Sectional Sofa With Chaise: Pick the Side and Length

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links marked “Affiliate link” may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Quick answer

A sectional sofa with a chaise is a sofa with one extra long seat that sticks out at the end. Three decisions matter: which side the chaise goes on, whether the chaise is long enough to lie on, and how much floor the whole L takes. Put the chaise away from the door and the main walkway, make sure its length is at least your height plus about 6 inches (our own rule of thumb), and compare the box footprint with your room.

In the three sectionals we read on Amazon on 2026-10-01, the box footprint runs from about 2,580 to 6,552 square inches, which is 10.7 to 27.1 percent of a 12 by 14 ft room. We have not tested these products, and every size and material is the seller’s. Some size fields look incomplete, and we say so. For the broader sofa-versus-sectional decision, see sofas and sectionals.

Pick the chaise side

Many sectionals have a reversible chaise, so you choose the side when you assemble it or when you order. All three below are described as reversible, one as an “L/R reversible chaise” in its bullets. Sellers do not all use the same left-or-right convention, so look at the product photo rather than the word.

A practical rule, which is our own judgment: put the chaise on the side that is farthest from the door and from the main path. The chaise is the longest part of the sofa, so it is the part most likely to block a route or catch a shin. If the room has a TV, put the chaise on the side that faces the screen least obliquely, so the person lying on it can see it.

The lounge-length check

The chaise is for lying down, so its length matters. Use the same sleep-length yardstick we use for beds: a surface at least about 6 inches longer than the person (our rule, not a standard). For a 70 inch person that is 76 inches.

Listings give the overall length of the L but not always the usable length of the chaise, so treat the overall length as a ceiling. The Hungtinton listing gives 84 in as the length of the sectional including the chaise, so after the arm and back thickness the usable chaise length is shorter. If the arm and back take 8 inches (our assumption), the usable length is 84 − 8 = 76 in, which just meets 76. If they take 10 inches, the usable length is 74 in, which does not. Ask the seller for the chaise length, not just the overall one.

The floor-share check

Worked example, with the box footprint as width times depth, in a 12 by 14 ft room (144 x 168 in, or 24,192 sq in):

Sectional	Listed box	Footprint	Share of the room
Hungtinton 3-piece	78 x 84 in	6,552 sq in	27.1%
Sleeper with reversible chaise	71 x 50 in	3,550 sq in	14.7%
Convertible sectional with storage chaise	81.9 x 31.5 in	2,579.9 sq in	10.7%

The arithmetic is width times depth, then that product divided by 24,192. The Hungtinton box is more than 20 percent of the room, the yardstick we use in sofas and sectionals for when a living room begins to feel full. It also comes with a 38 by 26 inch ottoman, which is extra.

The third row is a warning. A depth of 31.5 inches is the depth of a sofa seat, not of a sofa with a chaise sticking out, so that listing’s size probably describes the sofa run only. The box for the whole L would be larger, but the page does not say by how much. Do not use 10.7 percent as a real figure; ask for the chaise length.

Delivery and assembly

Furniture Academy says to compare each doorway with a piece’s width, height, depth and diagonal depth, and the opening must be wider than at least one of them. The Hungtinton is a three-piece set and says home assembly is required, with cushions and parts packed under a fabric flap in the base frames. The sleeper lists 152 lb as one item, so ask how it is packed. The convertible lists 39 lb, which looks low for an 81.9 inch sectional, so confirm what is in the box.

Three sectionals with a chaise, read on 2026-10-01

Hungtinton Microfiber/Faux Leather 3-Piece Sectional Sofa Set, Chocolate (F7615). The table gives 84 x 78 x 35 in (D x W x H), 258 lb, a 26 in seat depth and three pieces. The bullets describe an L/R reversible chaise, a 3-person sofa and an oversized 38 by 26 inch ottoman, hardwood frames covered in faux leather, stain-resistant microfiber cushions, pocket inner springs and home assembly. Good for a full set with an ottoman. Keep in mind: the “seat height” field says 26 in, the same as the seat depth, so it looks copied, and the bullets say to allow time for cushions to expand.

71″ Sofa Bed with Queen Size Pull Out Couch, Sectional Sleeper with Reversible Storage Chaise, L Shaped Couch, Dark Green. The table gives 50 x 71 x 34 in, 152 lb and three seat cushions. The bullets describe a queen-size pull-out, a reversible chaise with hidden storage and high-density foam cushions. Good for a studio that needs a guest bed and storage. Keep in mind: the “seat height” field says 40 in, which is taller than the sofa, so it looks wrong, and the pull-out bed’s size is described as queen but not given in inches.

Convertible Sectional Sofa, Modern Linen 3-seat, Reversible Couch with Storage Chaise, Grey. The table gives 31.5 x 81.9 x 35.4 in, 39 lb and a 16.93 in seat height. The bullets describe a multi-purpose reversible design with a movable footstool and a storage chaise. Good for a small living room if the chaise is as long as it looks. Keep in mind: the listed depth probably omits the chaise, and 39 lb is light for a three-seat sectional.

If the chaise sectional is also a bed

The sleeper listing describes a queen-size pull-out. Amerisleep’s chart puts a queen mattress at 60 x 80 inches, so a queen deck is about 80 inches long. If that length runs out from the wall (our assumption, since the listing does not give the open size), then in a 14 ft (168 in) deep room the open bed leaves 168 − 80 = 88 in at the foot, which is more than the 36 inches the U.S. Access Board uses as a minimum route width. In a 10 ft (120 in) deep room it leaves 120 − 80 = 40 in. The sofa is 71 inches wide, 11 inches more than the 60 inch queen width (71 − 60), so a queen deck could fit inside its width; the listing does not say, so ask for the open size in inches.

Questions to send the seller

• What is the length of the chaise itself, measured on the seat?
• Which side is the chaise on in the photo, and can it be switched after assembly?
• Does the stated depth include the chaise?
• How many boxes does it ship in, and what does each weigh?
• If it opens to a bed, what is the open size?

Choosing

1. Choose the side first, using the photo and the door.
2. Ask for the chaise length, and compare it with your height plus 6 inches.
3. Compare the box footprint with your room; above about 20 percent, look at a smaller shape.
4. Check the delivery path piece by piece.
5. If you want a bed, read the open size; see bed with couch.

You may not need a chaise at all. A chaise is for lying down, and if you rarely do, a straight sofa with an ottoman gives similar legroom with a more flexible layout.

Mistakes to avoid

• Ordering by the word “left” or “right” without a photo.
• Treating the overall length as the chaise length.
• Using a depth that omits the chaise.
• Ignoring the ottoman’s footprint.
• Skipping the weight and the packing, which affect delivery.

Bottom line

Pick the side by the door and the walkway, check the chaise length against your height plus 6 inches, and use the floor share to decide whether the room can hold it. If the listing’s depth looks too small for a chaise, ask the seller. For a rounder or longer version see u shaped sofa.

Frequently asked questions

Which side should the chaise be on?

Put it away from the door and the main walkway. Sellers use different left-or-right conventions, so use the product photo, not the word.

How long should a chaise be?

Our rule of thumb is your height plus about 6 inches, so 76 inches for a 70 inch person. Ask the seller for the usable chaise length, not the overall length.

Are chaise sectionals reversible?

Many are. All three above are described as reversible. Check the listing for the one you buy.

How much space does a sectional with a chaise take?

The box footprint above runs from 10.7 to 27.1 percent of a 12 by 14 ft room, but one of those depths probably omits the chaise. Ask for the full length.

Can I get a chaise sectional through my door?

Compare the opening with each piece’s width, height, depth and diagonal depth. Furniture Academy says the opening must be wider than at least one of them.

Products worth checking

We have not tested these products. Sizes and features come from the Amazon listings, checked on September 30, 2026; where a listing does not say, we say so.

Sources checked

• OROA: Living room furniture spacing guide
• Furniture Academy: How to measure your doorway for furniture deliveries

Specifications checked on September 30, 2026. Product details and availability can change, so confirm on the product page before you buy.