How to Arrange Couches

Home decorating can be a rewarding and creative experience when you do most of the work yourself. But, arranging furniture can be confusing. To help you decide how to arrange couches, you should consider the room they are in and what they will be used for.

• Position a couch far enough away from the focal point, such as the television, a sculpture or the fireplace, so it doesn't block it. Draw eyes to the focal point by facing couches toward it. For a sitting room, guests will sit on the couches in front of fireplace. In a family room, couches pointing toward the television create an entertainment room.


• Use the couches to separate a large room into two smaller rooms. For instance, you can turn a long living room into a small living room and home office. Place the couches on the outer edge of the living room, and furnish the opposite side of the room behind the couches with office furniture. The back of one long couch will be facing the office area while the front of the long couch faces the living room area. A smaller couch or loveseat can be placed at an angle on the right or left side of the long couch.


• Create a small reading nook by placing a small couch diagonally across a corner of a living room or bedroom. This separates the area from the rest of the room. If there is sufficient room between the back of the couch and the wall corner, put a tall floor lamp behind it to fill the space and give you light for reading.


• Use traditional placement for a couch behind a coffee table. The couch should be approximately 14 to 18 inches behind the edge of the coffee table. This may need to be adjusted to fit your needs.


• Allow at least three feet of space between the couch and walls to allow a sufficient amount of space for walking through the room. If you have a small room, you may need to make this space slightly smaller.


• Place a sectional at the edge of a room because it is L-shaped and may act as a seating area and barrier between two rooms or spaces. For two couches close in size, place them in an L-shape with a small side table between.