How to Choose the Right Sectional for Your Home
A sectional can become one of the most-used pieces of furniture in your home, which makes finding the right one about more than simply choosing a style you like. The right sectional should feel good to sit in, fit comfortably within your space, and work with the way you actually live.
Our In-Home Design Consultant, Debbie Casey, helps clients navigate these decisions every day. Her biggest piece of advice? Don’t overthink it. When you sit in the right sectional, your body will tell you.
Here are a few things to consider when you’re looking for the right sectional for your home.
Start With Comfort
The most important factor when choosing a sectional is comfort. After all, this is where you’ll settle in for movie nights, gather with family and friends, sneak in a weekend nap, or simply put your feet up at the end of the day.
That’s why Debbie recommends sitting in several sectionals before making a decision. Trying several frames and cushion styles, even when they don’t feel right, can actually help you identify what you like and what you don’t.
“Your body will tell you what’s a good fit,” Debbie says.
Pay attention to how the seat feels, how the back supports you, the height of the cushions, and whether you can sit comfortably in the ways you normally would at home. Do you like to sit upright? Stretch out? Curl up in the corner? Do you want the option to recline? Think about how you actually use your sofa rather than how you think you should use it.
This is one of the biggest advantages of shopping for furniture in person. When you’re buying a sectional online, you can look at dimensions and read descriptions, but you can’t truly know how it feels until you sit down. At Curated Furnishings, our Design Consultants can help you narrow down the options and navigate the process without overwhelm so you can find the piece that feels right for you.
Consider the Size and Shape of Your Space
A sectional needs to work with the room around it, not just fit inside the room.
Before you fall in love with a particular style, consider the dimensions of your space and how you want the sectional to function within it. Measure the available area, but also think about walkways, doorways, windows, and other furniture that will share the room.
The shape of the sectional matters, too. A chaise can create a comfortable spot to stretch out, while an L-shaped configuration can help define a seating area. Larger configurations can provide plenty of room for entertaining, while a more compact sectional may be the better fit for a smaller room.
And, finding the right fit doesn’t always mean settling for a standard size. Many of our furniture vendors, like Rowe, Younger, and Universal, offer build-your-own options that allow you to customize a sectional to work with your space. Depending on the collection, you may be able to choose the components, seat depth, overall length, cushion fill and configuration, and other frame options to create a piece that fits your room and the way you want to use it. Instead of trying to make a standard sectional work, you can create one that’s designed around your space.
This is where working with an experienced Design Consultant can be especially helpful. At Curated Furnishings, Debbie believes there is a sectional for everyone. The key is finding the combination of size, shape, configuration, and comfort that works for you and your space.
Browse Sectionals
Think About How You Live
The best sectional isn’t necessarily the largest one or the one with the most features. It’s the one that supports the way you use your home.
Think about who will be using it and how. Is it primarily a place for movie nights? Do you regularly host guests? Do you need additional functionality, such as a sleeper or reclining component? Do you need room for everyone to stretch out? Will the sectional be in a formal living room or a space that gets used every day?
These details can help narrow down the right layout, cushion configuration, and feel.
It’s also worth considering how much flexibility you want. Some sectionals offer multiple configurations or individual pieces that can be arranged to suit your room. That flexibility can be particularly helpful if you expect your space or needs to change over time.
Choose a Fabric You’ll Love Living With
Once you’ve found a sectional that feels right, it’s time for the fun part: choosing the fabric.
Debbie recommends looking at the colors you’re naturally drawn to, including the colors you wear and the ones already present in your home. Your existing surroundings can tell you a lot about the colors and tones you’ll be happy to live with long-term.
Her advice? Don’t choose a sectional based solely on what’s trendy right now.
If you love a particularly bold color or pattern, consider bringing it in through pillows or other accessories that can be changed more easily. For a larger investment like a sectional, choosing a fabric that feels like a natural fit for your home can help ensure you’ll continue to love it for years to come.
It’s also worth considering how your sectional will be used when choosing a fabric. If it’s going to be the gathering spot for family movie nights, pets, kids, or everyday lounging, a performance fabric can offer the durability you need without sacrificing style. Performance fabrics are designed to stand up to the wear and tear of everyday life, making them an especially practical choice for a piece of furniture that gets a lot of use.
For an easy place to start, explore The Curated Collection, our exclusive collection of always-in-stock performance fabrics. These versatile fabrics are designed to work with virtually any frame, giving you durable, stain-resistant, ready-to-go options without limiting your choices. Learn more about the collection here.
Take Your Time, But Don’t Overthink It
Choosing a sectional can feel like a big decision, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
Start with the things that matter most: how it feels, how it fits your space, and how you plan to use it. From there, you can have fun with the details, from fabric and color to configuration and finishing touches.
With so many options to consider, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the process. That’s where our Design Consultants can help. From narrowing down styles and configurations to comparing the right fabrics and finding the right fit for your space, they can help you navigate the choices and feel confident in the sectional you’re investing in. You don’t have to figure it all out on your own.
As Debbie puts it, “Don’t overthink the process. Once you’ve found a sectional that feels comfortable and works for your room, the rest is fun.”
Designer Picks: Two Sectionals Our Designers Love
Looking for a place to start? We asked our Design Consultants which sectionals they love most. Here are some of the pieces they always recommend.
Barb’s Pick: Lilah by Rowe
For Barb, the Lilah sectional stands out for its combination of comfort, quality, and flexibility.
She loves the taller back cushions, which provide additional neck support, and the Cloud cushion, which offers a soft, comfortable place to settle in. The Lilah is also available in a variety of fabric options and configurations, making it easy to adapt to different spaces and design styles.
“The multiple fabric and configurable piece options make this frame a wonderful choice that will last a lifetime.”
Celia’s Pick: Bradford by Rowe
Celia’s pick is the Bradford by Rowe, which she loves for its sophisticated shape and gently sloped arm.
The standard Harmony cushion combines plush softness with supportive comfort, for a sectional that feels inviting while maintaining its shape over time.
For Celia, it’s the combination of the Bradford’s distinctive shape and comfortable seating that makes it a standout choice.
Find Your Fit at Curated Furnishings
Like Debbie said, there isn’t one sectional that’s right for everyone, but there is a sectional for everyone! The right choice depends on your space, your style, and, most importantly, how you want to feel when you sit down.
Visit Curated Furnishings to try different sectionals in person, explore fabric options, and talk with our Design Consultants about finding the right fit for your home. With a range of styles, configurations, and fabrics to choose from, we’re here to help you find a sectional you’ll love living with!
The Winter Wide Track Arm Sectional by Younger Furniture brings the magic of a winter wonderland to your living room. With thirty configurable pieces, this sectional can be mixed and matched to create a cozy retreat that’s perfect in any season. Whether it’s a snowy day or sunny skies, the Winter collection provides a generously proportioned seating arrangement that serves as a solid foundation for any living space. Its wide track arms offer a clean, modern look while providing ample support for ultimate comfort.
Benchcrafted in North Carolina. Visit our showroom for fabric and configuration options.