Designing a Living Room With Two Sofas: Layout Ideas

We all know and love the classic single-sofa-facing-the-fireplace setup. It’s iconic for a dang good reason. Sometimes, though, we need something a tad more … extra. Whether it’s filling out a large space or accommodating a ton of guests, one sofa might not be enough. That brings us to the two-sofa layout, which can shine in both small and big rooms. Read on for inspiration how to design your living room with two sofas.

Maximize the Large Living Room Layout

If you have an exceptionally large living room, you may be wondering where to start when filling the space. As with most interior design situations, as soon as you choose the focal point, the furniture arrangement will naturally begin to fall into place.

L- Shaped Movie Night Arrangement

For instance, if your living room is all about movie night, you’ll want at least one of those sofas facing your television and the other set at a right angle for extra seating that is still in view of the TV. Since there’s so much space, you can place a coffee table in front of one sofa and add end tables to either side of the other for holding drinks and snacks.

For an optimal viewing experience, it’s time to do a little math. Measure the size of the TV screen. Double that number, and that’s how far your sofa should be from the TV. For instance, if the TV is 60 inches, the sofa will be 120 inches (10 feet) from the screen.

U-Shaped Arrangement by the Fire

If a quiet evening by the fire is more your style, place the L-shaped arrangement in front of the mantle. Another option is the more formal arrangement of sofas facing one another with the fireplace at the end for enjoying the hearth while still having an animated conversation.

For extra-large living room spaces, indulge in extra deep, rich leather sofas. Perhaps add two ikat accent chairs at the end of the arrangement, facing the fireplace.

Float Sofas in a Large Room

If you have enough room to float your sofas away from the walls, take advantage of it. Furniture pushed against the wall can actually make a space feel smaller. Whether you want sofas facing each other, in an L-shape, or at different angles, getting them away from the wall and anchored by an area rug allows the room to breathe.

Make It Matchy-Matchy With Sofas

When you have space to experiment with seating arrangements, it’s your chance to use that excellent pair of matching mid-century sofas you’ve been eyeing. Place them opposite one another with a low-profile coffee table between them (keep the coffee table about 16 inches from the couch). A uniform design is the perfect blank canvas for playing up something irregular and unique in your space, like colorful modern artwork or oversized, sculptural pendant light.

Or you can break up the “sameness” of the pieces and bring in new textures and colors with bright woven throw pillows and a bold geometric patterned rug to anchor the space. If possible, choose pieces that differ slightly: maybe one with a built-in rosewood end table.

Or Try To Mix and Match Sofas

One way to make your living room look (even more) interesting is with two couches that purposely don’t match. Mix different colors, styles, and even different eras of design as long as they sit at the same height and depth, and tie into your living room decor.

Try pairing a low roll-arm antique with a sloped-arm contemporary sofa. Cover them in similar linen fabrics or coordinating colors; they will almost look like they came as a pair.

Max It Out With Two Seating Areas

A clever living room furniture arrangement can flesh out a cavernous space. Each seating area can have its own grand area rug to ground it. You can go with symmetry again, arranging each set of furniture as a mirror image, like two sofas back to back in the center of the room, each with a long console running behind it.

This arrangement is an excellent opportunity for mix-and-match seating to keep all of the symmetry from feeling stale. One seating area can have a sofa and loveseat, the other a sofa and two armchairs. Add the coffee tables, end table, and a couple of potted plants in the corners, focusing on scale.

Choose Modular Sofas for Flexible Living

If you worry that two sofas won’t be flexible enough for your lifestyle, try a long sofa that can be reconfigured to be an L-shaped sectional. Keep end tables light and use round nesting coffee tables that can roll with a new furniture arrangement on a whim.

Separate the Living Room

An open-concept living space can be unified by consistent home decor throughout both living areas. However, if you want to create a separation between your living room and dining room, float one of your sofas between the two.

If your open floor plan is generous enough, your sofas may face one another. Use Spoak’s layout tool to find the best furniture arrangement for your home. No more having to move couches multiple times or, even worse, falling in love with (and purchasing) a pricey sofa that you ultimately can’t use.

Two Couches in a Small Living Room?

Luckily, living room furniture sized for a small living room can give you all the conversational seating of a substantial room but to scale.

Learn To Love the Loveseat

In a small room, place the sofas in an L-shaped, with one against a wall. Then, float a small sofa or loveseat opposite the center of the room. The loveseat’s smaller dimensions will allow traffic to flow around it while still seating more than one person. Allow for three feet of breathing room around the furniture pieces.

The Wide Angle Arrangement

With a tiny two-seater sofa, you may even be able to set it at an angle to allow your room design to flow even better in a narrow living room or to offset a very linear room. The reality is that a four-seater sofa usually just seats three people. A modest sofa design, and possibly even a loveseat, can do the same in a pinch.

Fake It With a Sectional

When a sofa and loveseat are not possible, a large sofa with a chaise lounge at the end can serve as a sectional when friends are over for drinks. Use a small round ottoman or a drum accent table as a coffee table that allows guests to easily maneuver into their seats and put their feet up.

Accent Chairs in Lieu of a Sofa

In a tight space, two accent chairs are much more flexible than one arm of a sectional. Guests can walk between the chairs, rearrange them to better suit conversations, or move them out of the way if needed. When you want to change things up, you can easily move these to another area of your home, too.

Ready To Splurge on Two Sofas?

You can have a stunning living room complete with two sofas, even if you don’t have a huge space. Once you’ve chosen your focal point and evaluated your space, everything sort of falls into place.

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^Sources:

^{How to Perfect Your Living Room Furniture Layout | US News & World Report}

^{How Designers Choose Between A Sofa And A Sectional | CBS San Francisco}

^{Where to Place Your Sofa for Ideal Functionality | The Spruce}

^{List of art and design movements of the 20th century | Britannica}

^{How to Arrange Couches | SF Gate}