Long, memorable conversations happen in the living room, so you want this space to be as open, inviting, and warm as possible. You want to have enough seating for everyone, whether it’s for a night in with the family or when guests come over. There are simply times when you need two couches in the living room. One will just not suffice.
So, the question becomes whether to add chairs or if another sofa is required. When entertaining, most people opt to bring more chairs into the living room. However, this can make the room seem overcrowded and not intimate. People are moving around just to have a conversation, and it can seem cumbersome stepping around people.
Investing in another sofa can be the perfect solution. It allows people to talk and takes up less space than adding chairs to the room. Furthermore, if you have a family, you may appreciate the extra seating as people can sprawl out and enjoy the extra leg room.
Now that you decided that incorporating another sofa is the best idea for your dream living room, the next consideration is how to incorporate it into the space. You don’t want the room to appear overcrowded or stuffed. You want people to be able to move around freely. So, where do you put this new sofa to ensure it’s functional and still looks great in the room?
It’s About Proper Arrangement
Your first step in generating a functional yet stylish living area with two sofas is finding the perfect arrangement that works with the room. To do this, you need to assess your living room’s size and what you use it for. If you love having movie nights, consider arranging the couches differently than if you use the room for more formal use, like entertaining.
Sofas at Wide Angles
Best Used For: Open concept, large living rooms, or rooms with irregular shapes
If your living room has a great deal of space, you can go with a wide-angled approach for a furniture layout. For this living room layout idea, separate the couches, keeping them relatively far apart, using varying angles. Then, adjust them according to the room until they look visually appealing.
This furniture layout generates an open space conducive to entertaining or casual lounging. Due to the openness of this type of arrangement, this works especially well if you want to add extra furnishings into the space. You can place a stylish accent chair or two to fill the space and maximize your seating.
Highlights of Arrangement:
- Generates wide open, comfortable spaces for entertaining
- Fills up a large family room
- Allows you to add other furniture to the space
- Creates an intimate living room layout
Not Suited For:
- Rectangular rooms if the couches are the same size
Two Sofas that Face Each Other
Best Used For: Frequent entertaining/socializing, open floor plans, and square/rectangular rooms
This furniture arrangement generates a more intimate environment by having both sofas face each other. It is ideal for frequent entertaining or if you use your living space for conversation or socializing. While having your sofas face each other may create greater intimacy in a room, it is better suited for conversations. It is best for a small space and may not be the most ideal arrangement for a family room.
In a square or rectangular room, the couches divide space naturally and symmetrically. It also works for narrow rooms since the sofas can squeeze closer together to save on space.
Two sofas mirroring each other encourages conversation more than other designs.
Highlights of Arrangement:
- Designed for formal conversations or entertaining guests
- Creates symmetrical design
- Perfect for intimate evenings
Not Suited For:
- Family rooms as people may crane their necks to watch television
- Casual spaces
Sofas Placed at Right Angles
Best Used For: Spacious, casual living rooms
While this image appears like the sofas are at angles, you should note that the sofas are closer to each other, almost mimicking a sectional couch. This setup is well done, with a table in the middle which allows guests to have something to place drinks or food on.
This furniture arrangement is a cozier design and generates an inviting and homey appearance. It allows you to spend nights cuddled on the sofa or loveseat, enjoying the television set or a blazing fire. This style also allows for intimate conversations.
An L-shaped style will require you to have more space and will cramp the room if there isn’t enough square footage to move.
Highlights of Arrangement:
- Great for media rooms or lounging
- Generates a more intimate environment
- Allows for people to easily view television for entertaining
- Family space
Not Suited For:
- Smaller rooms as they will not allow for freer movement.
- Formal living spaces
If you have a small living room, you may still be able to place sofas within it. Instead of a full-sized couch, opt for either two loveseats or one loveseat and a full couch. This will all be dependent on the shape and design of the room.
Be Mindful of Sofa Design
Once you have thought about the arrangement that best suits your living room, you will need to find which couch designs you like most. Which is better for you: two identical sofas or different ones? You can go a more complex route by using two different sofas, but you must be mindful of fabric and color for your home decor. A few tips to help you in your selection include:
- Fabric Choices. For different couches, it is best to mix fabrics instead of matching them to provide contrast to the space and give a unique look.
- Color Combinations. The second most important factor is the color combination. You can be a little bit more playful by incorporating different colors in a space, allowing you to tie a room all together.
You can place two couches in a living room in several ways. First, you must place them according to space, then worry about function. What is the purpose of this living space? After that, it boils down to fabric and color to fully complete the look.
