Choosing the most suitable sofa for a space is not always the easiest task. Yet sofa designs are an integral part of any living room design because they provide the ideal framework for placing other accent pieces and accessories such as ottomans, throw pillows, coffee tables and even entertainment systems.
In this guide, we seek to inspire anyone looking to bring a touch of originality and elegance to a living space.
The Most Popular Sofa Styles
As every interior designer knows, the most popular sofa styles represent a legacy of effective, functional and sophisticated design. Contemporary, classic and unique sofas all make their mark, but we’ve selected a few of the most popular sofa designs, which we’ll discuss in more detail below.
Sectional Sofas
The West Sofa collection consists of several elements that allow for unique setups and a truly bespoke design | Designed by Rodolfo Dordini for © Minotti London
Sectional sofas, including modular and multi-element sofas such as the West Sofa, have separate and often interchangeable seating elements. This allows designers to arrange sections and shapes to meet their vision.
Sectional sofas can also have several features and functions, including reclining seats and chaise longues. This style of sofa breaks up the compositional layout, offering a solution designed to optimise both look and form. Sectional sofas can be found in various materials, including fabric and leather.
Loveseats
The Tape Sofa’s unique silhouette and soft curve of its back and armrests give it an immediate sense of enveloping comfort | Designed by nendo design for © Minotti London
The loveseat is one of the most popular sofa styles. While traditionally designed to seat two people, modern versions of these sofas are can often be found in several sizes. As a result, these pieces are well suited to living spaces as well as waiting rooms, corporate offices and hotel suites.
Loveseat sofas can be made with durable upholstery fabrics or real leather.
The Minotti Tape Sofa, Leslie Sofa and the Andersen Slim 90 Sofa are all modern design classics, bringing superior comfort to the traditional loveseat design.
Chaise Sofas
Chaise sofas are unabashedly retro and tend to consist of one long cushion used either as a standalone piece of furniture or as an attachment to a sofa. These sophisticated pieces are an impeccable marriage of comfort and elegance.
The minimalist design of the Aston Chaise Longue brings a subtle sense of sophistication to a space | Designed by Rodolfo Dordoni for © Minotti London
The elegant Aston Chaise Longue has an enveloping back and a more conservative scale while the Luggage Chaise Longue has lighter lines and uses robust saddle-hide.
Meanwhile, the Andersen Paolina Chaise Longue is unique in that it comes with an armrest, a feature seldom found on a chaise longue sofa. The entire chaise-longue collection from Minotti lends sophisticated styling to both living and sleeping areas.
Curved Sofa Styles
Curved sofa styles are currently very popular. They usually feature rounded curves, geometric shapes and 1920s inspired patterns. Scalloped edges and rich tones of burgundy and emerald are also favoured by designers leading this trend.
Boasting sleek & slender lines and a minimalist style, the Aston Sofa pairs perfectly with other pieces of the Aston family, such as the Aston Arm Chair | Designed by Rodolfo Dordoni for © Minotti London
The Aston Sofa by Minotti combines the richness of material and colour to create a compact, curved sofa that exudes style. The Freeman Lounge Sofa is another example of how the curved sofa style brings elegance to a space. With leather and bronze elements, the details of this design truly set the tone of any room.
The beauty of the curved sofa is that it can look magnificent no matter the size. So, whether it is destined for a vast space or a small room, a curved sofa style will always make for an exquisite addition.
Top 4 Sofa Arrangement Ideas
Furniture placement and arrangement are at the forefront of all great interior designs, which is particularly important for sofas. When deciding how to place a sofa, one should consider the aesthetics and practicality of both the sofa and the room.
Knowing exactly what a space will be used for will greatly inform one’s judgement. For example, the style and layout of a family living space are vividly different to that of an office or foyer.
With this in mind, here are four tips for arranging a sofa that will help to enhance the appearance and functionality of the room where the sofa will reside.
Tip 1: Opposites Attract
Although not strictly identical, notice how the placement of the coffee table creates a more welcoming space | Designed by Rodolfo Dordoni for © Minotti London
Placing two identical sofas across from each other creates a relaxed and sociable environment. It also adds a mirror image and a more open space that is ideal for entertaining guests. Consider placing a coffee table between the two sofas to add more of a hospitable feel.
Tip 2: Maximise the Corner
A corner sofa can frame a room beautifully, particularly if it proves difficult to configure the sofa in the middle of a given space. Accenting the sofa with other curved and round pieces can also add a sense of harmony to the room.
While it may not be placed in the corner, here the lines of Anderson Sofa run parallel with the sofa to create a sense of unity while ensuring the sofa is the focus of the room | Designed by Rodolfo Dordoni for © Minotti London
The Daniels Sofa shows how a curved seating system can completely redesign a living area, particularly when paired with individual cubed pieces and chaise elements. For more corner sofa design inspiration, take a glance at the Anderson Sofa with its perfect proportions, or the Hamilton Sofa arrangements.
Tip 3: Create Sections Within a Room
With the strategic placement of a large area rug, one can easily unify furniture in a larger space. Such an approach accentuates the silhouette of the sofa above, ensuring that the furniture becomes a focal point for all who enter the room.
Here the Roger Seating system sits in a space within a space as all pieces of furniture have been unified by the rug they sit on | Designed by Rodolfo Dordoni for © Minotti London
Curved armchairs or lampshades placed on either side of a sofa can also echo this framing effect. Such an approach has been perfectly modelled above with the Roger Seating System, which highlights how sectioning a sofa space can work brilliantly in a larger space.
Tip 4: Look to the Light
Angling a sofa towards a prominent feature or source of light, such as a large window, gallery or fireplace, will help guide eyes to a preordained focal point. This adds balance to a room and gives the room a sense of completeness.
Not only does this method ensure that the sofa has perfect lighting, but it also encourages those who enter the room to see the sofa from a specific angle, giving additional control to how the room will be perceived.
Conclusion
There are many different styles of sofas to choose from and perhaps even more ideas for arranging them within a room. However, some of the most sought after sofa styles include:
- Sectional Sofas
- Loveseats
- Chaise Lounges
- Curved Sofa Styles
- Corner Sofas
Each of these can be used effectively to establish a range of aesthetic preferences while serving a diverse set of practical purposes. When designing a room, make sure to put special care into thinking about how a particular sofa will fit in the space.
Several ways to do this include:
- Facing sofas opposite each other
- Maximising corners with a corner sofa
- Using rugs, sofas, and other furniture to section off a room
- Allowing natural light to bring balance and comfort to the space
Incorporate some of these styling techniques into the design of a living room to achieve a specific look and feel.