How to Choose a Sectional for a Small Living Room

To choose a sectional for a small living room, measure the wall it will sit against and keep the sectional to about two-thirds to three-quarters of that length, with 30 to 36 inches of clear walkway in front of it. In most small rooms, a two-piece sofa-and-chaise or a compact L-shape fits better than a U-shape, and an overall depth under about 38 inches keeps the room from feeling crowded.

A sectional can work very well in a small room. It gives you more seats per square foot than a sofa plus two chairs, and it pushes the seating against the walls so the middle of the room stays open. The trick is choosing the right shape and depth, and checking a few measurements most people skip.

Step 1: Measure more than the wall

Start with a tape measure and a sketch of the room. You need:

• The length of each wall the sectional could touch, including where windows, radiators, vents and outlets sit.
• The distance from those walls to the nearest door, fireplace, or TV stand.
• The main walking routes through the room, for example front door to kitchen.
• Every doorway, hallway and stair turn on the way in. Sectionals often arrive in separate pieces, which helps, but the largest piece still has to make the turns.

Then mark the sectional's footprint on the floor with painter's tape, including the chaise. Walk around it for a day. This is the fastest way to find out whether a 67-inch-deep chaise blocks a path you use every morning.

Step 2: Pick the right shape

Sofa and chaise

For most small living rooms, this is the best starting point. It looks and functions like a sofa, but one end extends so you can put your feet up. It takes up far less floor than a true corner L, because the chaise is a single seat deep rather than a full second sofa.

The ivory boucle L-shaped two-piece sofa and chaise is a good reference point. Its listing gives it as 110 inches wide and 67 inches deep, with the lounging end on the right-hand side and five accent pillows included. A pale fabric like ivory also keeps a large piece from looking heavy in a small room.

L-shaped corner sectional

A corner L puts seats along two walls and meets in a corner seat. It seats the most people, but both arms of the L eat into the room. Use one if you have a genuine empty corner away from the main walkway, and if you regularly need seating for five or more.

Curved sectional

Curved sectionals float well in the middle of a room or in front of a window, and they avoid the awkward corner seat. The black velvet modular curved two-piece sectional is listed at 47 inches deep, noticeably shallower than a typical sofa and chaise, which helps in a narrow room. Check the listed width (118 inches) against your wall first, since curves need a little space at both ends.

Modular sectional

Modular pieces can be rearranged into a straight sofa, an L, or split into two seating groups. That's useful if you move often or might change rooms later. The catch: modular doesn't automatically mean small. The khaki linen blend five-piece corner sectional has removable, washable covers according to its listing, which is handy with kids or pets, but in its full L configuration it is listed at 120 by 120 inches. Plan the configuration you'll actually use before you order.

U-shaped sectional

Skip it for a small room unless the sectional is the entire living room. A U closes off three sides and usually leaves no easy way in or out.

Step 3: Get the depth right

Depth matters more than width in a small room, because every extra inch of depth comes straight out of your walkway.

• Overall depth of 32 to 38 inches for the main sofa section suits most small rooms.
• Deeper seats (40 inches and up) are great for lounging but make a room feel smaller and can be hard for shorter people to sit back in.
• A chaise typically adds 60 to 70 inches of depth at one end. Put it where it won't cut into the main path.

Step 4: Protect the walkways

Designers generally plan for these clearances:

• 30 to 36 inches for main walkways through the room.
• At least 24 inches for secondary paths, like the gap between a chaise and a side table.
• 14 to 18 inches between the sofa and the coffee table, close enough to reach a drink, far enough to get your knees through.

If the room can't give you these numbers with a coffee table in place, swap the table for an ottoman you can push aside. A 26-inch gray linen tufted ottoman works as a footrest or an extra seat, and its lift-off lid hides blankets and remotes. More sizes are in ottomans.

Step 5: Choose which side the chaise goes on

Chaise direction trips up a lot of people. Sectional listings usually describe the chaise side as you face the sofa. Before buying, stand in the room facing where the sofa will go and decide which end should extend. Two good rules:

• Put the chaise on the side away from the entry, so people walk in beside the open arm rather than around the long end.
• Put the chaise under a window or against a wall, not sticking into a doorway.

Step 6: Keep it visually light

Two sectionals with the same footprint can feel very different in a room. The ones that feel smaller tend to share a few traits:

• Raised legs that show floor underneath. The dark gray top grain leather sofa and chaise sits on black metal legs, and the navy blue Italian leather sofa and chaise uses silver metal legs. Both are listed at about 113 to 114 inches wide and 67 inches deep.
• Slim or square arms rather than thick rolled ones.
• A lower back that stays under the windowsill.
• A color close to your wall color, so the sectional doesn't read as a large block.

A quick checklist before you order

• Sectional length is no more than about three-quarters of its wall.
• Main walkway stays 30 inches or wider with the sectional taped out.
• Chaise side is decided, facing the sofa.
• Largest piece fits through every doorway and turn on the way in.
• You have a plan for a coffee table or ottoman at 14 to 18 inches away.

You can compare shapes, fabrics and sizes side by side in the full sectionals collection.

FAQ

Can you put a sectional in a small living room?

Yes. A sectional often fits a small room better than a sofa and two chairs because it keeps seating against the walls. Choose a sofa-and-chaise or compact L, and keep 30 inches of walkway clear.

What size sectional fits a small living room?

Aim for a sectional no longer than about two-thirds to three-quarters of the wall it sits on, with an overall depth of 32 to 38 inches for the main section. Measure your room and tape the footprint out before ordering.

Is a chaise or an L-shape better for a small space?

A chaise usually takes less floor space, since it extends only one seat deep. A corner L seats more people but fills two walls.

How much space should be between a sectional and a coffee table?

Leave 14 to 18 inches. That is close enough to reach, with room for knees and feet.

How do I know if I need a left or right facing chaise?

Stand where you'll face the sofa and pick the end that should extend. Check how the listing describes the chaise side, since some brands describe it from the opposite point of view.

Are modular sectionals good for small rooms?

They can be, because you can remove or rearrange pieces. Check the listed size of the configuration you plan to use, since a full modular set can be large.