Corner Sofa
Buying Guide
Stylish, modern, comfortable and an incredible way to save on floor space –
corner sofas really do have it all. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, so even if you think your living room is too small to accommodate one, you’re almost certain to find a sofa which will fit.
In this handy guide to buying corner sofas, we’ll run through a few of your options and take a look at some of the perks that come with choosing a corner sofa.
Why Choose a Corner Sofa?
Corner sofas are perfect for large families or people who love to entertain. They allow everyone to sit together without being squashed up on a regular two-seater or three-seater sofa. There’s just something more sociable about corner sofas, where people can sit at an angle to one another and see each other face-to-face, rather than sitting side by side, which can sometimes feel a little formal.
As a piece of furniture, a corner sofa can become the focal point of a room and really help define the space. Corner sofas can make a big impact, a stand-out statement piece which helps you stamp your personality on your living room. If you choose a bespoke corner sofa, you get to decide on the fabric, colour, pattern and shape, meaning you get a sofa which truly reflects your tastes and meets your needs.
Is a Corner Sofa Right for You?
Corner sofas are brilliant if you enjoy entertaining and want to create a space where groups of people can chill out and relax together. If you have a larger family or friends who you like to invite around, corner sofas offer greater flexibility in terms of seating, and can be more comfortable than trying to squeeze multiple people onto a two- or three-seater.
People sometimes worry corner sofas might be too large for their homes and take up too much space, but many of them are quite compact and can in fact take up less space than two separate sofas would. Whether you have a large open plan space or a cosy living room in a terraced house, there will be a corner sofa to suit.
Where to Position Your Corner Sofa
The obvious answer would be ‘in a corner’, but corner sofas can be incredibly versatile. If you do choose to place your corner sofa in a corner, they can save an incredible amount of floor space. They also look fantastic around a coffee table. In larger living rooms or mixed-use rooms, corner sofas can be used to help break the space up and delineate between different areas.
For example, if you have a big open plan kitchen-dining-living room, then the corner sofa could act as a room divide, separating the area where you watch TV and relax from the dining area or the space where you prepare meals. In smaller rooms, it makes sense to put your corner sofa in the corner, leaving more floor space. This is particularly true if your front door opens directly into the living room and it is used as a thoroughfare from there to the rest of the house.
It's best not to position any sofas directly by a window, as sunlight can bleach the fabric and lead to discolouration over time. If you can, also avoid putting your sofa in front of a radiator. This can block the heat and absorb it before it has a chance to warm the room, although it won’t do your sofa any harm if it’s unavoidable.
What Are the Different Corner Sofa Shapes?
When you think of a corner sofa, you probably think of the traditional L-shaped unit, but this is just one of three main shapes you can choose from. All have their perks, but the style you pick will probably depend on the size and shape of your room and your entertaining preferences.
L-shaped sofas
Probably the most popular and ‘traditional’ shape of corner sofa, the L-shaped unit is designed to fit snugly in a corner with two sides up against the connecting walls. This is a great space saver and allows smaller groups to sit perpendicular to one another so they can chat almost face-to-face. This sort of shape is incredibly versatile and suited to smaller as well as larger living rooms.
C-shaped sofas
Another popular choice is the C-shaped sofa, which takes the shape of a horseshoe. This can look fantastic with a coffee table at the centre, creating a great little entertaining space where people can spread out and sit side by side or facing one another. C-shaped sofas occupy a little more floor space, however, so they’re better suited to large, open-plan rooms.
U-shaped sofas
U-shaped or curved sofas can look visually stunning, and provide you with a little more space than a standard L-shaped corner sofa. While L-shaped sofas usually have an armless chaise at one end, the U-shaped sofa is normally finished with arms at both ends. This means a little more support for the people sitting at either end.
How to Measure for a Corner Sofa
Corner sofas are available in a range of different sizes, so you should easily be able to find one that will fit your living room, large or small. To start with, think about whether your corner sofa will be a left or right fit. Measure the height, width and depth of your current sofa before deciding whether you want your new sofa to be any bigger in terms of dimensions.
It can help to visualise the floor space your new corner sofa might take up, so you could try mocking up the shape of it by putting either newspaper or masking tape down on the floor. This will help you get a greater overview of how your sofa might fit with the other furniture you have.
The next step would be to ask your sofa retailer whether the unit you have chosen splits, and what the dimensions of the individual pieces are. You need to be sure they will fit through any walkways or door frames before it arrives.
