Arhaus Malta Leather Sofa Reviews (2026)

If you want a modern leather sofa that prioritizes lounging, Malta does that well. In our testing, the seat felt relaxed without turning sloppy, and the structure underneath stayed steady when we leaned, sprawled, or dropped into it at the end of the day. The main trade-off is posture: the low back and laid-back sit do not give much lumbar guidance, and the leather will show character faster than a more heavily corrected finish.

Who It’s For:

• Loungers who rotate between sitting, leaning back, and stretching out

• Style-first rooms that still need daily comfort

• Couples who share one sofa and change positions often

Who It’s Not For:

• Anyone who needs strong lumbar support to feel properly held

• Households that hate visible scuffs, patina, or everyday marks

• Smaller rooms where a 37-inch depth will tighten the walkway

We used Malta as primary seating and scored it using our full sofa testing process. Specifically, we looked at Assembly, Cooling, Comfort, Durability, Layout Practicality, Cleaning, and Value. We tracked how quickly posture drifted from upright to reclined, how the seat handled repeated drop-in sits, and how usable the edge felt when tying shoes or standing up. We also paid attention to heat buildup during two-hour sessions, then did simple maintenance checks with dusting, quick wipe-downs, and leather-care upkeep before weighing all of that against the price.

What stood out first in our testing was how fast the sofa settled us into one position. I sat down, sank slightly into the long seat cushion, and immediately felt it pushing me toward a relaxed posture. During weeknight TV sessions, the base stayed steady and never felt flimsy, but I wanted a small lumbar pillow whenever I sat upright for too long. Marcus Reed (6'1", 230 lbs.) liked the stable feel when he leaned into the corner and treated the arm area like a partial daybed, though he also noticed the leather warming up sooner. Jenna Brooks and Ethan Cole both kept shifting during a long movie, and the seat handled that movement well, but the low profile made them keep reworking their pillows.

What we liked:

• Soft top feel with dependable support underneath

• Clean lines that still look welcoming instead of stiff

• The long seat makes it easy to lounge without fighting cushion gaps

Who it is best for:

• People who lounge more than they sit bolt upright

• Couples who shift positions during long TV sessions

• Rooms that want modern leather without a severe look

Where it falls short:

• Upright sitting for lumbar-sensitive users without added support

• Hot sleepers during long sessions

• Anyone who wants leather to stay visually pristine

• Model: Arhaus Malta Leather Sofa

• Type: Low-profile leather sofa with a bench-style seat

• Price (listed): $5,000 (73"), $5,700 (88"), $6,100 (100")

• Size options (listed): 73", 88", and 100" widths

• Listed dimensions: 37" depth x 28" height; width varies by size

• Frame: solid, reinforced hardwood with recessed iron legs

• Suspension: no-sag springs made from recycled steel

• Seat cushion build: dense foam made from partially plant-based material, padded with feathers, plus interconnected recycled-steel coils

• Back and arm fill: foam and poly-fiber blend with elastic webbing support

• Leather: aniline-dyed and hand-finished; see our guide on how to choose a leather sofa

• Delivery option described: White Glove delivery includes unpacking, assembly, and removal of packing materials for eligible furniture

• White Glove delivery rates shown: $299 local, $399 to $599 extended, and $1,699 for Alaska or Hawaii

• Returns policy shown: stock furniture generally falls under a 14-day return window with a 10% restocking fee in many cases; custom special-order merchandise is generally not eligible

• Warranty highlights shown: frame and spring support systems are covered for lifetime, while cushion cores and tailoring are listed at 3 years

Start with posture. If you spend long stretches sitting upright for work or reading, Malta may feel under-supportive unless you add a lumbar pillow, which is why it helps to read how to choose a sofa for a bad back. If you mainly sit sideways, semi-reclined, or with your legs up, the bench seat is the point. Then measure your room carefully. At 37 inches deep, it is not huge for a lounge sofa, but it can still feel bulky in tighter walk paths, so use this couch-dimensions guide. Finally, be honest about upkeep: aniline leather looks richer as it breaks in, but it also shows everyday marks sooner, so it helps to know how to clean a leather sofa.

If you want a deeper, sink-in feel, compare it with Crate & Barrel's Lounge Deep leather lineup and other picks in our best extra deep sofa guide. If you want a more standard, mixed-posture leather sofa, Room & Board's Metro is a useful counterpoint, and our best firm sofa guide can help you frame that difference. Taller loungers should also look at our best sofa for tall people picks.

Malta’s biggest trade-off is posture control. The low back and relaxed sit encourage lounging, but they do not hold the lower spine the way a taller, firmer back does, which is the same issue many buyers weigh when shopping for the best sofa for back pain. It is also not the right match for households that want leather to look untouched for years; scuffs and day-to-day marks become part of the look, which is why comparisons like leather vs. microfiber can matter. In smaller rooms, the depth can also crowd circulation more than the slim arms first suggest, so it is worth comparing against options in our best sofa for small living rooms guide.

Why choose this style:

• A modern, leather look that still feels inviting

• Bench seat and wrapped sides suit lounging and casual napping

• Strong under-support stays steady during shifts and flops

Alternatives to consider:

• Crate & Barrel Lounge Deep leather lineup: for a deeper sink-in feel, closer to what we cover in best extra deep sofa picks

• Room & Board Metro Leather Sofa: for a more standard mixed-posture sit, similar to what buyers often want from a firmer sofa

• RH Cloud Leather Sofa: for maximum plush lounging, which overlaps with what people chase in the best cloud couch category

• Treat it like a lounging-first sofa and keep a slim lumbar pillow nearby for more upright sessions; our guide on sofas for a bad back explains why that helps.

• If you run warm, change positions during long sits and use a breathable layer between bare skin and leather.

• Give it a few weeks of normal use before you judge the final cushion feel.

• Use the long seat strategically when hosting so two people can share space without fighting a cushion gap.

• Keep a soft, dry cloth nearby for quick dusting so grime does not dull the leather; start with basic leather-sofa cleaning steps.

• Condition on a steady schedule instead of overreacting to one mark or crease.

• If you have pets, trim nails and use a dedicated throw on the main lounge spot. Our guides on how to choose a pet-friendly sofa and the best pet-friendly sofas are useful here.

• Plan your layout around depth and leave comfortable clearance for a coffee table and walk path; this guide on where to place your sofa helps.

• For couples, separate comfort tools help: one lumbar pillow and one head-or-arm pillow goes a long way, which lines up with our advice on sofa seating.