What size sofa should you choose for your living room?

By Nassim Hasni, publisher of DecoScale · published 7 October 2026

The number of seats does not give the width: in the survey of 6 October 2026, the median 3-seater runs from 187 cm at IKEA to 254 cm at Bobochic. So the wall decides: measure its clear length, subtract the 100 cm to keep clear in front of a door, and compare with the width the retailer publishes, arms included.

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What width is a 2-seater, a 3-seater sofa?

None: the “3-seater” label names a use, not a measurement. The retailers in DecoScale's catalogue publish widths from 171 to 310 cm for their “3-seater” sofas, and each retailer's median ranges from 187 to 254 cm. The chart gives, per retailer, the smallest, median and largest width surveyed.

Survey of 6 October 2026 over DecoScale's catalogue; retailers with 3 listings or more; not checked by the retailers.

For “2-seater” sofas:

Survey of 6 October 2026 over DecoScale's catalogue; retailers with 3 listings or more; not checked by the retailers.

These figures are a dated survey of 6 October 2026 over 259 “3-seater” listings and 102 “2-seater” listings, with corner, convertible, modular sofas and sets left out. They describe what these retailers sell, not a standard. One retailer weighs heavily in the whole: that is why no median across all retailers is given. Only the figure of the retailer you are looking at counts.

How long a wall does a sofa need?

The clear length of wall facing the screen, without the 100 cm to keep clear in front of a door or the path leading from it. Compare it with the width of the sofa, arms included, as the retailer publishes it. DecoScale places the sofa against the wall: its back stays at most 15 cm from the wall, because a floating sofa cuts a small room in two. The distances to keep are gathered on room layout dimensions.

How much depth in front of the sofa?

That of the sofa, plus the gap to the coffee table, between 40 and 60 cm, plus the table. The chart assumes a coffee table 50 cm deep.

Sofa-to-table gap read from DecoScale's engine; example table, not checked.

You also need room to move around: see the coffee table size guide and small living room layout.

And the rug, the screen?

The rug is chosen from the sofa: see the rug size guide. The screen size from the distance to the sofa: see the sofa-to-TV distance guide.

What DecoScale checks, and what it does not

DecoScale does not choose a sofa by its number of seats. It accepts a listing 100 to 410 cm wide as the main seat, places it against a wall, facing the screen, at least 100 cm from a door, with the coffee table at the gap stated. No rule ties the width of the sofa to that of the room: Nor does it check that the sofa will get through the front door or up the stairs: see how to tell if furniture will fit. The plan of the room comes from your photos and two tape-measure dimensions: see the Method page.

Frequently asked questions

What width is a 3-seater sofa?

It varies a lot: from 171 to 310 cm across the listings surveyed, and from 187 to 254 cm in median by retailer. Read the published width, arms included.

How many seats in a 2-metre sofa?

It depends on the retailer: a 2-seater can exceed 2 metres and a 3-seater measure under 2 metres. The number of seats is not a measurement.

What depth of living room for a sofa and a coffee table?

For a 95 cm sofa and a 50 cm table, 185 to 205 cm, without counting the walkway.

Does DecoScale check that the sofa fits through the door?

No: it checks its place in the room, not its delivery.

Read next

• Small living room layout: the measurements that decide
• Rug size guide: living room and bedroom
• What size coffee table should you choose for your sofa?
• TV viewing distance: how far to sit from your screen
• Will your furniture fit the room and get through the door?
• The right distances for laying out a living room and a bedroom
• All guides