Cloud Couch: Is TikTok's Latest Couch Trend Worth The Hype?
It seems like every few months, there's another "must-have" trend, with oodles of influencers backing up the latest fashion item or home décor piece. These trends often claim to make our lives easier, more comfortable, or more aesthetically pleasing — but could the latest craze, the cloud couch, actually deliver on all three?
The hashtag #cloudcouch has now garnered more than 153.2 million views on TikTok and seems to be following suit with the plush, oversized, and maximalist vibes creeping their way into all aspects of interior design. As furniture designer George Yabu said, "Large, bubbly furniture provides individuals room for interpretation — choice in how they would like to engage and interact with their environment while providing a pillow-like effect. The amorphous shapes of plump furniture effortlessly mold into your routine, supporting you and the way you choose to live today" (via Living Etc.). Are you on the hunt for a sofa that lets you sink in, kick back, and cozy up? Worried that your head may be in the clouds? Learn more about this cozy trend and why owning a cloud couch might not be such light work after all.
What is a cloud couch?
A cloud couch is a flexible concept. Any sofa that has soft, plush, and comfortable sink-in quality can be considered a cloud couch. On social media, the trend has mostly taken the form of a white or gray furniture piece with deep, soft seats, low armrests, and ample down cushions stylized with a neutral knit throw or designer coffee table. Restoration Hardware's Cloud Collection is the idolized source behind the trend, featuring white and neutral couches, ottomans, and sectionals that claim to create "the world's most comfortable sofa." Individual pieces from the collection retail between $2,295 and $11,995 for non-members.
Of course, there are plenty of brands and influencers promoting more affordable "dupes" — supposed copies of Restoration Hardware's original Cloud Collection. One highly praised dupe series is the Nixon Collection by City Furniture. Like Restoration Hardware, City Furniture offers a variety of cloud couches, sectionals, loveseats, and modular pieces to shape your own perfect seating. Pieces from the Nixon Collection run between $500 and $3,500. Still, a few grand is hardly a small investment for furniture, especially if it may not stand up to daily use in your household.
Is it all smoke and mirrors?
Whether people invested in a high-end name brand or a more budget-friendly "dupe," the most common complaint about the cloud couch is its inability to hold shape. The verdict seems to be that this trendy furniture piece is not ideal for people with kids or pets — or anyone who intends to actually sit on it. Sure, the couch may look soft, cozy, and welcoming, but as TikTok user and mom of four @ashleyypeters put it, "it's all fun and games until you have to fluff the 100lb cushions every day."
Professional boxer, Youtuber, and social media influencer Marco Hall also states that the furniture might look nice, but "as soon as you sit down, it's over." In a TikTok video, the young father describes his pricey investment as "all beat-up-looking, tore up, definitely with three bad boys running around." Hall concludes, "I love the couch. It has its pros and cons. It just gets messed up very fast." Commenters under his video also seemed unimpressed with the hype behind the cloud couch trend. Some responses from commenters were, "No bc cloud couches look so mushy and messy to me idk why y'all like them," and "A couch that cost that much should fluff itself."
Cloud couches could work for some
Perhaps not all cloud couches are created equal. After all, some people claim to love their fluffy furniture, and the right care routine can help them hold up to almost anything. When it comes to keeping your couch pristine, fluffy, and Instagram-worthy, small daily efforts can go a long way.
After a year of owning a Nixon Couch from City Furniture, TikTok creator Sam Robbins claimed she had "No issues at all." In her post-year follow-up video, she said the fabric "is supposed to be moisture repellent and easy clean-up — I also Scotchgarded the [heck] out of it — and it's been holding up beautifully." Robbins' maintenance routine for her white cloud couch is relatively low-key; she simply uses Folex carpet spot remover to wipe away any accidents and passes over the surface with a ChomChom fur remover tool a few times every week. While other cloud couch owners complained about battling saggy cushions, Robbins says, "We haven't had any sort of dedicated fluffing session this whole first year."