When it comes to sofas, sectionals, sofa beds, and loveseats there are standards to what’s going to fit in your home, and what’s going to be slightly too big for your space/elevator/staircase.
If you are living in our Beautiful British Columbia, you’ll probably notice that most of our condos and apartments are very very tiny. This means that your one bed typically starts at 450sqft -500sqft. I call it a shoebox because most of the time, the layouts are very rectangular meaning no wasted space on long hallways or awkward angles.
Developers can build this way very efficiently, capitalize on the max sqft possible, and make the most of the property value and space for their buyers.
When it comes to very small apartments, you typically want to get a sectional or sofa that’s 86” or under. This allows you to still have a living room that will feel spacious when you place your sofa in it. Then you can match your other furniture proportionally around it.
...86” is also a good size that will fit most apartment elevators and around corners and into doorways. Anything above this, I usually take a precaution to measure - just in case.
When it comes to a sectional, most of the time they are in two pieces and no matter if you get a 130” sectional or a 86” sectional, it will still come in pieces that will guarantee fit your elevator with no problems!
What are the pros and cons of a sofa vs a sectional? Which one should I get?
Well, typically, a sofa will seat 3 people max. Most of the time, you will find 2 people can sit on it comfortably to converse. The same goes with a 86” sectional. No matter if you get a 86”, 90”, 103” or any sofa, most of the time, you’re only going to be able to seat 3. It’s only the comfort level and spacing between you and the other person that’s varying.
When you get a sectional, you would need to specify which way the chaise is going. Most of the time, we’d like to put the chaise where the window or end side. This is because the chaise might divide or close off the room if it’s put on the dining/kitchen side.
The sectionals are much more functional, where you can put your feet up, lean back, and watch your favourite shows in. However, if you’re planning to take it to your next dwelling, you might have this problem of which size the chaise is facing.
What depth is the best?
Currently, our sofas are getting deeper and deeper. For my grandma's house, that sofa will be the standard 36” and extremely firm. At my house, I would rather opt for a 39” to 42” deep sectional so that this way I can fully relax and put my feet up if I want to. A very deep sofa is considered to be at 45,” and that is typically suited for bigger houses and townhomes. It’s that super comfy cloud sofa and is usually upholstered in feathers.
