Short answer: For most small apartments, a modular sofa is the safer choice, because it arrives in separate boxes that fit through narrow doors, stairs and elevators, and you can change its size and shape when you move. A traditional sofa still makes sense if you already know it will fit, you will not move soon and you want it delivered ready to use. The best choice depends on how you get the sofa into the room as much as on how it looks once it is there.
Small apartments make each decision tighter: the walkway, the doorway, the stairwell and the next move. This guide compares the two kinds of sofa on those points, using the measurements of our own modular collections and plain, general advice for fixed sofas.
On This Page
- How do modular and traditional sofas differ?
- Which one takes up less floor space?
- How do they compare on delivery and moving in?
- What fits through narrow doorways and stairs?
- What happens when you move or your room changes?
- When is a traditional sofa the better choice?
- Our recommendation
- Explore our sofas
How do modular and traditional sofas differ?
A traditional sofa, or a fixed sectional, is built as one frame in one size and shape. A modular sofa is a set of separate modules (seats, arms, corners, chaises, ottomans) that connect to form the shape you choose. Our guide to sofas versus sectionals explains the shapes, so here we focus on what changes in a small home.
How do modular and traditional sofas differ?
| Traditional sofa or fixed sectional | Modular sofa | |
|---|---|---|
| Size and shape | Set at purchase | Chosen by the number and type of modules |
| Arrival | Often delivered fully assembled by a crew, or in a few large pieces | Separate boxes for the modules |
| Getting it in | The whole piece has to pass each door, turn and stairwell | Only the longest box has to pass each turn |
| Setup | Little or none | Assembled at home, with typical setup of 20 minutes per module for our Atmosphere, Ciello, Gaia and Neptune sofas |
| If your room changes | Fits or does not fit | Add, remove or rearrange compatible modules |
| If one part is damaged | Often the whole piece is affected | If a module arrives damaged or defective, we replace that module |
The traditional column is general advice about fixed furniture, not a product specification. Individual makers differ, so check how any sofa you are considering is delivered.
Which one takes up less floor space?
Neither type is smaller by default. What counts is the footprint of the exact layout, and a modular sofa gives you more control over it because you decide how many seats to buy and whether to add a chaise, a corner or arms.
Some of our compact layouts, as listed on our product pages:
- Gaia armless corner layout (armless seat, corner and seat): 65.4 x 65.4 inches (166 x 166 cm), built from our Gaia modules.
- Cassini compact L: fits within roughly 62.5 inches (159 cm) on each side. Our Cassini sofa also has angled wedge modules for a softer corner.
- Ciello two-seater with two arms and a chaise: 74.75 x 68.5 inches (190 x 174 cm). It keeps the length short but projects forward into the room. See Ciello.
Depth matters as much as width in a small room. Our sectional size guide notes that most sectionals are 34 to 42 inches (86 to 107 cm) deep, so check the depth of any sofa against the walkway. A straight sofa with no corner has the smallest footprint of all, whether it is modular or fixed. In a modular sofa, a corner seat is often used for lounging rather than as a third upright seat, so a small L tends to seat two adults comfortably. Our sectional sofa size guide shows how to mark the footprint with tape and leave room to walk.
How do they compare on delivery and moving in?
This is where the two types differ most. A traditional sofa is commonly delivered by a crew who carry it in, which is convenient when the piece passes through your door. If it does not, you find out on delivery day, and return terms for large items vary from store to store.
Our sofas arrive as modules in separate boxes. Across our indoor sofa collections, the longest module box is the Orian arm box at 41.7 inches (106 cm), and the heaviest is the Ciello chaise extension box at 59.5 lb (27 kg). Our guide to measuring stairs, elevators and doorways lists the box size and weight for each collection.
There are trade-offs, and we prefer to state them plainly:
- You carry the boxes in. Standard delivery leaves boxes at the front door or building lobby, and couriers do not bring them to your unit door or assemble the sofa. In a walk-up, plan for help with the heavier boxes.
- You assemble it. Our sofa pages describe tool-free assembly for Atmosphere, Gaia and Cassini, and setup is typically 20 minutes per module for several collections. A six-module sofa takes longer than a two-module one. Our assembly time guide has the details.
- Split arrivals happen. Because an order ships as several boxes, your tracking details show how many packages to expect, and occasionally an item ships separately. Our shipping and delivery guide explains how this works.
What fits through narrow doorways and stairs?
With a modular sofa, the question changes from "how wide is the sofa?" to "how big is the largest box?" A box is a rectangle, so its two shorter sides must pass through the narrowest opening, and its longest side can go through lengthwise.
The advice below is general advice for moving any furniture, not a product specification, and your building may set its own rules.
What fits through narrow doorways and stairs?
| Spot on your route | What to measure | What to compare it with |
|---|---|---|
| Front door and room doorway | Clear opening width and height at the tightest point | The two shorter sides of the largest box |
| Stairwell and landings | Width between wall and banister, headroom, landing depth | The longest box, and whether it can turn on the landing |
| Elevator | Door opening and cabin width, depth and height | The longest box, and the booking rules in your building |
| Hallway turns | Hallway width and anything that sticks out | The longest box, which needs room to pivot |
For a fixed sofa, the same route has to fit the entire assembled piece, including its arms and back. That is why narrow stairwells and small elevators are the usual reason people choose modular furniture for older buildings, condos and walk-ups.
What happens when you move or your room changes?
Small apartments are often temporary. A traditional sofa that fits one living room may not fit the next, and a fixed L-shape keeps one orientation. With a modular sofa, you can reconfigure the same modules for a new room, for example turning a corner layout into a straight sofa where the layout allows. Our guide to how many modules you need helps you start at the right size.
Two practical points:
- Adding later: you can order additional compatible modules to grow a sofa. Compatibility varies between collections, so confirm it before buying and do not assume a module from one collection connects to another. Availability of any module or fabric over time is not guaranteed.
- Trying it first: you have 30 days from the day you receive your order to return it. Returns are free when items go back in the original boxes, so keep them for the trial period.
When is a traditional sofa the better choice?
A traditional sofa is a sensible pick in a few cases. If you have measured the route, you know the sofa fits and you plan to stay in the home for years, a fixed piece avoids assembly and keeps the shape you chose. If you want a delivery crew to place it, a traditional retailer may offer that. A single fixed piece also has no connections between modules, which some people prefer.
A modular sofa is the better fit if any of these apply: a walk-up or small elevator, a rental you may leave, a room whose shape may change or a household that may grow.
Our recommendation
Choose by your route and your plans, then by the room.
- Narrow stairs, a small elevator or a walk-up: modular. Compare the longest box in your layout with your tightest turn.
- A rental or a home you may leave within a few years: modular, so you can reshape or resize the sofa for the next place.
- A very small room: a straight sofa, modular or fixed, then add a chaise or corner only if the floor allows.
- A settled home with easy access: either works. Pick the one whose size you have checked with tape on the floor.
- Not sure: book a free design consultation and we will look at your room with you.
Explore our sofas
Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.