5 Expert Tips on Arranging Two Sofas in the Living Room

Written by: Zoona Sikander, Interior Design Writer & Social Media Content Creator
Edited by: Emma Cyrus, Senior Copy, Content & Editorial Writer
Reviewed by: Rey Amini, Senior Interior Designer & Architect
Fact-checked by: Benjamin Ibanez, Development & FF&E Manager

Whether you've had a casual dinner party, a special celebration or a game night, you and your guests will frequently find yourselves unwinding in the living room. It therefore makes sense that you'd want to have plenty of seating for family and friends, as long chats and beautiful memories are built in this space. This means that sometimes, one sofa simply isn't enough.

How to Arrange Two Sofas in the Living Room?

So if you're planning to buy a new sofa or thinking of adding an extra one to your existing setting, our design team is here to guide you through the different options and show you how to choose the best sofa arrangement for your space: 

Focus on the Function

Choosing the best seating arrangement is the first step in designing a functional living room with two sofas. To do this, you must consider the size of your living room and what you are most likely to use it for. If you frequently relax in front of the tv, you might want to arrange your sofas differently than in a living room designed for hosting social gatherings.

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We discuss the three main types of living room layouts that our interior designers use, along with examples of the situations for which they're best suited.

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Two Sofas At Right Angles to Each Other / L-Shaped Arrangement

Arranging your two sofas at a right angle creates a cosy and relaxed feel. This layout puts the two couches close together, which contributes to intimate conversations and a welcoming environment. It's the best choice if you enjoy spending your nights curled up in front of the fireplace or the TV with your family or a few friends. 

This arrangement works really well with two identical modular or sectional sofas. There’s a misconception that modular sofas are only suitable for larger living rooms, but we tend to disagree. By choosing the right sofa size, our designers have made this layout work very well in smaller living rooms.

Examples from our projects: Our senior designer, Benjamin Ibanez, worked with interiors expert and our frequent collaborator, Rina Vastu, on this award-winning project where the client wanted something bold and unique for their living room, especially in terms of colour combinations. Ben and Rina chose these eye-catching green leather sofas, set at a 90-degree angle to each other and added an abstract rug underneath them for visual effect. 

How to arrange the coffee table: For this project, the designers chose to go for a low-profile coffee table which was set up at an equal distance from both the sofas. This creates a sense of balance and fosters easy conversation. 

While the project above features the two sofas at right angles with a little distance between them, you can also set them right next to each other, as Benjamin did in the minimalistic living room shown below. Such arrangements are particularly helpful if you enjoy watching tv. The congruent sofas mean each person can lie back with a clear view of the tv on the centre wall. 

How to arrange the coffee table: The main purpose of this living was to relax in front of the tv, so it made sense then Ben chose to use an ottoman instead of a coffee table for this setting. Ottomans are usually covered in fabric and are softer than angular coffee tables, so they create a more informal look. They are also often used as a footrest, making them perfect for lazy nights in front of a movie with a bowl of popcorn.  

Two Sofas Facing Each Other

This is the best arrangement if you want to host a more formal gathering where people are naturally divided into groups through by distance of their seats. For outdoor areas, two sofas placed opposite each other are great for establishing a "conversation pit" as the sofas clearly demarcate an area for sitting down and chatting. 

If you have a large, open-plan room that is either square or rectangular in shape, it can benefit greatly from this layout. By having your sofas face each other, they contribute to a highly symmetrical and natural division of the extensive floor space. 

In smaller living rooms, you can simply bring the sofas closer to one another to save space, as long as you choose low-profile sofas that are fairly narrow and short. But ideally, both sofas should have an adequate amount of space and a coffee table in between them. 

Example from our projects: While sun loungers and daybeds are the best way to enjoy lazy sunbathing outdoors, an outdoor sitting area is mostly used to spend time and chat with friends and family. Ben again worked in partnership with Rina to create this inviting outdoor living area for our Coulins project.

The two large L-shaped sofas were set to face each other with two coffee tables in between them, creating a closed-off square for seating and conversation. Patterned cushions and throws were added to make this poolside setup look cosy and break up the grey colour scheme. Modular sofas work especially well here as you can arrange the units in the formation that best suits your space. 

How to arrange the coffee table: For larger rooms and open outdoor spaces like this one, it makes sense to use multiple coffee tables. The number and size of coffee tables should be in sync with the size of your sofas. For this setting, we went with two coffee tables arranged at a slight angle from each other. 

 

Another project that features a good example of seating on opposite sides is our Redington Road living room. This room was relatively small in size so instead of two full-size sofas, we furnished it with a sofa and an armchair on opposing ends and added matching cushions to tie the look together. 

How to arrange the coffee table: In the case of smaller spaces, we recommend placing the coffee table at an equal distance from both sofas (or seats). As the table in this room was chosen to be a focal point, it made sense to place it in the centre of the room and arrange the furniture around it. 

 

Diagonally or at a Distance from Each Other

For a casual living room arrangement, sofas placed at an angle or a significant distance from one another create a very interesting atmosphere, especially if the two sofas are different in style or unique shapes. 

The angle that you would choose depends on the size of the room. For bigger rooms, it is best to go for a wider angle. Setting the sofas apart also creates individual pockets within a room. So if you have a large room with two sofas on opposite ends, it will feel almost as if you have divided the room in two and the two spaces can be used for different functions. 

Example from our projects: 

Our senior interior designer, Cristina Chirila, worked on a private home that had a small living room with a relatively sizable sliding door. This made the sofa arrangement challenging as many layouts would end up with one sofa blocking the door.

After much consideration, Cristina decided to go for two smaller sofas that were set up quite a distance from each other next to the walls to ensure that the flow of movement into and within the room  was not disturbed.

If there's one thing we can learn from this living room design, it's that you don't have to stick to the so-called rules when it comes to sofa arrangements. You should feel free to adjust your sofas according to the size and design of your living room or simply what feels like the best option for you. 

For an example of two sofas placed at angles to one another, take a look at this layout below from our Knightsbridge project, a private home in the London suburb which again featured a smaller living room area that opened up onto the dining space. 

Ben chose curved sofas as natural and organic shapes really complement open floor plans and work well in smaller spaces due to their space-saving design. The sofas were set up at a wide angle to each other with a rug under them to mark out the living area and separate it from the dining area. 

How to arrange the coffee table: It's not  a hard and fast rule that you can only use multiple coffee tables in big rooms. Two coffee tables can work equally well in smaller spaces provided you choose the right ones. Ben chose multiple, circular coffee and side tables to make the setting feel organic and natural. 

 

 

Some final tips on setting up two sofas in the living room:

• Make sure that you measure the space to find the right sofa size and then arrange them accordingly.
• It helps to choose a focal point for the room and then arrange the sofa and other furniture or accessories around it. The focal point can be a sofa, a coffee table or even a rug.
• There should be a free flow of movement around your sofas so there is no hindrance for people walking in the room.
• If you can’t decide on an angle, it might help to tilt the sofa towards a window or television for a natural-looking setup.
• When using two different sofas, create a sense of cohesion between them, for example, by using the same colour of throws or cushions or placing a rug under them.
• In addition to the two sofas, you should try adding two accent chairs for extra seating and to create a symmetrical, visually balanced layout. 

How to arrange the coffee table with two sofas? 

As we discussed in the examples above, there are many different ways to set up the sofa with two tables, depending on how many tables you choose and what the size of the room and your sofas is. Here's a breakdown of the most popular ways of arranging coffee tables with two sofas:

• Between two right-angled sofas and at an equal distance from both of them 
• Use an ottoman instead of a traditional coffee table to create a cosy environment
• When two sofas are facing each other, you can set up one coffee table in the middle and at equal distances from both of them. 
• If the room is big or has an odd shape, adding multiple coffee tables creates a visual balance. 
• If you have a bold, statement-making coffee table, then place it in the centre of the room as a focal point. 

Summing Up

The most common ways to set up two sofas in a living room include: at right angles to one another, facing each other and placed diagonally or at a distance from one another. Many factors need to be considered when finalising these arrangements, such as the purpose of the living room, the size of the room, the focal point and the type of sofas you’re using.

When functionally arranged, using two sofas doesn’t just give you ample sitting space but also helps in creating a timeless look. If you need help with choosing the right sofas or deciding on a layout for your living room, simply book an appointment and our expert interior designers will get in touch with you. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What are the benefits of having two sofas in the living room?

• If you have a small room or an irregularly sized room, having two couches will make your room look much larger and spacious.
• When you have two sofas, you have more freedom to switch things up when you get bored of the current arrangement.
• Many people prefer to have two smaller sofas instead of a single big one because talking to guests is easier and more comfortable when they're facing you from the other sofa. It's also more convenient if you have multiple guests over, as everyone is not forced to sit on a single sofa.
• With two sofas, it is easier to arrange the rest of your furniture and accessories - such as a coffee table, chairs and rug. This allows you to create a cosy and complete look for your living room. 

Q. Can I have two different sofas in the living room?

There are no rules on this and it is mostly a matter of personal preference and the type of living room you want to create. 

Your home will feel more serene with two matching sofas, especially if they have a neutral colour. These sofas will produce a sense of harmony and symmetry, and your home will feel cohesive if you add other pieces of furniture with a similar design. A formal living room is the greatest place for identical sofas.

On the other hand, a lively and fun living room can be created with two mismatched sofas, but make sure that they are not absolutely dissimilar from one another. Even though you have the option to mix designs, colours, and sofa types, the sofas should still complement one another. This can be achieved in many ways, such as by opting for the same style, the same colour scheme or even by choosing a similar fabric. 

Q. What should be the distance between two sofas?

Generally speaking, there should be enough distance for you and your guests to move freely around the room. In most cases, this means that if they’re facing each other, the sofas are 3.5 to 4.5 feet away from each other but this distance can vary based on the size of the room, the size of the coffee table between the sofas and the overall layout of the room.

Q. How to arrange two full-size sofas in the living room?

The best approach to arranging full-size sofas is to place them at right angles to each other, especially if you plan on watching the television. But if your room is big enough and you're more focused on creating a conversation pit than watching the TV, you can place them facing each other with a coffee table in between..