Potential Downsides To Chaise Sofas You'll Wish You Knew Before Buying

When you are in the market for a new sofa or sectional, the sheer number of options out there for layout, features, and sizing — let alone design and fabrics! — is staggering. Sofa or sectional? Two seat or three? Loose or attached cushions? As a professional interior designer, I know full-well that the list of questions goes on and on. However, perhaps one of the most hotly debated sofa options is whether or not to buy a sofa with a chaise, the extended length seat for lounging in a reclined position with feet up.

Sure, a chaise lounge absolutely has its benefits. I personally think there's nothing better than kicking your feet up after a long day, stretching out in full relaxation mode. For a family room, a larger chaise provides a cozy multi-person snuggle spot for movie nights. A nicely positioned chaise can make wonderful use of an otherwise unusable corner when planning your room layout. Some sofas with chaises even have storage space, perfect for extra blankets or family game night supplies. 

While it sounds like a no-brainer, there are also some potential downsides to committing to a chaise lounge configuration that I've seen time and again in my roles as both a professional interior designer and professional couch potato. From layout issues to awkward entertaining seating, the chaise lounge's lack of versatility and adaptability leaves it with some significant challenges to consider (or better yet, avoid) before making a purchase.

As an interior designer, my advice here is that the main issue with buying a sofa with a chaise boil down to a lack of flexibility that the chaise creates. Because it is a large, fixed piece, having a chaise lounge can significantly limit your sofa or sectional configuration. This means you are stuck with one living room layout and must choose furniture and decor pieces, such as a coffee table and rug, that cater to only that configuration. Because a chaise has a large footprint, it eats up a lot of square footage and can be tricky to work around when creating a layout with proper flow or clearances. And besides chaises being big and heavy to actually physically move, if you ever have to relocate to a new home or apartment, the specific layout may not work in every space — meaning you are out of luck: Time to buy a new sofa (again).

In addition, the inflexible layout creates an entertaining issue if this chaise is used in a space that needs to host more than your immediate family. How many dinner parties have you been to where a guest seats themselves tucked back into the corner of a chaise lounge, feet up? That's right, almost never. They always choose the seat next to it or perch on the ottoman portion. Why? Because people don't tend to socialize with others in a reclined, feet up position, but rather a more formal, upright sit that fosters conversation, eye contact, and easy maneuverability. In addition, if it's a packed house and someone needs to sit next to the person using the chaise, the lounger will not be able to get out without crawling over the long end of the chaise or their new sofa friend. Embarrassing on both accounts!

Okay, so you understand the downsides, but still love to kick your feet up. Is there a way to get the best of both worlds, a chaise without all of the configuration and entertaining issues? I am happy to report that the good news is yes, it is absolutely possible to get both. My professional suggestion here, from an interior design perspective, is to look for options, such as modular sofas or sectionals, that have the arm piece separate from the chaise piece. This will allow you to move the chaise piece to the other side and have more flexibility with the configuration if your needs change. Alternatively, there are also options where the extended ottoman piece is a separate unit, allowing you to choose which side the chaise lounge is on (with a reversible cushion or even additional alternate cushions to allow conversion to a standalone ottoman). 

Both of the above options add a wider variety of usable layouts — but they do not solve the entertaining issue. To avoid that predicament, my favorite approach is to opt for a sofa or sectional with a matching modular ottoman. Aesthetically and functionally, when the ottoman is pulled up to the sofa, it's nearly identical to a chaise lounge. But then, when you need to move it? The ottoman pulls right out, allowing the seat to function as a standard sofa. That's what I do in my own living room when entertaining, in fact.

By looking for chaise setups with added flexibility or using a matching modular ottoman, you can have the best of both worlds: A relaxing snuggle spot and an investment piece that can adapt to your changing needs over time.