A sofa is typically one of the biggest and most expensive pieces of furniture in a room. Yet it’s the piece that people often get wrong, simply because they skip a key step during the buying process: measuring the space beforehand. Designer Cathryn Erickson of Cathryn Lindsey Design says a sofa sets the tone for the whole room, so it has to be scaled just right. “Without measuring, you risk buying something too big that overwhelms the space or too small that leaves the room feeling unfinished,” Erickson says.
An incorrectly scaled sofa has both a visual and functional impact on the entire room. Katie Lindquist of Katie Lindquist Interiors says measuring ensures the sofa feels integrated, balanced with other pieces, and comfortable in the architecture of the home. “Skipping that step almost guarantees regret, no matter how beautiful the sofa itself may be,” Lindquist says. Below, interior designers share what happens when you don’t take the time to measure before making a purchase, as well as their best tips for buying the right sized sofa.
Why It’s Important to Measure First
The consensus among designers is that scale is everything when it comes to a successful room design. “When the scale is off, the whole space suffers,” says designer and DIY expert Fariha Nasir. She explains that the right scale creates balance, flow and comfort, and is what makes a room feel thoughtfully designed as opposed to just furnished. Overlooking scale by failing to measure first is a common and costly mistake, especially given a sofa’s prominent role within a room. “A sofa is often the largest piece in a living room, so if the dimensions aren’t right, it can immediately throw off the balance of the entire space,” says Laura Lubin of Ellerslie Interiors.
What Happens When You Don’t Measure Your Space Before Buying a Sofa?
The sofa is too large and it overwhelms the room
“A sofa that’s too large will overwhelm the space, crowding side tables against the walls and making entry points feel tight and uncomfortable,” says Jamie Lyn Smith of Smith Home Studios. The result is a room that feels crowded and disorganized. Additionally, an oversized sofa dominates the space visually and limits functionality by taking up excessive square footage. “It leaves less room for accent chairs, end tables, and other functional pieces that tie the design together,” Erickson says.
The sofa is too small and feels underwhelming
A sofa that’s too small is just as much of a design blunder as one that’s too big. It gets lost within the space, doesn’t feel like an intentional design choice, and throws off the room’s balance. “A sofa that’s too small feels underwhelming, doesn’t anchor the room properly and limits seating,” Erickson says. It looks out of proportion, which Lubin says makes a room feel unfinished. When the sofa is clearly too small and appears “to float in a sea of empty space” as Smith puts it, many people remedy the mistake by flanking it with multiple side tables, lamps, and decor. While it may seem like all these extras would fill the negative space, they only create visual clutter and highlight the sofa’s inadequate size.
There isn’t enough seating
Practically speaking, if you don’t measure first, you may end up with a sofa that’s so small that it doesn’t seat enough people, which Smith says can make conversation feel awkward. “Guests shouldn’t have to sit too far apart or struggle to find a convenient place for their drinks — proper scale ensures comfort, connection, and a balanced layout,” the designer explains.
The sofa doesn’t fit through the door
One of the most basic and most frustrating consequences of not measuring a space before buying a sofa is that it doesn’t even fit through the door! “Beyond just fitting the room, you also need to consider doorways, staircases, and elevators,” Lubin says. The designer shares that many times, the sofa can’t even make it into the home if those clearances are not accounted for.
The sofa blocks walkways
When people don’t take the time to measure before buying a sofa, it often results in blocked walkways. It’s not just the footprint of the sofa that needs to be accounted for, the walkways around it need to be considered as well. “As a designer, I always look at scale and circulation–how people will move through and live in the room,” Lindquist says. She notes that when the sofa is too large, it swallows the space and disrupts the flow of movement.
Pro Tips for Measuring Your Space Before You Buy a Sofa
Map out the sofa with painter’s tape
“Start by measuring the room’s overall dimensions, then map out the ideal footprint of the sofa with painter’s tape on the floor,” Lubin recommends. She says this makes it easier to visualize how much space the sofa will take up in relation to rugs, coffee tables, and pathways. Nasir shares that in her experience, layout and flow are often an afterthought for people. She suggests sketching a simple layout in addition to taping out the sofa’s dimensions to visualize how the piece will actually live in the room.
Plan to leave 18 inches between the sofa and coffee table
As a general rule of thumb, designers recommend leaving 18 inches between the sofa and coffee table, and at least three feet for walkways. “This balance creates a welcoming flow, allows for easy movement, encourages conversation, and ensures every guest has a comfortable place to set down a drink,” Smith says.
Don’t forget vertical measurements
In addition to measuring the floor the length and width of your space, Lubin says it’s important to measure the ceiling height, too. “Don’t forget the vertical scale, too, and consider ceiling height and sightlines to windows, mantels, or art,” the designer says.
Measure entry points to ensure enough clearance for the sofa
There’s no point in buying a beautiful sofa that’s correctly scaled to your living room if it can’t get past the front door. “Don’t forget the path it has to take; measure doorways, hallways, and staircases so you’re not stuck with a sofa that can’t even make it into the room,” Erickson says.
Maria Sabella is a lifestyle writer with a passion for home and interiors — from paint colors and holiday decor to the latest design trends. Her work has appeared in outlets including Better Homes & Gardens, The Spruce, BuzzFeed and Bustle.
