Sofas come in three widths. A loveseat is 52 to 72 in wide and seats two. An apartment sofa is 72 to 84 in and seats three without a middle cushion gap. A full-size or 3-seat sofa is 84 to 96 in. Depth runs 34 to 40 in for all of them, height 30 to 38 in, seat height 17 to 19 in. There is no official standard, and two sofas with the same name can differ by 2 in, so always read the product page.
The sizes
| Type | Width | Depth | Seats | Wall it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loveseat | 52 to 72 in | 32 to 38 in | 2 | 7 to 9 ft |
| Apartment sofa | 72 to 84 in | 32 to 36 in | 3 (snug) | 9 to 10 ft |
| Sofa, 3-seat | 84 to 96 in | 35 to 40 in | 3 | 10 to 11 ft |
| Sofa with chaise | 84 to 96 in wide, 60 to 65 in on the chaise | 36 to 40 in | 3 | 10 ft, plus the chaise into the room |
| Sleeper sofa | 72 to 90 in | 36 to 42 in, 85 to 90 in open | 3, sleeps 2 | 9 to 10 ft, and 7 ft in front when open |
| Sectional, 2-piece L | 84 to 110 in | 36 to 40 in, 60 to 75 in on the short side | 4 to 5 | Two walls, see the sectional guide |
The wall column leaves 18 in free on each side. For a lamp table add 2 ft; for a door on that wall add its width. The 12x12 guide matches these to room sizes.
Depth: the renter's number is 36 in
Width decides whether a sofa fits the wall. Depth decides whether the room still has a path. In a 10 ft deep living room with a 16 in gap, a 20 in coffee table and an 18 in TV stand, a 36 in deep sofa leaves a 30 in walkway. At 40 in deep the walkway is 26 in; at 44 in (deep lounge sofas) it is 22 in, which people squeeze past sideways. A 12 ft deep room adds 24 in to each of those. Under 34 in, sofas start to feel like benches; 36 to 38 in is where most renters land.
Height, seat and arms
- Overall height 30 to 38 in. Under 34 in sits below most window sills, so the sofa can go under a window.
- Seat height 17 to 19 in, the same as a dining chair. Lower than 16 in is hard to get out of.
- Arm height 24 to 28 in. Low or no arms make a sofa feel smaller and easier to get through a door.
- Legs 4 to 7 in. A sofa on legs reads lighter in a small room than the same sofa on a skirt.
Which size for which room
- Studio or 10 x 10 ft: a loveseat or apartment sofa, 60 to 72 in.
- 10 x 12 or 12 x 12 ft: an apartment sofa or a short 3-seat, 72 to 84 in.
- 12 x 14 ft and up: a 3-seat sofa, 84 to 96 in, or a small sectional.
- Any size: check the route in before the wall.
See the size in your room
An 84 in sofa and a 96 in sofa look the same on a product page. With Fits Here you take one photo of the empty room, type the sofa's width, depth and height or paste an IKEA link, and see it there at real size with the inches left on each side.
Questions people ask
- What is an apartment size sofa?
- A sofa 72 to 84 in wide and 32 to 36 in deep: a full three-seat width in a shallower, lighter frame, made for walls of 9 to 10 ft and rooms 10 to 12 ft deep.
- How long is a 3 seater sofa?
- 84 to 96 in in the US, with 84 to 90 in the most common. Each seat is about 22 to 24 in plus the arms, which are 4 to 10 in each.
- What is the standard depth of a sofa?
- 35 to 40 in overall, with a seat depth of 20 to 24 in. Apartment sofas go down to 32 in; lounge sofas go up to 44 in.
- How much bigger is a sofa than a loveseat?
- About 12 to 24 in wider. A loveseat tops out around 72 in; a sofa starts around 72 in and runs to 96 in. Depth and height are usually the same within a family.