Written by: Emma Cyrus, Senior Copy, Content & Editorial Writer
Reviewed by: Saran Razzaq, Senior Interior Designer at FCI London
Edited by: Zoona Sikander, Interior Design Writer & Social Media Content Creator

Table of Contents

• How to Arrange Two Sofas in the Living Room?
• Focus on the Function
• Two Sofas At Right Angles to Each Other / L-Shaped Arrangement
• Two Sofas Facing Each Other
• Diagonally or at a Distance from Each Other
• Some final tips on setting up two sofas in the living room:
• How to arrange the coffee table with two sofas?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Whether you've hosted an intimate dinner soirée, a milestone celebration or a lively game night, you and your guests invariably find yourselves gravitating towards the living room. It's where conversations flow, laughter erupts, and cherished memories take shape. Naturally, you'll want ample seating for family and friends in this social hub. The reality is that sometimes, a single sofa simply won't suffice for your sitting room couches arrangement.

How to Arrange Two Sofas in the Living Room?

If you're contemplating the purchase of a new sofa or considering adding a second to your existing setup, our design team has curated expert guidance on various options to help you determine the most effective luxury sofas arrangement for your space.

Focus on the Function

Selecting the optimal seating arrangement is fundamental to creating a functional living room with two sofas. This requires careful consideration of your room dimensions and primary usage patterns. A space primarily used for television viewing demands a different sofa placement than one designed for entertaining guests. The arrangement of your sitting room couches should reflect how you actually live in the space.

Below, we explore three principal living room layouts our interior designers regularly implement, complete with examples of scenarios for which each arrangement is particularly well-suited. Understanding how to arrange two different sofas in living room settings can dramatically transform both the functionality and aesthetic of your space.

1. Two Sofas at Right Angles to Each Other / L-Shaped Arrangement

Positioning your sitting room couches at a right angle creates an inviting, intimate atmosphere. This configuration brings the two sofas into close proximity, facilitating easy conversation and establishing a welcoming environment. It's particularly ideal if you enjoy cosy evenings by the fireplace or television with family or a small gathering of friends.

This arrangement works splendidly with two identical modular or sectional sofas. There's a common misconception that modular sofas are exclusively suitable for more spacious rooms, but our experience suggests otherwise. With choosing the right sofa size, our designers have successfully implemented this layout even in more compact living spaces, proving that sofa placement in living room design needn't be constrained by dimensions.

Examples from our projects: Our senior designer, Benjamin Ibanez, collaborated with interiors expert and frequent partner, Rina Vastu, on this award-winning project. The client desired something bold and distinctive for their living room, particularly regarding colour combinations. Ben and Rina selected these striking green leather sofas, arranged at a 90-degree angle, complemented by an abstract rug beneath to create visual interest.

How to arrange the coffee table: For this project, the designers opted for a low-profile coffee table positioned equidistant from both sofas. This creates a balanced aesthetic and encourages natural conversation flow amongst those seated.

While the project above features two sofas at right angles with modest spacing between them, you might also consider placing them directly adjacent to one another, as Benjamin did in the minimalist living room shown below. Such arrangements are particularly beneficial for television viewing. The aligned sofas allow each person to recline with an unobstructed view of the television on the central wall.

How to arrange the coffee table: As this living room was primarily designed for relaxation whilst watching television, Benjamin logically selected an ottoman rather than a traditional coffee table. Ottomans, typically upholstered in fabric, offer a softer aesthetic than angular coffee tables, creating a more casual ambiance. They frequently double as footrests, making them perfect companions for leisurely film nights with refreshments at hand.

2. Two Sofas Facing Each Other

This arrangement excels when hosting more formal gatherings where guests naturally separate into conversation groups based on seating proximity. For outdoor areas, two sofas placed opposite each other brilliantly establish a "conversation pit," as the sofas clearly delineate a dedicated space for sitting and socialising.

If you have a spacious, open-plan room with square or rectangular proportions, this layout offers significant advantages. When your sitting room couches face each other, they contribute to a pleasingly symmetrical aesthetic while naturally dividing the expansive floor area.

In more modest living rooms, simply positioning the sofas closer together conserves space, provided you select low-profile models that are relatively narrow and compact. Ideally, however, both sofas should have adequate breathing room with a coffee table positioned between them to create a balanced composition.

Example from our projects: While sun loungers and daybeds offer the ultimate outdoor relaxation for sunbathing, an outdoor sitting area primarily serves as a venue for socialising with friends and family. Ben again partnered with Rina to design this welcoming outdoor living space for our Coulins project.

The two substantial L-shaped sofas were arranged facing each other with two coffee tables between them, creating an enclosed square perfect for seating and conversation. Patterned cushions and throws were incorporated to introduce cosiness and break up the predominantly grey palette. Modular sofas are particularly effective in this context, as you can configure the units in formations that best complement your space.

How to arrange the coffee table: For larger rooms and open outdoor spaces like this one, multiple coffee tables often work beautifully. The quantity and dimensions of coffee tables should harmonise with your sofa proportions. For this arrangement, we selected two coffee tables positioned at a subtle angle from one another.

Another project exemplifying excellent opposing seating is our Redington Road living room. This room was relatively compact, so rather than two full-sized sofas, we furnished it with a sofa and an armchair on opposite sides, adding coordinating cushions to create visual cohesion.

How to arrange the coffee table: In smaller spaces, we recommend placing the coffee table equidistant from both seating elements. As the table in this room was intended as a focal point, it was logically positioned at the room's centre with furniture arranged around it.

3. Diagonally or at a Distance from Each Other

For a more relaxed living room arrangement, sofas placed at an angle or with significant distance between them create an intriguing dynamic, particularly if the two sofas feature different styles or distinctive shapes.

The angle you select depends largely on room dimensions. For more generous spaces, wider angles typically work best. Positioning sofas at a distance effectively creates distinct zones within a room. Consequently, if you have a substantial room with two sofas at opposite ends, it essentially divides the space into two separate functional areas.

Example from our projects:

Our senior interior designer, Cristina Chirila, worked on a private residence with a modest living room featuring a relatively large sliding door. This presented a challenge for sofa arrangement, as many configurations would result in one sofa obstructing the doorway.

After careful consideration, Cristina opted for two smaller sofas positioned at a considerable distance from each other adjacent to the walls, ensuring unimpeded movement into and throughout the room.

If there's one valuable lesson from this living room design, it's that conventional rules regarding sofa arrangements needn't be rigidly followed. You should feel empowered to position your sitting room couches according to your space's unique dimensions and design, or simply what intuitively feels most appropriate for your lifestyle.

For an illustration of two sofas placed at angles to one another, consider this layout from our Knightsbridge project—a private residence in the London suburb featuring a smaller living area that opened onto the dining space.

Ben selected curved sofas, as organic shapes naturally complement open floor plans and function effectively in smaller spaces due to their space-efficient design. The sofas were arranged at a wide angle to each other, with a rug beneath them to define the living area and distinguish it from the dining zone.

How to arrange the coffee table: It's worth noting that multiple coffee tables aren't exclusively suitable for larger rooms. Two coffee tables can work remarkably well in more compact spaces, provided you select appropriate pieces. Ben chose multiple circular coffee and side tables to create an organic, flowing aesthetic.

Final Tips on Setting Up Two Sofas in the Living Room

• Always measure your space meticulously to find the right sofa size before arranging your sitting room couches.
• It's tremendously helpful to identify a focal point for the room and then arrange the sofa in a living room and other furniture or accessories around it. This focal point might be a sofa, coffee table, fireplace, or even a statement rug.
• Ensure unobstructed movement around your sofas to facilitate easy navigation throughout the room.
• If you're uncertain about angles, consider orienting the sofa towards a window or television for a naturally intuitive arrangement.
• When using two different sofas, establish visual harmony between them through coordinating elements such as matching throws, cushions, or by anchoring them on a shared rug.
• Beyond your two sofas, consider incorporating accent chairs for additional seating and to create a symmetrical, visually balanced composition.
• Remember that quality sofas will not only provide superior comfort but will maintain their appearance for years to come.

How to Arrange the Coffee Table with Two Sofas?

As illustrated in our examples above, there are numerous approaches to positioning coffee tables with two sofas, depending on how many tables you select and the dimensions of both your room and sofas. Here's a summary of the most effective methods for arranging coffee tables with two sitting room couches:

• Position between two right-angled sofas at equal distance from both pieces
• Substitute a traditional coffee table with an ottoman to create a cosier, more relaxed atmosphere
• When two sofas face each other, place one coffee table centrally, equidistant from both
• In larger or irregularly shaped rooms, multiple coffee tables can create visual equilibrium
• For a statement coffee table, position it centrally as a deliberate focal point

Summing Up

The most prevalent arrangements for two sofas in a living room include: positioning at right angles, facing each other, or placed diagonally or at a distance from one another. Numerous factors influence these arrangements, including the living room's purpose, dimensions, focal points, and the specific sofas you've selected.

When thoughtfully arranged, sitting room couches not only provide ample seating but also contribute to creating a timeless aesthetic. If you require assistance selecting appropriate sofas or determining an optimal layout for your living room, simply book an appointment and our expert interior designers will be delighted to assist you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What are the benefits of having two sofas in the living room?

• In smaller or irregularly shaped rooms, having two couches can create an illusion of greater spaciousness.
• With two sofas, you enjoy greater flexibility to reconfigure your arrangement when you desire a fresh look.
• Many homeowners prefer two smaller sofas rather than one large one because conversation flows more naturally when guests face each other from separate seating. It's also more accommodating for multiple visitors, as everyone isn't confined to a single sofa.
• Two sofas facilitate more intuitive arrangement of complementary furniture and accessories—such as coffee tables, chairs and rugs—allowing you to create a cohesive and inviting living room aesthetic.

Q. Can I have two different sofas in the living room?

There are no rigid rules governing this decision; it's primarily a matter of personal preference and the atmosphere you wish to create in your living space.

Your home will exude tranquility with two matching sofas, particularly in neutral tones. These create a sense of balance and symmetry, and your interior will feel more unified if you introduce other furniture pieces with complementary design elements. Formal living rooms are particularly well-suited to identical sofas.

Conversely, a vibrant, dynamic living room can be achieved with two different sofas, though they shouldn't be entirely dissimilar. While you have latitude to mix designs, colours, and sofa types, the pieces should still complement one another. This harmony can be achieved through various means, such as selecting the same style, coordinating colour palette, or choosing similar upholstery fabrics.

Q. What should be the distance between two sofas?

Generally, sufficient clearance should exist for comfortable movement throughout the room. In most instances, this means that facing sofas should be positioned 3.5 to 4.5 feet apart, though this measurement may vary depending on room dimensions, coffee table size, and the overall layout of your space.

Q. How to arrange two full-size sofas in the living room?

The most effective approach to arranging full-size sofas is positioning them at right angles, particularly if television viewing is a priority. However, if your room offers ample space and your focus is creating a conversation area rather than optimising for screen viewing, consider placing them opposite each other with a coffee table between them.