Sometimes a miscalculation can ruin a perfect decoration. This can happen when you buy a sofa and you don’t pause to consider its placement. Thus, it may happen that, after buying the model we had always dreamed of or that we could afford due to budget or the size of the living room, when placing it, we see that it doesn’t work. Either because it takes up all the space, or because it doesn’t allow us to move, or simply because it doesn’t fit and the ensemble is neither flattering nor comfortable. This ‘mistake’, besides hurting our wallet, can ruin the sofa-and-blanket afternoons we had planned to watch the new season of Bridgerton.
Finding the ideal location isn’t as easy as you might think. It depends as much on the layout of the space as on the use we are going to make of it. It’s not the same if you want to watch television from the chaise longue as if it’s your preferred spot for post-dinner chats with your guests, for example.
To help us find the perfect spot according to your living room and your habits, we’ve asked the advice of interior designer Adela Cabré, from the studio Adela Cabré & Son. These are her tips for achieving a layout where the sofa is the king of the room in its own right, without hindering circulation, aesthetics and comfort. And while we’re at it, we’ll tell you which designs are trending in 2026.
Before looking for a place…
Choose the model that best fits you and your lifestyle. «In addition to taking into account the location, that is, whether it will be attached to a wall or freestanding, when we buy a sofa we must consider the function it will fulfill. If this is for gatherings, the backrest will be lower to encourage conversation, than if it is for relaxing where it will be taller and with a headboard», notes the interior designer.
You should also consider the number of people who will use it, if you have children, if you like to dine while watching TV… All of this will determine a design with a hard-wearing upholstery that is stain-resistant or impeccably white. Also, it’s advisable not to be swayed by first impressions and try it to be sure of its comfort and of how much space it occupies in your living room: it’s as bad for it to look small and solitary as it is to be huge and cramped.
Placed facing the television, it is as comfortable as it is functional.
In narrow and elongated living rooms
If your living room is rectangular, the interior designer advises placing it on the longest wall. This location organizes the space visually, lightens the central passage, and increases the sense of openness. It’s important that, with this arrangement, you opt for a model in a color similar to the wall, so that it integrates into the environment, and that the rest of the furniture are unobtrusive to avoid clutter.
If it goes against the wall
With its back to the wall is one of the most common placements, which allows a free central gap to move. The expert recommends in these cases to subtly separate the sofa from the wall, leaving a space between them, to give a sense of greater depth and lightness to the ensemble. Remember that, according to Feng Shui, if from it you can also see doors and windows, you will increase security and protection.
In a living-dining room it also serves as a barrier element.
Facing the television
It seems like the living room’s life revolves around the television, but this isn’t always the case, especially in small living rooms where rest and entertainment coincide. Moreover, as the expert notes, you can also orient towards the fireplace, a work of art, or a window. This purposeful focus, which directs the gaze to that central element of the space, provides information and rests the gaze.
In a living-dining room or open to the kitchen
If the living room is a standalone space, it’s easier to find the perfect nook, while in open-plan spaces, increasingly common, things get more complex and the sofa may take on several tasks. «If the living room connects with the kitchen or the dining area, the sofa can also serve as a room divider. In this case, when purchasing it, we must ensure that it has an aesthetic back, so it can be seen from any point in the room, and a low back», says Adela Cabré.
Green is one of the tones that will dress the sofa this 2026.
These are the sofa trends for 2026
Modular. It’s no longer just a sofa; this year it becomes your everyday ally. A nap on the sofa or surprise guests? A modular sofa is good for everything and adapts to what you need at each moment.
With a high back. After a spell with sofas featuring simple lines and low backs, plush, enveloping shapes and tall backs return, those that even allow you to rest your head. Comfort above all.
In full color. Although whites are always a safe bet and never go out of fashion, this 2026 the color is taking over the whole home and the sofa is no exception. Blues, moss greens or chocolate brown (the fashionable shade), the key to its success lies in choosing bold tones.
