Are you making this sofa mistake? George Clarke reveals how it can be a ‘detriment’ to your space

Is your sofa the right size for your living room? George Clarke has revealed that when a sofa is the wrong size and shape for your living room, it can come as a detriment to your living room.

Choosing the right size sofa, or sofa scaling, is incredibly important for achieving a harmonious living room. Having invested in one of the best sofas, you don’t want it to come as a detriment to your space.

Speaking to Ideal Home about his work as an ambassador for Sofology, The Amazing Spaces presenter, George Clarke says ‘You need to get one [a sofa] that’s an appropriate size for your room. And I know that sounds really obvious but quite often I’ve seen people putting giant oversized sofas in tiny spaces. Sometimes it can be to the detriment to the rest of the room.'

‘It’s got to be the right size and it’s got to be the right height because you can get different height sofas. I actually love single-seated chairs that are quite high-backed because it feels like it’s giving you a hug but you still have to get the scale and size of it right. You’ve got to get the height of it right and the depth of it right. I love deep sofas but they don’t always work in some small spaces.’

If you have a small living room, a large or deep sofa can make it feel even smaller, swamping the room rather than enhancing it as a comfortable space. George also states the colour and material of your sofa are also very important. You want to choose styles and materials that reflect your style but also provide comfort.

How to avoid this sofa mistake

Fortunately, there are a few guidelines that can help you avoid falling for this sofa mistake. ‘When choosing a sofa, the first thing to do is assess the space that your new sofa will sit in – the floor area as well as door frames and openings – so you know the dimensions that the sofa will need to squeeze through as well as how much floor space it can cover,' says Kris Manalo, Creative Lead at Atkin & Thyme.

'You may need your sofa to go up the stairs, in which case you’ll need to take note of the dimensions of your stairwell. To get around any smaller entranceways you may need a design with removable legs for instance.'

‘Next, check what height and depth you want your sofa to be. Look at windows within the room to see what height you need it to be as well as any other obstructions that will impact your decision. If you have a particularly small room, you may want to look at a sofa without any arms or a large loveseat rather than a two or three-seater sofa.’

Not only can a sofa be too big, it can also be too small as Lena Gierasinska, Head of Product and Displays at Barker & Stonehouse explains: ‘A sofa that feels lost or insignificant within the room may be too small. Ideally, the sofa should balance well with the scale of the space and other furniture.

‘For larger rooms, consider pairing smaller sofas with complementary furniture like armchairs or a chaise to fill the visual void effectively. Also, check the wall and furniture placement. The sofa's size relative to the walls and other focal pieces can help guide its fit. If there's an abundance of empty wall space or the sofa doesn’t anchor the room, it might be undersized. Adding larger coffee tables or area rugs can also compensate for a smaller sofa.’

If a new sofa is on your Christmas wish list, take the time to assess your space so it brings you joy, and not hassle, when it arrives.