I put an Interior Define sofa to the test to see how it performed in the face of the ultimate judge: my cat.
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Interior Define Sofa Review: My Feline Put This Sleek Cat-Proof Couch to the Test
Updated Sep. 05, 2024
In the 13 years I’ve had my cat, Zola, I’ve owned quite a few couches. From futons to sectionals to sleepers and canvas to bouclé, our furniture has endured enough scratches and pet hair to last a lifetime. Recently, my husband and I bought our first home, and after 16 years of apartment living, we knew we needed to find a cat-proof couch that was comfortable enough for family cat naps and might deter Zola’s sharp little claws and repel her thick coat.
I’d heard that some couches and certain types of upholstery were better for people with cats because of their durability and tendency to be less appealing for scratching. Choosing a couch is a big decision and one I didn’t want to regret. After spending a month lounging with Zola on an Interior Define sofa, I can confidently say that I made the right choice.
What is the Interior Define Maxwell sofa?
Interior Define is a brand founded with the goal of delivering customizable furniture that’s handmade from high-quality materials. The Maxwell 3-Seat Sofa is part of one of Interior Define’s 25+ furniture collections, which offers custom-made pieces to suit your space and personal preferences. The brand offers more than 150 upholstery options, more than 35 leg varieties, multiple lengths and depths for each piece and various seat cushion fills, allowing for ultimate customization.
Interior Define sofas are made to order, and the brand’s performance upholstery options—specifically the performance velvet—have earned a reputation for being pet-friendly or “cat-proof.” The brand’s selection of furniture also reflects an elevated and modern aesthetic, making the pieces as visually beautiful as they are functional and unique. While Interior Define originally made sofas exclusively, the brand now offers tables, rugs and lighting, as well as outdoor furniture.
NINA DERWIN FOR RD.COM
I Tried It
Interior Define Maxwell Fabric 3-Seat Sofa
Interior Define recommends its performance velvet fabrics for pet owners, so I chose one to test for this story.
Interior Define Maxwell sofa features
Interior Define offers seemingly infinite ways to customize your sofa, starting with the overall shape and style. I opted for the Maxwell 3-Seat Sofa, which is part of the larger Maxwell collection that also includes sectional, chair, chaise lounge and ottoman configurations. The overall defining trait of the Maxwell collection is its classic shape with a modern twist, and each piece is available in more than 125 fabrics with 18 different leg options. The Maxwell 3-Seat Sofa comes in five sizes, ranging from 94 inches to 110 inches long, allowing you to choose the right size for your space with relative precision.
The Maxwell line has a low seat height, or the distance from the floor to the top of the seat cushion, and a soft, plush seat. The standard depth, or the distance from the front of the seat cushion to the back of the cushion, is 22 inches, though you can choose the 27-inch depth if you are particularly tall or simply prefer a deeper sofa. The couch has an all-around low profile and features wide, contoured arms and thin legs. Three lumbar pillows are included with the sofa, and you can choose between three cushion options, including down-alternative fill. The seat cushions attach via Velcro to the bottom of the sofa, which keeps them neatly and securely in place.
Interior Define recommends its performance velvet fabrics for pet owners because they have a low to medium pile. Plus, they’re tightly woven, making them durable enough to hold up against claws. Performance velvet, made from 100% polyester, is also known to be relatively easy to clean from shedding because it doesn’t trap hairs like most woven fabrics. Interior Define’s performance velvet is also easy to clean, stain- and liquid-resistant, Greenguard Gold Certified and Oeko-Tex Certified.
How I tested it
When testing the Interior Define Maxwell 3-Seat Sofa, I considered four important areas: ordering, delivery, human comfort and feline testing.
Ordering
Sometimes having a vast array of choices makes it more difficult to make a decision than having limited choices, which was certainly the case when I was ordering the sofa from Interior Define’s website. I knew I wanted performance velvet because of all of its cat-friendly benefits, but there were so many colors that I found it hard to decide. I’d always wanted a white couch, but as soon as I saw all of the choices, my imagination ran wild.
After much debate and seeking counsel from my husband, I chose performance vintage velvet in the shade Blanc for the upholstery. While bringing home a white couch with pets is always a gamble, I’d desperately wanted white for so long, and if there was any sofa that could fulfill my white-couch dreams, it had to be this one.
I’m only 5 feet tall, so choosing the standard depth was easy. The legs, however, were an entirely different story. I don’t think I’ve ever paid much attention to couch legs, but suddenly, I was faced with more than a dozen options. I ultimately settled on the brass-plated Sloan L leg, but not before seriously considering a handful of other choices.
My house is small—only just more than 800 square-feet—so I opted for the 94-inch size. Being short also means I don’t necessarily need a massive couch for my husband, my cat and I to sit comfortably. Lastly, I chose the standard down blend for a firmer feel.
Delivery
After placing my order, I sat back and waited, knowing it would take 10 to 12 weeks for my sofa to arrive. When the cat-proof couch was ready to be delivered, I received a call from the local delivery hub to schedule a time. From the day I ordered my couch to the day it arrived was almost exactly 10 weeks. I’ve ordered custom pieces from other companies in the past that arrived far later than expected, so I was impressed and delighted that it arrived sooner rather than later.
As I watched the delivery people unload the couch from their truck, I was surprised to discover that, with the exception of the legs and cushions, the couch arrived in one piece. In seemingly one motion, they brought the sofa into the house, and in a matter of minutes, they put the legs on and arranged the cushions. (You have to love a white-glove delivery option!) I don’t think they were in our house for more than a few minutes before our brand-new couch was ready for lounging.
I had a positive first impression of the Maxwell sofa right off the bat. I was instantly impressed by its soft-to-the-touch feel, chic design and bright white color, but I started to wonder if I’d rue the day I opted for the lightest possible hue. Zola, on the other hand, seemed all-around confident in my decision and immediately curled up in a ball right in the center of its middle seat cushion.
Human comfort
It’s not every day you come across a couch that’s as comfortable as it is visually attractive, but the Maxwell sofa blends the best of both worlds. The cushions are soft and noticeably plush, and the fact that they are Velcroed in place ensures the couch never looks disheveled. It’s cozy for napping as much as sitting, and the upholstery is soft and gentle on my skin despite being so durable.
The arm height is relatively low, which is comfortable for leaning on or draping your arm across it with a cup of coffee in hand. Still, it’s high enough for resting a pillow against for a nap. The sofa comes with three lumbar pillows that are ideal for someone short like me, but a taller person might find the couch more comfortable without them, at least at the standard depth. Fortunately, they aren’t attached to the couch in any way, so they couldn’t be easier to remove.
My brother-in-law, who’s just under 6 feet tall, spent the night at our house a few weeks ago and slept on the couch. While the standard depth initially looked too shallow for sleeping, we took the back cushions and lumbar pillows off and it turned out to be a great fit. And he did wake up feeling well rested. Of course, an actual sleeper sofa is better suited to frequent overnight guests, but this couch worked wonderfully in a pinch and comes in handy for a one-off visitor.
Feline testing
Zola took to the couch right away, and it quickly became her favorite spot to cat nap while my husband and I worked from home. I noticed that she not only enjoyed sleeping on the seat cushions, but we’d often find her perched atop the back cushions, either curled up in a ball or in the classic cat loaf position. Sometimes I’d even find her kneading at the couch, a sign that she likely finds it comfortable, safe and soothing. (It’s always nice to know that she isn’t secretly mad at me.)
To date, I’ve spent four weeks waiting for her to start scratching at the sofa, but she still hasn’t gotten her claws into it. I am truly surprised, yet impressed, that the performance velvet is living up to all of the “cat-proof” hype. If she’s tried it even once, I haven’t noticed. There’s not a claw mark on it, and I am optimistic it might stay that way for the foreseeable future.
Perhaps most surprising of all, the couch is incredibly easy to keep clean. All of the visible cat hair comes off in just one swipe of my reusable lint roller or one pass with my Tineco pet hair-friendly vacuum cleaner. Gone are the days of having to scour every inch of my couch with every vacuum attachment known to man to remove her thick, Siberian coat from its grasp. To be fair, she has not vomited or had any accidents on the couch yet (she rarely has any outside of when she’s been sick), so time will tell how it withstands more substantial soiling, but so far, it cleans up like a dream.
Pros
- Performance velvet deters cats from scratching
- Repels pet hair
- Completely customizable
- 125 fabric options
- Available in five sizes
- Soft, plush and comfortable fabric and fill
- Includes lumbar pillows
- Option for down-alternative fill
- Minimal assembly
- White-glove delivery
- 60-day return window
- Optional protection plan
Cons
- $279 delivery fee
- Pricey
FAQ
Why is the Interior Define Maxwell sofa good for cat owners?
The Interior Define Maxwell sofa is a quality choice for cat owners, especially when you choose the performance velvet upholstery option. Velvet has short threads and a minimal pile, which means it releases pet hair easily instead of trapping it the way many other materials do. Because it doesn’t have a normal woven texture or loose threads, it’s not as susceptible to snagging, and cats are often less interested in clawing at it or using it as a scratching post. Plus, performance materials, like performance velvet, are stain-resistant and liquid-resistant, and they’re easier to clean.
Where are Interior Define sofas made?
Interior Define sofas are designed at the brand’s headquarters in Chicago. The pieces are made in China and Vietnam—countries known for their upholstery production—by experienced craftspeople. Each piece undergoes a 45-point inspection before being delivered to your home.
How long does the Interior Define sofa take to deliver?
Many pieces available from Interior Define, including the Maxwell 3-Seat Sofa, are made to order, which means they take longer to deliver than in-stock items. While delivery times may vary, most custom pieces are delivered within 10 to 12 weeks. In-stock orders are fulfilled within 24 hours of being placed and are shipped shortly thereafter.
How do you clean the Interior Define sofa?
The best way to clean the Interior Define sofa depends on which upholstery option you choose. Performance velvet should be spot-cleaned with a clean microfiber cloth and a cleaning solution made from mild detergent and lukewarm water. The brand recommends applying the solution with a spray bottle without oversaturating the area, then light scrubbing with a sponge or soft brush. Rinse thoroughly to remove any leftover residue, then blot dry with a clean towel and air dry.
What other reviewers had to say
Other real-life pet owners are recognizing the benefits of this cat-friendly sofa in their own Interior Define sofa reviews.
“This couch is amazing. I got it in performance velvet, which stands up extremely well to my cats who have destroyed every other couch I’ve owned,” says Mariah A. about her Maxwell sectional. “It’s beautiful as well, and I couldn’t be happier with it.”
Kaitlin S., a buyer of the Maxwell Fabric Sofa, writes, “I have two cats and a dog, and so far, I have been able to smooth out any scratch attempts and wipe up drool with no issue. The performance velvet is amazing. Could not be happier with my new couch.”
Product comparison: Interior Define vs. Burrow sofas
Burrow, particularly its Block Nomad Sofa, is another pet-friendly furniture brand to consider. Like Interior Define’s Maxwell collection, the Nomad collection comes in a number of configurations and upholstery options, including the brand’s own variety of durable, easy-to-clean and cat-friendly performance velvet. Both brands offer customization options and build their sofas on high-quality hardwood frames.
Despite the obvious similarities, there are quite a few key differences between Interior Define’s and Burrow’s sofas. Interior Define offers significantly more customization options, including 125 or more upholstery choices, whereas Burrow’s options are limited to just 23. Interior Define offers 18 leg options and Burrow offers only six. Burrow does, however, allow you to choose your preferred arm style and offers flip-back cushions that allow you to switch between tufted and untufted sides to change up the look of your sofa. Both sofas have a classic-mixed-with-modern silhouette, but the Interior Define Maxwell sofa leans more heavily on the classic or traditional side while Burrow leans a bit more modern.
It’s worth noting that Burrow’s sofas deliver in six to eight weeks—four weeks faster than those from Interior Define. Unlike Interior Define, Burrow delivers its sofas in boxes and some substantial assembly is required. If you have narrow doorways or an awkwardly shaped space, you might actually prefer this method of delivery, though Interior Define’s white-glove delivery service is incredibly convenient. Price-wise, the pieces are comparable, though the Burrow couch is slightly cheaper. For cat owners, either piece is a smart choice, and the decision ultimately comes down to personal preference.
Final verdict
If there’s any couch that can truly be called “cat-proof,” it’s the Interior Define Maxwell 3-Seat Sofa in the brand’s signature performance velvet. The sofa is not only durable, but it deters tiny little kitty claws from scratching and cat hair comes off with minimal effort. Beyond that, Zola actually loves sleeping and snuggling with us on it, purring away the whole time.
While there were almost too many options to sift through during the ordering process, the ability to fully customize the sofa is truly a game-changer. Much to my delight, I don’t at all regret ordering a white couch. The Maxwell is visually beautiful, and though it’s certainly more expensive than many other couches of comparable size, it’s clear the piece was designed to last. After 10 weeks, the sofa was definitely worth the wait.
Where to buy the Interior Define Maxwell sofa
NINA DERWIN FOR RD.COM
I Tried It
Interior Define Maxwell Fabric 3-Seat Sofa
The brand offers more than 150 upholstery options, more than 35 leg varieties and more customizable options.
Interior Define furniture is available directly from the brand’s website and Havenly. Smaller pieces, like side tables, start at roughly $200, and large U-shaped sectionals can cost as much as $18,000. The price of the Maxwell 3-Seat Sofa varies based on your choice of upholstery, depth, size and cushion fill, starting at $1,995.
Originally Published: September 05, 2024
