Have you thought about whether your sofa has arms or not? No, I don’t mean the type of arms with fingers. I mean armrests on the sides of the couch where you can sit and rest your arms and upper body more easily. These are also great for serving as an instant pillow for taking a nap.
When you are shopping for a sofa or loveseat, there is a big question about whether you should have an arm on the ends. If you have an arm on the side of your sofa, then the arm changes the look and functionality of the seat. It also limits the seating arrangement.
Related: Epic List of Sofa Brands | Best Sofa Brands | Sofa Accessories |
Here are some of the other benefits of an armless sofa, and clues to help you decipher if you need to include an armless sofa on your next living room upgrade.
Maximize Mobility With an Armless Sofa
An armless sofa provides several key benefits and features, which is why these types of chairs are sold these days. Primarily, the benefits of armless chairs include mobility, space-saving, and economics. For example, for easy movement and a more versatile style of chair, go with armless.
The need to have an armless sofa is all about space savings since the couch is the largest piece of furniture in a living room or den.
Here’s why you want to go with an armless sofa, states the National Business Furniture. “One of the biggest benefits of armless chairs is their space-saving design. While armrests may not seem bulky, they do happen to take up quite a lot of room. Armless chairs can be neatly tucked into tables and desks when not in use.
This is especially useful in training rooms, conference rooms, and other meeting/collaborative areas. Many armless chairs can also be placed next to each other in reception areas or waiting rooms in order to accommodate numerous individuals without taking up too much space.”
Save Space for More Spacious Seating Using Armless Sofas
Mortgage Calculator
=> How much house can you afford? Use our calculator
You are able to maximize the space on the sofa for seating and comfort, rather than cutting it off at the ends. Arms on a sofa restrict your movement and ability to lay down all the way unless you are a child. If you love taking naps, then you will want to stick with an armless sofa and a pillow or two.
Spare your spine and stay away from sofas that are stuffed up and overly formal, such as the Chesterfield, with the use of tall sidearms. This will minimize the appearance of the couch, as well. Have you seen how big and bulky the Chesterfield sofas are?
These look very large and in charge when in a living room. If you take off the side arms, that opens up the sofa in a number of ways, starting with increasing the space where you can rest.
Are Armless Sofas the Way of the Future for Me?
When you are deciding on whether to buy an armless sofa, start with the most popular styles of these pieces of big furniture. Settee sofas are long cushioned chairs that allow one person to sprawl out without the use of two arms. You do have the backside where you can perch up as you are reading or sitting up.
Therefore, this is not a totally flat piece of furniture for lounging but a semi-formal loveseat-sized couch.
The settee is a more formal and proper style that is not as fluffy or cushioned as some of the larger, more spacious couches. However, for rooms that require a seating space with minimal materials, the settee works to support someone who wants to sit down or take a nap.
As you can see, this type of sofa does not have sidearms, which is part of the appearance. Another type of couch that does not have arms is the beloved futon.
With this type of armless sofa, you can make all sorts of seating arrangements. The various cushions are attached on a hinge so that each one folds upright at a 90-degree angle and back down flat for a full-on bed. You do not have arms, which are made up for in the way you can arrange the cushions.
Use a cushion on one end as a perching pillow or for a side table. Then, when you are finished, lift the cushion back up and you continue to have the full function of that cushion as a backrest.
When to Avoid Armless Sofas
There are certain spaces where armless sofas will not do the job. If you are arranging a sofa next to a large bookshelf where there is nothing protecting the sofa from the decor, avoid an armless sofa. These are not made to have near a lot of items, such as kitsch or miniature glass figurines, where the person lying on the sofa is likely to stretch out and kick things.
It’s not a safe couch for crowded spaces, in other words. An armless sofa is needed in a space where the primary goal of a couch is not comfort. You are using the armless couch as a work of art, in a way based on its style and cut.
If your room is not spacious enough to fully appreciate the armless sofa, then you want to avoid this style of chair.
