Want a comfy seating spot but don't have the space for an average sofa? Welcome to the world of teeny tiny sofas – small seating solutions that fit into even the smallest of spaces.
While perfect for that notoriously small box of a room in your cottage or conversion, or for tucking away under the stairs, small sofas are not just for small rooms. You can also pop a teeny tiny sofa next to a bookcase or inglenook fireplace to create a comfy, cosy spot in a large, open plan space.
Nor do smaller sofas lack in personality – oh no. Small definitely does not mean boring. So how do you go about fitting a small sofa into your space?
Getting the Proportions Right
A small sofa just doesn't look right if it’s lost in the middle of a huge room – and it’ll look just as lost if it takes up all of the space in a small room. That's why it’s important to find the balance for the right proportions.
Before you take the plunge and buy a gorgeous little sofa, measure the dimensions of its destination space. Also, have a good think about how much space you need around the sofa. Do you need to put your feet up? Do you need a coffee table nearby?
Can’t visualise how much space the sofa will take up? Try laying newspapers on the floor to cover an area roughly the size of the sofa. Then see how well you can navigate around it!
Newport Stripe 2 Seater Loose Cover Sofa
Placement of Your Teeny Tiny Sofa
It’s a fairly safe bet that you’re going to want to point your small sofa at the television or another centre point of your room. However, where you place your sofa really depends on the dimensions of the room.
Interior design experts recommend pulling your sofa away from the wall to create the illusion of it “floating”, but if your room is really rather tiny, this is just impractical as you’ll lose valuable floor space.
Instead, just try to make sure your small sofa doesn’t get in the way of the exit and entry point of the room, that it doesn’t cover a fireplace or window, and that it faces the right direction.
If your room is a little bit larger and you don’t want your sofa to get lost in a sea of carpet, there are a few tricks you can use. You could position the sofa as a room divider and use it to divide the space into “zones” to make the room feel cosier. Or, you could position it at an angle towards a wall or bookcase to create a comfy little nook.
The style that suits you
Once you know the size of your sofa and where you'd like to put it, you can start thinking about the style and design.
There is a great choice of small sofas out there, just labeled in so many different ways depending on size and style.
Of course, you will find the straightforward 2 seater sofas which comfortably seat two people.
Then, there is the smaller size, often called love seats or midi sofas, which are a little smaller than your average 2 seater sofas but provide a comfy space for two people snuggling up. What better excuse to get up close and personal with your loved one?
For a cool, contemporary look, you could also use a swivel chair instead of a small sofa. They’re perfect for slotting into corners or awkward spots and are just as comfy as a full-size sofa.
Conclusion
Whether you are looking for a snug seating area or would like to fill a space, make sure you measure your space carefully. Once you know what size you need, you get to the fun bit where you can choose the fabric, shape, and size of your small sofa that fits you.