Choosing Chaise Sofas for a City Flat

The best chaise sofa for a city flat is a compact one on raised legs, with the chaise placed on the side that keeps your main route through the room clear. In most flats that means a two or three seater with a chaise of modest length, ideally reversible so it can adapt if you move. A chaise gives you somewhere to stretch out without the bulk of a full corner sofa, which is exactly why it suits smaller urban homes.

Chaise designs sit within our range of modern corner sofas UK sale, where you can compare chaise lengths, arm styles and leg heights to find a footprint that suits a flat.

Why a Chaise Works Well in a Flat

A full corner sofa uses two walls and creates a large fixed block in the room. A chaise sofa delivers much of the same comfort, room to lie down and put your feet up, while taking up less floor. One end remains open, so the room still feels connected to a kitchen, dining table or balcony door.

In open plan flats, a chaise is also a useful way to define the living area. With its back to the kitchen, the sofa marks where cooking ends and relaxing begins, while the open end keeps the space from feeling closed in. If you are still deciding between a chaise, a standard sofa and a loveseat, our wider modern sofas UK collection lets you compare all three.

Measuring a Flat for a Chaise Sofa

Measuring for a chaise means thinking in two directions at once.

The main width

Measure the wall or the zone the sofa will occupy. Remember to account for skirting, sockets, radiators and any door that swings into the room.

The chaise projection

The chaise extends forward from one end of the sofa. Measure from the back wall to where the chaise will finish, then check that you still have a comfortable walkway in front of it. As a rough guide, you want enough space for one person to pass easily without turning sideways.

Clearance around the coffee table

With a chaise, the coffee table often sits beside the chaise rather than in front of the whole sofa. Plan its position at the same time, so you are not left with an awkward gap or a table that blocks the walkway.

Mark the full footprint on the floor with masking tape and leave it for a few days. Walk through the room as normal. If you find yourself stepping around the tape, the chaise is too long or on the wrong side.

Left Hand or Right Hand Chaise?

Chaise sofas are usually described by the side the chaise sits on when you face the sofa. Choosing the right side matters more in a flat than in a larger house, because there is less room to compensate for a mistake.

• Place the chaise on the side away from the main door, so you do not walk into it as you enter.
• Avoid placing the chaise directly in front of a radiator, which blocks heat and dries out the upholstery.
• Consider the view. In a flat with one good window, angling the chaise so you can see out while lying down makes a real difference.
• Think about the television. You will want to see the screen comfortably from the chaise, not just from the main seats.

If you are not sure, or you rent and expect to move, a reversible chaise is the sensible option. The chaise section can usually be swapped from one side to the other in minutes.

Layouts for Different Types of Flat

Studio flats

In a studio, the sofa often doubles as a room divider between the sleeping and living areas. Place the chaise sofa with its back to the bed, so the bed is screened from view. Keep the sofa low backed so it does not block light from the windows. In very compact studios, a chaise sofa bed offers both seating and a guest bed in one piece. Our modern sofa beds UK sale include chaise designs that pull out without needing a lot of extra clearance.

One bedroom flats

Here the living room is usually separate or part of an open plan kitchen and lounge. Position the sofa along the longest uninterrupted wall, with the chaise extending towards the window. This creates a relaxed corner for reading or lounging.

New build apartments

Many new build flats have floor to ceiling windows, balcony doors and compact living areas. Avoid placing the chaise where it blocks the balcony door or the route from kitchen to balcony. A chaise sofa floating slightly away from the wall, with a slim shelf or console behind it, can look more considered than one pushed hard against the glass.

Converted period flats

Flats in converted Victorian or Edwardian houses often have high ceilings, large sash windows and an original fireplace. A chaise sofa facing the fireplace, with the chaise towards the window, makes good use of the room’s character. Raised legs keep the look light against tall walls.

Design Details That Help in Small Spaces

• Slim arms free up seat width within the same overall length.
• Raised legs let light pass underneath and make the floor visible, which helps a room feel larger.
• Medium seat depth keeps the sofa from projecting too far into the room.
• A low or mid height back avoids blocking windows and keeps sight lines open.
• Lighter colours reduce visual weight, while a mid tone hides everyday wear.
• Storage chaise designs have a lifting seat with space beneath for blankets, cushions or board games.

Choosing Fabric for City Living

Flats bring their own practical considerations when it comes to upholstery. Many city homes are compact, so the sofa is used for everything: eating, working on a laptop, entertaining friends and sleeping off a long week. A durable, tightly woven fabric copes with that variety better than delicate weaves.

Light also matters. A flat with large windows facing south can be very bright for much of the day, which fades some fabrics faster. Flats with a single window, or those overlooked by neighbouring buildings, may feel darker, and a lighter sofa helps reflect what light there is.

If you have a balcony and like to leave the doors open in summer, city dust and grit can settle on upholstery. Mid tones with a little texture hide this well, and a quick weekly vacuum keeps the sofa fresh. Leather is a sensible alternative for anyone who wants an easy wipe clean surface, though it can feel cool in flats with limited heating.

Finally, think about noise. In flats with hard floors and minimal soft furnishings, a fabric sofa absorbs sound and makes the room feel calmer. That is a small but real benefit for anyone living above or below neighbours.

Getting the Sofa Into the Flat

Delivery is the moment many city flat dwellers worry about, and with good reason. Communal entrances, narrow stairwells, tight landings and small lifts all limit what can be brought in.

1. Measure the communal front door, any internal doors in the building and your own front door.
2. If there is a lift, measure the internal width, depth and height, and the size of the lift door opening.
3. If there are stairs, measure the narrowest point and note any tight turns or low ceilings at landings.
4. Check whether the building has rules about deliveries or protecting communal areas.

Compare everything with the packaged dimensions. Chaise sofas usually arrive in two or more sections, the main sofa and the chaise, which makes them far easier to manoeuvre than a single large piece. Removable legs reduce the height further.

Furniture to Pair With a Chaise in a Flat

Supporting furniture should be compact and, where possible, flexible. A nest of tables gives you surface space when guests arrive and tucks away into one footprint afterwards. Our modern nest of tables UK include glass and wooden designs that keep a small room feeling light.

Wall mounted shelves and a slim media unit keep the floor clear. A rug sized so the front legs of the sofa and the chaise sit on it ties the seating area together. A floor lamp tucked behind the chaise provides reading light without taking up table space.

If you rent, our article on TV unit ideas for a rented UK flat has practical suggestions for furnishing without drilling or permanent changes, many of which apply to the whole living area.

To compare chaise lengths, fabrics and configurations, the living room collections at Furniture in Fashion are a straightforward place to start, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a chaise sofa good for a small flat?

Yes, if you choose a compact model on raised legs. It offers room to stretch out without the bulk of a full corner sofa.

Should I choose a left or right hand chaise?

Place the chaise away from the main door and radiators, and towards the window or television. If you are unsure, choose a reversible design.

Will a chaise sofa fit in a lift?

Many will, because they usually arrive in separate sections. Measure the lift interior and door opening, and compare with the packaged dimensions.

Can a chaise sofa work in a studio flat?

It can, and it often helps divide the sleeping and living areas. A chaise sofa bed adds guest sleeping space too.