After 15 years of marketing and merchandising in the retail furniture industry, my friends are always asking me for advice on how to buy furniture for their rooms. One of the questions I hear most is, “What is my best option for a living room, family room or great room? Or a sofa and loveseat, or a sectional?”
My first question is always “What is the layout and size of the room?”
Let’s break down what you’re getting yourself into with each option:
Sofa and Loveseat
This applies to any combination of free-standing pieces (sofa/loveseat, sofa/chair, etc.). A setup like this will tend to look smaller in scale, which is great for smaller spaces. Also, if your room has a lot of obstacles, such as doors, entryways, or stairs, then free-standing pieces would allow you to configure your room in a way that makes sense. A rule of thumb is if you space is smaller than less than 90” x 90” at a minimum stick with the free-standing pieces in your room. One other benefit of the sofa and loveseat option is the flexibility to move them around depending on the situation. You could have one configuration for everyday use, and then move some pieces around if you’re having a gathering.
Sectional
The biggest reason most people choose a sectional is to maximize the seating space a room has to offer. Think of it this way: if you imagine a free-standing sofa and loveseat that are perpendicular to one another (making an L-shape), then there is an empty corner between the two, where most people put an end table. A sectional would have an additional seat in that corner, allowing for one more person (or the dog, in many cases!) to sit. If you have a big family, or you frequently have people over, a sectional may be the way to go.
Big Picture Style
Generally speaking, free-standing pieces tend to look a bit more formal, while sectionals tend to be cozier and more casual, so think about what kind of “feel” you’re going for when making your choice. In addition, freestanding pieces may have the effect of making your space look bigger and more open, while a sectional will act as an anchor to your room- it may look less open, but cozier.
A few other things to consider:
How do you use the space? Is it a formal living room for greeting guests? Then you should go with free-standing pieces. If the room is for kicking up your feet and relaxing, you could get away with either option.
Do you like to rearrange? If you’re the kind of person who gets sick of a room’s layout and likes to change things up, go with free-standing pieces. This will give you the flexibility to move things around, whereas you don’t have that freedom with sectional pieces. If you’re more of the set-it-and-forget-it type, either choice would be fine!
One final tip: Take some measurements of your space and create a simple sketch of your room. Bring it to a designer, a consultant at a store, or a trusted friend for input. You would be amazed how much easier decisions can be made with a simple sketch.
Good luck on your sofa and loveseat, or a sectional decision!
Here are some great quality sofa and sectional brands that I would highly recommend:
And don’t forget to check out all Lifestyle Online Finds blog posts here.