Do you have a sprawling living room, great room, or den that feels sparsely decorated or empty? Do you need more seating in your living space than your current sofa and chair can provide? If so, a sectional sofa may be exactly what you need! Also known as a sectional or sectional couch, the sectional sofa has a ton of different features and options available.
In fact, there are so many different kinds of sectionals and various component pieces out there, it’s easy for shoppers to get overwhelmed. These factors lead to a number of sectional sofa FAQs our upholstery experts answer for customers on a regular basis. So, why not share those questions, answers and explanations with everyone online?
For instance, what is a sectional sofa anyway? What does left-arm facing mean? What does right-arm facing mean? How does a reversible chaise work? For that matter, what is a chaise sectional? What is a cuddler on a sectional? What’s the difference between a standard sectional wedge vs corner wedge? These are but a few of the questions we’ll answer today.
The truth is, if you’ve never purchased a sectional before, there’s a mountain of different terms and features you should know before you go shopping for sectional sofas. As you can see from just a few FAQs above, there’s a lot to learn. So, let’s get started!
What Is a Sectional Sofa?
Let’s tackle the biggest question first. What is a sectional sofa? Exactly which features make a sofa or a couch a sectional in the first place?
A sectional sofa is any sofa or couch that is assembled from or broken down into multiple component pieces, or sections. Common configurations can range from small 2-piece sectionals, to 3-piece, to 4-piece, to 5-piece sectionals and beyond! These sectionals may include one-armed or armless chairs, loveseats and sofas, as well as chaises, consoles, cuddlers and wedges. You’ll learn more about each of these below.
Additionally, as a sofa or couch, sectionals should provide seating for at least three people. However, larger sectional sofas often have seating for many, many more. This makes sectionals ideal for great rooms or other large living spaces used for relaxing or to entertain guests.
Lastly, while not every sectional is fully modular where you can arrange different sections any way you like, that is still the general idea behind the sectional sofa. With truly modular sectional sofas, you can separately order each section a la carte and position them however you want. There’s no limit to the number of seats, the shape, or the dimensions because you can build it exactly how you want!
Sectional Sofa Building Blocks: The Various Parts of a Sectional
As we learned already, you can build modular sectionals any way that you like, one piece at a time. However, even sectionals manufactured with preset layouts have these same features. So it’s still critically important to know all the common sectional sofa “building blocks”. Below is a list of different pieces you may encounter while shopping for your new sectional.
[Editor’s Note: Many of the definitions below involve references to the terms “left-arm facing (LAF)” and “right-arm facing (RAF)”. For an in-depth explanation of what these phrases mean, continue reading below.]
One-Arm Chair / Armless Chair
A chair is simply a seat for one. But when it comes to sectionals, a chair can either have one arm, or none at all. Armless chairs are meant to sit between two other pieces. However, one-arm chairs are meant to be an end piece and come in either a right-arm facing (RAF) or left-arm facing (LAF) format.
One-Arm Loveseat / Armless Loveseat
By extension, a loveseat is pretty much the same thing as above, but with seating for two. When part of a sectional sofa, loveseats can also be one-arm or armless. Once again, armless loveseats are generally situated between other pieces, while one-arm loveseats are either left-arm facing (LAF) or right-arm facing (RAF) and found at either end of the sectional.
One-Arm Sofa / Armless Sofa
By now, you can probably guess where this is going. Whether armless or with one-arm, sofa pieces within a sectional include at least three seats. LAF or RAF one-arm sofas are perfect for the leftmost or rightmost ends of a sectional. Meanwhile, armless sofas provide a considerable amount of internal seating for larger sectionals.
Chaise
A chaise is a seat for a single person meant for lounging. Think of a chaise as a recliner with a permanently extended footrest. When it comes to sectionals with chaises, the chaise is always one-armed, can be both right-arm and left-arm facing, and is always found on the end of the sectional.
Reversible Chaise / Floating Ottoman
That leads us to the reversible chaise and its companion, the floating ottoman. But what is a floating ottoman? What is a reversible chaise? And how does a reversible chaise work? We’re glad you asked!
With a reversible chaise, you can move the chaise from one end of the sofa or sectional to the other. Meaning that you can seamlessly swap your chaise from LAF to RAF and back – and it’s easier than you think! Unlike a typical chaise which is attached to the sofa’s frame, a reversible chaise only involves the chaise cushion and something called a floating ottoman. This ottoman has no cushion of its own, and is designed to simply support the footrest portion of the longer chaise cushion.
To swap sides, remove the chaise cushion, remove the standard cushion on the opposite side, and slide the floating ottoman into its new position. Put the chaise cushion in place, making sure it’s supported by the floating ottoman. It’s that simple!
Cuddler
What is a cuddler on a sectional? Put simply, the cuddler is a less-common alternative to the chaise. It is similar to a chaise in the sense that it is always one-armed and is only used as an end piece. However, it’s different because it lacks the full-length footrest of a chaise.
As far as function goes, the closest thing to a cuddler would be a chair-and-a-half or oversized chair. This is because it’s smaller than a loveseat, but still meant as a more intimate seat for two. As such, cuddlers usually have wider and deeper cushions meant for curling up into.
Console
A sectional console is the same as you’d find in a console sofa or console loveseat. These slim pieces fit between other interior sections and provide storage space, cupholders, USB outlets and more. These are most commonly seen in sectionals with power reclining seats.
Wedge & Corner Wedge
There are two common sectional sofa pieces used to change the angle or direction of the sectional. The first is the corner wedge, sometimes known as a sectional corner chair. A corner wedge is always armless and has a squared back and cushions to fit neatly into a corner. Since it is essentially a square, a corner wedge always turns the sectional 90-degrees. You will find this piece in corner sectional sofas, L-shaped sectionals, and U-shaped sectionals.
The other sectional piece used to turn your sectional sofa is simply called a wedge. As a general rule, a standard sectional wedge functions the same way as a corner wedge. However, both the back and cushions of this wedge are rounded and not square. Additionally, while most wedges still have a 90-degree turn, they aren’t technically limited to this and can be made with wider or narrower angles.
Sectional Sofa Shapes, Layouts & Configurations
To really appreciate the vast number of variations a sectional can have, you should also get to know some of the most common types of sectionals and their layouts.
Left-Arm Facing Sectionals & Right-Arm Facing Sectionals (LAF vs RAF)
We briefly mentioned LAF and RAF above, but we need to dive much deeper. “What does right-arm facing mean?” “What is a left-arm facing sectional?” How about “What does LAF mean?” or RAF for that matter?
These may be the most common questions we get from shoppers regarding sectionals – and for good reason! After all, it can be downright confusing. Unfortunately, our upholstery experts have to open up this can of worms on a daily basis. Fortunately for you, that means that you won’t have to!
The following bits of information are absolutely critical to know when you’re shopping for a sectional sofa. Otherwise, you may be very disappointed on delivery day when your sectional ends up facing the wrong direction.
Left-arm facing (aka LAF) and right-arm facing (aka RAF) are phrases the furniture industry uses to describe asymmetrical sectionals and sofas, or really any piece where both sides aren’t identical. This can be anything from a one-armed sofa or loveseat, to a sectional with a chaise or cuddler on one side.
When you see the term left-arm facing (LAF) or right-arm facing (RAF) on a sectional’s furniture tag or product description, the key word to remember is “facing”. That’s because these terms describe left or right based on your perspective if you’re facing the piece as opposed to sitting on it.
For example, a sectional with a left-arm facing chaise is one that is on the left side if you’re standing in front of it. By contrast, a right-arm facing sofa would be a one-armed sofa where the arm is on the right side if standing in front.
[Editor’s Note: Occasionally, furniture stores and manufacturers will also use the terms “left-hand facing”, “right-hand facing”, “left-as-facing”, or “right-as-facing” instead. However, these terms are interchangeable.]
L-Shaped Sectional (aka Corner Sectional Sofa or Corner Sofa)
As you might guess, the L-shaped sectional is the most popular sectional sofa on the market. It’s mostly self-explanatory, but there are a few finer details to learn. The most common L-shaped sectional configuration has a longer side with a chaise and armless loveseat or sofa, combined with a wedge (to make a 90-degree turn), with a shorter one-armed sofa or loveseat on the other side.
One specific kind of L-shaped sectional, called a corner sofa or corner sectional sofa, typically has a 90-degree corner wedge with a one-armed sofa or loveseat on both sides. However, in some cases, the sectional can be made where both the LAF and RAF sofas or loveseats connect at a 90-degree angle without a corner wedge. This is common with smaller 2-piece sectionals and provides the benefit of having fewer pieces to worry about. As with any sectional sofa, armless chairs, armless loveseats, armless sofas, and consoles can be added between other sections of an L-shaped sectional to expand seating or storage space as desired.
U-Shaped Sectional
The U-shaped sectional sofa is a bit less common – mostly because they require a great deal of floor space. Much like the L-shaped sectional above, the U-shaped sectional is pretty straight-forward. Typically, the middle section includes a combination of armless chairs, loveseats or sofas connected to rounded wedges or corner wedges on either side. Finally, you’ll have additional sofas, loveseats or chairs attached to the wedges on both sides.
Straight Sectional Sofa
With modular sectionals, it’s entirely possible to place a bunch of armless sofas, loveseats, consoles, and/or chairs in a straight row with a couple one-armed pieces on the ends. But is that really a sectional? Yep! While a straight sectional can end with a chaise or cuddler on the end, the only real requirement is that there’s no wedge or corner section changing the angle of the seating.
In many cases, straight sectional sofas aren’t immediately recognized as sectionals. But if a sofa chaise or extra-long sofa can be detached into its component parts, it’s technically a sectional. Ultimately, as long as you can separate them into their various pieces, they’re still considered sectional sofas.
Where to Buy Sectional Sofas Near You
Finally, now that you know what a sectional is, the different parts of a sectional, and the most popular sectional sofa layouts, you’re ready to take your next step on your sectional sofa journey. If you’re in the Atlanta area or elsewhere in North Georgia, we’d love the opportunity to share our huge selection of sectionals and reclining sectionals with you! Don’t forget, we also have fully modular sectionals available and can customize and special order sectional sofas to your own specifications.
Have additional questions about sectionals or upholstered furniture? Ask our experts live on our convenient web chat, or come see us at our Acworth, Dallas/Hiram or Rome furniture stores. See you soon!
