Think You Haven’t Got Space For a... Big Sofa?
Rethinking its position and sourcing a sleek style are just two ways to help a sizable sofa slot neatly into your home
A big sofa invites you to stretch out and relax, but do you have the space to fit one in? If you’ve always assumed a comfy corner design or a long three-seater simply can’t be accommodated in your home, think again. Sometimes, redesigning the space will yield a possible location for a super-comfy couch; other times, it’s just a question of sourcing a design that delivers on comfort but sits lightly in the space.
These stylish rooms offer smart tricks and inspiration for fitting the sofa of your choice into the space available.
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Think You Haven’t Got Space for a… Boot Room? I a… Walk-in Wardrobe? I a… Home Office? | a… Statement Bathroom? l a… Garden? l a… Chandelier?
These stylish rooms offer smart tricks and inspiration for fitting the sofa of your choice into the space available.
See more in this series
Think You Haven’t Got Space for a… Boot Room? I a… Walk-in Wardrobe? I a… Home Office? | a… Statement Bathroom? l a… Garden? l a… Chandelier?
Tuck it away
Lose the arms and suddenly you can squeeze a good-sized sofa into your available space. This clever design slots neatly into this nook. To up the comfort, even though it’s not a three-seater, it’s a deliberately deep design, delivering lots of lounging space but fitting neatly into a compact area.
Lose the arms and suddenly you can squeeze a good-sized sofa into your available space. This clever design slots neatly into this nook. To up the comfort, even though it’s not a three-seater, it’s a deliberately deep design, delivering lots of lounging space but fitting neatly into a compact area.
Combine two tasks
Forget the traditional uses assigned to each room of a house and give a single space several functions, aided by clever, multi-tasking furniture. Bring your need for a bed and your desire for a big sofa together in one informal day bed arrangement (or, as here, two).
There’s somewhere to lounge and a place to sleep, which, in a small-scale or studio flat, is a great solution.
Forget the traditional uses assigned to each room of a house and give a single space several functions, aided by clever, multi-tasking furniture. Bring your need for a bed and your desire for a big sofa together in one informal day bed arrangement (or, as here, two).
There’s somewhere to lounge and a place to sleep, which, in a small-scale or studio flat, is a great solution.
Leg it
Sometimes, it’s the style, not the size, that’s the issue when it comes to fitting in a big sofa. A chunky three-seater will dominate a space, while a long, midcentury design, mounted on skinny wooden legs, will feel far lighter. It should also be easier to lift in through narrow doorways.
So maybe you can fit a large sofa into your home, you just need one with a wooden frame and elegant silhouette, that sits daintily in the room and allows the floor beneath to be visible.
Sometimes, it’s the style, not the size, that’s the issue when it comes to fitting in a big sofa. A chunky three-seater will dominate a space, while a long, midcentury design, mounted on skinny wooden legs, will feel far lighter. It should also be easier to lift in through narrow doorways.
So maybe you can fit a large sofa into your home, you just need one with a wooden frame and elegant silhouette, that sits daintily in the room and allows the floor beneath to be visible.
Sort storage first, then style
Think you haven’t got space for a big sofa? Maybe your other furniture is to blame. Individual pieces of storage take up space and can make a small room feel cluttered. Instead, concentrating all the storage into one wall of shelves and cupboards keeps the rest of the room clear for a decent-sized sofa.
This image also illustrates how cosy a stuffed, small room can feel. This is a compact living space, but rather than furnish it with skinny pieces or strive for a minimal look, the owners have embraced the more-is-more approach. There’s a big sofa and an armchair and coffee table. It’s full, but who cares, when the room looks this homely and inviting!
Think you haven’t got space for a big sofa? Maybe your other furniture is to blame. Individual pieces of storage take up space and can make a small room feel cluttered. Instead, concentrating all the storage into one wall of shelves and cupboards keeps the rest of the room clear for a decent-sized sofa.
This image also illustrates how cosy a stuffed, small room can feel. This is a compact living space, but rather than furnish it with skinny pieces or strive for a minimal look, the owners have embraced the more-is-more approach. There’s a big sofa and an armchair and coffee table. It’s full, but who cares, when the room looks this homely and inviting!
Avoid the wall
When space is tight, it’s tempting to think a sofa should be shoved against a wall, to free-up as much floor space as possible in front. Instead, consider moving it into the room, as here, and see if this gives options for a larger piece.
In addition, if the only wall long enough to accommodate a big sofa is punctuated by windows or a door, this solution will allow you to access those features, but still include a generous seating area (especially if you consider fitting sliding doors, as seen here).
Tour the rest of this flat
When space is tight, it’s tempting to think a sofa should be shoved against a wall, to free-up as much floor space as possible in front. Instead, consider moving it into the room, as here, and see if this gives options for a larger piece.
In addition, if the only wall long enough to accommodate a big sofa is punctuated by windows or a door, this solution will allow you to access those features, but still include a generous seating area (especially if you consider fitting sliding doors, as seen here).
Tour the rest of this flat
Supplement with a window seat
Choose a modest-sized sofa but get max sofa seating by supplementing it with a window seat. Squeezing a neat seat into the unused spot in this bay window creates more lounging space, delivering lots of sofa in two formats.
Choose a modest-sized sofa but get max sofa seating by supplementing it with a window seat. Squeezing a neat seat into the unused spot in this bay window creates more lounging space, delivering lots of sofa in two formats.
Use the corner
Unless you live in a teapot, you probably have corners in your home. Use them! Grab yourself a corner-hugging sofa and tuck it in. It’s both an efficient use of space and a genius way to work in a really generous, crash-out-on couch.
Unless you live in a teapot, you probably have corners in your home. Use them! Grab yourself a corner-hugging sofa and tuck it in. It’s both an efficient use of space and a genius way to work in a really generous, crash-out-on couch.
Build in benches
Take inspiration from the tight dimensions of a boat or yacht and install built-in benches for sofas. A simple bench can be created to fit into any space and will happily accommodate a room’s awkward angles.
You can also incorporate storage below, accessed via a lift-up seat. Plenty of cushions against the wall take the place of a bulky sofa back.
Take inspiration from the tight dimensions of a boat or yacht and install built-in benches for sofas. A simple bench can be created to fit into any space and will happily accommodate a room’s awkward angles.
You can also incorporate storage below, accessed via a lift-up seat. Plenty of cushions against the wall take the place of a bulky sofa back.
Extend a two-seater
Perhaps you do only have space for a two-seater sofa, but don’t despair. Shop around for two-seaters with benefits, which offer more than the standard design would. This compact model extends outwards, giving a generous feel.
Consider having an ottoman made in matching or complementary fabric and slotting that into the L-shape. With a tray on top, it can become a coffee table, for use on a comfy night in for two, but will also work well as a perch when you’re in a less lounging mood. Move it to the armless end of the sofa, and it will also extend the seating area.
Perhaps you do only have space for a two-seater sofa, but don’t despair. Shop around for two-seaters with benefits, which offer more than the standard design would. This compact model extends outwards, giving a generous feel.
Consider having an ottoman made in matching or complementary fabric and slotting that into the L-shape. With a tray on top, it can become a coffee table, for use on a comfy night in for two, but will also work well as a perch when you’re in a less lounging mood. Move it to the armless end of the sofa, and it will also extend the seating area.
Source innovative furniture
The sofa in this tiny studio flat is wonderfully generous, because an ingenious pull-down bed leaves the floor space free for seating.
The sofa in this tiny studio flat is wonderfully generous, because an ingenious pull-down bed leaves the floor space free for seating.
Bed and sofa don’t compete for space here. Instead, the bed can be pulled down at night, fitting neatly over the big sofa. In design parlance, that’s known as the best of both worlds!
Do you have any tips on fitting a big sofa into your home? Share them in the Comments below.
Do you have any tips on fitting a big sofa into your home? Share them in the Comments below.
Small, individual pieces in a little room can make it feel cramped and cluttered. Often, bigger pieces that generously fill the footprint are a better bet, delivering comfort and defying the small dimensions.
Here, a large corner sofa and big ottoman unapologetically dominate this compact living room, sending the message that this is a space in which to stretch out and relax.
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