16 Sofas That Look “Just Right” in Small Spaces
Living in New York City apartments for more than a decade before moving into my first house taught me a thing or two about squeezing a couch into a small space — as well as coaxing it through narrow hallways and tight corners to get it there. (Who doesn’t remember the pivot scene from Friends?).
Thankfully, furniture companies are actually designing on a smaller scale these days, which makes it easier to find more compact couches. If you’re looking for the best couches for small spaces, and how to buy said couches, I’ve got just the thing.
The 3 Best Couches for Small Spaces
- Best overall: Wade Logan Brighton Velvet Square Arm Tufted Loveseat
- Best budget: Ebern Designs Michala Upholstered Loveseat
- Best splurge: Sundays Movie Night 3-Piece Modular Sectional
What Makes a Good Small-Space Sofa?
Try to allow for at least three feet of space around the sofa to account for traffic, and carefully consider where you intend to place it. “With floating sofas, curvature is frequently a bonus and can create a pleasing visual,” say interior designers Amanda Norcross and Scott Paterek of Norcross and Scott. “Half-circle sofas or sectionals with curved corners are often optimal for traffic flow.”
While small spaces might not lend themselves to massive modular pieces, that doesn’t mean you can’t opt for a sectional. “Often a sectional helps a smaller room,” Norcross and Paternek say. “A sectional following the perimeter of the room, with one interesting chair, takes up very little floor space.”
Don’t forget to measure your space to make sure your new sofa will fit. Make sure that either the depth or the width of the sofa is narrower than the width of your doorway, and leave enough wiggle room to account for packaging. “Measure not only where the couch will end up, but also the spaces it’ll go through to get there,” says Chairish Co-Founder and President, Anna Brockway.
The Best Couches for Small Spaces
From mid-century modern sofas to bohemian seats with all the flair you could ask for, the small-space-friendly sofas below are perfect for your teeny-tiny place.
All of the sofas are under 75 inches wide and under 40 inches deep (give or take an inch!) for major coziness without completely taking over a living room. But as with any type of furniture, be sure to measure your space (as well as any doorways and hallways) at least twice before adding it to your cart to make sure your dream sofa will fit.
