Can You Put a Sectional Sofa in the Middle of a Room?

Floor Plan

• Draw a scale floor plan of the room on grid paper, indicating the position of doors and the direction of their swing, windows, radiators and floor vents. A workable scale is one square to equal six inches of floor. Some furniture companies offer free online furniture templates and grids, and some offer online room planners. These are time-savers and allow you to move furniture around on the floor plan until you find the most pleasing arrangement.

Focal Point

• The focal point of a room is the feature of the room that is most visible when entering. In a media room, it might be the big screen; in a room with a large window, it might be the fantastic view; or it might be the TV stand, armoire or fireplace. Decide what is the focal point of the room and if it is a piece of furniture, place it on the floor plan first.

Position the Sofa

• Sketch the placement of the main piece of furniture on the floor plan, or use one of the furniture template cut-outs. Place it facing the focal point, with consideration for the walking space around it. A clear path of 24 to 30 inches usually is required for ease of movement through a room and around pieces of furniture. A sectional sofa can be almost any length. The typical depth -- the distance from the front of the sofa to the back -- is 36 inches. If necessary, again sketch the sofa, or use a smaller template.

Optimum Size

• After deciding on the placement of the sofa, calculate the size of the piece by counting the number of squares it occupies on the floor plan. Take the floor plan with you when you are shopping for furniture so if you find a different-sized piece of furniture, you are able to see the impact it has on the whole floor plan. Measure the width of any hallways leading into the room, and measure the diagonal depth of the sectional to ensure it fits through doors.