Discount Sofas for Small Spaces

Most sofas seem to dwarf many small rooms with their dimensions, making the room look cramped. Surely it is possible in this day and age for manufacturers to produce sofas with dimensions that are smaller than standard, specially designed to fit into those smaller spaces? There are manufacturers who custom-make sofas to your own dimensions - for a price. However, if you can't or won't pay those prices for a smaller-than-usual sofa, where can you find ready-made discount sofas for small spaces? There is, of course, the love seat - a more intimate seating for two people to snuggle up together but that isn't really a smaller-than-average sofa. Even many two-seater sofas often tend to look too bulky and give the room an overstuffed appearance.

Characteristics to Look For

First and foremost, when you are looking for a discount sofa for small spaces, forget curves. Go for simple lines - clean and straight. Choose legs that have not been hidden under drapes or upholstered materials and, if you want arms on your sofa, look for those which have thin wooden arms that follow the straight pattern mentioned above. Strangely enough, back in the 1960s and 1970s furniture that fulfilled this category was quite popular with the older generation of the time: a two-seater sofa and matching easy chairs, following these designs, was referred to as a cottage suite. The upholstery was usually a kind of hunting scene, or a scene taken from a Gainsborough print.

These retro designs of discount sofas for small spaces always had polished wooden arms and legs and quite high backs and were remarkably comfortable. A more modern example is the Elanor Sofa from Van Gogh Designs. This sofa is 77.5 inches wide and, rather than have bare wooden arms, the arms are covered in upholstery.  This design is, however, quite attractive and would not look out of place in either a traditional or a contemporary setting. This sofa comes in a wide variety of colours and textures, from Westwood Red to Microfibre Platinum, plus a number of other imaginatively named colours that include ivory, green, various shades of blues and browns - together with lots of textures from the corded look to a patterned texture. Matching cushions completes the look.

Futons Still Look Good

Naturally, if you aren't a fan of futons, you probably wouldn't consider one. However, the ubiquitous futon is still a remarkably good choice when it comes to discount sofas for small spaces. Futons fulfill all the criteria - straight, clean lines, no curves and no unnecessary drapery to hide the clarity of their design. The futon design is simple and straightforward with nothing to detract the attention from the rest of your small room. Futons, apart from looking marvelous in small rooms can also be converted into a spare bed for guests and if you want to change their look, you simply put on a different futon cover. The covers also tend to be machine washable which is wonderful if you have children or pets. You can even replace the futon cushion when too much wear becomes apparent.  

Measurements that Fit Small Rooms

It depends of the space you have available, but most discount sofas for small spaces tend towards the 72 inch size or smaller - to around 64 inches. Anything less than that usually comes into the category of a loveseat/two-seater sofa. There are the designs referred to as 'chair-and-a-half' which is around the 59 inch mark but, in general, the measurement for a sofa to fit into small spaces is really around 72 inches: it is still possible to find discount sofas for small spaces that are larger than 72 inches but which still look good in you small room. Choosing a sofa is very much a personal decision and how you envisage dressing your small room will influence your choice of sofa.