U shape or L shape sofa: which suits your living room?

An L shaped sofa has two sides that meet at one corner. One side is usually longer than the other. The short side can have a back, so people sit upright on both sides, or no back, so it becomes a chaise to stretch out on.

A U shaped sofa has three sides. The long side sits in the middle and a shorter side comes forward at each end. Those ends can have backs, which closes the seating around a centre, or they can be ottomans or chaises, which gives you two lounging spots facing the room. Comfo's U-shape works this way: a row of seats with an ottoman at each end.

In the UAE, most people say "L shape" for any corner sofa, so when you shop, check whether the short side is a backed corner or an open chaise. Our guide to chaise and corner sofas explains the two.

Start with the footprint of the sofa itself, then add the space to walk around it. A common rule is to keep 60 to 90 cm on every side where people pass.

As a rough guide, an L shape suits a wall from about 2.5 m and a room from about 3.5 m deep, while a U shape is happiest on a wall of 3.5 m or more, in a room at least 4.5 m deep so there is space for a coffee table and a walkway in front. On every sofa page, the Will it fit? tool draws the shape against your own wall, to scale.

An L shape is the friendly all-rounder. With a backed corner, it seats several people upright, which suits conversation and guests. With a chaise, one person can stretch out while the others sit.

A U shape is made for gathering. Everyone faces the same centre, which is perfect for a television, a game on the coffee table or a long talk after dinner. With an ottoman or chaise at each end, two people can lie back at once, so nobody has to argue over the best seat on movie night.

• Couple or small family: an L shape is usually all you need.
• Family of five or more: a U shape, or a large L such as Doudou, gives everyone a place.
• Frequent guests: a backed L seats more people upright; a U shape with movable ottomans adapts to the evening.

A sofa decides how people move through a living room, and this is where the two shapes differ most.

An L shape leaves one side of the room open. Place the long side against the main wall and the short side away from the door, so people walk straight in. If the room opens onto a balcony or a dining area, the open side can face it.

A U shape encloses three sides, so the open side must face what matters most: usually the TV wall or the way in. Keep a clear walkway of 60 to 90 cm behind or beside it if people need to cross the room. In an open-plan space, the back of a U shape makes a natural divider between the living and dining areas. Our guide to living room layouts shows more arrangements.

In a Dubai or Abu Dhabi apartment, the living room is often open to the kitchen or dining area, with a balcony door on one side. An L shape fits this beautifully: it fills one corner and keeps the route to the balcony clear. A compact L such as Nuage with its chaise suits smaller rooms.

In a villa living room, a large L or a U shape fills the space with warmth instead of leaving the sofa lost in the middle of the room. A U shape also suits a family room where everyone gathers in the evening, while a formal majlis usually works better with seating along the walls.

During Ramadan and Eid, a U shape with movable ottomans gives you extra seats exactly where guests need them, then goes back to its usual shape the next day.

The rug and table make either shape feel finished.

• With an L shape, choose a rug that reaches at least 15 to 20 cm past the long side and runs under the front legs of both sides. Place the coffee table near the corner, 40 to 50 cm from the seats.
• With a U shape, the rug should fill the space inside the U and reach under the front of all three sides, so the whole group sits on one surface. A long, narrow coffee table, or two smaller ones, lets everyone reach a cup.

Our guides to rug sizes and coffee table distances give the full measurements.

If you are torn between the two, a modular sofa lets you have both, one after the other. Comfo comes as an L with a chaise or a backed corner, from AED 9,790, and as a U-shape of five or six modules, from AED 10,890. Its modules can be rearranged whenever your room or your family changes, and its ottomans move wherever you want to put your feet up.

Comfo is European quality, handmade locally when you order, and delivered and installed free in all seven emirates, 3 to 6 days after your order.

Compare the shapes on our U shape sofas and L shape sofas pages.