Different rooms, such as a formal dining room with a seating area, a cozy and playful family living room, or a library with a whisky cabinet - have a unique aesthetic that can be beautifully enhanced. One main piece of furniture that can dominate or fit beautifully in a living room is the sofa.

L-shaped and Corner Sofas

Sectional sofas like L-shaped or corner sofas are well suited to living rooms, rather than offices or libraries. They are great in large open-plan rooms as well as smaller spaces. If you are looking for cozy and sociable seating for guests and family chatting or playing board games, this is a great choice.

Corner sofas can be used to complement an irregular-shaped room, and provide a large amount of seating in the corner of a small square room, removing the need for additional chairs.

Open-plan areas can be nicely divided and sectioned with an L-shape sofa. The main consideration is to ensure you have enough space to walk around it easily.

Chaise Sofas

These sofas have a longer seat section to provide comfort for stretching out your legs. They can be a good solution for creating extra seating in a small living room or work well dividing a large open-plan space in the same way as L-shaped sofas.

U-Shaped Sofas

If your space is very large and square, you can splash out on a big U-shaped sofa. These can accommodate up to 11 people.

They can create the ultimate sociable space for parties and games. They form a central point of a large room and can create privacy for those snuggled in it. Provided there is plenty of space around it, this is a great way to unify the seating in a room.

Single Sofas

Armchairs and single-seater sofas are generally used in addition to large couches and can be a softer, less bulky addition if you already have a large sofa. They can provide separate seating areas or bring seating together around a coffee table.

These types of seats suit bedrooms, offices, libraries, and larger living rooms.

Size of sofa

The size of your sofa will also affect how its shape sits in your living room. The following aspects of your sofa can contribute to this:

• Overall size: The golden rule is to choose a sofa that takes up about two-thirds of the wall length or room space.
• Back height: A low back height of a sofa works better with a low ceiling, and the opposite applies to a high one.
• Armrests: While high armrests may look stylish on some sofas, they can disrupt the line of the height of your other furniture. They can also make it difficult to reach side tables.
• Sofa depth: Very deep Sofas can look bulky and heavy in a small space. Shallow sofas or those elevated on wooden legs can lighten the space in a smaller room.

Existing Furniture

It is important to consider how your other furniture will sit alongside your new sofa, and how they will create a suitable seating area when combined. Furniture such as a coffee table and a mixture of different styles of armchairs and single seats can sit well with a well-chosen sofa of a suitable shape and size.

Style

Making sure your sofa compliments your home and furnishings stylistically will affect how it fits your space. Matching or contrasting the color of your floor and walls can bring different effects, making your sofa disappear into the room or pop out.

Rustic or retro furniture will only suit a fully matching decor. Plush fabrics such as velvet can lift and bring class to a library or living room that boasts antique furniture. Sofas that are softer and designed for comfort can fit most living rooms.