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Sectional room layout


22 Sectional Living Room Ideas That Will Inspire You

By

Sarah Lyon

Sarah Lyon

Sarah Lyon is a freelance writer and home decor enthusiast, who enjoys sharing good finds on home items. Since 2018, she has contributed to a variety of lifestyle publications, including Apartment Therapy and Architectural Digest.

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Updated on 10/07/22

Marisa Vitale for Amy Peltier

If your living room is large enough in size to accommodate a sectional, you're in luck! Sectionals are great for hosting guests for game nights and movie marathons, and they're super comfy to plop down and nap on, too. If you've been wondering just how exactly to station a sectional in your space, you'll want to keep reading. These 22 sectional setups are worth exploring as you consider sectional layout, color, size, and much more.

How to Style a Sectional Sofa to Perfection

Sectionals are equal parts comfortable and versatile, allowing you to create the perfect sofa configuration for your unique living space and lifestyle. They’re also typically the biggest pieces of furniture in a room, so how you style yours can help to make or break your aesthetic.

Fortunately, these expert-informed tips make styling this comfy piece of furniture a breeze, helping you determine everything from the right colors and upholstery material to the perfect placement.

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What Is a Sectional?

In a nutshell, sectional sofas consist of at least two sofa pieces, aka sections, that you can join together and use to create various configurations for your space. Below, professional interior designer and founder of Dōr Design House, Bri Ussery, shares easy tips for how to buy and style the perfect sectional sofa for your living space.

18 Sectional Living Room Ideas

1. Place it Against a Wall

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to have a huge living space to enjoy a new sectional. If you have a small living room, you can often get sectionals to fit beautifully with the right furniture arrangement and sectional shape.

“If your living room is small, choose a configuration that doesn't take up too much floor space,” advises Rohr. “A good option is to place the sectional against a wall to save space; L-shaped and U-shaped sectionals are ideal for this purpose.”

2. Pair with Statement Art

Statement art is typically bigger, bolder, and/or more vibrant than other art pieces, making it a great fit for the large footprint of many sectionals. Placing a compelling piece of art above your sofa will create a strong focal point while helping to solidify your living room design.

“You can choose a big statement art piece to elevate the sectional, or you can opt for an asymmetrical art display to help balance the room,” recommends Rohr. And when it comes to art and design, there are no wrong answers so, “don't be afraid to get creative with your styling; mix and match different shapes and sizes.”

3. Use Throw Pillows

Throw pillows are an easy way to add texture and color to your sectional. They’re also relatively inexpensive compared to many other home decor pieces, so you can swap them out for new ones when a new season (or design mood) strikes.

But you don’t have to take our word for it. According to design expert Swanzy, “It is an absolute must to fill up the sectionals with pillows because sectionals tend to have a deeper seat than normal couches.”

Karen Rohr also shared some tips for styling sectionals with pillows:

4. Add Some Leather

Burrow Nomad Sofa in Leather

Review: Check our Burrow Nomad review here

Leather upholstery never goes out of style, and it comes in nearly infinite colors, so you should have no trouble finding a leather sectional that perfectly aligns with your aesthetic.

High-quality leather sectionals are also highly resistant to peeling, sagging, and cracking. And cleaning them is often as easy as simply wiping them down. This means they tend to last longer than many other upholstery types, so it’s a great investment for your next living room makeover.

5. Float the Sectional

Credit: CutlerSchulze

If you have an expansive living room you’re looking to fill or an awkwardly shaped living room, consider floating the sectional, aka placing the sectional at least a few feet from the wall. “In large rooms, we like to float sectionals in the center to create a buffer,” said Cutler. “Almost like a room within a room.”

Floating it off the wall also means you can add furniture pieces behind it to optimize your style. “If you are floating a sectional, you might want to consider adding a low console or bookcase to the back. Doing so can create a more attractive presentation, especially as you enter the room,” recommends Cutler.

6. Go Grey

We love a bold statement couch as much as the next person, but some spaces call for a more subtle sectional, especially since these sofas are often the largest pieces of furniture in a room. Grey is an amazing sectional color because it won’t overwhelm your look.

Grey sofas serve as sophisticated yet neutral foundations that will complement all kinds of color schemes and interior designs. You can pile on colorful throw pillows and blankets to give it a bolder look or more neutral pieces in rich textures to give it an organic, textural feel.

7. Frame a Space

Credit: Darlene Halaby, Design by SKD Studios.

Have an open floor plan? Sectionals are awesome when it comes to framing and defining uncertain spaces. “In a recent Newport Beach, California, project we used sectional couches to frame the living room from the dining room,” said Swanzy.

And you can use thoughtful styling elements to further define the space. For instance, if you want to turn your sectional frame into a cozy reading nook, you can take advice from Swanzy, who “added lamps in the corner of the sectional so our client could cuddle up and dive into a great book.”

8. Add a Rug

Speaking of defining spaces, placing a rug under your sectional is an easy way to do just that. Rugs also have a knack for making a room feel more complete, warm, and intentional. When pairing a sectional and a rug, you have a few options.

A popular option is to choose a small, vibrant rug that fits right in the middle of an L-shaped or U-shaped sectional. This is a fun way to add colors and patterns to your look without taking up too much visual real estate. You can also purchase a very large neutral rug that sits under all of your sectional’s legs. Doing so will help make your living space feel warm, cozy, and welcoming.

9. Use a sectional to anchor your space

Credit: CutlerSchulze

A sectional’s large size allows it to anchor your entire design. You can use it to soldifiy an already well-honed aesthetic or as a stylistic reference point that can inspire the rest of your look.

For instance, if you have a minimalist style sensibility, then a sectional featuring a pared-back silhouette and long airy legs can help punctuate your look. And if you’re at a loss for how to design a space, consider investing in a sectional that already has a strong design point of view, such as a luxe velvet sofa, that you can use to inform your aesthetic.

10. Embrace Flexibility with a Modular Sectional

Inside Weather Modular Bondi Sofa

Review: Read our Bondi Modular Sofa review here

Modular sofas are customizable by design, allowing you to pick the perfect configuration for your space, whether you want an expansive U-shaped sectional or a smaller L-shaped couch. But the right configuration for you largely depends on your existing space and lifestyle.

“No matter what arrangement you choose, make sure the sectional fits well with your space, and avoid compromising the good flow or closing too much of the area,” advises Rohr. For example, if you have a sectional in a living room that connects to the kitchen, you probably don’t want to configure your sectional in such a way that it blocks the path between these two rooms, since people naturally tend to flow to and from them.

11. Make a Statement

Looking for ways to make your living room makeover pop? Consider creating a statement-making focal point out of your sectional. You can easily do this by choosing upholstery in a bold color or vibrant pattern.

Or you can opt for a sectional in a more neutral color, such as beige or gray, then dress it up with all kinds of fun throw pillows and blankets. This option is perfect for anyone who wants to make a major style statement but isn’t keen on the idea of committing to a bold design style long-term.

12. Pair it with an Armchair

Interior Define Sloan Sectional with armchair.

Sectionals basically epitomize cozy, so they’re a great match for armchairs, which also have a special ability to create a relaxing environment. Armchairs work particularly well for L-shape sectionals since they can turn the L into a U-shaped seating arrangment.

But you can also pair an armchair with a U-shaped sectional, transforming the U into a circle that serves as a welcome invitation to enjoy conversations with loved ones.

13. Create a Pit

Kova Pit Sofa.

Review: Check out our review of the Kova Sofa here

If you really want to step up your relaxation game, consider creating a cozy pit out of your sectional. Pit sectional sofas feature at least two lines of seat cushions that are parallel and adjacent to each other as opposed to a single line of cushions.

The result is a bed-like appearance that will make movie nights that much more comfy and inviting. And if you don’t want to commit to a 24/7 pit, you can invest in a large modular sectional that allows you to create the ideal arrangement for any given situation.

14. Add an Ottoman

A potential drawback of L-shaped sectionals is that there’s only room to put your feet up on one side. Fortunately, this is a super easy fix—all you have to do is place an ottoman on the other side to create a makeshift chaise lounge.

Not only will an ottoman increase the comfort factor of your sectional, but it also provides additional styling opportunities. You can incorporate an ottoman in a different style than your sectional to create compelling contrast, or you can match the ottoman to add cohesion to your look.

15. Embrace Beige

You can pretty much never go wrong with beige living room furniture. The timeless hue is at once neutral and sophisticated, and you can incorporate it into virtually any aesthetic, from minimalism to maximalism and everything in between.

A beige sectional will add warmth to your look while offering a blank canvas for your living room design You can pair it with funky side tables, colorful throw pillows, and a vibrant area rug to create an eclectic look. Or you can pile on other neutral colors and textiles for a soft, organic appearance.

16. Go Low-Profile


Few pieces of furniture are more inviting than a great low-profile sofa. Featuring low-slung backs and an often deep-seated design, low-profile sectionals are endlessly comfortable and relaxing.

Plus, they’re super on trend and come in a variety of different styles. You can opt for a low-profile sectional with soft rounded edges for an organic, cloud-like look. Or choose a sectional with sharper lines and airy legs for a more futurustic feel.

17. Pair it with a Circular Coffee Table

Have a small space that you want to makeover with a great sectional? Consider adding a circular coffee table to the mix. “A circular coffee table is perfect for small spaces. It will fit in the small nook of the sectional, keeping circulation open,” advises Rohr.

But you can absolutely enjoy the benefits of a circular coffee table in larger spaces as well. Tucking it into your sectional’s nook means you’ll have even more room to play with other home decor elements and pieces of furniture.

18. Go Bold with a Chesterfield

Ms Chesterfield Sofa by Interior Define

What’s better than a classic Chesterfield sofa? A classic Chesterfield sectional! These pieces combine the ornate details for which Chesterfields are so beloved, like button tufts, with the comfort and flexibility of a gorgeous sectional.

Incorporating a Chesterfield sectional into your living room design also means you’ll have an instant statement piece around which you can create the rest of your style. These beauties are killer conversation pieces and can help elevate your design from good to unforgettable.

planning systems

Space-planning building solution (EPD) Location (layout) of premises

Location (layout) of premises of given sizes and forms in a single complex, subordinate functional, technical, architectural, artistic and economic requirements called space-planning decision building (OPA) .

Whole the interior of the building is divided horizontal (interfloor ceilings) and vertical (walls and partitions) structures on separate rooms. nine0005

Premises according to the way they are connected to each other be impassable (insulated) and through (uninsulated). The impassable premises are connected between yourself with the help of a third room, usually one of the communication (corridor, stairwell, etc.).

By signs of location and relationship premises are distinguished by several space-planning building systems :

- enfilade ;

- system with horizontal communication premises ;

- hall ;

- atrium ;

- sectional ;

- mixed ( combined ).

If rooms are connected to each other directly through the openings in the walls or partitions, then this technique called enfilade planning system (see rice. 2.1). This system allows you to create the building is very compact and economical structures due to the absence (or minimum volume) communication premises. All main premises building under the enfilade system are passing, so it is applicable only in buildings predominantly exposition nature (museums, art galleries, exhibition pavilions), or partially in individual elements of the building, for example, between the premises of one educational groups in the preschool. nine0005

Rice. 2.1. Enfilade planning system

System with horizontal communication rooms provides communication between the main premises buildings through communication rooms (corridors, open galleries). This allows design the main premises impassable. However, the premises can be located one at a time (Fig. 2.2 a ) or on both sides of the corridor (Fig. 2.2 b ). With one-sided arrangement of premises the corridor is well lit natural light, which in some occasions is necessary, for example in schools, where the corridor simultaneously serves as as a recreational space.

Rice. 2.2. Planning system with horizontal communication rooms

and - gallery; b – corridor

1 - open gallery; 2 - closed corridor; nine0015 3 - work or living quarters

planning compact and economical solution buildings with horizontal communications estimated by the area of ​​the main and auxiliary premises of the building on unit area or length of communication premises. On this basis, the most economical circuits with two parallel or ring corridors. Systems layouts with horizontal communication rooms widely used in the design of civil buildings for various purposes hostels, hotels, schools, hospitals, administrative buildings, etc. nine0005

disadvantage unilateral arrangement of premises is an increase in the ancillary area in the building and the perimeter of the outer walls, which worsens economic performance space planning solution.

Hall planning system provides one big (main) the premises of the building, as a rule, determining its functional purpose (cinema, sports hall, etc.), around which grouped other necessary premises (see Fig. 2.3). Most this system is widespread designing entertainment, sports and commercial buildings. hall system used for buildings with one or several halls. nine0005

Rice. 2.3. Hall planning system

Atrium system - with an open or covered courtyard (atrium), around which the main premises associated with it directly through open (galleries) or closed (side corridors) communication premises (see Fig. 2.4).

Rice. 2.4. Atrium layout system

1 - atrium; nine0015 2 - communication rooms

Apart from traditional use in southern housing it is widely used in design of low-rise buildings with large halls (covered markets, museums, exhibition complexes, schools), as well as multi-storey hotels and administrative premises.

Advantages this system in open courtyards - close relationship between the necessary technological scheme open and enclosed spaces (in a building market - connection between trading floors and seasonal trading space, in museum building - between closed and open exposure). nine0005

Advantages atrium system with closed courtyards – creation of year-round functioning public spaces and raising thermal efficiency of the building as a whole.

Sectional system is in the layout of the building from one or several single-character fragments (sections) with repeating floor plans, and the premises of all floors each section are connected by common vertical communications - stairs or stairs and elevators. Sectional system - basic in the design of multi-apartment residential medium and high-rise houses, separate fragments of this system included in the space planning structure of buildings of hostels, hospitals, some administrative premises etc.

Rice. 2.5. Sectional planning system

1 - block section; 2 - vertical communications (stair-lift nodes)

Some mixed-use buildings have mixed planning system , because the building combines rooms for various functional processes (main and subsidiary). So, for example, in the building of a large sports and recreation center hall system of sports halls are combined with a corridor layout facilities for sports sections and circles (see Fig. 2.6). nine0005

Rice. 2.6. Mixed layout system

1 - hall system; 2 - corridor system

As as a rule, meets the requirements of convenience most compact space with the shortest paths for the movement of people and means of transport, without their mutual intersections and oncoming traffic. How shorter travel paths and therefore smaller area communication premises, the smaller the volume of the building and below its cost. nine0005

Premises, related functional or technological process, should be located as close to each other as possible friend. This condition is especially important for manufacturing companies, where the length of the paths of movement of objects production affects not only the volume buildings, but also on the cost of products. Not less important for manufacturing and no public buildings intersections of human flows, and the intersection human traffic with cargo in general unacceptable as for technological conditions, as well as security conditions. nine0005

Development space-planning solution (OPD) carried out on the basis of the scheme functional processes occurring in the building ( functional or technological schemes ). It is a conditional grouping graphic premises and functional connections between them. For example, in a theater building grouped, as a rule, according to homogeneous functional features. Artistic rooms are grouped near the stage, with which should be provided with convenient communication, and adjacent to the auditorium foyer and corridors representing the group premises with a homogeneous functional process (see Figure 2.7). nine0005

At considerable difficulty in compiling (for example, when designing industrial buildings with complex technological process - assembly lines car factories, etc.) functional or technological scheme is being developed technologist together with architect.

Rice. 2.7. Functional diagram of the theater building

At grouping of rooms according to functional diagram and definition meaningful links between them. simultaneously identify the feasibility organization of connections horizontally or vertically according to the selected number of storeys. nine0005

Design buildings, i.e. layout of rooms, comfortable lead using the center grid axes. The dimensions of the spans and steps are determined, according to size and desired proportions of rooms and sizes (according to catalog) typical load-bearing structures coverings and coverings. Then, considering given area of ​​the premises, it is planned their placement.

Main the shape of the premises in plan is rectangular, although there are other, more complex forms. The layout of the premises should meet the functional, technical, architectural, artistic and economic requirements. nine0005

The form buildings are usually also rectangular in plan or consists of several related between rectangular parts. Other complex forms are also possible. For example, for public buildings with halls form the plan and the building as a whole is determined features of the functional process.

Volumetric decision, which is the basis of the architectural the composition of the building is determined by its shape in plan, as well as the number floors and form of coverage.

number of storeys building depends on its purpose, economic considerations, urban planning requirements and natural data of construction sites. In the event that the functional The process can be carried out in any buildings, the number of storeys is selected on based on a comparison of options technical, economic and architectural and artistic assessment. nine0005

Malaya number of storeys of buildings of schools, kindergartens-nurseries driven, for example, by the desire avoid movement as much as possible children up the stairs. cinemas, shops, museums, railway stations, etc. appropriate be placed in low-rise buildings, so as not to make it difficult for people to walk on ladders to facilitate the evacuation of people in case of fire, do not create large floor loads. Production workshops with heavy and bulky equipment or settings that cause dynamic loads, preferably placed in one-story buildings. nine0005

Often the number of storeys of the building depends on the number of storeys neighboring buildings or approved master plan for the development of this district of the city to achieve it architectural unity (buildings must be in context with surrounding buildings).

On the choice of storeys is also influenced by local conditions: terrain of the site, hydrogeological characteristics soils. In terrain with large slopes, and also with weak soils it is advisable raising the floor to reduce excavation and installation costs foundations. single storey buildings with large in terms of dimensions in order to reduction of earthworks it is advisable to place only on sites with gentle terrain. nine0005

At multi-storey building design rooms are usually grouped according to estimated number of storeys so that floor areas were the same.

Many buildings, regardless of purpose, have the same type of separate rooms and their groups - architectural and planning elements (main building entrance, stairs, transport units, sanitary units). Them planning solution and placement in building has a significant impact on the layout of the building plan as a whole. nine0005

Each the building usually has main input and usually several minor ( service ) inputs . Through the main entrance pass the main the masses of people involved in the functional process; secondary inputs are usually serve ancillary functional processes, and are also spare emergency exits.

Main the entrance to the building must be clearly visible when approaching him. Input pad usually defended canopy from atmospheric precipitation. For protection against cold air penetration from outside doors arranged small rooms – vestibules . For a climate zone where located in the Nizhny Novgorod region, it is enough to use the usual single vestibule. For the northern regions (with lower temperature most cold winter five-day period) necessarily the use of a double vestibule. More detail these requirements for residential, public and industrial buildings will be considered in the relevant courses. nine0005

Further vestibule and wardrobe are located. The vestibule is a communication distribution room, where the streams of people go to corridors, stairs, lifts. The area of ​​the wardrobe and the vestibule depends on the number of people using them. At the entrance node are usually located some service rooms destination ( rooms protection , trading kiosks , sanitary nodes and etc.).

For communication between the floors of the building settle down stairs and periodic lifts ( lifts ) or continuous ( escalators ) actions. In buildings with large human flows use escalators, i.e. moving stairs, and instead of stairs – ramps , those. inclined flat surfaces without steps.

Stairs, through which the main flow is directed people, is considered the main and different from other large stairs and less slope. Other stairs called secondary and service (if associated with ancillary functional process). Width of flights of stairs and landings depends on the number of storeys, the significance of the stairs and the number of users stairs. For traffic safety the width of the march of the main evacuation stairs should be at least 1. 05 m in sectional residential buildings, not less than 1.2 m - in corridor residential buildings, not less than 1.35 m - in public buildings. nine0015 Vo in all cases, the width of the landing should not be less than the width of the march.

bias flights of stairs (ratio of vertical projection of the march to the horizontal) depends on the number of floors, the significance of the stairs and 1:2 ÷ 1:1.75 is accepted. These biases the dimensions of the steps also correspond: height ( riser ) 160 ÷ 165 mm; width ( tread ) 300 ÷ 290 mm.

gentle marches should be designed in stairs multi-storey buildings and on the main stairs, but steeper flights provided in low-rise buildings and secondary stairs. For safety in the event of a fire in a multi-storey building the building must have at least two stairs, enclosed in stairwells, lit by natural light and outdoor exits. Distances from most remote premises to the evacuation stairs or outside exit have strict regulations in depending on the type of building, its number of storeys, degree of fire resistance, etc.

Most common and economical double-flight stairs. However, they may be other types of stairs, for example three-march, in which within the floor three marches are placed, multi-march with different arrangement of marches, round (spiral) stairs. More detailed design stairs discussed in the second chapter of this Handbook.

In all buildings with more than 5 floors, elevators are usually installed located within the staircase cells or close to it. nine0005

Location stairwells and elevator shafts in significant impact on planning because they should occupy the same and the same relative position in the plan each floor of the building.

On the layout of the floors is also influenced by the position sanitary facilities, kitchens and other premises, which are always located on the floors one vertically one above each other friend. This arrangement is significant Facilitates piping in the building water supply, gas and sewerage. Except In addition, “wet” premises (i.e. premises where high humidity is possible air and wetting structures) placed in buildings compactly to not have a harmful effect on others premises. The location is also undesirable. "wet" rooms near the outer walls building. nine0005

vertical load-bearing structures (walls and columns), as well as stairs and elevator shafts, must cross all floors, occupying the same place in the plan on each floor. Only in some cases bearing walls and pillars of the upper floors can rely on horizontal carriers designs. Therefore, rooms with large it is advisable to have spans in the upper floors or take them out to one-story parts of the building, so as not to lean on the ceiling of a large span top floor structures. nine0005

So way, an economical solution to a constructive schemes have a significant impact and the overall layout of the building.

However leading factor in design building, which determines its space-planning solution remains functional process. New functional processes or changes to existing processes give rise to new space-planning and constructive building solutions.

On space-planning solution is provided influence and natural conditions in which building will be erected. Harsh climate predetermines compact volumes of buildings with minimal outdoor area fences. In warm climates, on the contrary, complicated volumes are expedient buildings, giving more shade, contributing to connection of the premises of the building with the environment nature. nine0005

Basic planning schemes of buildings

When designing residential, administrative and other buildings and structures, the order in which they will accommodate various premises is necessarily developed. It takes into account the sequence in which various daily processes related to the movement of people will take place in the structure. A certain connection must be provided between the premises of buildings and structures, and it must be organized in such a way that all persons in it can easily and simply navigate, and communication routes should be as short as possible. nine0005

In the modern practice of designing and constructing buildings and structures, there are several general concepts in accordance with which their architectural and planning solutions are implemented. These include the following layout schemes:

Corridor planning scheme

The main characteristic feature of the corridor planning scheme is that when it is implemented, all rooms are located on two, on one, or partially on one, and partially on two sides of a common corridor, which is connected with one or more staircases. If the premises are located on both sides of the corridor, then windows are arranged in the end walls to ensure its natural light. As for the length of common corridors, in buildings designed in accordance with the corridor scheme, it is 20 meters when illuminated from one end and 40 meters when illuminated from two ends.

Corridor composition scheme

meters. As for the distance between the window and the light gaps at the end of the corridor, it should not exceed thirty meters. nine0005

Enfilade layout

The main characteristic of the enfilade layout is that it has no corridors at all. In buildings with such a layout, all rooms are located one after another, in sequential order, and they are interconnected by doorways located along the same axis. Most often, the enfilade layout scheme is used in palaces, museums, shopping centers, as well as in some other buildings.

Enfilade scheme

Centric composition scheme

The main distinguishing feature of the centric composition scheme is that its "core" is the main room, which is quite large. Auxiliary premises are grouped around it, having a much smaller area. The centric composition scheme is used in the design and construction of cinemas, theaters, concert halls.

Centric

nine0005

Hall layout

A fairly widespread hall layout is characterized by the fact that all functional processes in buildings built in accordance with it take place in a single room.

Learn more