HOW TO MIX AN L SHAPED SOFA WITH AN OCCASIONAL CHAIR
Is trying to match that new occasional chair in with your existing L shaped sofa ever something you’ve struggled with?
This dilemma was bought up recently by one of my subscribers ‘Deni’ who was desperately trying to add seating to a recently purchased sectional sofa. However she tried to add in that additional seat it just didn’t look right. Maybe it’s the angle? Maybe the chair itself is too big? Check out Deni’ s room below.
Deni also sent another pic showing her occasional chair more clearly. See below.
Can you guess what’s up with Deni’s set up? Why doesn’t the furniture in this room look relaxed and inviting? And why does the occasional chair seem so drab and disconnected?
In this post I want to call out 6 things you should consider when you want to incorporate in that additional chair to your L shaped sofa. There’s normally more than one reason that that extra chair you are trying to tie in doesn’t work. Before you consider adding that extra seat to your sectional or L shaped sofa, read my tips below.
P.S At the very end, see if you can tell why Deni’s sectional was not working with the occasional chair that she was trying to introduce.
1. Use a statement colour
One issue that I come across frequently is when the occasional chair in exactly the same colour as the sectional, or not far from it. There’s nothing terribly wrong with this, but if it is not styled properly it’s really hard for it not to look like it was purchased as part of a set [icky!]. It’s just plain dull.
Above: This occasional chair feels like it’s been abandoned from the pack doesn’t it? There is a throw that’s been placed on the arm of the chair for a finishing touch, but the whole situation looks a little bland and flat.
By selecting an occasional chair in an accent colour, it makes the room pop and creates interest, as opposed to inspiring a yawn. Check out the below image by US design firm Wells & Fox. The blue occasional chair adds a little theatre to the layout.
Above: The blue occasional chair makes a real statement, whilst still being connected to the L shaped sofa. The L shaped sofa has the same blue tied in via the addition of some throws and pillows, which is why the armchair still seems to connect with the white sectional sofa. Image Photo: Joshua McHugh
The image below also has a similar vibe because of the the deliberate choice to use a different colour in the occasional chair. Having an armless occasional chair can help stop it overpowering the rest of the neutral space. Having arms ‘commands presence,’ which in this situation is not needed as the blue in the chair is the only significant colour shown in the entire room.
2. Use a large rug
There are so many reasons why using a large rug is better than settling for something smaller. Having an oversized rug creates a real ‘zone’ for the room, and houses the layout in a very organised way. Smaller rugs run the risk of feeling like an afterthought, and push the pieces away from each other. The pieces of furniture lose a connection with each other if they are not housed by a larger floor rug.
Above: This living room from my Neutral Bay project has the perfect size area rug. The occasional chair [in this case a chaise with the owner’s dog Shadow perched on it] and L shaped sofa are connected due to the size of the rug. Photograph: Yie Sandison
3. Avoid matchy everything
Again, below we have an occasional chair in the same colour as the rest of the sofa. Don’t get me started on the fact that it’s also has an adjustable leg rest. If your L shaped sofa and occasional chair are looking similar to this we need to talk.
4. Avoid huge coffee tables
This is probably the number one reason your occasional chair just doesn’t want to connect with your sectional. If you have a huge, overbearing coffee table is sucks up space, and almost blocks the idea of any other piece of furniture becoming part of the mix.
The coffee table below is not only too big, but I wonder how anybody can get their legs between the sofa and that table? Barely any room when you need to get up and reach for your cup of tea.
5. Create a vignette
Whether you have a chair that you’d like to incorporate with an L shaped sofa, or one that will sit just off the living area, make an effort to accessorise it. By styling your occasional chair with an additional side table, lamp, candle or whatever takes your fancy, you create a ‘vignette’.
Make sure you add a small side table to an occasional chair to make it feel completed. Adding some beautiful accessories will complete the look.
My design bestie Jane Thomson created this gorgeous vignette below.
Interior Designer: Jane Thomson Interiors Photo: Yie Sandison.
6. Embrace the curves
Ok I kind of mentioned this one, but it’s helpful to get away from square/rectangle coffee tables. One way to stop your occasional chair connecting is by cramming in a big square or rectangle coffee table with hard edges. As I’ve already mentioned, not only is it hard to get around one of these if you are sitting on your L shaped sofa, it also alienates your occasional chair. See a couple of the above images featuring the red cross. Definitely a big no no if you want to blend your furniture together in harmony.
See the below image of a L shaped sofa, with the ever changing coffee table. You’ll probably find that you like the rounded, or at least more curved version as opposed to the straighter edge, square version. Curved coffee tables seem to invite in that extra chair, rather than the square or rectangular version.
Ok! So there are my 6 tips on getting that mix right when incorporating in an occasional chair with a sectional or L shaped sofa. Now that we’ve ran through that, can you point out the reasons why Deni’s combination wasn’t really working? Let me break it down in three points:
Coffee Table’s Too Big
Not only is there zero leg room for anyone seated on that sectional, it’s almost screaming ‘get outta here!’ to the occasional armchair. A smaller, rounded table would be far more fitting.
2. Rug’s Too Small
I’ve seen worse, but this rug should be about a third bigger so that all the pieces [including the occasional chair] are seated within it. This way oll of the pieces will feel connected as the larger rug creates a zone that the pieces live well within.
3. Occasional Chair is Too Wishy Washy
The soft sage green of the additional chair isn’t really packing a punch next to the beige L shaped sofa. Adding a more dramatic colour would make the chair more of a statement. You know my view on chairs that ‘recline’, but I’ll keep those thoughts to myself at this point.
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AS