The #1 Mistake to Avoid when Buying a Sectional Sofa
A great sectional sofa, to me, is the definition of comfort! I love a good sectional for the overall spaciousness it can provide and also the feeling of customization one can give to a room. Whether you choose an oversized and overstuffed piece for your favourite cozy room, or a clean-lined statement sectional, or even one on the petite side, here is the number one most important thing to know before purchasing your sectional sofa:
What side is the return of your sectional to be on?
Unfortunately, in the past, I’ve rushed my purchases and made this mistake too, and so let’s not let it happen to you – know which side you want your return on and order it correctly. Keep in mind, not all manufacturers offer both options, so find out before you fall in love!
To clarify, the “return” is the section that juts out from the sectional sofa into the room. When you sink into the sofa for your favourite show it’s the section on which you might stretch your legs out. It’s the “leg” of an L-shaped sofa that runs perpendicular to the sofa-back. It can also be called the chaise. As you can see, this “return” has many different names, including when ordering many manufacturers describe it as the left-hand facing or right-hand facing side. And unfortunately, not all manufacturers do it the same.
And if you’re like me, what’s even more baffling is that it’s absolutely backwards from what my mind rationally thinks would be considered the left-hand side – if you told me this was my million-dollar question, my gut would say, I don’t need to ask a friend, it’s obvious – the left-hand sofa has a return on my left side when I’m SITTING on the sofa! With total confidence I would say – when you’re sitting on the sofa, that’s the hand you choose. And I would be dead wrong. There goes my jackpot along with my confidence. And this is where that little hint of self-doubt creeps in every time I add a sectional to my cart for the next project.
Here is a visual of the correct labelling – the left-hand sofa is the one with the chaise on the left side when you’re STANDING LOOKING AT IT. Who decided that? I mean common, it’s a sofa for goodness’ sake, is it for looking at or for sitting on?
Read on and I will give you the pointers:
You don’t need to know “right-handed” or “left-handed” to solve this. How many times do I get asked: Is it called “right-handed” when you’re standing facing the sectional with the return on the right? Or is it when you’re sitting on the sectional with the return on the right? In my experience, it’s best to ignore this language. One manufacturer may be referring to one version and another may refer the other. My advice: scrap the lingo!
Find a diagram or an image. Most suppliers will provide you with an image of the sectional sofa in the exact configuration you’re purchasing, like this Everly Quinn 3-Piece Velvet Sectional from Wayfair. If you’re still not sure, call, email or chat with the supplier before checking out!
This is a measure twice and cut once scenario. Many vendors custom-make your purchase on an “as ordered” basis. At the very least they may charge you a restocking fee to return it. Most will also charge you the return shipping, and even some still are final sale and will not accept returns at all. So…. Check and check again to be sure. Walk into the room you’re purchasing for and hold your screen where you're placing your sofa. Do it. It feels funny, but it’s amazing what your mind’s eye can do to play tricks on you.
As mentioned earlier, most, although not all, sectional sofas come with the return on either the right side or on the left side and this is not interchangeable. Which means you cannot simply swap around the pieces to change this. Long ago, although not long enough for me to still feel the pain, I clicked “Add to Cart” and paid for the wrong-handed sectional. I had no idea until the very exciting day it arrived, only to feel the shock and confusion of.… what? How did I make this mistake, I mean, I’m a professional! Well, here I was with the sectional return on the wrong side! It was all wrong - the return blocked the patio door, it threw off the flow of the room, the fireplace was no longer aligned, the lighting was no longer centered, the list of problems this created went on! Don’t make the same mistake I did.
I hope this post helps you with questions to ask yourself and tips on how to double check your order before purchasing your next sectional sofa.
“I believe that if you are true to expressing yourself, coupled with the right amount of discipline and routine, your space can reflect your personality, and you can turn your home into your haven.”
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