Buying guide · Living room

Living room furniture for a small apartment

A small living room is not a problem to solve with small furniture. It is a problem to solve with fewer, better pieces, each doing two jobs. These are the pieces we send to apartments in Oakland, San Francisco and Walnut Creek, and the rules we size them by.

One sofa under 80 inches

In a room 11 or 12 feet wide, a sofa between 72 and 80 inches leaves a path on both sides. Look at the arm: a slim track arm gives you four more inches of seat than a rolled arm on the same frame.

Legs matter in a small room. A sofa raised on legs shows floor underneath and reads lighter than a skirted one of the same size.

Sofas under 80 inches

A loveseat where a sofa will not go

Under 10 feet of wall, a loveseat (55 to 68 inches) and one good chair seat three people and leave the room walkable. Two loveseats facing each other across a small table work in a square room where one long sofa would block the window.

Loveseats

The sleeper that makes a guest room

A sleeper sofa gives a studio or a one-bedroom its guest room. Check the open depth: a queen sleeper opened runs about 90 inches from the back of the sofa, so it needs that much clear floor in front. A twin or full sleeper opens shorter.

Sleeper sofas

Storage you sit on

A storage ottoman is a coffee table, a footrest, two extra seats when friends come, and a place for the blankets. In a small room it replaces the coffee table outright. Round or soft-cornered pieces are easier to walk past than square ones.

Storage ottomans

Tables that step out of the way

A coffee table under 40 inches long, or a round one under 36, keeps the path open. Side tables that nest or tuck under the sofa arm hold the lamp and the drink without claiming floor.

Small coffee tables

Asked in the showroom

What size sofa fits a small living room?
For a room 11 to 12 feet wide, a sofa of 72 to 80 inches leaves room to walk on both sides. Under 10 feet of wall, use a loveseat of 55 to 68 inches.
How much space does a sleeper sofa need when open?
A queen sleeper opened is about 90 inches from the back of the sofa to the foot of the mattress. Measure the clear floor in front of where the sofa will sit.
Do you deliver to apartments in San Francisco and Oakland?
Yes. Our own crew delivers and sets up across the Bay Area. Tell us about stairs, elevators and the building’s delivery hours when you order so we can plan the carry.

Tell us the room and we find the furniture: your personal designer, or call (925) 325-8537.

More guides

  • The best sectionals for a large family — How to choose a sectional that seats six or more: width, U-shape vs L-shape, reclining, fabric, and getting it through the door. With pieces we deliver across Northern California.
  • Choosing a mattress size — Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king and California king: the exact dimensions, the room each needs, who each suits, and the mattresses we carry in every size.