Sofa vs Couch: Is There a Difference?
So today, we’re going to explore the ins and outs of sectionals and sofas to ensure you have all the information you need to make the right choice for your room — whether you have a big, expansive living room, a small space — or something in between.
What is a sofa?
You don’t need an interior design pro to tell you exactly what a sofa is. But it’ll help you to make the right decision if we can lay it all out and set the definitions.
A sofa is a single piece of furniture. It has an upholstered seat with arms and a back, providing a comfortable seat for more than one person. Sofas often offer space for two or three people to sit down comfortably.
What is a Sectional?
A sectional is a type of sofa made up of multiple pieces that, when combined, create one piece of furniture. Some have the option of coming with a chaise element to elongate one side, and others include a corner unit and components that create an L-shape or U-shape piece of furniture. Sectionals often allow three or more people to sit or lounge comfortably.
There are various types of sectional sofas, including:
- L-Shaped: As the name would suggest, an L-shaped sectional is configured in the shape of an L with a chaise or additional seating on the left or right of the sofa.
- U-Shaped: A U-shaped sectional features a chaise or additional seating along both sides of the sofa.
- Chaise: A chaise sectional is a regular sofa with a chaise on one side (much like an L-shaped sectional)
- Modular: Modular sectionals are incredibly versatile sofas that can be used in multiple configurations. Modular sectionals tend to offer a variety of pieces that you can arrange in your own way (for example, armless seats for the middle, corner sections, and chaises).
- Sleeper sectional: A sofa bed with a chaise on either side.
When it makes sense to choose a sectional
A sectional sofa makes the most sense when additional seating space is needed for a young family where more than two people need to sit regularly. Or, you can use a sectional to take up visual space in a room where two sofas would look too small or need to fill the room more. Sectionals are also terrific when the traffic flow to a room needs to be strictly defined, and the sectional provides that definition.
What are the key differences between sofas and sectionals?
The critical difference between a sofa and a sectional is that a sofa is a single piece of furniture. Whereas a sectional often has multiple pieces so the homeowner can create a layout that works for them and their space.
People often don’t realize that sofas that include a chaise or attached ottoman are considered sectionals. Most furniture manufacturers define a sectional as having more than one unit that creates a piece of furniture.
