Summary: The Medley Dekayess Sofa isnโ€™t cheap โ€” but itโ€™s well worth the cost when you consider benefits like nontoxic materials and sustainability. The brand as a whole is committed to helping the environment, without skimping on comfort and style. Theyโ€™ve achieved that with the Dekayess, a plush two-seater that creates the ultimate reading nook and is easy to clean (no easy feat with a toddler running around!). 

PROS

  • Medley products are made without chemicals or fire retardants, and they use upcycled and organic materials. Weโ€™re talking GOLS certified organic natural latex, CertiPUR-USยฎ certified foam, OEKO-TEXยฎ STANDARD 100-certified wool, and FSC-certified wood. Prioritizing eco-friendliness and chemical-free products also gave me more confidence and peace of mind as a mom with a toddler running around.
  • All cushion covers are removable, and while machine-washing isnโ€™t recommended, it is possible. However, in my experience, I found that spot-cleaning could do the trick (especially with the caramel colorway). 
  • The fabric is surprisingly soft, and has a nice woven texture to create more contrast in my space.
  • The frame has a lifetime warranty, and cushion cores come with a 10-year warranty.

CONS

  • The standard Dekayess sofa starts at a more reasonable $2,395, but the natural latex style is considerably more expensive ($3,6155+) than comparable sofas, many of which have modularity or a larger footprint. 

I work from โ€œhome,โ€ which is actually the office at my grandmaโ€™s house. Every weekday, I get my 20-month-old son dressed, pack up my diaper bag, and we head to Grammyโ€™s so she and my mom can watch him while I work. My son spends a lot of time in the primary bedroom, but the two structured accent chairs under the windowsill werenโ€™t cutting it for naptime stories and post-sleep cuddles. 

Since becoming a mom, Iโ€™ve spent much more time thoroughly reading labels and investigating ingredients, with both grocery and furniture shopping. Thatโ€™s when I came across the Dekayess Sofa from Medley, a piece packed with GOLS-certified organic natural latex foam derived from tree sap. The frame, which is backed by an impressive lifetime warranty, is also FSC-certified, meaning the wood is responsibly sourced and a better pick for the environment. 

“I came across the Dekayess Sofa from Medley, a piece packed with GOLS-certified organic natural latex foam derived from tree sap.”

Another eco-friendly and generally life-friendly note? The products are technically โ€œnon-gassing,โ€ so there arenโ€™t any volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or other chemicals in them that could emit a strong smell. I was drawn to this because I wouldnโ€™t need to air it out for a few days, plus Iโ€™d rest easy if my son, who tends to put his mouth on everything, decided to gnaw on it. (P.S. The brand says there are โ€œno and low-VOC waxes and stainsโ€ on the wood, but I never smelled anything while testing it out.) 

About Medley

Medley is a home brand founded in 2005 by two brothers with a passion for developing high-quality, heirloom furniture โ€œwith cleaner, more eco-certified materials, local manufacturing, and an emphasis on quality and comfort.โ€ What started as a showroom in their living room has transformed into an online platform selling everything from modular sectionals to dining room tables and chairs. 

“What started as a showroom in their living room has transformed into an online platform selling everything from modular sectionals to dining room tables and chairs.”

The company is proud to support U.S. craftsmanship and manufacturing, and they have partners in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and California. This continues their mission for a lower carbon footprint, since their products are only traveling domestically before shipping to your home. They also source materials from โ€œsustainable textile mills, ethically-managed forests, and certification organizations.โ€ 

Each product is made to order, leveling up their sustainability efforts while giving customers a completely custom experience. Most of the time, custom furniture comes with a hefty restocking fee or strict return policy, but Medley promises a 30-day in-home trial to test out the product before fully committing. 

How I made my pick

I ultimately selected the 82-inch Dekayess Natural Latex Sofa with Buckbrush Tweed upholstery in the color Caramel. The length was exactly what this smaller space needed, giving us ample room to stretch out without overwhelming the space.

The warm-toned colorway coordinated well with my grandmaโ€™s existing interior design, and created a unique contrast with the texture-heavy woven material. I could see the textural look in the online swatch and examples pictured, but for more reassurance, you can order free fabric swatches to see before adding anything to your cart.

Close-up view of beige woven fabric with a visible textured pattern of intersecting threads.

To round out my personalizations, the Cafรฉ wooden legs also matched the other darker wood throughout my grandmaโ€™s traditional-meets-modern California home. 

Delivery & setup

Since everyoneโ€™s hands are full during work hours, we relied on the third-party white glove delivery service, which made everything so easy. I received a call when the team was 45 minutes out, and they carefully brought it in and removed the protective covering. It took just a few minutes and voilร  โ€” we instantly had a new nook to enjoy and didnโ€™t have to break a sweat setting it up. In other words, a total win-win.

A tan fabric sofa with two seat cushions and two back cushions sits in front of a window with a view of greenery outside.
With the white-glove delivery and setup service, our Medley sofa was completely unpacked and ready for use in literal minutes from its arrival.

Putting the sofa to the test

With the GOLS certified organic natural latex foam and other specifications, the starting price of $3,615 jumped to $4,195, a significantly more expensive price tag than the average two-seater sofa. That said, there was no break-in period or nasty post-assembly smell, and the cushioning has felt springy and has held its shape for the past two weeks since it was delivered. 

An older woman and a young child sit together on a tan couch, reading a children's book in a brightly lit room with large windows.
A hand with red nail polish is pressing down on a textured beige cushion.
The color and material are the perfect match for my busy, berry-stained toddler โ€” there was no airing out or break-in period needed, so we could put our Medley sofa right to work!

The sofa has quickly become a favorite spot in my grandmaโ€™s home, and the caramel color doubles as a smudge-concealing fabric for my son and his usually sticky, berry-stained hands. While the covers are removable, the brand recommends spot cleaning only. We havenโ€™t experienced any challenges with the material yet, but I expect it to hold up well even when my son sneaks a snack into Grammyโ€™s room. If I had to be picky about the quality, I feel inclined to mention that the cushions were covered with roughly stitched dust covers. Itโ€™s far from a deal breaker, though, since you wonโ€™t see them unless you remove the upholstery covers. 

Close-up of a beige fabric cushion cover partially unzipped, revealing the white inner cushion and visible stitching.
The only part of the sofa that didn’t look pristine were the upholstery covers, which were sewn up roughly and had lots of loose seams. Luckily, they are concealed inside the cushions, so no one has to know!

My toddler isnโ€™t the only one benefiting from the sofa; my grandma and I have found that itโ€™s the perfect place to take calls with friends and work colleagues, too. The comfy, well-cushioned area is so luxurious, in fact, that Iโ€™ve even caught my grandma napping there from time to time. We found the best sofa for a large bedroom nook, but I could also see this working well in an apartment or any home with a smaller living room. Medley also makes an L-shaped Dekayess as a Bumper Sectional, which Iโ€™m considering for my own living room.

Is the natural latex sofa really worth it?

The brand has a generous lifetime warranty on frames, a 10-year warranty on filling, and a 5-year warranty on upholstery. The 30-day trial also gives you a month to experience living with your sofa, and you can choose to return it within that timeframe. Simply share the reason for your return, if there were any damages during the trial, and then email [email protected] to schedule a pickup. Youโ€™ll then get a refund for everything, excluding the original shipping cost. So, itโ€™s not completely โ€œfree,โ€ but itโ€™s much more reasonable than keeping a couch you donโ€™t like or needing to find another home for it. There are some exceptions, such as mattresses and products more than $10,000, so youโ€™ll need to read the fine print of the return policy for other Medley items.

“The brand has a generous lifetime warranty on frames, a 10-year warranty on filling, and a 5-year warranty on upholstery.”

The standard Dekayess starts at $2,395 and has durable CertiPUR-US certified poly foam cushions and poly fiber-filled back pillows, as opposed to the natural latex foam in the one I tested. After my customizations, the $4,195 was quite steep, but Iโ€™d say the quality of the design and materials justifies the price. Of course, you can choose a different fill or upholstery to make it more affordable, and there are a number of lengths, fabrics, and leathers (more than 80 total!), and wooden stains for the legs to make it your own.  

Iโ€™d say this product is great for fellow parents looking for chemical-free furniture for their living room or even a kidโ€™s playroom, or anyone who prioritizes sustainability with their purchases. Thereโ€™s a feel-good factor that comes with nabbing this eco-friendly product, and itโ€™s also a supportive sofa that youโ€™ll want to rest on for hours โ€” and donโ€™t be surprised if you doze off into an unexpected nap.

Blake Bakkila is a freelance writer and editor with eight years of experience covering topics including baby and parenting, food, health, pop culture, and interior design. In addition to The Good Trade, her work has appeared in the digital publications of Architectural Digest, Sunset, Good Housekeeping, and more. She highlighted the best, most game-changing baby and parenting products as the former senior commerce editor at What to Expect and BabyCenter, and sheโ€™s also held editorial positions at Good Housekeeping, Health, Real Simple, and People. Blake holds a bachelorโ€™s in journalism from Northwestern Universityโ€™s Medill School of Journalism. When sheโ€™s not typing, you can usually find her watching anything on Bravo, entertaining her son Rhode, and conducting field research on the best ice cream in Southern California.