How to Make a Sectional Sofa Work in Your Space
Are you looking for a family-friendly sofa or simply one that better caters to your space? Maybe you constantly find yourself short on extra seating for your guests, or your floor plan requires a furniture layout other than the standard couch and loveseat.
A sectional sofa may be the missing piece to your living room puzzle. While most sectionals come in one of two shapes (U-shape or L-shape), there’s more to consider as you explore the variety of crowd-pleasing seating solutions. Cross these tasks off your buying checklist:
Selecting Size and Shape
If you’re in the market for a sofa sectional, chances are your main priority is finding one to accommodate more people than your current sofa. Sure, you want your friends to sink into your new sectional, but you don’t want one that’s too big either. No one enjoys tripping over other people's feet, or squeezing through the tiny area between the wall and your furniture every time they move around the room. You need to know the exact measurements of the area you want to place your sectional – guesstimating just won’t do. Similarly, if your sofa will touch any windows, make sure you know the height of those window frames from the floor.
Next, measure the width and length of the two edges of the sectional you’re considering and compare them to the measurements you took at home. For a seamless delivery process, it also doesn’t hurt to get the dimensions of each individual sectional component to ensure they all can each fit through your doors and hallways.
Once you have the overall measurements, you can decide if an L- or U-shaped sectional will work best in your space. U-shaped versions tend to cater better to more intimate gatherings, such as catch-up sessions with friends. However, you may want to consider an L-shaped sofa sectional to fit flat against your walls if your room is on the smaller side. If your home lacks extra space for large sectional sofas with multiple pieces, don't worry. The Brick has small sectional sofas with the lounging space you’re after without overcrowding the area.
Figuring out Fabric
Let’s face it – your sectional will be so popular among your guests, it may even become the life of the party at your family gatherings. Therefore, selecting the right upholstery is especially important as you’ll need something to meet your durability standards and style preferences.
Are you after the upscale look of leather? While you might want to avoid a top-grain leather sectional if you aren't a fan of high-maintenance fabrics, many families turn to faux leather or leather-look sectionals since they are easier to care for, have a lower price tag and feature a lavish appearance. Microfibre and linen-look, man-made fabrics are also popular choices for homes with heavy traffic since they’re more durable and resistant to wrinkles.
Adjusting for Accents and Activities
Don’t forget – your surrounding decor or recreation needs will also affect the placement and size of your perfect sectional. If it’s going in your game room, for example, an L-shaped sectional may not provide the viewing angles you and your guests want for enjoying the TV.
Home accents like your coffee table also play a role in determining the best sectional for your living room. One rule of thumb to consider is ensuring your coffee table fits within the boundaries of your sectional sofa’s edges. This gives plenty of room for coming and going, as well as a visually appealing area.
If versatility is important to you, consider modular sectionals. These allow you to change the configuration of the different components – this might come in handy if your room serves many functions. Reversible sectionals are similar but only the end components, like the chaise, are mobile.
In the end, it’s all about knowing exactly what your family, decor and living area need from your sectional. Rest assured that with so many shapes, components, styles, sizes and configurations available, you’re bound to find the sectional you’ve been dreaming about.
