Couch Dimensions: Choosing the Right Sofa Size for Your Living Space

Your home is your space, whether it’s an apartment, a condo, a cottage, a house, or something else. It’s important to create a comfortable, personalized, functional space to work and relax.

With this guide on couch dimensions and spacing, you can create a space-conscious, stylish room. Working from home in a small apartment? Living with a large family in a barndominium? Revamping an outdated space? Whatever the case, use this information to find and place comfortable, affordable couches.

Couch Types: Dimensions and How to Place Them 

There are several types of couches meant for different preferences, number of seats, spaces, and shapes. Some of the main types include the loveseat, the standard sofa, and the sectional. When discussing couch dimensions, these are the measurements to look out for:

• Couch Length: This is the length of the couch from the exterior of one armrest to the other.
• Couch Depth: Sofa depth measurement is the distance from the front of the couch to the back of the couch, behind the backrest.
• Couch Seat Depth: This is the measurement from the front of the couch to the back of the seat, i.e. how much room there is for a person to sit.
• Couch Height: This is the overall height of the couch from the floor to the top of the backrest.
• Couch Seat Height: This is the height from the floor to the top of the seat cushion.

Loveseat Size 

Loveseat dimensions are typically the smallest of the three most common couch types and can fit two people comfortably. Their dimensions are kept smaller to be cozy and accommodate smaller spaces. They’re a great option for an apartment with limited occupants or guests.

• Loveseat Length: Ranges between 56” and 72” for two seats. 
• Loveseat Depth: Ranges from 34” to 40” 
• Loveseat Seat Depth: 20” to 24”
• Loveseat Height: Average loveseat dimensions range from 30” to 35” for overall height, similar to a standard sofa. 

• Loveseat Seat Height: Typically, loveseat seat heights sit between 17” and 20” from the floor.

Loveseats are often paired with matching furniture to create multiple seating options within the same room. They can be used in tandem with larger sofas to offer seating on multiple sides of a focal point, or they can be used on their own as a stand-alone couch.

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Standard Sofa Size 

Sofas are the middle ground between loveseats and sectionals. Average sofa dimensions are bigger than a two-seater sofa and offer more seating options—perfect if you have more space or need seating for guests. Here are the standard sofa dimensions:

• Sofa Length: Average length for three-seater couches usually ranges between 71” and 86”. Some models can measure longer than 100”.

• Sofa Depth: The sofa depth generally ranges from 32” to 40”. 

• Sofa Seat Depth: The sofa seat depth specifically ranges between 20” and 25”, however, there are models with deeper seats to accommodate taller people or comfort which can be over 35” deep.

• Sofa Height: The average height is 26” to 36” depending on how much support is desired. Modern sofa sizes usually have minimalistic and sleek shorter backs while traditional styles have higher backs for a grand look.

• Sofa Seat Height: Most sofa seat heights are between 17” and 18” from the floor. However, anything between 15” and 20” is normal.

Since sofas are bigger than loveseats, they’re usually placed facing the focal point of the room, whether that’s a TV, library, coffee table, window, or something else. They’re often paired with a matching loveseat as the secondary seating option when there’s enough room.

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Sectional Sofa Size 

Sectional sofa dimensions can vary drastically given their nature, using free-standing sections that can be arranged in various layouts to fit a space. For this reason, there are no “standard” sectional couch measurements.

Sectionals are perfect options for those who want to be able to adjust their couch dimensions to fit the layout of their living room. They can often be turned into long couches, l-shaped couches with corners so people can face multiple directions, or even sleeping options by adding a section for leg room. 

How to Place a Sectional 

Sectionals can be used in many ways, so it’s important to invest in a quality couch. They work best in larger spaces where there’s room to try out different arrangements, either settling on an ideal position, or rearranging the pieces for different scenarios (movie nights, hosting guests, overnight sleeping, separate seating, and more).

A sectional is much more customizable than a loveseat or a sofa, so it’s perfect for multi-functional rooms.

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How to Choose the Right Sofa Size for Your Space 

After developing a better understanding of average couch dimensions, it’s time to choose a couch that will fit properly within your space. How? Follow these five steps from measuring initial standard couch dimensions to placement.

Step 1: Decide on the Couch Purpose

Before deciding on sofa dimensions, think about the couch’s purpose and where it’s meant to go. Couches can face TVs, be part of a set for hosting guests, sit on the side of a room for extra seating, or offer a comfy reading nook.

Step 2: Tape Areas that Need to be Measured 

Mark the couch dimensions with tape where you want to place it. This allows you to visualize it together with surrounding furniture and walkways.

Account for 30” of walking room around the couch, especially where there’s foot traffic. Then mark 12” to 18” of space between furniture pieces. Replace the tape if you need to adjust the position or change the sofa dimensions.

Step 3: Measure the Taped Area 

Measure the space you’ve created for your couch, including the seat depth and sofa width with a measuring tape. This will dictate the ideal couch measurements. If it doesn’t align with your vision, there’s wiggle room for less walking room or a smaller couch.

Step 4: Make Sure Your New Couch Fits Through the Door 

 Whether the couch comes already assembled or in boxes, measure its path from entering your home to the designated room. Include doorways, walkways, corners, stairwells, and entryways in this step to ensure the couch makes it to its destination without issue.

Step 5: Measure Height 

Measuring the height of the couch or the height of the area it’s supposed to sit can also be an important step if it’s likely to interfere with something else, like a windowsill, shelf, light fixture, painting, and more.

A sofa with a tall back would look good in a room with high ceilings. However, it might look like it’s taking up too much space in a room with low ceilings.

Surplus Furniture: Shopping for Sofas Made Easy 

With couch dimensions and couch placement in mind, make the buying process as simple as possible with Canadian-made, affordable options at Surplus Furniture. We offer warehouse pricing and weekly promotions on brand-name furniture available through flexible financing options.

At Surplus Furniture, we make shopping for sofas easy, affordable, and accessible. Visit any of our 30+ locations across Canada, place your order, and pick it up at a store closest to you. Contact us for any assistance!