Elephant In A Box’s Sofa Transforms into a Desk, Making Working from Home So Much Comfier

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Published Jun 9, 2021

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Value: 16/20
Functionality: 17/20
Ease of Use: 19/20
Aesthetics: 18/20
Comfort: 17/20

TOTAL: 87/100

We know, a desk built into a couch sounds odd, but hear us out: It’s incredible for maximizing every square inch of space you have. Dubbed the Working Sofa, it’s one of the latest creations from Elephant In A Box, a company known for its strong-yet-portable, sofas, beds and sectionals. This invention is a hybrid of sorts, combining the Dynamic Sofa with the Armrest Desk.

Due to the WFH conditions we’ve undergone over the past year, we can all relate to wanting a cozy, reliable work environment at home, and not everyone has room for a home office (or even a cloffice). I don’t know about you but throwing a desk in my living room just doesn’t go with my home décor aesthetic. While I, like most people, am skeptical of ordering boxed furniture online (I thought I drew the line at boxed mattresses), I’m singing a different tune with this couch. The Working Sofa definitely deserves a first-place trophy for optimizing space.

Setup Is Super Easy

The Working Sofa delivery is twofold: A box for the couch and a box for the armrest desk. Be aware that if you have to carry this upstairs or haul it from a mailroom, you will want to have a second human or at least a cart to help you carry it, because it’s quite heavy.

The instructions to build your couch are extremely simple to follow, making it fairly easy to assemble. One quick tip though: Don’t be fooled into thinking you are missing the cushions and beams for the couch (I 100 percent knew where they were the whole time…) because they are hiding inside the bottom of the armrests. The couch comes with the normal armrests for both sides, but you can remove and insert the armrest desk in the matter of minutes.

But Is It Actually Comfortable?

Because the fabric is polyester, at first, it’s pretty stiff and not the most comfortable, but after a bit it wears in well, making it nice to lie on. In fact, after about two months of daily use and many, many naps from my dog, it’s comfy and hasn’t gotten pilly, lumpy or worn down (beyond the initial breaking in of the polyester).

My two beefs with this couch are the fact that there are no feet, and the back is a bit low. Combine both of these things, and the Working Sofa is a little short for my liking. If you prefer a deeper couch, I would consider using this guy as an accent piece instead.

Olivia Kappler

The Desk Is What Sold Me

Fortunately, when I got this couch, it was in the middle of a cross-country move, so I desperately needed one. Since I didn’t have a guest room or an office and didn’t want to shove a desk in my living room, the fact that I can pull this desk up in the mornings and pop it back down when I’m done with the work day is magical.

If you’re like me and hate clutter, the Working Sofa also helps keep desktop knick-knacks in check, since you put it away at the end of the day. That act alone ensures my workspace stays clean and helps me stay focused on the work in front of me.

Oh, and the great thing about the retractable desk is that you can choose if you want it on the right or left side of the sofa. It comes in at about 23 by 32 inches, so it is the perfect size for all of your work essentials, and you don’t feel like you’re crowded into a small space.

Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s the end of the work day, so I’m going to put my desk away and lie on my couch.

Buy It ($1,298)

The PureWow100 is a scale our editors use to vet new products and services, so you know what’s worth the spend—and what’s total hype. Learn more about our process here.

Olivia Dubyak

Commerce Editor

Olivia Dubyak is PureWow's Commerce Editor and textbook Capricorn. She studied journalism at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but has gone from New York City to...

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