One of the big decisions when considering living room seating is the choice between a sectional and a sofa. Size, comfort, and aesthetics all come in to play. And, while it's always going to come down to individual style and the room dimensions, the wonderful Apartment Therapy readers have had some words of wisdom to impart (as always!) on the topic. Here are some of the best bits of advice: • From patrick (the other one) The best seat in the house is the chaise section of my sofa. And it creates a sense of a room and enclosure without "eating space" in this apartment as successfully as it did in my last. I think if you have the room, including the chaise section is a no brainer. And a sectional couch moves a million times easier than a solid one. I personally find a sofa and two chairs kind of awkward for interaction..a sectional has always felt more intimate to me, and the little corner curve lets you pull your feet up and interact at a comfortable angle, rather than being right smack dab parallel to the other person.
It's true, a sectional is a big commitment-- but I love my mine. I got it specifically so two people can lounge on the sofa. And you know, it works for those non-lounging guest situations, too. But I do think you need to have a separate chair diagonally across from the corner to balance it out. And I did get a streamlined modern, raised off the floor, chaise-type. So what I give up in flexibility, I gained in general overall loveliness. We have a 2-piece sectional. When we have enough people to plausibly fill it, we solve the awkward corner issue by simply pulling the two apart just a bit. Even a few inches of space between translates to a lot of psychological room; it's much more comfortable. • From jojoOne of my favorite little joys is to push the ottoman into the "L" formed by the chaise on my leather sofa, create a double bed-like area, and snuggle up on it to watch TV with my boyfriend. A plain sofa and ottoman wouldn't be the same. There are attractive sectionals out there, but as I enjoy personal space in my seating choices, they are sort of limiting - especially the chaise trend.
Unless you are a psychiatrist seeing patients at home or one of your guests is sleepy and requires a cat nap, the chaise thing is a two-seater at best. And on a regular sectional, no one wants to be Baby, put in the corner. So in my opinion they give the illusion of lots of seating space, but you are better off with a sofa and chairs you can move around. • From Jackie F I considered getting a sectional for a long time, but ultimately bought a sofa with a matching ottoman. I'm VERY happy with this choice, since I get the comfort of a chaise and the flexibility of being able to move the ottoman around. Buy yourself a good 3 seater sofa and one or two co-ordinating (not matching) chairs. Trust me: waaay more flexible if you ever move house...and you will. • From Tse Moana Depends on your space I think. But I personally go for separate seating things. That way you can mix sofas, chairs, stools, seating cushions (like fatboys and such) or whatever you want in a way that fits you and your house best.
And I second the sentiment about sitting in the corner, you really can't get out of it anymore, especially when there's a lot of folks on the sectional. Makes getting up to go to the loo quite a job. A sectional commits you to almost a whole room of furniture in one style. I like to have a sofa and two chairs all in different styles or fabrics or something. Have an opinion on the sectional vs. subject to share? Please let us know in the comments below … Image: Blake Sectional at West ElmKessel Reversible Chaise Sectional Russ Sectional Set (Set of 3) Camden Right Hand Facing Sectional Brewster 2 Piece Sectional Ashtyn Reversible Chaise Sectional with Ottoman Briley Reversible Chaise Sectional Fredericktown Reversible Chaise Sectional Bobkona Hardin Reversible Chaise Sectional Bobkona Viola Reversible Chaise Sectional Brewster Left Hand Facing Sectional Birchview Reversible Chaise Sectional Sofa Spirit Lake Sleeper Sectional
Patterson Right Hand Facing Sectional Left Facing Mankato Sectional Deschutes Reversible Chaise Sectional Bentley Reversible Chaise Sectional Andrew Reversible Chaise Sectional1 × A room designed by Arlington-based designed Nicole Lanteri. The home is in Alexandria near Old Town and the Braddock Road Metro and features a Holden sectional from Room & Board, in Turin Ivory fabric. Buy Photo Decorating a living room comes with one almost universal question: sectional or sofa? Sectionals are the obvious space-saver and offer more flexibility with layout than the traditional setup of a sofa and two chair. They’re the more frugal option, too, if you employ the logic that one piece of furniture is probably cheaper than three. So why do so many of us default to the sofa? It’s possible we’re daunted by the myriad configuration options that come with picking out sectionals, or bugged by the thought that some unlucky guest won’t have a back cushion. Or maybe it’s pure laziness: Squaring off a sofa and two chairs is easier than getting creative, after all.
But designers are quick to sing the sectional’s praises. “Whatever your hesitations are, get over them,” says Liz Levin, a designer whose firm, Liz Levin Interiors, is based in Bethesda. “Especially if you’re in a small space, it’s probably exactly the solution you’re looking for.” Arlington designer Nicole Lanteri agrees. “The biggest misconception is that all sectionals are big,” she said, “but if you measure the footprint and think about your layout, they actually give you more wiggle room.” The modern sectional, which has a low, boxy frame, modular design and sleek silhouette, became popular in the 1950s during the mid-century modern movement and was popularized by Charles and Ray Eames. Although it certainly influenced style trends, it had an even greater impact on traditional furniture layouts. While it’s gone through its share of trends over the years (remember those marshmallow-looking sofas from the ’80s?) it’s still a go-to secret weapon among designers who want to do more with less.
Levin says sectionals are particularly handy for clients in small spaces who like to entertain. A sofa and two chairs can make the room feel cluttered and closed off, but a sectional lets the room breathe. The key, she said, is to make sure at least once piece of the sectional is backless. “I almost never use sectionals in which every piece has a back because it starts to feel like house arrest,” she said. “Keep the flow open.” When Lanteri moved into her condo in Arlington, she wanted a sectional that offered some flexibility with layout. she puts the three pieces together into a wrap-around when she has company and manages to seat eight to 10 people on it. At other times, she breaks it up into a sofa and two chairs. These days, most mainstream retailers such as Room & Board and Pottery Barn offer sectionals that can be fully customized, from the fabric to the feet. “People get tired of living in condos because they feel like they want more space,” she said, “but if you buy furniture that works with you, that you can adjust to suit different occasions, like movie nights or parties, you can do a lot more with a little space.”
Once you’ve decided to take the plunge and shop for a sectional, you need to determine how much room you have to work with. Because sectionals don’t need so much breathing room, you probably have more space to work with than you think. “Modern sectionals tend to have clean, sleek lines,” Levin says, “and you can push them right up against the wall because the chaise usually sticks out and gives the layout some variation.” As a general guideline, Levin recommends choosing an eight- or nine-foot sofa with a 60-to-72-inch chaise. Anything smaller, she said, can feel cramped and hinder your odds of fitting a practical coffee table. For very small spaces, Lanteri, 36, recommends sectionals that are about 36 to 40 inches deep. ) is narrow without seeming uncomfortable and stiff. Sectionals with fold-out sofa beds can come in handy for guests but often have skirting at the base. If the extra bed is more of a convenience than a necessity, consider a slightly wider sectional that can double as a bed when needed.
), is easily crash-worthy but has sleek mid-century modern lines and button-tufted cushions for a dose of style. The most popular sectional configuration for small rooms is a two-piece L-shaped sofa, which consists of a left- or right-facing arm on one end and a chaise on the other. Some retailers, such as West Elm, offer a style of sofa with the option to buy the pieces together or separately. But be sure to crunch a few numbers and sketch out different arrangements. In some cases, buying a pre-arranged sectional is cheaper than ordering separate pieces, but you may want the freedom to orchestrate the sectional exactly as you like. Most companies, such as West Elm, keep it simple: The brand’s two-piece Crosby Sectional in Pebble Weave consists of a chaise and sofa that, together or separately, will cost $2,298 to $2,498, depending on the color. If that opens up some room in your budget, buy a pair of colorful throw pillows to toss on top. Says Levin: “You’ve already decluttered the space by removing a few pieces of furniture, so go ahead and spice things up.”