The Best Sectional Style For A More Inviting Living Room Space

If you want your living room to feel like a welcoming space that friends and family can gather in, then chances are you've considered skipping a regular sofa and instead investing in a large sectional. While both might be perfectly comfortable seating options, there's a reason sectionals feel more inviting. "A sectional is inherently a little less formal than a sofa-and-chairs arrangement, and that informality is a big part of what makes a space feel inviting," Brittany Rediger, the founder and principal designer at Rediger Design, told House Digest in an exclusive interview. "There's also something that happens physically: a sectional connects people onto one continuous piece of furniture." However, there are many different sectional styles to choose from. So which would be the best for gathering: a U-shape, L-shape, chaise, double-chaise, curved, or modular option? Each option has its perks, but Rediger believes an L-shaped sectional is your best bet.

There are several reasons, one being that the L-shape is particularly comfortable. That encourages people to curl up and linger in the room and in your company. "That corner where the two sides meet tends to be the coziest spot in the room. People naturally gravitate toward it," she noted. 

The best sectional for your living room is going to be just right, design pro Brittany Rediger said in an exclusive interview with House Digest. "It's a bit of a Goldilocks situation," she explained. "You want something that looks comfortable without looking like you might fall into it and never escape." That's where the L-shape configuration comes in handy. Its design is comfortable, but it doesn't invite you to put your feet up like a chaise or double-chaise option does. Plus, it offers a larger amount of seating, since both sides of the couch have back support. 

"I'm partial to an L-shape or a symmetrical sectional where both sides are roughly equal, creating a right angle, [because] this maximizes actual seating, including that coveted corner seat, in a way that a chaise lounge configuration often doesn't," Rediger explained. "The chaise can look great, but in practice it tends to function more like an oversized ottoman than real seating since there's no back to lean against."

Of course, size matters. To choose the perfect sectional for your space, you've got to find the right fit. "Make sure the scale is right for your room," advised Rediger. "Too large and the space feels consumed by it; too small and it loses the generous, gathered feeling that makes a sectional worth having in the first place."

If hygge vibes are what you're after, there are plenty of ways to make your living room feel extra cozy. "Pillows are an obvious one, but worth saying out loud," Brittany Rediger acknowledged in an exclusive exchange with House Digest. Not only can pillows soften the corners of an L-shape sectional, but they up the ante on comfort. Giving everyone a little something to squash into allows them to create the feeling of personal space, whether they lean against the pillow or hold it on their lap.

The design pro also recommended springing for a separate ottoman that gives anyone lounging the option of literally kicking up their heels. Lastly, choosing a round coffee table versus a more angular version "softens the overall shape of the seating area," Rediger explained, "and makes it easier to move in and out without navigating corners."