The Best Sectional Sofas in 2022, According to our Reviewers and Experts
We’ve shipped sofas 15 to Living Cozy contributors across the country to test them first-hand and consulted expert interior designers to find the best sectionals to buy in 2022.
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Sectionals are more than just a piece of furniture, they're a gathering place — a place for enjoying family movie nights, snuggling up with a great book, or catching up with friends. And if you enjoy any of these things, you'll definitely understand the appeal of a sectional sofa.
"All the rage for many reasons, sectional sofas are large modular sofa pieces that connect together for maximum seating and ultimate comfort," says interior designer Courtney Robinson. "These pieces are great staples for people who have large families, entertain often, or love to lounge."
And if you're looking for a new sectional, you've landed in the right place.
Here at Living Cozy, we understand that a new sofa is a big investment. So we shipped sofas to Living Cozy contributors across the country to give you true-to-life, first-hand reviews. We tested the online ordering experience, delivery and assembly, and most importantly what each sofa is like to live with — we sat, napped, ate, played with pets, and put these sofas to the test.
To get a professional perspective, we also asked interior design experts to share their thoughts and feedback. And in this guide, we'll also give you the inside scoop on what makes sectionals so great, what to look out for, some top picks to buy, and the best sofa brands to buy from.
Meet the experts
At Living Cozy, we work closely with furniture brands and industry professionals to create comprehensive guides to help you find the perfect pieces for your home. To write this article, we reviewed a number of sectional sofas and also spoke with interior design and sofa experts including:
Allison Thibault, a 5x best of Houzz award-winning designer and the principal designer at Kaleidoscope Design Studio.
Courtney Robinson, star of HGTV's newest series, Sister Fixers, and Principal designer at Materials + Methods Design.
Jennifer Burt, founder of home staging and interior design business Mississippi Maximalism.
Brenda Anderson, an award-winning interior designer a Certified Living In Place Professional (CLIPP), and founder of Interior Elements and Design.
What is a Sectional Sofa?
Over recent years, sectionals have become one of the more popular sofa styles. A sectional is made up of at least two pieces (or sections) that usually combine to create L or U-shaped seating area.
"They are extremely popular right now mostly because of their versatility and configuration options," says Allison Thibault, principal designer at Kaleidoscope Design Studio. "They also come in a wide variety of upholstery and price ranges, making them appealing to most buyers."
Watch: Interior designer Bri Ussery, founder of East co Studio, joined us in our studio in Austin, Texas, to share some expert tips on buying and styling sectionals. Check our Bri's insights below:
The versatility of sectional sofas means they can work no matter how much space you're working with. "The great thing about sectionals is they can truly be configured to work within nearly any kind of space limitation," adds Thibault.
"The great thing about sectionals is they can truly be configured to work within nearly any kind of space limitation."
Sectionals work great for creating a space to relax and unwind at home. "I love to use them in home designs because they really set the tone for a room. You know right away that this is a room meant to feel welcoming and comfortable," says designer Jennifer Burt.
And if you love nothing more than snuggling up with the latest Netflix release, "there is no better spot to binge a series at than on a sectional," adds Burt.
How to Find the Perfect Sectional for Your Home: Three Things We Considered
Based on expert advice from professional interior designers we paid attention to three areas when assessing the best sectional couches to buy:
Ordering and manufacturing: From U-Shaped, Reversible, and Corner Sectionals to Modular, Chaise, and more, each of the sectionals we've included has customization possibilities. We also tracked the manufacturing timelines and processes.
Delivery and construction: What was the delivery process? Does the sofa ship fully assembled or in boxes? And, if any assembly is required, how simple was it to put together?
Life at home with the sofa: Here's what most people really want to know. What's the sofa like to live with? Is it comfortable? Good for naps? How easy is it to clean? And does it live up to the photos used on a brand's website?
Based on our own product reviews, expert insights, and consumer feedback, these are the best places to buy sectional sofas and our picks for the best sectional sofas for your home in 2022:
Tried and Tested: The Best Places to Buy a Sectional Sofa in 2022 (Plus, Our Best Sectional Sofa Picks)
Brand: Comfortable, life-friendly, and stylish furniture. Price: Starting from $1,895 (regular sofas from $895). Shipping: Shipping is always free, and Albany Park delivers its sofas in easy-to-move boxes. Offer: Use code COZY10 for 10% off at checkout.
Albany Park is radically changing the way people shop for sofas with only three models that satisfy everyone's needs, free delivery via UPS, and packaging that's apartment-friendly and space conscious.
The Kova is a modular sofa from Albany Park that offers deep, relaxing seats and is perfect for snuggling up with a good book or movie. The Kiva boasts seven fabric color options, removable seat cushions with a feather blend fill, a sturdy kiln-dried solid wood frame, and reversible back cushions.
We shipped the Kova to one of our contributors to give it a thorough test and review at home. Read our Kova review here.
What we liked:
Comfortable, not too overstuffed so that you're sinking, but just firm enough so you can relax
Great size, the couch is pretty deep with 30" seating
Easy to configure with modular options to add more sections
The Park Sectional features modern design elements alongside its timeless style and sophistication. It's available in a range of colors and fabrics (including velvets and faux leather) and comes with the option of either a left or right-facing chaise.
The mid-century style and smart details make this a versatile sectional that can fit well in any home ranging from traditional to modern.
The sectional is made of foam wrapped in feathers, making it soft but not too soft.
Since the chaise can be configured for either the left or the right side, the sectional can be tailored to fit your room. Plus, you can choose from two leg colors and several fabrics.
The sectional ships right to your front door and is in several boxes, so you can easily move it by yourself.
Use code COZY10 for 10% off Albany Park at checkout.
Brand: Handcrafted luxury for the modern home. Price: Starting from $2,950. Shipping: Shipping is always free and comes with complimentary white glove delivery.
Maiden home offers a range of handcrafted, made-to-order sectionals designed for unparalleled comfort and longevity. Every piece ships free with easy returns and a lifetime warranty.
Every Maiden Home piece is made by some of the world's premier furniture craftsmen in North Carolina using techniques that have been passed down through generations. And because each sofa is made-to-order, Maiden Home can offer a range of customizations to each sofa.
"Our mission is to offer design-forward, comfort-driven pieces custom made to last—pairing the heritage craftsmanship of our artisan partners with our distinctive designs for the modern home," Maiden Home founder Nidhi Kapur told Living Cozy.
Maiden Home never offers any type of sale or seasonal promotion, so you can be sure that you are getting the best price year-round.
Maiden Home Sectional Picks
The Varick Sectional
One of Maiden Home’s latest sofa models, The Varick is a statement piece that’s designed for everyday life. Its oversized arms, low-slung profile, and deep 40” seats lend a relaxed, casual feel.
We shipped the Varick Sofa and matching ottoman to one of our contributors in Vermont to see what it’s like to live with. Read our full Varick sofa review here.
What we liked:
The sofa is very deep; great for curling up with a book and a blanket.
The ottoman makes a comfortable footrest or extra seat.
The Jones is a modular sofa that can be configured to fit almost any living space. “The Jones Modular Sofa acts as an artistic centerpiece in the home. It features sculptural pillowy comfort matched with crisp modern detailing,” says Maiden Home designer advisor Hannah Rice.
Brand: Premium sofas built to fit your home. Price: Starting from $2,645 (regular sofas from $1,345). Shipping: Shipping is always free, and Allform delivers its sofas in easy-to-move boxes.
Allform makes high-quality modular sectional sofas that are designed for real life. And whatever you're looking for, it'll likely have a sectional perfect for your needs — with a wide range of configurations available from 4-seat corner sectionals all the way up to 8-set U-shaped sectionals.
"The modularity of our sofas, plus it ships to you in a box, are what make Allform sectionals unique. Unlike traditional sectional sofas, you are not limited to certain configurations," says Allform co-founder and CEO Adam Tishman.
Each Allform sofa features a sleek modern aesthetic and is designed to be comfy and with high durability. Its sofas are made using high-quality materials — including a kiln-dried and laminated hardwood frame and heavy-duty scratch, pill, and stain-resistant fabrics.
Allform makes its sofas in a multi-generation family-owned facility in North Carolina with decades of experience building premium furniture, and each sofa is 100% made in the USA.
Allform Sectional Pick
Allform 4-Seat Corner Sectional
You have a wide range of customization options available with Allform, including a choice of nine performance fabrics or leather, three leg finishes, and additional throw pillows and cushions. Allform sectionals come in 16 configurations, so you can create the perfect seating arrangement for your living room.
Watch: Check out Bri Ussery's overview of the sofa below:
We tested out the Allform 4-Seat Corner Sectional in our studio in Austin, TX. Wefound it to be very comfortable and well-made — check out our full Allform sofa review here.
What we liked:
Comfortable deep seats
Modular design so you can add/remove sections any time
Brand: Burrow makes simple, adaptable furniture for modern life at home. Price: Sectionals starting from $1,790 Shipping: Shipping is always free, and Burrow delivers its sofas in easy-to-move boxes.
Burrow's sofas are handcrafted from sturdy, sustainably sourced hardwood and scratch- and stain-resistant, non-toxic fabrics. Each couch is also modular by design, with plenty of configuration options and opportunities to expand with extra seats, added tables, and more. "[Burrow focuses on] modularity not just because of the ease of assembly, but because of the opportunities it unlocks for expansion, customization, and moving," a company spokesperson told Living Cozy.
It also has some neat additions you can make to your sofa, like a USB adapter for charging devices and a sleep kit to convert your sofa into a sleeper sectional.
The brand takes a direct-to-consumer approach, and by rethinking supply chains, it can remove all retail markups and over 70% of standard shipping costs by delivering sofas in easy-to-move boxes.
Its unique, simple design blends the age-old classic aesthetics of Mid-Century Modern, like clean lines and tapered legs with modern manufacturing, materials, and features. "We were our original customers, and we wanted a quality couch that we could buy online, get delivered free, and build without an engineering degree," a Burrow spokesperson told Living Cozy.
Burrow Sectional Picks
The Range Sectional
The Range Collection is a modular seating system designed to change and adapt to meet your needs. It comes in a variety of sectional configurations and due to its modular design, you can add new pieces at any time.
Color and style: Beautiful color options and a modern design make this a great fit stylistically for many types of homes and a variety of rooms (solid versatility).
Customizable: The modular design means that you can easily move the couch to another room, where it might be better to have three cushions in a row rather than two plus an ottoman. You can even borrow just a corner from the sofa to use as a chair elsewhere.
Easy assembly and well-organized packaging and directions, and high accessibility for anyone who might have trouble otherwise lifting or building furniture without a second helper.
Supportive, sturdy, and durable, without any signs of initial staining or breakdown
Burrow's Block Nomad Sectional is handcrafted from sustainably sourced hardwood and scratch- and stain-resistant, non-toxic fabrics. The Nomad Sectional is also modular by design, with plenty of configuration options and opportunities to expand with extra seats, added tables, and more.
Its simple design blends the classic aesthetics of Mid-Century Modern, like clean lines and tapered legs with modern manufacturing, materials, and features. It also has some neat additions you can make to your sofa, like a USB adapter for charging devices and a sleep kit to convert your sofa into a sleeper sectional.
Timeless Style: The sofa can provide comfort and support for years to come. It's modern and casual but the look will still last forever!
Easy Assembly: The easy assembly of this sofa is one of the best perks about it.
Fabric and Color: An extra plus to the sofa is that it is stain resistant, especially for those with little ones running around or those who like to entertain and can’t resist a good get together with friends and family.
Brand: Furniture made for keeping. Price: From $1,540. Shipping: $149 flat rate for orders over $149.
Known for its modular furniture, Floyd designed its sectional sofa to provide customers with a larger, more customizable seating option. The Sectional can be rearranged into an infinite number of configurations to suit how you live.
Available in a wide range of configurations starting out from two-seaters all the way up to five-seaters and beyond, you can add new pieces to your sectional anytime with Floyd's range of corner, armless chair, end pieces, and chaises.
Floyd’s Sofa is a simple and functional sofa designed to work in almost any living space. It’s available in a two-seater loveseat, a three-seater, and a sectional-like three-seater with chaise.
"The Floyd Sofa is manufactured in the US and made from premium non-toxic materials including cold-rolled steel, top-grade birch plywood, max-comfort cushions, and stain-resistant fabric," Floyd Co-Founder and CEO Kyle Hoff told Living Cozy
“The Sectional fills a need for endless seating modularity for where you live now and where you’ll live next,” Hoff told Living Cozy. “The sturdy frame is constructed from engineered wood with solid joints to prevent creaky movement while the ultra-deep cushions are structurally layered in 3 densities (like a mattress) so you can sit and sink in with ample support - or lay flat.”
The Floyd Sectional's deep seats allow plenty of seating space, and its low profile and clean lines give it a Mid-Century feel. Each piece is upholstered in a textured, tightly-woven, stain-resistant fabric, and heavy-duty alligator clips underneath each piece keep your seats together but make it easy to rearrange when you need to.
“This is my favorite sectional young couples/families. The look is perfect for bringing in extra comfort and creating a chill and cozy spot at home to watch TV,” says Interior Designer, Karen Gutierrez at Mackenzie Collier Interiors.
Brand: Sustainably-made furniture handcrafted in LA for a healthy home. Price: Sectionals starting at around $4,000 Shipping: Free shipping and returns.
Founded in 2017, Medley offers furniture made of premium, eco-friendly materials that will make your home cozy for years to come.
“Our focus is really on things that benefit our customers instead of hollow marketing gimmicks,” Medley Home co-founder Travis Nagle told Living Cozy. “What Medley does well results in products that are going to last longer, be healthier for the home and planet, and be made specifically for their needs for look and comfort.”
Medley Home Sectional Pick
Blumen
The Blumen Sofa is designed for lounging with friends and family while entertaining or just having a quiet night at home. The modern-inspired sofa has a clean, sharp appearance with wide arms. It can be customized with storage and cushion filling as well as being available in a range of colors.
About: California-crafted, customizable furniture. Cost: From $1,949. Shipping: Shipping is free anywhere within the contiguous United States.
Inside Weather believes that shopping for furniture should be modern, personal, and accessible.
Its couches are manufactured in the United States and made from sustainably sourced materials. It has a wide selection of sofas in various styles and sizes at budget-friendly prices.
Inside Weather has a wide range of sectional styles to choose from, each with a vast number of customizable features, including:
Arm style
Upholstery
Configuration
Pillow and cushion shape
Pillow detail (buttonless or tufted accents)
Inside Weather pieces are reversible sectionals, too, so you can redesign your piece at any time by switching the chaise to either left-facing or right-facing, depending on the configuration that works for you at the moment.
Inside Weather Sectional Picks
Bondi Modular
The Bondi is one of the most customizable sofas on the market and it’s built for relaxing with oversized cushions offer a super deep (41”) lounge area.
The Bondi is constructed with a solid ash hardwood frame is FSC Certified and Inside Weather’s signature down alternative is 100% recycled. The Bondi also features 100+ fabric options including performance velvet, Mod Chenille, and pet-friendly options. And no need to worry about spillages as every cushion and pillow features easy-clean removable covers.
We shipped the Bondi sofa to New York City, so Cassandra Brooklyn could give it a thorough at-home test, read the review here.
What we liked:
The high level of customization means you can get exactly what you want
Cushions are removable to create a deeper area
Pillow and cushion covers can be quickly removed and easily cleaned
Free fabric swatches help you determine the perfect color and fabric style for you
The Aero is a truly customizable modern sofa from Inside Weather, designed with flexibility in mind. The Aero's low profile look makes it a modern classic and it truly offers a chance for you to create your own modular sofa with so many customization options including a range of figurations, frame finish, base style, arm and pillow style, and more.
Brand: Custom furniture handcrafted in the USA. Price: From around $5,000. Shipping: $99 delivery fee.
BenchMade Modern is a high-end furniture company that offers a wide choice of sectionals in many configurations to fit any floor plan.
The brand was founded by Edgar Blazona, who believes that luxury handcrafted furniture should be designed to fit into your life, not the other way around.
"We want to provide a great quality product at a good price that is custom fit to your room," Blazona told us. To ensure your BenchMade Modern sofa fits perfectly in your space, you can customize measurements in 5-inch increments, so you don't have to worry if it'll work where you want it. You can also choose the style, configuration, custom size, fabric, and leg color. With some styles, you can also select the seat depth.
BenchMade Modern Sectional Picks
The Skinny Fat
The Skinny Fat is one of BenchMade Modern’s most popular sofas and it was even chosen as the Wirecutter’s best online sofa. Its sleek mid-century design makes it extremely easy on the eye and it’s comfortable and meticulously constructed.
The OG Couch Potato features a relaxed feel and a mid-century modern design with current and sophisticated finishes. It also has deep seats that are perfect for lounging and relaxing.
Brand: Customizable and handmade in the USA sofas and sectionals. Price: Sectionals starting at $1,868 Shipping: Shipping is always free. Offer: Get 15% off at Apt2B by using code LiveCozyatApt2B at checkout (not combinable with other discounts).
Apt2B was founded to bring you more style for less money. The Los Angeles-based brand makes several stunning sectional sofas available in a range of bold and popular fabric options and sizing options for any space.
"Something we offer that's a bit unique to the furniture landscape is the reversible chaise sectional. It's such a great solution for anyone who needs some flexibility—think renters, anyone who lives in a smaller space—because you're not locked into a configuration," says Alex Back, Apt2'B's Co-Founder. "Pop the ottoman over to the left or right, depending on how your needs change."
No matter what type of sectional you're after — bright or neutral, family or apartment-sized, contemporary or boho — Apt2B will have something that's the right fit for your tastes, your budget, and your space.
With Apt2B, you can shop with no worries. Each of its sectionals comes with a lifetime warranty, 100-day returns, and free in-home threshold delivery (you can also send back any item with the delivery team if it doesn't fit and/or it simply wasn't what they were hoping for).
Apt2B Sectional Pick
Melrose
The Melrose (named after the 90s TV show Melrose Place) is a versatile, modular sectional with a low-profile design and wide track arms. It’s available in nearly 40 fabric choices and made in the U.S. with a lifetime guarantee on frame and craftsmanship.
We shipped the Melrose Sectional to one of our contributors to review. "This couch has exceeded my family’s expectations; we expected it to be comfortable but we have been pleasantly surprised by how sturdy it also manages to be while also being soft and cozy," writes Cassandra Brooklyn.
What we liked:
The high level of customization means you can get exactly what you want.
No tools or assembly required, just cut off the plastic and slide sections into place.
Free fabric swatches help you determine the perfect color and fabric style.
Sofas are typically shipped in 3-5 weeks.
Free shipping (or opt for White Glove Room of Choice + Assembly for $129)
Brand: Sustainable sofas that are cozy and convenient. Price: Starting from $1,395. Shipping: Free of charge to the continental United States. Shipping is also plastic-free.Orders usually arrive within 2 weeks of confirmation.
Sabai is on a mission to make beautifully designed, affordable furniture using sustainable materials and ethical manufacturing.
Everything Sabai produces is made-to-order from recycled, natural, and FSC-certified materials to reduce waste and avoid overproduction. And each piece of its sofas is replaceable, so if something breaks, it can be replaced instead of thrown away.
The Essential Sectional features a reversible chaise extension that can be set up on either side and wide arms that invite lounging and perching. It's available with various fabric options, including upcycled poly and velvet.
“The Essential Sectional is of course sustainably made - recycled, upcycled, and non-toxic materials, ethical and domestic manufacturing - but also has a very sleek and modern aesthetic that brings a sense of design to any space,” Sabai’s co-founder Phantila Phataraprasit told Living Cozy. “It’s easily assembled and disassembled while not looking like a flat-packed piece of furniture,” adds Phataraprasit.
Brand: Canada's first sofa-in-a-box brand. Price: Starting from c$1,690. Shipping: Free and quick shipping in all 10 Canadian provinces.
Cozey is a Canadian direct-to-consumer sofa brand founded to make sofa shopping as easy as binge-watching.
Cozey customers can add corner and lounging chaise modules to their collection of customizable sofa modules. This allows customers to personalize large sectional and L-shaped sofas.
Cozey Sectional Pick
The Cozey Sectional
The Cozey sectional will ship quickly to you, fit through any door or stairway, requires tool-free assembly, and can be expanded and adapted when you move or renovate. "Plus, it's marvelously comfortable and is perfect for afternoon naps with the entire family or late-night binge-watching," says Cozey founder Frédéric Aubé.
Brand: Custom sofas and furniture, made for you. Price: Starting from around $1,600. Shipping: $189 flat-fee delivery.
Interior Define is designed to bring you quality furniture with customization options, budget-friendly prices, and convenient online ordering. Every product allows you to make it uniquely yours to ensure it fits in your home with your existing style. And it’s easy to browse the customization options.
Interior Define Sectional Pick
Sloan Left Chaise Sleeper Sectional
The Sloan features crisp, clean lins and track arms that taper a little towards the back of the sofa. Its modern-influenced design can mould into almost any room with a variety of of interior design styles.
Want to make the most of your space? The Sloan Sleeper is an ideal option to create some additional space for friends and family to stay over.
Brand: Modern furniture, priced for real-life (part of Wayfair). Price: From $820. Shipping: Thousands of items arrive within just 2 days, and free delivery when you spend over $35.
Encompassing a variety of styles, from Scandinavian to farmhouse, AllModern knows that great home decor and furnishings shouldn't come at high prices. With a massive range of sofa styles and affordable options, AllModern is one of the most popular online retailers.
Allmodern has one of the widest selections of sectionals online, including chaises, modern and contemporary designed sofas, and sleeper sofas in a range of upholstery finishes.
The Jasper 119'' Velvet Stationary Sofa & Chaise Sectional is an L-shaped couch made with a solid wood frame with extra-deep seats (over 35 inches) perfect for an evening or weekend Netflix binge. Its removable cushions and covers make cleaning and maintenance super easy.
“Love this sofa. Fabric quality is even better than what I had hoped for. Sapphire Rust Velvet is beautiful in color and texture. Assembly was so easy—literally just attach the feet. Super satisfied,” writes verified buyer Mary from Montgomery, AL.
Brand: Heirloom-quality pieces that can be passed down for generations. Price: From $2,000. Shipping: From $199, standard shipping in 3-7 business days.
Founded in 1986 on environmentally conscious beliefs, Arhaus is committed to creating heirloom-quality pieces that can be passed down for generations. In a world prone to disposal, Arhaus is focused on making durable products that are great for customers and the environment.
Arhaus creates unique yet functional furniture from recycled natural resources — and it's committed to never using wood from endangered rain forests. Its cushion cores are also made with dense, eco-friendly foam made partly from sustainable, plant-based material. Its frames are handmade in North Carolina and constructed with sustainably sourced hardwoods.
Arhaus Sectional Pick
Beale Four Piece Sectional
This four-piece sectional features a chic, minimalist silhouette that will slide seamlessly into most living spaces. It's also impossibly comfortable, with luxe goose-down seat cushions complemented by reversible memory fiber-padded backrests.
“I can't wait to come home to the Beale modular sectional sofa from Arhaus. Not only do I love the versatility it offers, but also the custom size options are great for any room. When I lay on it, I feel like I am laying in a cloud. It is the perfect sofa for napping, watching a movie, or reading a book,” says Amanda Sacy, Design Manager at Juniper Holiday + Home.
About: Home of Sactionals, the most adaptable couch in the world. Cost: A 2-seat Sactional starts at $2,850. Shipping: 100% free shipping on all orders within the contiguous United States.
Sactionals can be customized to meet your exact needs and evolve as you need more seating space. Each seat and side connects through its tool-free interlocking system, and whenever you'd like to add to your sofa, you simply attach a new armless or corner section.
Sactionals are also built to withstand everyday life at home. Its seats, cushions, and sides all have removable, machine-washable slipcovers that keep your couch always looking like new.
Lovesac Sectional Pick
10 Seats + 13 Sides
This is the perfect sectional for gatherings with family and friends. But you don’t have to start with a 10-seater and can add seats and sides over time.
As your home decor changes, you move home, or you just fancy a new seasonal color, Lovesac has 250+ cover options that allow you to reinvent the look of your couch over and over again. The Lovesac's versatility also means you could easily use it as a sofa bed if friends and family are in town.
About: Designer furniture that's good for people and the planet Cost: Sectionals from around $1,300 Shipping: Flat rate shipping of $149 or $249, depending on location. Some items ship in 2-3 weeks, custom pieces in 8-10 weeks.
West Elm has a range of sectionals in all shapes and sizes — including recliner options.
At West Elm, 95% of its products are designed in-house, and the brand aims to help you create a space that reflects you and what you love. That means forward-thinking, problem-solving design that unites value, quality, and responsible manufacturing.
West Elm Sectional Pick
Enzo Sectional
One of the standout sectionals within the West Elm range is the versatile Enzo Sectional. The Enzo comes in a range of sizes from three-piece to five-piece and has many neat options features, including storage space in the chaise to hide away in living room clutter and option storage in the armrests. Its modular design means it can be arranged with the chaise on the left or right.
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Four Things to Consider When Choosing a Sectional Sofa
1. Living Space and Seating Needs
"The great thing about sectionals is they can truly be configured to work within nearly any kind of space limitation," says Thibault, a 5x best of Houzz award-winning designer.
And though sectionals can work almost anywhere, it's essential to consider your unique living room furniture needs to find that perfect new sofa.
If your sofa is just for you and your family to catch up on your favorite shows, then a smaller three-seater or chaise lounge could work wonderfully. But if you like to entertain and often have larger groups, you might want to think bigger and look at a U-shaped or longer L-shaped sectional (if space permits, of course).
You should also think about the extras you might like with your sofa—things like cup holders, chargers, USB ports can all make a difference to how much enjoyment you get out of your couch over time.
With this in mind, we focused on sectionals that offered a high level of customization.
2. Sectional Placement
Robinson, who is 1/2 of the dynamic duo in HGTV's newest series, Sister Fixers, advises: "Always measure your room before buying furniture to make sure you are considering scale and proportion." She also shared three questions to ask yourself whenever you place a sofa:
Is it obstructing a walkway?
Can I comfortably watch tv or hold conversations with this placement?
Does this piece add function to my space or clutter?
You can also use a sectional to "define" a space, as Burt explains: "One of my favorite design tricks is to define a space with a sectional. We place it floating in the room to create traffic pathways."
And if space is a premium in your home, you can also wisely use the space around your sofa. "Sectionals surprisingly can work perfectly in a small space," says Burt. "The L-shape creates the perfect nook for a coffee table, so side tables aren't necessary."
3. Upholstery and Materials
Do you want a leather sectional, or would you prefer performance fabric... or even velvet? The upholstery you choose can have a significant impact on how easy your new sofa is to maintain as well as how it fits in your living room. Always think carefully about the materials before you hit purchase.
"The best part about a sectional is, they will never go out of style when upholstered in neutral, stain-resistant fabric,' says Robinson.
If you have kids and/or pets, you might want to search for microfiber or something that's proven to be exceptionally stain-resistant.
Most sofa cushions are made from high-density foam, which is quite supportive. If you're craving super soft seats, it could be worth looking for memory foam seats, but these are harder to find and often more expensive.
4. Modular and Reversible Sectionals
Some sectionals are fixed in place. So if you buy a sofa with a right-sided chaise, it'll have to stay in that configuration. Whereas others, like the Burrow and Inside Weather examples above, are modular, reversible sectionals so you can alter your layout at any time.
A new sofa is a significant investment, so think carefully about your existing floor plans and any future plans you might have because the last thing you want is a sofa that doesn't work with your living space in 12 months.
A fixed position sectional will be perfect if you're reasonably settled and know what you want. But if you like to shuffle your rooms around a little or might even be moving house in a year or two, look for a sectional that offers a little more long-term flexibility.
Sectional Sofa FAQs
How Should You Measure a Sectional Sofa?
"As far as measuring, you'll need to know the width and length. Mark out with painter's tape on the floor your ideal sofa location to get a ballpark idea of your sectional measurements," says Burt. "Another issue you'll need to be aware of is the sectional fitting through doorways and elevators," she adds.
"When measuring the space, you'll need to add 24-30" for end tables and also travel space; that's where it gets tricky, says Anderson. "We always drop a sectional and components in a scaled floor plan to make sure we've allowed enough travel space in the furniture layout. Then, it's a fun puzzle to take available sizes of the modular pieces to fit available space."
Should You Place a Rug Under a Sectional?
"A rug elevates a sectional. It helps create a cozy, specific area. With a rug, bigger is better," says Burt. "If you can, have all the feet of the sectional on the area rug and include all feet of the other furniture (chairs, end tables, etc.). At the least, keep the front feet of furniture on the rug."
As sectionals take up a large amount of space, Anderson recommends that a "rug should be large enough to put the front legs plus a 1/3 of the depth of the front of the sectional on it at a minimum. Go larger if possible."
What Shape Coffee Table Goes with a Sectional?
"Since sectionals have such straight lines, balancing this with a circular coffee table works best. Plus, in a tight space, nobody will accidentally hit their knees on the edges of the coffee table. If you have space, a rectangular padded ottoman can be used," says Burt.
"The shape of a coffee table/ottoman will be dependent on the layout of the sectional, says Anderson, who recommends different style coffee tables depending on your sectional configuration.
Corner sectional: Round or square works. "However, if the inside corner is 90 degrees, a square works best," says Anderson.
L-shaped sectional: Should have a rectangle table or three ottoman cubes.
Sectional with a chaise: The type of table "depends on the open area if it's square or rectangle," says Anderson.
You should also focus as much on the scale as the shape of your table recommends Anderson. "The goal for a coffee table or ottoman should be 16" from the front edge of the sectional," she says. "The biggest mistake we see is coffee tables or ottomans that are too small. Everyone should be able to reach their drink or put their tootsies on the ottoman."
How Should You Arrange a Sectional in Your Living Room?
"Don't be afraid of floating the sectional in the center of the room,' says Burt. "The long lines are great at guiding traffic patterns, so think of how you'd like traffic to flow and arrange accordingly."
"There are only a few situations where it should be the only seating in a room," says Anderson. "If you are doing a sectional, it's a very large element. You'll need to keep the scale large on other chairs, end tables, lamps, rugs, etc. otherwise, you'll end up half the room looking miniaturized."
Anderson also shares a warning: "Double measure the room and your selections before ordering. Measure the doorways and tight transition hallways before ordering to prevent the dreaded 'it won't fit,'" she adds.
How Do Sectional Sofas Connect?
Sectionals tend to come as individual pieces or sections that are usually connected by hooks or clips that hold each piece together.
Ash is the founder of Living Cozy. He's been featured by publishers like MyDomaine, Realtor, Real Homes, Architectural Digest, The Spruce, Homes and Gardens, and more. As a writer his work has appeared in publications like FastCompany, TNW, and Entrepreneur.
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