The sofa is a central piece of furniture in any living room, but it can be a tricky one to get right, especially in smaller spaces. Many people make the mistake of pushing their sofa up against the wall, treating it as a static fixture. However, this can make a living area feel disconnected and smaller than it actually is. Instead, Lucy Sutherland of Temple & Webster suggests floating the sofa away from a wall, even just slightly, to create a zone and make the space feel more considered. This is particularly useful in open-plan living areas, where it can separate the lounge from the dining area without the need for a renovation.
Sutherland also emphasizes the importance of scaling the sofa to suit the room. A sofa that's too large can overwhelm a space, while one that's too small can make it feel unfinished. She recommends considering the height of the sofa as well, as a lower-profile sofa can create better flow and doesn't create a visual block in the room. Another common mistake is matching everything too perfectly, which can make a space feel flat and overly staged. Instead, Sutherland suggests mixing textures and tones, pairing the sofa with different statement chairs, cushions, or materials to create a more layered and lived-in look.
Lighting is another often-overlooked aspect of sofa placement. Living rooms frequently rely on overhead lighting, which can make the space feel cold and impractical. Adding a floor lamp or side table lamp can create layers of warmth and make the space feel more inviting. Sutherland believes that repositioning the sofa, introducing a larger rug, adding a floor lamp, or layering in different textures can completely change how a space functions and feels, emphasizing the importance of creating intention rather than just filling a room.
