This is the question that catches out more sofa buyers than anything else, and getting it wrong means a sofa that faces the wrong way in your room. It takes thirty seconds to work out.
The rule
Stand in your room and look at where the sofa will go, as if you were about to sit on it.
If the long part — the chaise or the corner return — extends to your left, you need a left hand facing sofa.
If it extends to your right, you need a right hand facing sofa.
That's it. The rule is always from the point of view of someone looking at the sofa, not someone sitting on it.
Why people get it wrong
Two reasons.
Some retailers describe it from the seated position. A handful of manufacturers label handing as if you were sitting on the sofa looking out, which reverses everything. If you're comparing sofas across different websites, check each one's definition rather than assuming they match. Ours is always described as you look at it.
People measure from the doorway instead of the seating position. Where you happen to be standing when you picture the room isn't the reference point. Face the wall the sofa will sit against, and work from there.
A quick sense check
Once you think you know, picture where your television is. On a chaise sofa, most people want the chaise on the side away from the TV, so the person lying down still faces the screen rather than looking at the wall.
Then think about the walkway. The chaise end sticks out further into the room than the rest of the sofa. If your door opens on the left, having the chaise on the left will usually make the room feel tighter.
Does it matter on every sofa?
No. Handing only applies to sofas with an asymmetric shape:
- Chaise sofas — yes, always
- Corner sofas — yes, unless symmetrical
- U-shapes — no, both ends are the same
- 3+2 sets — no, they're two separate pieces you can arrange however you like
- Modular sofas — no, you can rebuild them in either orientation
If you genuinely can't decide, a 3+2 set or a modular sofa removes the problem entirely, because you can change your mind after it arrives.
Still not sure?
Send us a photo of your room on WhatsApp with a note about where you want the sofa to go. We'll tell you which handing you need before you order. It takes us a minute and it saves you a sofa that faces the wrong way.
WhatsApp: 07555 320914
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