Christmas Living Room Ideas With a Corner Sofa

At Christmas, the corner sofa is where the presents get opened, where everyone ends up after lunch and, in plenty of homes, where a guest sleeps on Boxing Day. It also fills a whole corner and two walls, which changes how you decorate around it.

These ideas work with an L-shaped sofa rather than against it: where the tree goes, throws and cushions, lighting, and space for extra people. None of it needs a big budget, and most of it packs away in January.

Where the tree goes with an L-shape

An L-shaped sofa usually fills one corner of the room, so the most natural home for the tree is often the corner diagonally opposite. From the sofa, the tree is then in view from almost every seat, and it isn't squeezed against the arm or the chaise.

A few other things to weigh up before you put the stand down:

• Keep the walkway clear. Leave a clear path from the door to the seats and to the window. If people have to edge sideways past the tree to reach the chaise, it's in the wrong place.
• Mind the radiator and the fire. A real tree dries out faster next to a heat source, and it drops needles quicker. Keep it, and the sofa, a sensible distance from radiators, stoves and open fires. Our guide to putting a sofa in front of a radiator covers the sofa side of that.
• Leave room for the bed. If you have a corner sofa bed and you're expecting overnight guests, measure how far the bed comes out when it's open, and keep the tree and presents out of that space. It's much easier to plan now than to move a decorated tree on Christmas Eve.
• Small room, smaller tree. If the floor is tight, a slim tree or a tabletop tree on a sideboard keeps the corner and the walkway free. Our small living room layout ideas for a corner sofa help if space is already a squeeze.

If you're still choosing a sofa, the corner side decides where everything else goes. Some SOFGO models let you choose the side on the product page, such as the Goldcrest K19 (£799), while others are sold as one side only. Our guide to left or right hand corner sofas explains how to tell.

Layering throws and cushions

Throws and cushions are the quickest way to make a corner sofa feel festive, and they're the easiest thing to put away afterwards.

• Start with the corner seat. The corner is often the cosiest spot on an L-shape, so dress it first: a large throw folded over the back, with two or three cushions in front.
• Drape a throw over the chaise. A throw laid along the chaise end invites people to put their feet up, and it protects the seat from crumbs, wrapping paper and the odd glass of something.
• Work in odd numbers and mixed sizes. Three or five cushions look more relaxed than a strict row.
• Pick two or three colours. Deep green, berry red, gold or ivory work with most neutral sofas. On a grey or sage sofa, warm tones such as rust, mustard and cream stop the room feeling cold. Our guide to which cushion colours go with a grey sofa has more pairings.
• Add texture, not clutter. Knits, faux fur and wool-look covers add warmth without more colours. Washable covers make a busy fortnight easier.

For a fuller look at dressing an L-shape all year round, see our guide to how to style a corner sofa.

Lighting

Aim for several soft light sources at different heights rather than one bright ceiling light.

• Dim the main light, or switch it off in the evening and let lamps do the work.
• Put a lamp near the corner seat. A floor lamp or a table lamp behind or beside the corner gives reading light and a warm glow in the part of the room people use most.
• Use fairy lights where they're safe. Drape LED fairy lights along a shelf, a mantelpiece, a mirror or the window frame, not over the sofa itself. Switch them off at the plug when you go to bed or go out.
• Keep cables tidy. Run cables along the skirting rather than across walkways, and keep them out from under the sofa and out of the space where a sofa bed pulls out.
• Be careful with candles. Keep real candles well away from throws, cushions, curtains and the tree, and never leave them burning in an empty room. Battery LED candles give a similar glow on the coffee table or windowsill without the worry.

Making room for guests

A corner sofa already seats more people than a straight sofa of the same width. A few changes make it work even better.

• Clear the floor in front. Move the coffee table back, or swap it for a smaller one or a nest of tables that can be spread around. Our guide to what size coffee table suits a corner sofa explains the clearances, and you can browse our coffee tables.
• Plan the sleeping space. If a guest is sleeping on a sofa bed, decide where the bed will open before the decorations go up, and check the sleeping area listed on the product page. The Fairhaven M84 (£1,199), for example, lists a sleeping area of 123 × 193 cm.
• Use the storage. Corner sofa beds with a storage compartment are a natural home for the spare duvet, pillows and a fitted sheet, so the bedding is ready without taking over a cupboard.
• Think bigger for big families. If you regularly host a crowd, a U-shaped layout gives seating on three sides. The U Shape Goldcrest (£999) is listed at 352 cm wide and 152 cm deep. Our guide to U-shaped corner sofa beds with storage has more detail.

For more on hosting, read our guides to hosting Christmas in a small house, choosing a sofa bed for Christmas guests and making a sofa bed more comfortable, plus our overnight guests checklist.

Keeping it practical

Christmas is hard on a sofa: more people, more food and drink, pine needles and often an excited pet.

• Blot spills straight away. Use a clean, dry cloth and press rather than rub, then follow the care advice for your fabric. Our guide to cleaning a fabric sofa goes through it step by step.
• Vacuum little and often. Pine needles, glitter and crumbs work into seams, so a quick pass with an upholstery attachment helps.
• Watch the pets. Cats and dogs love a new throw and a tree full of baubles. Our guide to protecting your sofa from cat scratching has ideas that also help at Christmas.
• Consider Easy Clean fabric. If you're choosing a new sofa, many SOFGO product pages offer an Easy Clean fabric, a water and pet resistant weave, as an upgrade. On the sofas in this article it's a fixed £199 on top of the standard price. Our guide to pet-friendly Easy Clean fabric explains more.

If you're thinking about a new sofa before the holidays, start with the measurements and the corner side, then check the delivery window shown on each product page. When you order, we text you a delivery date and a two-hour window. Our guide to ordering a sofa for Christmas goes through the timing.

At SOFGO, delivery is free to most of mainland UK, and assembly in the room of your choice is free, with the packaging taken away. Some postcode areas (AB, DD, EX, FK, IV, KY, PH, PL, SA, TQ and TR) carry a £149 charge per order, and upstairs rooms without a lift cost £49 for the 1st to 4th floor, in houses as well as flats. We don't deliver to Northern Ireland, the Scottish islands, Caithness and the far north of Scotland (KW postcodes), the Isle of Wight, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands or the Isles of Scilly. See the delivery page for the details. You can pay by card, or with Klarna or Clearpay (subject to eligibility), and many product pages also offer pay on delivery. Check the Ways to pay box on each page: the Lindorf X100, for example, shows Klarna but not Clearpay.

FAQs

Where should a Christmas tree go in a room with a corner sofa?

Often in the corner diagonally opposite the sofa, so it's in view from most seats. Keep the walkway clear, keep it away from radiators and fires, and leave space for a sofa bed to open.

How can I make a corner sofa look festive?

Dress the corner seat with a large throw and a few cushions, lay a second throw along the chaise, and stick to two or three colours. Add soft lamp light nearby.

Is it safe to put fairy lights near a sofa?

Keep them off the sofa itself and use them on shelves, mirrors or windows instead. Use LED lights, keep cables out from under the sofa, and switch them off at the plug at night.

How do I fit more guests in a living room with a corner sofa?

Move the coffee table back or use a smaller one, and add floor cushions, a footstool or a couple of dining chairs for the day.

Can a corner sofa bed work as a guest bed at Christmas?

Yes, if you plan for it. Check the sleeping area on the product page, measure the floor space with the bed open, and keep the tree and presents out of that space.

Will a new sofa arrive before Christmas?

That depends on the product and your postcode, so check the delivery window on the product page before you order. When you order from SOFGO, we text you a delivery date and a two-hour window.

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Getting the living room ready for Christmas? Browse our in-stock range and our corner sofa beds with storage. For a smaller room, the Verity M84 (£779) is listed at 222 cm wide and 133 cm deep. Our guide to measuring a room for a corner sofa is a good place to start.

Not sure which size or corner side will suit your room? Message our team or email support@sofgo.co.uk. We reply between 8am and 10pm, every day. Our FAQ answers the most common questions about delivery, fabrics and corner sofa beds.

Alex at SOFGO