The couch has always been considered a major staple in the house and for good reason. It can accommodate several people, contributes to the room's aesthetic, and offers endless comfort. But what if you have a space where it's impossible to place a sofa? Lately, living rooms have gotten smaller as they fit in more functions — that of reading space, a room to watch TV or even enjoy a drink. Plus, with open floor plans, the sofa almost always has its back turned on something important. Not the most ideal layout.
It's a bit controversial to say, but a well-designed living room doesn't need a sofa. You and your guests can be equally comfortable on cozy chairs, loungers, and poufs. Yes, there are plenty of couch alternatives that take up less space yet look visually stunning. Take a look at this set of living room furniture ideas by top designers that show how to create a beautiful, inviting, and functional arrangement without a sofa.
What are some sofa alternatives?
There are several sofa alternatives you can incorporate into your living room ideas! You could consider a loveseat, an armchair, a settee, a daybed, a bench, or even a stack of floor pillows to make your space comfy and welcoming. When it comes to choosing seating, think about how the space is going to be used, who by, and at what times of day. You may notice that all your space needs is a chaise or a classic mid-century lounger that can multitask.
1. Lounger
If you want a comfortable, relaxing living room where you can kick back for a moment (or two), consider a close-to-floor lounger. These are some of the best couch alternatives and in fact, are a big living room trend as they embrace laid-back luxury without bringing down the modern aesthetic of your room. Consider ones in interesting fabrics and style them with a pop-toned pillow or a throw. You could even add a side table to create a lovely vignette.
"When a standard sofa doesn't quite fit the space, I often design a seating arrangement with a grouping of loungers to create a cozy, conversational setting that maintains an open flow for easy movement," avers Ryan Austin Hagood, principal designer with r.a.d. Interiors. "In this project in Georgia, I used a vintage lounge to create an intimate reading nook, accessorized with a small marble drink table and a striking peacock taxidermy. These pieces can be a great alternative to larger upholstery, keeping a room open, functional, and inviting."
2. Ottoman
Along with loungers and chairs, you could add a long, designer ottoman to the mix for the perfect cozy living room. "This will result in a more dynamic and personalized look," says Alice Moszczynski, interior designer at Planner 5D. "Just be sure to focus on color and pattern coordination."
Generally, a round ottoman works best next to other rounded furniture. With no corners, it is easy to get around. If you're placing it along a wall, consider a long, rectangular one. The longer width allows more people to use it. You could also consider two ottomans, side-by-side. This allows you to pull them apart to be useful in other parts of the house.
3. Armchairs
The classic arrangement of four armchairs placed on the diagonal around a circular coffee table are great couch alternative. This is particularly useful for a small living room layout. It allows for more movement around the room and makes it feel intimate. Plus, you don't have to match all the chairs together — a mismatched collection of chairs against a neutral backdrop can look quite unique.
"The choice of an armchair plays a significant role in pulling the room together," shares Michelle Boudreau, founder of Michelle Boudreau Design. "To create a visually compelling environment, I advocate for mixing different color palettes in a thoughtful balanced manner. This approach helps to achieve the perfect balance of interest and diverse colors, resulting in a more dynamic and appealing space."
4. Bench chair
A long, wooden or upholstered bench chair can add character and clean lines to your living room. In fact, the bench chair has come a long way and now plays an important part in the design of many modern living and dining rooms. It typically allows more people to sit together and can bring important stylistic elements to the overall aesthetic of a space. It works especially well in a narrow living room where space is at a premium and you can arrange furniture only along one wall.
"In this project, most of the furniture is custom-made or was found in vintage shops and restored," shares Natasha Orekhova, partner at Architecture bureau CXEMA. "The chair is by the Romanian company “Dej” and adds a minimalist aesthetic to the room."
5. Statement chairs
Sofas can be quite restricting when it comes to layout, especially if you are dealing with a small space. Ditch the sofa in favor of smaller seating and you can instantly be more flexible with your layout. In this elegant living room, a couple of accent chairs and a chaise were used as a couch alternative, leaving the room feeling more open and welcoming.
"We wanted to create a harmonious balance of seating within this space and used a mixture of vintage and bespoke furnishings to achieve this," explains designer Natalia Miyar. "The seating arrangement offers a multitude of options for the homeowner and their guests, so it can be used as a larger entertaining space or a cozy reading nook. The bespoke grey swivel loveseat provides relaxation and comfort, contrasting with the vintage brown leather wooden chair, which offers an air of heritage to the modern scheme. The chaise allows the room to feel open, whereas a sofa in this position would have been more restricting. There is also a dining space in this room so we wanted to make sure that the seating could divide the room without closing off the space."
6. Hammock
It's the dream, right? A hammock in the house. Not only do they bring the vacation vibes and an on-trend boho feel to a room, but they are the perfect couch alternatives if you are working with a smaller space.
This small Madrid apartment is filled with tiny space solutions, but the hammock that stretches the whole width of the living room has got to be our favorite. And unlike a sofa, it's flexible and can be hung neatly out of the way when it's not in use.
Matteo, founder of Matteo Ferrari studio explains the use of this piece in the home. "The choice to include a hammock brings back memories of outdoor spaces and a more relaxed use of the living room. On the other hand, it is an extremely flexible and very useful solution for such a small flat. When closed, it becomes a decorative element; when open, it integrates and expands the seating areas."
You also get that illusion of more space since the hammock doesn't interrupt the floor space when it is hung out.
7. Hanging chair
If a hammock isn't a realistic solution in your home, a hanging chair can give that same boho living room feel while keeping the floor space clear, adding less visual bulk to the room than a couch.
"Incorporating hanging chairs into your scheme allows you to make use of vertical space that may have otherwise sat empty, while also freeing up all-important floor space in your room," avers Livingetc's interiors editor, Emma Breislin. "Not only are they bound to become an aesthetic feature on their own, but their floating nature also helps the entire space feel more airy and open."
Hanging chairs have shed their retro skin and become a stylish option. The best options for a living room are designs that don't feel too...outdoorsy. Rattan or wood works perfectly, as it adds extra texture and can be softened up with throws and cushions. Or if you are after something even softer and more relaxed, check out macrame designs (these tend to be the more affordable option too).
8. Bean bag
Beanbags and floor cushions are having a moment as couch alternatives. So many interior design trends are about creating comfier, more relaxed, and informal spaces that it was only a matter of time before we started to see bean bags making a reappearance. But of course, they've had a glow-up, and you can now find designs to suit the chicest living rooms.
"For a laidback living room feel, a bean bag can work wonders," says Livingetc's trends editor, Lilith Hudson. "Use several dotted around on layered rugs in place of a sofa to open up a space. They also work brilliantly alongside a statement chair, placed in the corner of the room or used as a footstool. Pair it with relaxed furniture like a low-profile couch or a Togo for a more elevated style."
9. Chaise
A chaise is the perfect option if you want to fill a space with a single piece, but don't want the visual bulk of a sofa. You get all the comfort of a traditional couch but with a more elegant and slimline look. Plus, they tend to be more flexible in where you can position them in a small living room. The lack of a high back and bulky arms means they can work in front of windows and not block the light, they can be placed horizontally into a room if you want to fill a corner, and they can effortlessly float in a space too, without looking awkward as a sofa might.
If you are looking for a safe alternative to a sofa, a chaise is where it's at. But that doesn't mean you should play it safe with the piece itself. We love a chaise that makes a statement in a room, whether that be with a quirky vintage shape (scour online marketplaces for an original piece, there are loads out there) or a gorgeous fabric like this one covered in Beata Heuman's Asteria’s Folly.
"Chaises are a great addition to a home," shares Livingetc advice and garden editor, Faiza Saqib. "You'll find an array of chaises that carry a sleek and modern design, that is certainty hard to miss. Take the shape, for example. If you're eyeing up a left hand chaise lounge, like this Schaefer Upholstered Chaise Lounge from Wayfair, it makes for an ideal little relaxation hub in any corner of your home. Whether it's the living room or bedroom, I'm certain it will be a perfect fit. As well as its sophisticated design and sleek lines, a chaise is ideal for small corners and spaces — bringing beauty, aesthetic and functionality into one."
10. Daybed
Daybeds in living rooms are one of the best sofa alternatives. Much like a chaise, you still get the comfort of a sofa but the designs are far better suited to a smaller space. Plus, the added benefit of a modern daybed is that it can usually double up as a bed should you need it to.
And they are so much more interesting to look at, especially if you find one second-hand. Remember when shopping for vintage pieces, it's all about the shape, don't be put off if the upholstery or tone of wood doesn't speak to you, these can be updated with new fabric and stain or paint. Case in point, this delightful piece was made more suitable and usable for the space.
"I don't like sofas at all, so I usually look for furniture that is similar in function but more interesting in shape — chaise lounges, ottomans, or day beds," explains Marta Chrapka, founder of Colombe. "This design is more classic, as we drew inspiration from French interiors. Here, the sofa was replaced by an old French ottoman, bought in an antique shop in France — Object Vagabond. We then sewed a few mattresses on it to make it more soft and cozy."
11. Love seat
The best loveseats give you everything a couch gives you, just on a smaller scale. Slightly wider than an armchair but way smaller than traditional sofa dimensions, we believe every small space dweller should consider a loveseat. And if space isn't an issue? They are a great alternative to adding a second couch or paired with a couple of adjacent armchairs for a more relaxed layout.
"For small apartments where a sofa might overpower, a loveseat is a good choice, especially where an armchair might be lost in the room, the larger proportions of loveseat fill a space without dominating it," explains Tom Cox, founder of Ham Interiors.
12. Built in bench
Transform an awkward alcove with a built-in bench, an easy way to add extra seating to a room without taking up any usable floor space. This is a great look for a small apartment living room, where a full-sized sofa might not be an option but you still want somewhere cozy to curl up. You can also bring in a couple of comfy chairs and a coffee table to nicely fill up the rest of the room.
"Here, I made the most of a quirky space tucked between a fireplace and windows," explains designer Lisa Sherry. "I specified a floating built-in bench and topped it with a comfy cushion and textural bolsters. This might be the most coveted spot in the living room. I finished the “moment” with a faux-bois gesso table, perfect for a cocktail or coffee an asymmetrical wall lamp looks like art!"
13. Mini couch
This is something we so often say when it comes to making a small living room look bigger— curves and soft lines are important. A traditional sofa is often quite a structural piece, made up of lots of clean lines and shapes, which can close in a small room. However, furniture that's more open and more fluid keeps the space feeling open and fluid.
"For a small space, you need to be clever with the design and layout so it feels balanced and functional," explain Jen and Marr, founders of Interior Fox. "We chose this gorgeous seater from Ferm Living with a curved edge as it looks sculptural and provides a statement against this very linear wall."
"We chose this type of furniture over a conventional sofa as traditional sofa shapes can be very blocky and restrictive, whereas this shape allowed more freedom and movement within the space. It was important to have some back support so you could actually sit back and read a book or scroll on your phone in peace, comfortably as there is nothing worse than a gorgeous sofa that is not useable. A couple of custom pillows were added for visual interest and extra softness to the room as well."
14. Window seat
Bay window ideas for living rooms will never look dated. Plus, this seating makes for great couch alternatives. A window seat can transform an otherwise dead space into a multifunctional spot that can even be used for storage.
"These windows offer many uses: a comfy reading space, a snuggle spot in the winter, a place for mid-day naps, plus, this architectural feature also speaks of luxury," says Jarret Yoshida, a Brownstone interior designer in New York.
We see window seats used a lot in open-plan spaces, where say a living room and kitchen are within the same room. A window seat creates that kind of link between the two, as you can see here, bringing some softness into the practical space and subtly linking it with the living area.
What are some designer-favorite couch alternatives?
"Our favorite sofa alternatives to traditional sofas are custom window seats, day-beds and chaises with interesting edges or seat shapes, and oversized chairs with a matching footstool," says Jen of Interior Fox. "There are so many unique pieces out there that can be used instead of a boring straight sofa which may or may not be any more comfortable."
Designer Jonathan Adler agrees. "When it comes to sitting, think beyond the sofa. A chaise? Tres chic. Daybeds? Daring. Daybeds are every decorator’s secret weapon – they add unexpected polish to a living room and bring a neglected corner to life. They’re perfect for an overnight guest, sassy socializing, or the occasional sneaky snooze."
And if you want more of a classic living room feel, designer Marie Flanigan recommends using smaller pieces to create a balanced look, just as a sofa would."I love incorporating two small stools near fireplaces because they add symmetry and function. While it allows for additional seating, it also gives flexibility in the furniture floor plan. I love that you can easily move stools to another area or closer to the fireplace."
Can you have a living room without a couch?
We think these chic couch alternative ideas have proven that a living room doesn't need a sofa to feel welcoming. As designer Kathy Kuo notes, "I like to say that there aren’t any hard and fast rules about what any given room “must have.” If you have a living room space that serves you well with several comfortable armchairs and no sofa, then there’s no need to force a sofa! The ultimate goal is to love your living room and feel at home there – both by yourself and with guests – and working with chairs, benches, and chaises can certainly result in a beautiful living room design." Agreed!
