Goodbye to the sectional sofa: designers are choosing an alternative that opens up the whole living room
For years, the sectional was the default answer for a family living room: one big L that seats everyone and fills the corner. Recent design coverage has turned on it: designers now describe L-shaped sectionals as clunky, and they keep pointing to the same few alternatives.
Why designers are cooling on the sectional
In a Livingetc roundup of sofa trends to leave behind in 2026, L-shaped sofas topped the list. Louise McGarry, co-founder and creative director of Studio Braw, says they “can feel less refined than a deep, well-proportioned straight sofa paired with an ottoman.” The same article notes that L-shaped sofas and sectionals “can feel clunky.”
Homedit reaches a similar conclusion in its look at 2026 living rooms: “The era of the wall-hugging sectional is fading.” Curves replace corners, and low profiles replace bulk.
What designers choose instead
A straight sofa with an ottoman: Livingetc’s suggested alternative. It gives the same lounging space, but the ottoman can move, which opens up the room for easier circulation.
Modular pieces: segmented sofas that can float in the middle of the room or split into separate islands, as Homedit describes, instead of one fixed L.
A sofa plus chairs: a smaller sofa paired with a chaise or armchairs, instead of a matching set. The right armchair often does more for a room than another seat on the L.
Shapes with more presence: sculptural or curved sofas, used selectively. McGarry warns that curved sofas “arguably peaked in 2025,” so treat them as a statement, not a default.
Why it changes the whole room
A large L usually stays in one position, often pushed into a corner. Separate pieces can be pulled into a conversation circle, turned toward the fireplace in winter, or pushed back when guests arrive for the holidays. The space between them also matters: a path through the room, a coffee table you can actually reach, and a living room that looks thought through rather than overfilled.
The limit
A sectional isn’t wrong for everyone. For a large family that watches movies together every night, or a long open room that needs one anchor, it can still be the most practical choice. The designer views quoted here are style opinions, not rules, and trend roundups often disagree with each other, as the curved-sofa debate shows. If your sectional is comfortable and in good shape, rearranging it with an ottoman and a chair or two is a cheaper first step than replacing it. And if you do replace it, sit on the new pieces in a store first: depth and seat height matter more than shape for a sofa you use every evening.
In a nutshell
Designers increasingly call oversized L-shaped sectionals clunky.
The go-to alternative: a deep straight sofa with a movable ottoman.
Modular sofas and a sofa-plus-chairs mix keep the layout flexible.
A sectional still suits big families and very large rooms.
The Trendir take: the living room didn’t need a bigger sofa. It needed pieces that can move.
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