By Smarty Guest Blogger, Lauren Riddiough Clement, Owner/Decorator
Lauren Nicole Designs and Lila HOME
Ah such a popular question asked and pondered by many homeowners, myself included. My stance on this subject has recently been confirmed as we just placed a sectional in our own family room. And I love it! I will tell you why I am in love as I debate both sides of this question.
The first aspect to consider is the room lay out and whether or not a sectional sofa would even fit in your room. If the answer is yes, then here we go. Often times my clients want to know how to maximize their seating in a family room setting so that all family members are comfortable on a daily basis and that there is enough space to accommodate friends and family when they come over. A sectional is a great option to provide lots of seating. This type of sofa also offers great ‘snuggle-ability’ for families.
That being said, you could take the opposite approach and say that a sectional does not provide enough separation. So that when you entertain, or even just for your own immediate family, you do only have one option for seating, which is all sitting next to each other.
So this aspect of the debate comes down to this: do you use this room more for family hang out time or for hosting guests? One reason that I am so happy with my sectional is that I am in the family snuggle time place and am so excited to be able to curl up with my girls, and our menagerie of pets, and all be comfortable together as one big happy family. (of course Chris is happy sitting across the room in his recliner!) I also like the casual comfortable feeling that a sectional gives a room. In the picture above, the room has a grown up and sophisticated feel but the rich chocolate sectional lets you know that this is a family hang out spot.
In this photo above, the sectional was actually the best fit for the space. The back wall of this room with the clock, is angled and cuts the room off a bit. Using a sofa and a loveseat instead of a sectional would actually not have fit in this space. The rounded wedge corner piece of the sectional made for a nice smooth corner as opposed to a sharp 90 degree angle that a sofa and loveseat would have formed.
In other cases, the sofa and loveseat may be a good option as the open corner where the two pieces abut, allows for an end table and a table lamp. This scenario offers a hard surface for drinks, books, etc. and the lamp would clearly provide lighting to the space. One con to the sofa, loveseat and end table option is that you lose the seating of the corner piece to the sectional.
As you can see, this is a truly debatable topic and one that is very personal and room specific. It is best to address this list of questions before making your ultimate seating decision:
– Can a sectional fit in your space? Or would a sofa and loveseat fit better?
– How do you plan on using this piece and this room? For a casual family hang out space or a more formal entertaining space?
– How many people do you need to accommodate?
Once you have considered all aspects of this decision thoroughly, you are ready to answer the question: sectional vs. sofa? If you need help in your decision making process, please send me an email to set up a complimentary consultation or email me photos of your room and what your needs are and I can offer some advice. Happy decorating y’all!
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