Finding a sofa that’s the perfect size for your living room requires ample planning and forethought. There are so many different factors to consider: the room’s dimensions, the sofa’s dimensions, and even the flow of your daily routine. Many people end up with a sofa that’s too large, small, short, or tall for their needs. In this guide, we’ve combined tried-and-true tips with expert sizing advice so you can enjoy the right-sized sofa in your living room. Scroll through to find tips that guide you through:
- The right sofa based on your living room’s floor plan
- How to accommodate existing living room furniture in the space
- Keeping balance and scale in mind
- How a sectional might be the perfect answer
As you read through this guide, start imagining how different sofas would look in your space and whittle down your list of options. By filtering out the sizes and features that might be a poor fit, you can more intently shop for a great fit.
Start With the Floor Plan
Don’t start your shopping journey on Pinterest or in a furniture store. Many people browse the showroom floors or aesthetic walls of Pins, hoping to find a sofa that addresses all of their style preferences and size concerns. But in the words of YouTube-famous interior design expert Nick Lewis, “Hope is not a strategy.” That’s why every pro will recommend starting with a tape measure.
What Are the Dimensions of Your Space?
Measure the length, width, and depth of your whole living room. (If you have an open-concept floor plan, you’ll want to set an invisible but consistent dividing line between your living room and the adjacent space.) Many homes have a living room wall that’s around twelve feet across, leaving more than enough room for a 72-inch sofa (a standard, popular size) while maintaining three feet of walking space around it. If your room is smaller or larger than that, you might shrink or reconfigure those numbers to fit your needs, but try to aim for a sofa that’s between one-half to two-thirds of the wall length.
Consider Walkways and Flow
That ratio of one-half or two-thirds is important because it prevents the space from becoming cluttered with insufficient walking room. Whenever possible, you want to keep about three feet on either side of the sofa so you can have end tables or bookshelves without squishing them into place. The three-foot rule also helps if you’re not positioning the sofa against a wall. Then having three feet behind it to create a spacious walkway and adds an airiness to the space.
Not sure whether you want a walkway behind your sofa—or even which wall you want to position it against? Try this exercise:
- Stand at the front door of your home or the main entrance to your living room space.
- Trace the paths you most commonly use to walk around your home. Is there a straight line from your front door to the other side of your home? Is there an L-shaped path people take to get from the front door to the kitchen? Whatever paths you know you need, keep those areas clear of furniture you may bump into. This helps add flow to your space and makes walking around much more pleasant. Whatever big, boxy spaces are out of these “traffic highways” are the perfect spot for a sofa. If you have children, pets, or do a lot of entertaining, you can map out even more intricate paths to account for daily movement.
- Use this information to determine the position of your sofa, as well as the size. You may decide you want two loveseats instead of a traditional sofa or a sectional instead of a sofa and ottoman.
Know What Other Furnishings You Want in the Space
The other furniture in your living room should also help you decide on the right-size sofa for your space. If you’re looking for a replacement for your current sofa, things can be a little simpler: you may already know where your sofa is too big or too small in relation to the rest of the furnishings. But if you’re buying a new sofa for a new space or you’re refurnishing the entire room, the job is more complicated (and more fun). Take a moment to measure and consider these popular pieces of living room furniture.
Coffee Table
Just like a sofa should be between one-half and two-thirds the length of the wall behind it, a coffee table works best if it’s one-half to two-thirds the length of the sofa it sits in front of. You can play around with this rule; just be careful that the sofa isn’t shorter than the coffee table.
There are two golden rules to keep in mind for choosing a sofa that fits well near a favored coffee table:
- The seat height should be within one to three inches of the coffee table height.
- There should be a twelve to eighteen-inch gap between the edge of the sofa and the edge of the coffee table so people can easily take a seat and put a drink on the table.
Additional Seating
You may need more than 72 inches of seating space; the standard rule is to allow between 24 and 36 inches of room per person, though that can vary with people of different sizes, how well they know each other, and the occasion. If you want to be able to comfortably seat more people, say six, that’s about 144 inches of linear “seat room.” For extra large living rooms, you can easily accommodate that with a 100-inch+ sofa and a loveseat or some chairs.
But if you have a smaller space or you want to orient your seating around a coffee table and a television or fireplace, opt for a U-shaped arrangement of seats: a long sofa, a shorter sofa or loveseat, and a couple of chairs. Those chairs can even change the ‘U’ shape into nearly an ‘O’ just take care not to close the circle entirely.
Balance Scale and Proportion
Let’s quickly consider the height your sofa should be. While length and depth are often the most practical dimensions to consider (you want your sofa to comfortably fit both you and the room), determining the right height of the sofa back makes a big difference in your space. Most sofa backs range in height from 26 inches to 32 inches, and those six inches matter. Consider:
- If you have an open floor plan: The space is going to feel bigger. A sofa with a higher back is a good choice here so the room doesn’t overwhelm it and make it look too tiny. Also, you can use a sofa with a high back to help “define” the edge of the living space by creating a path behind it.
- If you have a contained living room: Here, it depends on the ceiling height. A tall room with big windows can have a grander sofa with a tall back. But a smaller room with ten-foot ceilings looks its best with a 26-inch sofa back. This gives you plenty of space to hang pictures and art without the room looking cramped.
Of course, comfort matters most: if you’re tall or tall people will be sitting on the sofa frequently, a 32-inch back can provide much more support and comfort.
Also, circle back to those first few rules we discussed:
- Try to preserve at least three feet on either side of the sofa (and two to three feet behind if your sofa isn’t positioned against a wall).
- Have your sofa be approximately two-thirds the length of the space.
When you follow both rules, you get a sofa that isn’t too big or too small, but just right.
Consider a Sectional: Versatility and Structure
Although they are available in plenty of shapes and sizes, the standard sofa isn’t always the best option. Depending on the size and layout of your living room, you might be better off opting for a more versatile sectional sofa.
What Is a Sectional Sofa?
Sectional sofas are modular pieces of upholstered furniture, typically constructed of two pieces (or sections) that make an L-shape or three pieces that make a U-shape. They can have long sides for lots of seating, deeper sides so you can put your feet up, and even ottomans that attach or detach based on your preferences.
Unique Advantages of a Sectional Sofa
If the idea of modular seating or a sprawling sofa sounds promising, consider some of these unique advantages of sectional sofas:
- Versatility: Many of today’s sectionals are fully upholstered on every side, so you can detach and reconnect the pieces into any configuration that fits your space and lifestyle.
- Standard sizes: Sectional sofas come in a range of sizes, but they’re standardized. That makes it simple to find a sofa with the same height as your coffee table, two-thirds the length of a standard living room, and backs that provide plenty of support.
- Endless options: Because sectionals are so popular, you can find them in a wide range of colors and fabrics. Choose leather for long-lasting charm, washable fabrics for family- and pet-friendly wear, or dozens of color patterns that complement your decor.
- Ample seating for guests: Whether you have a large family or frequently host parties, a sectional will offer plenty of seating. The configuration of your sectional will ultimately determine how many people can comfortably sit on it, so make sure to consider this factor when making your purchase.
Shop Sofas Small and Large at Star Furniture
A perfectly sized sofa brings your whole living room together. You can relax at the end of a long day, walk around your home without shuffling around the furniture, and entertain guests without worrying about awkwardly arranged furniture. At Star Furniture, we’re here to help you zero in on that perfect sofa, loveseat, or sectional. Browse our online selection today, or bring your living room measurements into our store to browse our selection of living room furniture in person.
If you enjoyed this blog, read our article about how to choose the right sectional.