Sometimes our eyes deceive us, and we buy furniture that doesn't actually fit in the intended room. Whether you've made this common mistake, have moved into a new home, or are swapping rooms around in the house, you can make a large sectional fit in a room that's too small. We've gone ahead and researched and thought through some ideas to help you make a sectional that is too big work.
Thanks to their design, including multiple pieces, sectionals can be moved around, split up, or even partially used to make sure they fit a particular room. While you may want to keep armrest end pieces on each end, it isn't entirely necessary outside of aesthetics. Some ideas for making a sectional that is too big include:
- Push sectionals into walls or corners without blocking exits.
- Split up the sectional.
- Make the best use of sectional pieces.
It's an easy mistake to choose a sectional that's too big for your living room but with the right arrangements and adjustments, you can still make it work. We encourage you to continue reading as we will go into more detail regarding the above strategies and answer some other questions you may have about sectional sofa orientation.
Pushing Sectionals Against Walls
Whether you're fitting furniture into a small room or your furniture is simply too big, opening up walkways and space in the room is vital. You may want to place your sectional centrally in the room with walkways around it, but this can lead to a much more cramped area. A great option for opening up space is to push the furniture against the walls of the room.
Creating a central space in the room can help alleviate some of the clustering effects of a large piece of furniture. Slide your sectional up against a wall to help create this space. Additionally, using corners in the room will help open up the area. Since sectionals come in individual pieces you can move them the way you like to create a design against your walls that works for you.
We may include affiliate links and curated AI content to highlight top design styles.
Splitting Up the Pieces
Because of the individual pieces that make up a sectional, your best option may be to split those pieces up. You could turn your sectional into multiple couches to help liven up the room. One clean option would be to create two couches out of sectional pieces, face them towards each other, and place a coffee table in between them. This setup works well for conversations with guests.
Splitting sectional pieces up from the normal showroom floor arrangement can make other great shapes too. Turning a lengthy sectional into a U-shape can help you save space in smaller rooms while simultaneously creating a neat conversation pit.
Splitting up pieces allows you to create pieces that fit your room. Making smaller pieces of furniture out of the large piece lets you arrange it in the room in a way that makes sense and actually fits. On top of this, it allows you to use the sectional in multiple rooms if needed.
Making Use of the Sectional Pieces
The pieces that make up your sectional will help you determine what designs you can do with them. The chaise pieces can sit as their own individual chairs that will work great for naps. Seating pieces can be rearranged into smaller couches to fit the room. While you may just have too many sectional pieces to fit your room, you can split them off into more furniture pieces for other rooms as well to make use of them.
Using specific pieces makes it much easier to fit a large sectional into a room. Similar to splitting up the pieces, you can arrange the sectional the way you want to. When you're purchasing the sectional, see if you're allowed to choose which types of pieces you'll be buying, as this can make a big difference in space while giving you some customization.
How do you know if a sectional will fit?
One important thing you can do to make sure a sectional will fit is to measure the room. If you're going to put the sectional against a wall, compare the length of the wall to the length of your chosen sectional. If the sectional is longer than your wall, it isn't going to properly fit where you want it. For more information about measuring for your sectional, check out our article "How To Measure A Sectional Couch [Detailed Guide]."
While the length is important you should also keep in mind the depth of the sectional. Pieces like chaises will extend out from the furniture taking up extra space. You might need to rearrange the sectional so these pieces aren't blocking walkways.
Also, keep in mind other furniture in the room. Recliners, loveseat, and couches will take up space in your room. This will decrease the size of the sectional that will fit. Make sure that once you put the sectional in the room, the other furniture doesn't end up in the way of the entrances or exits.
Should you put a sectional in a small living room?
Generally, it isn't recommended to put a sectional in a small living room. Most of the time you will be better off placing sofas in the room, as they take up less space. This however does not mean you can't put a sectional in a small living room. Using the tips from this article and many other arrangements, you can definitely make a sectional work in a small room.
Can you split up a sectional sofa?
You of course can split up a sectional. Sectionals are sold in pieces that fit together to make a larger design. Splitting up pieces can allow you to use more creativity in your home. Whether you choose to make multiple couches or use individual pieces on their own, you can definitely split up a sectional.
The only real issue with splitting pieces up is the aesthetics. You'll likely not have an armrest or endpiece on each end of the furniture. Some pieces might end up being just extra and can look awkward sitting on their own. Don't worry though, as simple arrangements can alleviate most of these issues.
Does a dark couch make a room look smaller?
Dark furniture does not necessarily make a room feel smaller. Too much dark colors in one room cause this. If your walls are darker colors then you should consider a, lighter color couch. With lighter color walls or floors, dark couches won't make the room look smaller on its own.
Remember that allowing natural light into the room will help make it look bigger. The goal is to have a balanced look in the room, between darker and lighter colors. Keeping this balance will allow you to avoid making the room look too small.
Final Thoughts
Having a sectional that seems too big for a room is a problem. Thankfully, there are plenty of options available to help make the piece you love fit into the room. The arrangement has a great deal to do with whether or not a sectional is truly too big for your room. If you're wondering where you should start looking to buy a sectional, check out our article "Where To Buy A Sectional (Top 20 Online Stores)."
