How to Arrange a Sofa
- 1). Place the sofa facing a focal point. The most important function of a sofa is to seat members of your household and other guests comfortably, where they will be facing the best vantage point in the room. Choose the area of your space that you think deserves the best focus, and set the sofa where it will be directed toward that spot. This could be a bookcase, a fireplace, a window, an entertainment center or a beautiful piece of artwork.
- 2). Place the sofa within reaching distance of coffee tables and end tables. You, your housemates and your guests should be in easy reach of interesting books, user-controlled lighting, places to set drinks and refreshments, and remote controls for the stereo and television.
- 3). Place the sofa so that it's front is right at the edge of the long end of any existing area rug. This helps set the stage for other furniture that may be added.
- 4). Set the sofa in close enough proximity to other sofas and chairs in the room so that people sitting on all the furniture can easily face and speak with one another in a conversational tone.
- 5). Arrange the sofa so that it doesn't block major pathways. Keep sofas clear of exit doorways, closet doorways or windows. There should be a clear walking path around the sofa with no obstructions.
- 6). Arrange the sofa so it doesn't block ventilation. If the sofa is placed against a wall with a heating or air conditioning vent, move the sofa away from the vent at least six inches to one foot. Don't allow the couch to block the air coming through the vent; if it does, it can cause the room to be cool in winter and warm in summer, as well as raise gas and electricity bills.
