Find the Perfect Small Sofa for your Small Living Room...

We need a perfect and perfectly small sofa for you suitable small space living room! Living in a small space doesn't mean sacrificing style and comfort, but how can you find the perfect small sofa? I hope this post provides some approachable guidance when considering the newest addition in your small living room!

Why small living?

Maybe you're downsizing and embracing small space living! Perhaps for the sustainable choice, minimizing your carbon footprint and encouraging a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Maybe to reduce cost of living, smaller apartment hopefully means smaller rent amount (we hope)? For whatever your reason, the key elements in creating a cozy and functional small living room can totally apply to you! Let's dive into the world of small living room furniture and discover what to look out for when selecting the ideal small sofa for your compact living space.

How to Choose the Perfect Sofa for Your Small Living Room

1. Identify your living room shape...

The first and most crucial factor to consider when selecting a sofa for your small living room is figuring out what kind of living room shape you are working with. If you clicked on this post my guess is that your living room is small - but what kind of small?

Is your space...

Skinny and narrow? / Wide and shallow?

For skinny/narrow or wide/shallow living room layout, avoid pushing your beautiful small sofa or loveseat right next to the living room walls. Instead, you can utilize the back of the sofa to break up room space and provide more structure or function to your small space living room.

More square shaped?

This layout is exactly how it sounds, you have a cube for a living room space. Now, depending on the size of the cube, maybe you don't want your small sofa to feel like its taking up the entire living space.

For square shaped layouts I love how an L shape sofa can really provide much needed seating and give you more options for living room design.

An L configuration?

Usually with an L-shape type configuration you will see more floorplan designs utilizing the upper and lower "L" as different living place zones.

For this layout, you can implement a beautiful combination of tips from skinny/narrow or wide/shallow and square shape for your living room needs.

Open concept?

Its safe to say that open concept was (and still is?) one of the more desired living room layouts.

Caution: you want to make sure you provide enough distinction between spaces. A classic solution to open concept is orienting your small sofa so that its back is facing towards the other room, providing a clear divide between spaces.

Something Else?

Of course there can be other layout shapes and its important to consider your own layout before diving into living room design. I would just start by focusing on 2 major ticket items when shopping for a sofa for your small space:

1) Avoid a bulky sofa.

If you're living small, you don't want to waste precious space on bulk. Maybe the sofa is actually the same footprint as another sofa, but it just 'looks bulky.' You're going to want to consider that feeling before you add it to your small living room, try to steer towards a sofa that give a more 'light and airy' feel to avoid suffocating in your small space.

2) Pick a statement sofa!

In a small living room, you have less room to express yourself in decorative items that have no function. Take the opportunity to have your sofa also be a work of art that really nails your style! Maybe this means selecting model with a bit more character/charm or going with a fun color that you deeply love. The choice is yours.

2. Figure out your living room needs....

One of my favorite things about design is how personal it all is! Trends are pointing towards more creativity / personalization in design, not EVERYONE wants that "cookie cutter" solution. Interior design doesn't have to be one size fits all and you don't have to buy a certain sofa just because it makes sense in your overall living room shape. Another thing to consider is your own personal living space needs! Ask yourself these questions: "what type of space do I want to create?" and "What do I prioritize for living room needs?"

Some Examples:

Example 1 ~

I want to create a homey space where comfort is prioritized! The living room is a space for me and my cat to relax!

Example 2 ~

I want to create a welcoming space that is ideal for entertaining! I want to be able to host enough people and have distinct areas for entertaining!

Example one person and example two person might choose both very different types of sofas despite the commonality of having a very small living room!

Writing out your own personal reasons will help you shop with purpose and escape the trap of buying "living room things" you think you need.

After figuring out:

1) What living room space you want to create?

2) And your priority in living room needs?

it can be much easier to find that perfect small sofa for you!

3. Pick your sofa type for small...

When designing for a small living room there are a few sofa types that can really give you some bang for your buck! Trying narrowing your search by selecting the type of sofa you want to bring in to your living room space.

L-Shape or Corner Sofa

An L-Shape or Corner Sofa is a versatile and stylish piece of furniture that is specifically designed to optimize seating space in a room. Its unique shape allows it to fit snugly into a corner, making it perfect for maximizing space in smaller living areas.

One of the key advantages of an L-Shape sofa is its ability to create defined zones within a room. By placing the sofa in a corner, it helps to delineate a specific seating area, making the room feel more organized and inviting. This can be particularly useful in an L- shape or open-plan living space where defining different areas can enhance the overall functionality of the room.

The Arwen Corner Sectional by Joybird might just be the right fit for your small living room needs! I love how the armless design eliminates any bulky feel and I ADORE the variety of color choices. This sofa is small, comfortable, sleek looking, and if you pick a bold color you can easily transform this as your living room statement piece!

Love Seat

A loveseat is a type of seating furniture that is typically designed for two people. It is smaller than a sofa but larger than an armchair (giving that extra bump without taking up the whole floor). The loveseat can be PERFECT for cozy and small living luxury.

Perhaps you need to make sure you have plenty of floorspace in your small living room, try using the back of the loveseat as a space divider and pair a thin coffee table with a similar length. You might be surprised to find that a simple loveseat can bring you all the seating you really need!

To maximize the seating area, consider a matching ottomon that can move for an extra seat or serve as a home for you legs. Don't be afraid to find a friendly armchair to fit in your small space living room if seating is a priority for you (remember step 2)!

For our loveseat example, checkout this functional design by Burrow, the Arch Nomad Loveseat. Some fun features include

• Built-in USB charger

• Reversable back cushions

• Optional matching ottoman

Sleeper Sofa

What can be better than a sofa changing into a bed when it comes to multi-functioning furniture? Purchasing a comfortable sleeper sofa could be a way to meet both your living room needs and guest bedroom needs.

I love sleeper sofas for small space design NOT JUST because I am a sucker for multi-use furniture but because having an extra bed for guests to sleep over is sounding like a major lifestyle plus! The same could be true for you, especially if you find yourself in a beautifully small one bedroom apartment with long distant friends who just want to visit you.

The Rio Sofa Bed by Medley could be the perfect new addition to your small space living room. Essentially giving you two rooms in one .... a living room and a guest room (well at least an incredibly comfortable place to sleep). Very cool things about Medley products!! They pay very close attention to their materials - focusing on sustainability and durability. This sofa bed is sure to both ease your mind and stand the test of time.

For those of you who are new to this blog, all products that I reference for inspiration and link are sustainably focused companies. So happy shopping :)

Just the recap...

Styling your small living room is very personal, and shopping for the right products to pull your room together can be (at times) a bit more stressful than fun. I hope this post both inspired and informed when it comes to searching for the perfect small sofa!

Remember to:

1) Identify your living room shape!

2) Figure out your living room needs!

3) Pick your sofa type for small!

BIG thank you for reading!

~Madi Sams