Comfortable sofas for small spaces: What they are and how to choose them for your studio (or one bedroom apartment)

How to choose your sofa: Tips if you have a small home

If you live in a studio apartment, a one bedroom apartment or even a small house, then you know too well the challenge of how to fit everything together and, more importantly, optimise your space. To avoid the risk of ‘cluttering’ our spaces, we often tend to give up some furnishing accessories and the sofa is sometimes reluctantly sacrificed. However, why give up your island of relaxation and comfort? With the right approach, it is possible to find the model that best suits your home environment and enhance the available space instead of sacrificing it.

Sofas for a studio (or one bedroom) apartment: Linear two-seater models

A popular choice for small houses is a two-seater sofa, which may be small but is comfortable and can be easily positioned along a free wall. It is also the ideal solution for those who live in a studio apartment and have a loft bed because in the area below the loft you can create a comfortable sitting area. From the Calia Italia models, the Fleur sofa is perfect for smaller rooms where you want to create an elegant and convivial atmosphere. Thanks to its small size and refined and distinctive details, this model is perfect for those moments of conversation and relaxation, transforming them into an experience of pure comfort.

When to choose a corner sofa in a small home

It is often thought that corner sofas won’t fit well in smaller rooms because they are too bulky. However, this is not the case. If you have a free corner, you can create a small living area with a coffee table, TV and corner sofa around the edge, thus enclosing your island of relaxation. 

Furnishing a small home: Modular sofas are the perfect solution to optimise space

On the other hand, if the layout of your home does not suit either a linear or corner model, the best choice to opt for is a modular sofa. According to your space and needs, these sofas can be customised in terms of the number of seats and the combination of colours. In this way, you will be able to optimise space to the maximum and have an essentially unique piece of furniture in your home – created especially for you.

An example of a modular sofa is Lazy by Calia Italia – winner of the German Design Award 2020. This model has soft, welcoming lines inspired by those of a cushion and also includes a recliner version with a touch control that raises the footboard for a truly comfortable experience.

Maximum comfort even in tight spaces: Sofas with an extendable seat

Technology can also helps us when it comes to sofas. For instance, if you don’t have the space for a chaise-longe (or a particularly bulky fixed sofa) and don’t want to give up on a top-quality comfort experience, you could always choose a model like Quint’Essènza by Calia Italia.

This sofa features a special mechanism that allows the back cushion to be raised to increase the height and depth of the seat. In the electric version the seats slide via a touch control, increasing the depth by a good 18 centimetres. Furthermore, by activating the two backrests and sliding seat mechanisms together, Quint’Essènza can increase its depth by 38 centimetres – thereby transforming it into an actual day bed.

Sofa Beds: The perfect space-saving solution

Finally, another solution for small spaces (such as a studio apartment) are sofa beds. These are great because you can really maximise the optimisation of your space by alternating between living and sleeping areas – without taking up additional space. However, in order for this switching around to be practical you must always consider two factors. Firstly, the quality of the mattress, which should be at least 12-15 cm in thickness and have a good choice of material. Secondly, don’t forget to think about the ease with which your sofa bed can be opened and closed. Part of the Calia Italia sofa beds collection, Gamma_1 features a manually liftable headrest that increases the height of the backrest — ensuring total relaxation. Finally, for night time, the Gamma_1 sofa bed houses a 20 cm thick mattress that offers maximum comfort even whilst sleeping.