What Size Sofa Is Right For Your Living Room?

This is a collaborative post.

Sofas come in all different sizes – and bigger isn’t always better. Here are a few questions to ask yourself when choosing the perfect-sized sofa.

How large is the room?

Large sofas are only suitable for large rooms. While you may be able to squeeze a large corner sofa into a small room, it will likely make the room look cramped and you may not have space for anything else. This is why it’s a good idea to use the two-thirds rule – the length of a sofa should ideally be about two-thirds the size of the wall that it’s up against.

Make sure that there is enough clearance space around the sofa so that doors can fully open or so that you can fit other furniture like side tables. By using a tape measure you can work out exactly how much space you have to work with. 

How tall is the room?

The height of a sofa is something that is often overlooked. This includes the height of the seat and the height of the back. 

Lower sofas tend to be best suited for living rooms with low ceilings. They can make a room with a lower ceiling feel taller.

Taller sofas meanwhile can be better for taller people. Those with a taller seat can also often be easier for those with mobility issues to get up from, while high back sofas can offer more back and neck support for those with spinal discomfort. Couches on legs are meanwhile easier to clean beneath and can make a room feel bigger by increasing visible floor space. 

How challenging is access?

Another important question to ask yourself when choosing a sofa is “How will I get it into my home?”. Large and awkwardly-shaped sofas may be impossible to get into some homes due to tight corridors and narrow staircases. Such sofas may need to be disassembled and reassembled. At the very least, you’ll likely need to hire a removalist to get them out if you move or get a new sofa. 

For this reason, smaller couches are typically better choices for apartments. If you would prefer a larger sofa, try to look for flat-pack options (and make sure to keep the instructions for disassembly and reassembly in case you move).

How many people will regularly sit on it?

You should also consider the usage of a sofa when deciding what size sofa to get. If you live by yourself or with one other person, and you rarely have guests over, you may not need anything more than a two-person loveseat. Larger corner sofas for multiple people are best saved for households with lots of occupants (i.e. large families) or homes that have lots of frequent guests.

Of course, if you want to lie on a sofa you may want something bigger. And, of course, if you want a sofa bed, a larger sofa may be necessary to accommodate this fold-out bed (although you can get some small sofas with smaller fold-out beds).

Related post: 5 Ways to Incorporate Sustainability in Interior Design

What size sofa will you choose?

Hopefully, this post has helped you decide what size sofa is right for your living room. If you take all these factors into account, you should end up with the perfect-sized sofa for all your needs.