Sectional Sofas for Small Spaces: Finding the Perfect Size

It can be tough finding sectional sofas for small spaces.

But the question is why would you need one anyway?

Well, the truth is that sometimes they actually save space in the right home.

A nice amount of seating in one specific spot can be the perfect solution in the right living room. And if you ever find that having it all in one place is too much you’ll be able to mix things up a little if you need to.

What Exactly is a Small Sectional Sofa, Anyway?

You might find yourself clueless and asking, “What exactly is a small sectional sofa?”

What’s too large? What’s too small? And these are all good questions.

Well, the obvious answer is that what’s too small and big for you might not be what’s too small or big for someone else. Your own living room or living area will generally dictate the size that you’ll need. But of course this isn’t always the case.

For instance, say you plan to place a sectional sofa in the middle of your living room and you’re looking for something that won’t be too large or too small. This is a time in which knowing what’s too big or small might count a lot.

It’s always good to have a starting point.

So, let’s find out what that starting point is…

Typically a 3-piece sectional sofa is a good place to start in terms of the number of pieces.

But when you’re considering measurements, we’re going to want to get a bit more specific. The obvious is that if you’re trying to furnish a small living, you’re probably not going to want a sectional sofa over 3-4 pieces.

Having said that, have you ever really looked at a 3-piece sectional sofa set? Believe it or not, mere observation will pretty much tell you everything you need to know.

If not, now would be the time to take a good look…

Now that you’ve taken a look, what do you see?

Not sure?

Then let me tell you. If you take a close look you’ll notice that most sectional sofas are simply a sofa or loveseat and one or two chairs combined.

And normally even if you hadn’t picked that up looking at the picture, the description of the item will usually tell you.

Understanding that simple fact will make understanding what a small scale sofa is a piece of cake.

Why?

Because now we have a way to come up with measurements through simple means. All we have to do is take the measurements of a small scale sofa or loveseat and one or two chairs, add them together and then we’ve got the measurements of a small sectional sofa.

So let’s do it. We know that…

A small scale sofa is 72″ (or smaller). And then we simply divide that by 3 to come up with the size of a small scale chair which would be 24″ wide.

Or we could stake an average size loveseat which is 63″ wide. We could then divide it by 2 and come up with a small scale chair of 31.5″ wide.

We now have the dimensions we need to understand what a small scale sectional sofa size would be…

Sofa/Loveseat and Chairs
72	+	24	+	24	=	120″ wide
63	+	31.5	+	31.5	=	126″ wide

So now we know the starting point of a small scale sofa. We know that the following measurements below represent the perfect size for a small scale sectional sofa set…

Starting Point for a Sectional Sofa Set…
Small Scale Sectional Sofa	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…

Stopping Point for a Sectional Sofa Set…
Larger Scale Sectional Sofa	157.5″ wide

The stopping point also gives you some leeway, so that if you find a sectional sofa that falls between 120 – 157″ wide, you’ll have some room to work with. But I wouldn’t push it too far.

In all honesty, I consider…

120-130″ to be the perfect small scale solution.
145″ a nice mid-size range for small homes.
157″ a great size if you can afford the space.

And now that we’ve discussed measurements, let’s talk about how to choose a small sectional sofa set.

How to Choose a Sectional Sofa Set

If you’re looking for a sectional sofa, I believe the best approach to look for a sectional sofa is at a place where you can choose each piece individually or as a whole.

That way you can knock off a couple of pieces or add on a couple of pieces and make it smaller or possibly even larger. It gives you a safety net, by some chance a whole set is too big or not big enough.

And let’s not forget that having the ability to choose individual pieces also allows you the opportunity to choose pieces of different colors. So you can mix and match colors to create a look all on your own.

One chair could be beige, the other black and the other could be white.

Granted, most of us like single color sectional sofas, but for those of you who like it funky, you might like the idea of mixing and matching different colors together.

What Does This Mean To You?

If a small scale sectional sofa wasn’t clear to you before, it should be clear now. We’ve talked about measurements.

We know that a small sectional sofa ranging around 120-130″ wide would be the perfect size if you can’t afford more space. However, if you have a bit of leeway, you can move the stopping point up to 145″ or even 157″ wide.

You also know that the best place to look for a sectional sofa set is a place in which you can choose individual pieces. That way you’re not forced into purchasing an entire set, which might be too big for your place. Instead, you can select as many or as little pieces as you need for the space that you have.

Lastly, if you want to get creative, you can even mix and match chairs of different colors if you want a funky or unique look of your own.

But like always, remember you’re not limited to the scope of this discussion. What we talked about today was a way to help you if you needed it, but not to hinder you if prefer something that is outside of the scope of this discussion.

A sectional sofa that’s larger or even smaller than the measurements said above is a wonderful choice as long as you feel it’s the right choice for you.

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