The kind of couch that you decide to purchase for your house will affect your overall comfort and how well it goes with the other decor items that you have chosen. The couch that you choose will determine the amount of space that you have in your living room for guests to visit, as well as how frequently you use it each day. Therefore, in addition to having a couch that works for the size of your room, you will also need to ensure that it provides you with the greatest level of ongoing comfort for as long as you own it. Whether you live in a small studio apartment or a large family room, you can shop for the best couch at Poly & Bark by seeing the different couches that they have available for all types of areas.
When choosing a couch, it is important to consider both how many people you anticipate taking advantage of the couch and the level of comfort that you wish to achieve with the couch. Additionally, when shopping for a couch, take into account the layout and design of the room in which you intend on placing the couch. If you are able to provide yourselves with accurate measurements of your space, then you will have a clear idea of the best style and size of couch that will fit in your room. Once you select the couch that works with your space, you will create an inviting and welcoming environment in your living area.
Understanding Room Dimensions and Couch Sizes
Before you start looking for a new couch, you need to get the dimensions of your living area, including the size of the room, the size of doorways, and the size of any hallways that must be used for delivery. Proper planning will guarantee that once delivered, the couch will fit into your desired location. Plan on keeping a minimum of 30 inches between all seating areas around your couch for optimum comfort when moving around.
Couch Sizes for Small Spaces
Best Options for Compact Living Areas
- Loveseats: Typically 52 to 72 inches wide, loveseats offer a compact solution that comfortably seats two while saving space.
- Apartment-Sized Couches: Usually 70 to 85 inches wide, these couches provide extra seating with a footprint that fits most small apartments and studios.
- Sleeper Couches: These multi-purpose couches serve double duty for seating and as an extra bed, making them invaluable in spaces where versatility and efficient use of square footage matter.
Select a couch with a slender arm profile and stiff back to maximize the available seating space and minimize how much space the couch will occupy in the living room. If you have limited square footage, light-colored upholstery will also help create an overall feeling of a larger and open living environment.
Consider furniture with elevated legs so that light flows underneath the couch, enabling the space to appear larger and more inviting.
For more small-space decorating strategies, Sunset Magazine offers additional advice on making the most of every square foot.
Couch Sizes for Medium Spaces
Medium-sized living rooms benefit from a regular three-seater couch (which ranges between 72″-84″ in length) because they offer much versatility for layout and provide plenty of room to seat guests. In addition to modular designs that maximize comfort, sectional couches can provide additional ways to arrange furniture when hosting guests or relaxing at home. When furnishing your living room with a couch, you may want to consider adding accent chairs for added seating options, while not excessively cluttering up your space. A couch that complements your other furnishings will create an open, inviting environment in your living room.
Couch Sizes for Large Spaces
Larger living areas provide opportunities to buy larger purchases, such as statement pieces or investment-quality furniture. Full-size couches are typically 88 to 108 inches in width, while U-shaped sectional couches often exceed 160 inches in width. The larger-sized furniture will help provide a focal point for the room and define areas in open concept floor plans.
- Large couches are great for large groups or for relaxing when hosting lots of people. An oversize couch is mostly great for big families or who get together to host gatherings frequently.
- U-shaped Sectional couches work well for a defined seating area and for dividing larger rooms. These types of couches are also an easy way to have enough room for all of your guests to sit together and chat comfortably without anyone being left out.
For larger rooms, it’s still critical to create balance. For example, you can create cohesiveness within the space by utilizing coffee tables, area rugs and multiple light types for your layered lighting solutions.
Rugs and console-style side tables can be useful in defining various functional zones throughout your room while maintaining the room’s overall simplicity and unity of style.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Measuring your room correctly is important to make sure you are happy with what you end up with. Let’s say you tried to measure for size, and you simply guessed the height of your couch with your measuring tape. In that case, you could end up with a very large couch that doesn’t fit your decor or with one that’s too small to effectively use the space you have. When you buy furniture for your home the visual aspect and functionality take all aspects of scale and proportion into account. And lastly, if you’re thinking about adding something new to your living room, think about how you’ll be able to get it into the space without damaging anything in the process. Doing so will allow you to purchase the correct type of furniture that serves a dual purpose, both as a functional piece as well as an aesthetic one.
Final Thoughts
The first thing you want to do when purchasing a couch is to look at your room’s layout and then consider how you actually live and use your space; in other words, have some preconceived notion of what you want this piece of furniture to do for you and how it fits within your home design and theme.
After examining these factors, take some time to measure the couch’s overall dimensions. Understanding this aspect of the selection process will give you an excellent idea of whether it meets your needs and will be an attractive addition to your home for many years to come, as it will offer a comfortable way to relax in a fashionable way.
