You have a corner sofa and you are looking at it and wondering how to transform your living room to look like it can be in a magazine? Trust me, I’ve been there. Corner sofas may be your best friend of the room or an awkward object that creates the sense of something being out of place. However, there is a minor twist here, it is not that difficult to style them, and I will even demonstrate how to do it.
I have tried to move my furniture around (and possibly my corner sofa at least 50 times) and I know what works and what does not work. We need not play the guesswork game, and can get right to the good stuff.
Understanding Your Corner Sofa’s Personality
Before we plunge into the world of tricks of style, you have to determine what you are dealing with. Corner sofas are not all equal and knowing yours is half the battle won.
The difference between L-shaped and U-shaped is enormous in the way of approaching styling. L shaped couch is a good piece that fits well in a small room and during the conversations. U-shaped ones? They are the attention grabbers that require prime time and lots of breathing space.
Your styling depends on the size of your couch too. A huge sectional in a small room will make the room look crowded, whereas a small corner piece in a large one should seem misplaced. It is proportional harmony 100 percent, called fancy words of making things appear right.
Here is one of the things that most people ignore; the type of arm used in your sofa is more important than you may expect. Rolled arms exude warm traditional undertones whereas track arms are shouts to modern minimalism. Do not struggle with your sofa, work with its natural style.
Mastering the Art of Placement
You leaned your corner couch to the real corner of the room, eh? I do not want to inform you that that is not likely helping you. The floating sofas on corners can be very effective in the room, as they form separate areas in the living room.
Attempt to move your sofa at least 12-18 inches away off the walls. This provides breathing space and gives your space more space. And, it leaves plenty of space to put a console table or floor lamps behind the couch – putting gold there.
Traffic flow is crucial. No one would like to play furniture gymnastics only to jump around the room. Your corner couch must help in forming natural guidance but not hurdles. Move about in your area and ensure that the layout is instinctive.
These are some of the placement strategies: Room divider- Place your corner sofa to define the living and dining spaces Conversation pit- Angle your corner sofa to face other seating to increase social interaction.
Media oriented set-up: Place it in the best position so that a television can see it and flow can be maintained.
Creating Visual Balance and Proportion
It is at this point that it becomes interesting. A corner sofa is actually a huge bulk, an L-shaped bulk in your room and you have to offset this bulk aesthetically. Imagine it is a seesaw; when one side is hectic, then the other has to have an equal in weight.
The secret of mine is the height variation. In case your sofa is low, use tall pieces of furniture such as floor lamps, big art or even a tall plant in the other end. Got a high-back sectional? Beef it up with smaller profile furniture such as ottomans or coffee tables.
The allocation of colors is important as well. When your corner sofa is a dark one, you do not want all the other dark aspects to be grouped on one side of the room. Fan them out so as to bring visual harmony. The same applies to light sofas, they need to be balanced with lighter accents in the space.
Here works the rule of three wonders. Accessories, pillows or decorations of groups in odd numbers. It is the natural leaning of the eye to odd combinations, which is more pleasing and less artificial.
Lighting Magic for Corner Configurations
Corner sofas present special lighting problems, which the majority of the population does not even pay attention to. You have got this L shape sitting area and what do you do with the lamps? This is what I have found to be effective.
Add lights in layers as though you are adding atmosphere to a movie scene. You should have ambient lighting (fixtures in the ceiling), task lighting (reading lights), and accent lighting (lights that bring ambiance).
The floor lamps are really nice in the corner of your sofa arms, they go together. But don’t stop there. Place lamp-tables next to side tables or consoles behind the sofa. This provides you with a number of sources of light that make your sitting space feel welcoming and comfortable.
Pendant lights may be effective when you have high ceilings though you should be keen with positioning. You would have them to design the seating area to light up without producing glare and obscuring people’s sight lines.
When installing dimmer switches, pro tip. The capability of changing lighting during the day changes the feel and functionality of your corner sofa.
The Coffee Table Dilemma
It is not easy to select the appropriate coffee table to use with a corner sofa. You have this L made seating pattern, and an old fashioned rectangular table may not slice it.
Coffee tables should either be round or oval in shape as this type of table is most likely to fit the round lines of seating in a corner. In addition, there are no acute edges to bang in the process of moving around the couch – your shins will appreciate the use.
Here size is of more importance than anywhere. The coffee table ought to be two-thirds the length of the longest side of the sofa. it is either too small and it seems to be lost, or it is too large and it fills the space.
| Coffee Table Shape | Best For | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Round/Oval | L-shaped sofas | Complements curved seating flow |
| Rectangular | Larger U-shaped sectionals | Provides ample surface area |
Use a small number of tables rather than one large table. This allows you the leeway to adjust to your liking and forms a greater visual interest.
Pillow and Throw Styling Secrets
This is where you may get some real fun. Corner sofas provide you with plenty of space on which to place pillows, which does not imply that you should fill all the square inches of it. Less is better and strategic placement is always better than pillow overload.
Begin with bigger pillows at the corners where the sections of the sofas meet. These hold your set together and give it back. Next place medium-sized pillows in every section, which should be proportional to the size of your sofa.
Combine textures as though you were making a touch experience. Blend smooth velvet and chunky knits, smooth leather and nubby bouclé. Your hands (and eyes) will be glad of the diversity.
Color coordination does not imply that everything must be the same. Choose a color scheme of 3-4 colors and spread them all over your pillows. This brings togetherness without being matchy-matchy.
Throws must appear as though they were intentionally positioned but casually so, without sounding easy. Fold them up on an ottoman or drape them over one arm of the sofa. Do not give the thrown on randomly appearance which is really hard to attain. 🙂
Rug Selection and Placement
The rug business of corner sofas catches many a person off guard. You desire something that keeps your sitting place fixed without making the place look cut and clumsy.
The area rugs are all about size. Your carpet must be big enough to have the front legs of your corner sofa on it. Better still, when you can have all the legs on the rug but that is not always cost effective or convenient.
The shape is also important. Rectangular rugs are compatible with the majority of corner designs, though round rugs should not be disregarded with L-shaped designs. They are able to make the lines less angular and make the sitting space more personal.
The way your room moves around depends on the placement of the rugs. Place it under your coffee table with the same quantity of it on each side. This brings about balance and assists in determining your sitting area in the bigger room.
Adding Personality with Accessories
It is here that your own style comes into play. Corner sofas offer numerous surfaces and angles to place the accessories, yet moderation is the most important. You desire edited, not crammed.
Personal touches are best with side tables. A pretty lamp, a pile of books, a small plant, perhaps a candle – make it plain but substantial. The tables at each side do not necessarily have to be identical, but they are supposed to be related.
Wall art in corners behind sofas must be given special attention. You have two walls that are meeting at an angle and therefore, you cannot apply the conventional centering rules. Experiment with a gallery wall that extends around the corner, or two pieces that complement each other.
Plants literally and figuratively bring life to corner sofa set ups. The actual corner of the room (behind the sofa) is filled with a tall floor plant to add height and to fill what would otherwise be dead space.
Common Styling Mistakes to Avoid
Since I have observed hundreds of corner sofa setups, I have observed the same errors being repeated over and over again. We will spare you these pitfalls of style.
Having all against the walls is the first error. It does not mean that your corner sofa must be in the corner because it is shaped like one. Give it some breathing room.
Another biggie is the ignorance of scale. That little coffee table may be cute, but when it is overshadowed by your sectional, it is not doing anyone any service. Wear accessories in a proper manner.
The over-accessorizing occurs when individuals become enthusiastic about styling. Your corner sofa is already a statement, you do not need 47 pillows to show it. IMO, restraint is more of style than of excess.
The abandonment of functionality in favor of beauty results in beautiful and useless spaces. Ensure that your seating area is comfortable enough to be used by people.
Making It Work for Your Lifestyle
Your living room must be functional at the end of the day in the way you live. Got kids? Perhaps, leave the white pillows and fine accessories. Love hosting movie nights? Ensure that your set up is comfortable and has good viewing angles.
Your styling method should be flexible. Select accessories that are easily portable in case you have to change them to suit other activities or seasons.
Think about maintenance too. That beautiful velvet ottoman could be so pretty, but when you are going to worry about every spill, then it is not worth it.
Your living room sofa must be like the center of your home, where you are comfortable and beautiful to be. Dress it up, but do not lose life in the process.
Corner sofas are so good because they can change the living spaces when designed in a wise manner. They form close communicative spaces, offer sufficient seats, and may even assist in delimiting various areas in open floor plans. The trick lies in not struggling with the natural proportions of your sofa and the special features of your room.
It is important to keep in mind that the most well-decorated rooms are not designed at once but gathered throughout the years. Begin with the fundamentals- right placement, adequate lighting and right scale and then incorporate personality items step by step. The styling process of your corner sofa should not be a stressful one. Follow your gut, and do not be afraid to rearrange things until they fit. It is you who will be living with it after all.