Here's Why You Shouldn't Take The Legs Off Your Couch

Before you figure out how to pick the best sofa for your space, you'll need to answer some important questions. How big should it be? What color? What material? What shape? What style? When choosing a couch for your home, you definitely want to focus on things like comfortability, durability, size, and style. If you're into minimalist décor, searching for the best minimalist couches for every budget can lead you to the streamlined no-legs couch. Couches with no legs certainly fit with a sleek and modern aesthetic, but if you're feeling tempted to change the style of your couch by removing its legs or purchasing one without legs, you may want to reconsider.

A couch with no legs can result in a variety of different issues including difficulty cleaning, trapped dirt and moisture, and constant friction that leads to damage. If you're really wanting a change of pace with your couch and love the look of one with no legs, there are some other options that will avoid this style's pitfalls. 

A couch with no legs sits directly on your floor, creating a couple of unique problems. First, full contact with the floor means the area is harder to clean and easily traps dirt, dust, and grime. Even worse, there's no way for air to circulate beneath the couch, which leads to trapped moisture that can turn into mold. Couches on the floor are also more likely to become damaged as any movement (purposeful or accidental) will create friction that can fray their upholstery. The constant contact with the floor and pressure from people sitting on the couch can also damage your flooring, and without visibility, the damage can occur and get worse without your knowledge.

If you love the look of a couch with no legs but don't want to deal with the downsides, designer Marie Flanigan shares a great solution on her Instagram: skirted couches. The skirts give the illusion of no legs and, according to Flanigan, add stability to a space that can then be contrasted with lighter pieces to create a layered room. If you hate the skirt idea, consider legs that fit your aesthetic. There are a wide variety of styles you could choose from. Wood legs are a great choice and a sofa or couch with wood accents can fit most designs. You can opt for sleek or short legs for a modern fit or carved wood legs for an antique or rustic-styled space.