A sectional sofa for a small space probably appears to be an oxymoron. How could there possibly be a perfect meeting of the two?
Well, the honest answer is that in the right home, a sectional sofa could actually save you space! Centrally locating sofa pieces within a small living area not only lends to proper seating for conversation and intimacy, but could also make the space feel more spacious.
If seating in one specific spot is not to your liking, with sectional pieces you have the ability to place them however you prefer. This would lend your own personal creative touch to the living room.
Small Sectional Sofas Explained
Now that you know that small sectional sofas are available, you may be asking yourself a few questions. For instance, what would be considered too large or too small for a small sectional sofa?
Good question!
Generally, your living room or living area would dictate the size needed for a small sectional sofa. This is why it is important to take measurements before making a purchase to ensure the sofa pieces would not overpower the small living area. And I will be discussing the measurements of small sectional sofas more in depth below.
However, before going any further, the primary question should be answered, and that is what would be considered a small sectional sofa?
When looking at the number of pieces that make up a small sectional sofa set, 3 pieces are usually the starting point. When furnishing a small living space, anything over 3 to 4 pieces would typically overwhelm the space. You want to make small rooms appear larger and cramming furniture into a tight space would not be conducive to a spacious feeling.
Measurements for a Small Scale Sectional Sofa
Now that we know what makes up a small sectional sofa, we can get down to business on measurements. To get an idea of what makes up a sectional sofa set, all that is necessary is taking the measurements of a small scale sofa or loveseat and one or two chairs, and then adding them all together.
And once you've done that, voila! You have the necessary measurements to define what makes a small scale sectional sofa set.
Let's go over the measurements now...
A small scale sofa is generally 72" or smaller.
To come up with a small scale chair, you would simply divide the measurements of a small scale sofa (72") by 3 and then you have the size of a small scale chair, which is 24" wide.
Or, let's consider option number two...
A small scale loveseat is generally 63" wide.
To come up with a small scale chair, you would simply divide the measurements of a small scale loveseat (63") by 2 and then you have the size of a small scale chair, which is 31.5" wide.
Add those numbers together and here is what you get...
72 + 24 + 24 = 120" wide
63 + 31.5 + 31.5 = 126" wide
Now you have a starting point for the scale of a small sectional sofa.
A starting point for a small scale sectional sofa set is 120 - 126" wide.
As for the stopping point, you can simply add on an additional 24-31.5". The stopping point is simply the size that you wouldn't want to go past for risk of the sectional sofa being too large.
I took the liberty of adding 31.5" to 126" wide sectional sofa to come up with the stopping point of 157.5" wide.
Having a stopping point gives you some leeway. By finding a sectional sofa that falls between 120 - 157", you have room to work with in your small space. Remember to take measurements first because a 157" sectional sofa may be perfect for one living area, but considered too large for another.
Also, a few simple guidelines on sectional sofa sizes to consider may help.
120-130" would be perfect for a small scale solution.
145" would be a nice mid-size range for small homes.
157" would be a great size if you can afford the space.
Now that we know the specific measurements for a small scale sectional sofa, how should you go about choosing one?
Choosing the Ideal Small Scale Sectional Sofa Set
When looking to purchase a sectional sofa, it would be a wise decision to locate a home furnishing store or website that sells each piece individually or as a whole. That way, if a set is too large you could subtract a couple of pieces and if a desired set is too small, you could add an extra piece. The ability to choose particular pieces allows you to mix and match, therefore, creating your own unique signature "look".
One place you can find a nice selection is at Marketplace.Furniture-for-Small-Spaces.com. It will link you up to a nice variety of small scale sectional sofas that can be customized according to your space, style and needs.
To Sum Up
Measurements of small scale sectional sofas have been clearly defined. Sectional sofas in the range of 120-130" wide would be ideal if you do not have the additional space. If space allows, you could increase the stopping point of the sectional sofa to 145" or even 157" wide.
Locate home furnishing establishments that allow you to purchase a sectional sofa as a whole or piece by piece. That way, if the sofa you desire is too large, you can knock off a few pieces to accommodate your small space.
In addition, if you wanted to be creative, you could mix and match different colors and patterns. This would lend a unique personal "stamp" to your home décor.
Having said all of that, remember that nothing is ever "carved in stone". The bottom line and the deciding factor is what is best for you and is most conducive to your lifestyle and taste in home furnishings.
About the Author
Tameka Norris has been living in small spaces since she was 10 years old. She now runs a website titled Furniture for Small Spaces to help people who go through the same frustrating circumstance of trying to make big bulky furniture fit in places that barely offer enough room. She offers nifty tips and tactics, a Q & A section for people in need of answers, photos of her own small space trials, projects for the DIYer and recommendations on furniture choices.
» left by Catherine Friedman from Sacramento, CA (317 days 3 hours ago.)
Very. It's a great website. My challenge is finding a reasonably priced small sectional! Today my husband and I saw a nice sectional with a wedge, microfiber in a beautiful berry color for under $1000. The salesperson suggested we lay paper out the size of the sectional to be sure it would work. It is gigantic! So 6 months I've searched here in Sacramento, CA, and online, for a suitable sectional, good quality, not exorbitantly priced. Any ideas? Thanks, Tameka.
Thank you so much for your nice comment. I'm so sorry for the delay. It was mainly due to the Christmas holiday and I also had odd things happen right before Christmas that delayed me (car stopped working, etc.).
And the guy at the store is right. I frequently suggest to visitors
that you should mimic the size of a piece of furniture that you want
before assuming it'll work in your place.
I haven't gotten to search extensively to answer your question. However, one place comes to mind that you may want to look. The sectionals aren't under a $1000 but there are some that are very close to $1000 (due to their great sale prices). There aren't many but it's still worth the look. If you haven't tried JCPenney's that's where I'd recommend you look. Go to their site and type in "sectional" in the search box and they'll pop up for you. Or simply go to their "furniture" section > living room > sofas > sectionals.
And if you like any of those, I'd recommend saving up a little longer to get one.
I will also see if there are any other places on the web if you don't mind giving me a few days. I will come back and let you know if I come up with anything either way! Respond to this comment
I have done a few more searches and some other places (online websites) you might want to check out are (just add dot com behind all the online website names below to get to the site of your choice)...
Walmart - They have a few that you might like. All below $1000. LivingRoomsDirect - They have a fairly nice selection. Most are a bit above $1000. More along the lines of $1200 but they are worth checking out. HomeReserve - This site lets you customize your sofas so you can control the price. Just be certain when you do so, that you're getting a good product. Amazon - Do a search on amazon which will lead you to some external sites that offer sofas below or around $1000.
I hope that helped! Sorry for the delay, by the way. I nearly forgot to do a follow-up search.
» left by LA from augusta,ga (245 days 11 hours ago.)
I have a bay window. Want a sectional sofa to fit, with straight back and reclining chairs on either side to create a conversational type sofa. Fabric and firm seating...don't like the sink in feel. Any suggestions on where to look. I live in SC, and saw one last year, but the fabric looked discolored and it was very expensive. Please help if you can.
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