couch in no time.
Unfortunately, my roll came to a screeching halt when the cushions for the arms and back of the sofa stopped me in my tracks. Both sets looked the same save for the slight difference in length. The assembly video on the Albany Park site made it seem quite simple. You line up the tapered end of the metal track on the arm and the backrest and just give them a slight push to slide them into the base. It was not that simple for me. I couldn't get them to line up, and because there's no labeling of the pieces, I wasn't sure which was the arm and which was the backrest. After 30 minutes of trying to figure it out, I took a break.
The next day, I called Albany Park, and they emailed me a video. After watching the video, I finished putting the couch together in a matter of minutes, but it took some exertion. You have to really put your back (and knees) into it and press against the backrest to ensure the tracks for the armrest line up and can slide in. Because the first video made it seem so easy, I thought I was doing something wrong when I couldn't get the armrest to fit.
After I assembled the couch, it looked just like the photo on the website, which is always a great sign (and a bit of a relief when you order online). It made our space look and feel warmer (the color is perfect) and cozier. Now we have ample seating for guests, and I have a spot to relax and chill out when I binge on Netflix.
Immediately I wanted to road test the Kova's lounging capabilities to see how it might stand up to hours-long weekend binges of my favorite shows. The first thing I noticed was how large it was. The seats are 30" deep, more than enough room for me, my laptop, and the cats to spread out.
The bottom cushions look thin but are super comfortable. Although, the feather blend in the cushions makes a slight crinkling noise when I move around. Once put together correctly, the armrests and backrests don't move, and the sofa's quite sturdy. One thing that was not sturdy was the metal piece underneath the sofa to hook the two sections together. I found it didn't latch on tight enough, and the two pieces could move apart.
The felines couldn't wait to hop up on the couch. It is velvet, so I need a lint brush handy. Albany Park's website says the fabric is easy to clean, but it can also be Scotchguarded against stains. The short couch legs prevent the cats from going underneath the couch and using the underside as a scratching post. Trust me, if you have cats, you know this is a win.
A couch that's easy to clean is essential to me. Happy to report that Sriracha mayo (because it tastes good on fries) is a cinch to wipe off with water and a napkin without leaving a stain.
Also, I'm the type who will use the couch as a hub to eat, sleep, and work. A couch that's easy to clean is essential to me. Happy to report that Sriracha mayo (because it tastes good on fries) is a cinch to wipe off with water and a napkin without leaving a stain. If you need an extra layer of protection, Albany Park's website says the fabric can be Scotchguarded.
The Kova sofa is a perfect fit for my space and lifestyle. Its comfort and durability leads me to believe I won't need another sofa for quite some time. Because the pieces are modular, it's easy for me to rearrange them if I want to change up the room's look. Or I can add more pieces. I love having options! Most importantly, it offers the perfect level of comfort for sprawling out with remote in hand and settling in for some serious binge-watching.
The Kova sofa is a perfect fit for my space and lifestyle. Its comfort and durability leads me to believe I won't need another sofa for quite some time.
The Kova sofa is perfect for lounging and binging your shows. The sturdy constructions ensures a firm base with soft cushions allowing for just the right amount of give. The seating is 30" deep and about 60" long, affording you room to spread out.
Albany Park aims to get sofas shipped as soon as possible. When viewing a sofa on Albany Park's website, you'll be shown an estimated shipped date as well as a delivery window. Albany Park offers free shipping on all orders.
The Kova sofa features a kiln-dried hardwood frame. The sofa has a foam-topped, webbing and spring suspension system and sits on solid wood tappered legs
In 2017, Darryl and Jessica Sharpton wanted a new sofa for their home. But they soon realized the process was much more complex than it needed to be. The pair were overwhelmed by the options available in showrooms and online. And once you'd found a sofa you liked, the long delivery times were also frustrating.
The entrepreneurial couple decided to change things and founded Albany Park.
To fix the industry, the Sharptons developed three models of sofa that could meet the needs of most people — The Albany, The Park, and The Kova. They also decided to sell these sofas directly to consumers online to save expensive showroom costs and additional shipping costs. These savings enabled them to make the sofas more affordable for consumers.
Along with fast shipping, Albany Park furniture comes packaged in apartment-friendly, space-conscious boxes that can easily be maneuvered in stairwells, tight hallways, and throughout any home.
The Kova sofa is relatively easy to assemble once you understand you will need to exert some effort to get the tracks to line up. The directions could use some text to explain the placement of the arms and backrest. Otherwise, the modular pieces allow you to create a configuration that fits your lifestyle and room. Solidly built, it's a great statement piece that adds comfort and style to your living space.
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