A sofa is usually the biggest piece of furniture in a living room, and the one people most often get wrong. Too big and the room feels cramped and hard to walk through. Too small and it looks lost, with not enough seats for movie night. Here is a simple way to get the size right before you buy.
1. Measure the room, not just the wall
Start with the wall the sofa will sit against, then measure the depth of the room. As a rule of thumb, a sofa looks balanced when it takes up around two-thirds of the wall it sits on. Leave room at each end for a side table or lamp, and keep walkways at least 75 to 90cm wide so people can move around comfortably.
Mark the sofa’s footprint on the floor with painter’s tape or flattened boxes. Live with it for a day. If you keep stepping around it, it is too big.
2. Count the seats you actually need
Think about how your household uses the room day to day, not just at Christmas.
- 2 seater: apartments, studies and second living areas.
- 3 seater: the most popular choice for couples and small families.
- Corner or L-shaped sofa: more seats in the same footprint, great for families and open-plan rooms. Browse our fabric sofas and leather sofas for corner options.
- Modular sofa: flexible pieces you can rearrange if you move house.
- Recliners and sofa beds: ideal if you want to put your feet up or host overnight guests.
3. Check seat depth and height
Seat depth makes a big difference to comfort. Shallower seats suit people who like to sit upright; deeper seats suit those who love to curl up or lie down. Taller people generally prefer a deeper seat and a higher back. If you can, sit on the sofa before you buy. That is one of the best reasons to visit a showroom.
4. Measure the way in
This is the step most people skip. Measure every doorway, hallway, staircase and lift the sofa must travel through, and compare it with the sofa’s height and depth, not just its width. Sofas are usually carried on their side or on end, so the diagonal depth matters too. Our guide on how to measure for furniture delivery walks you through it.
5. Think about the rest of the room
A coffee table should sit about 40 to 45cm in front of the sofa, and a rug should be large enough for at least the front legs of the sofa to sit on it. If you are planning a corner sofa, decide which side the chaise or corner should be on before you buy. See LHF vs RHF corner sofas explained.
Quick checklist
- Sofa width is roughly two-thirds of the wall.
- Walkways of 75 to 90cm are kept clear.
- Seat depth suits the people using it.
- Doorways, halls and stairs have been measured.
- The chaise side (LHF or RHF) has been confirmed.
Every product on our site lists its measurements in the product photos, so you can check the fit before you order.
Shop clearance furniture in Melbourne
Mentone Furniture Clearance Centre sells brand-new excess stock and discontinued lines from high-end brands at up to 80% off RRP. Visit our Cheltenham showroom (Opposite Moorabbin DFO on Grange Road), open 7 days: Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 11am to 5pm. Prefer to shop online? We deliver from $40 Australia-wide, and you can pay with Afterpay or Zip. Questions? Call us on 03 8522 2115.
