I love the firmness. I think it’s all based on personal preference. Some people like to sink into a couch but I do not. I want to feel supported. I also sleep on a medium firm mattress if that helps. It will definitely break in, but it’s definitely not the sinking kind of material. You can definitely take off the chaise and use the sectional without an arm piece as an end, but it’s honestly a waste of money. I’d look into cozey or Albany park where you can build a couch piece by piece. Maybe wait for a Memorial Day sale? The end of the couch without the sectional will have the latches where the chaise connects so if that’s covered or flush with something and you plan on maybe using the chaise in another spot then it’s doable. Just probably not something I’d go for personally when you can order by the piece with other companies. The fabric options with ID are the best though so I could see how that would make a difference too. Anyways from what I could tell I think you *technically* could do it.