Left or Right Hand Corner Sofa? How to Tell, Measure and Choose

By Alex at SOFGO · 25 September 2026

Light grey Fairhaven corner sofa bed set up as a left hand corner, with the chaise on the left as you face it — Fairhaven Corner Sofa Bed With Storage M84, £1,199 (view product). Light grey velvet-look fabric, channel-stitched arms, adjustable headrests and chrome legs. Shown as a left hand corner (chaise on the left as you face it); this model is reversible.

Choosing a corner sofa usually comes down to colour, comfort and budget. Then the product page asks you to pick a left or right corner, and plenty of people stop there. It's a fair question. Get it wrong and the chaise ends up blocking a door, covering a radiator or facing away from the television.

The good news is that it takes about ten minutes to work out, and you only need a tape measure and some masking tape. This guide explains the rule, walks through a simple room check, and covers the extra measurements you need if the corner sofa is also a sofa bed.

The simple rule: stand facing the sofa

Stand in front of the sofa and look at it, as if you had just walked into the room. If the long chaise section is on your left, it's a left hand corner. If it's on your right, it's a right hand corner.

That's how we describe corners at SOFGO, and it's the most common convention in the UK. You'll sometimes see it written as LHF (left hand facing) and RHF (right hand facing).

Two things catch people out:

Don't decide while you're sitting down. Once you sit on the sofa, left and right swap over. A chaise on your left as you sit is a right hand corner.
Check each retailer's definition. A few sellers describe the hand from the seated position. If you're comparing sofas across shops, read each one's explanation instead of assuming they all mean the same thing.

Why the side matters in a real room

A corner sofa has one long, closed end and one open end. Which way round it goes decides:

How you walk into the room. The chaise should never sit across the natural route from the door.
What you look at. The chaise is usually the best seat for lying back, so most people angle it towards the television, the fireplace or the window.
Where the heat goes. A chaise pushed tight against a radiator soaks up heat and dries out the fabric over time.
Where the light falls. Strong afternoon sun on one wall can fade fabric faster, which is worth knowing if you're choosing a dark colour.
Sockets and lamps. It's easy to forget until you realise the only socket for a lamp is behind the chaise.

How to choose: a 5-step room check

Sketch the room. A rough drawing is fine. Mark every door and the way it swings, windows, radiators, sockets, the TV point and any chimney breast or alcove.
Decide the main view. Where will people look most of the time: the TV, the fire or the garden? The long side of the sofa usually runs parallel to that wall, with the chaise coming forward on one side.
Find the open side. The open end of the sofa should face the door or the main walkway, so people can walk in and sit down without stepping round the chaise. The chaise goes on the other side.
Tape out the real footprint. Use the actual dimensions from the product page and mark them on the floor with masking tape. For example, the Verity Corner Sofa Bed With Storage is listed at 222 cm wide and 133 cm deep. The Goldcrest Corner Sofa Bed With Storage K19 is listed at 260 cm wide with a 150 cm chaise length. Leave the tape down for a day and walk around it.
Do the stand-facing test. Stand where you'd first see the sofa, usually the doorway, and look at your taped outline. Is the chaise on your left or your right? That's your answer.

As a rough guide, try to keep a clear walkway of at least 60 cm in front of the sofa and between the chaise and any furniture. If you're planning a coffee table, allow extra room so people can get past it with a cup of tea.

Reversible corners vs fixed-hand corners

Not every corner sofa makes you commit on day one.

Reversible corners can be built either way round. Many of the corner sofa beds in our In Stock Clearance range are listed as reversible, so you choose the side on the product page and the price is the same either way. If you move house later, a reversible corner has a better chance of suiting the new room.

Emerald green Goldcrest K19 corner sofa bed built as a right hand corner, with the chaise on the right as you face it — Goldcrest Corner Sofa Bed With Storage K19, £799 (view product). Emerald green velvet-look fabric with plump pillow-top arms and chrome feet. Shown built as a right hand corner; it can also be built left handed.

Fixed-hand corners are made one way round only. At SOFGO, these have the hand in the product name, for example "(Left Corner Only)" or "(Right Corner Only)". Always go by the product name and the options on the page, not by a photo, because a photo may only show one version.

Orrino Mini corner sofa bed in taupe textured weave with a cream base, a fixed right hand corner — Orrino Mini Corner Sofa Bed With Storage B03/S33 (Right Corner Only), £1,299 (view product). Two-tone finish: taupe-brown textured weave seats and cushions on a cream leather-look base, with adjustable headrests. Fixed right hand corner, as the photo shows.

Here's how some of our current models compare (normal prices re-checked on the live site on 6 October 2026):

Sofa	Price	Listed size (W × D)	Corner
Verity Corner Sofa Bed With Storage M84	£779	222 × 133 cm	Choose left or right
Goldcrest Corner Sofa Bed With Storage K19	£799	260 cm wide, 150 cm chaise	Choose left or right
Fairhaven Corner Sofa Bed With Storage M84	£1,199	275 × 205 cm	Choose left or right
Hollingwood Mini Corner Sofa Bed With Storage M04	£1,299	230 × 170 cm	Left corner only
Orrino Mini Corner Sofa Bed With Storage B03/S33	£1,299	230 × 170 cm	Right corner only
Fairhaven Long Corner Sofa Bed With Storage S21	£1,299	345 × 205 cm	Right corner only

Cream Hollingwood Mini corner sofa bed with adjustable headrests and chrome legs, a fixed left hand corner — Hollingwood Mini Corner Sofa Bed With Storage M04 (Left Corner Only), £1,299 (view product). Soft cream/stone finish with adjustable headrests and slim chrome legs. Listed as left corner only; the photo shows the chaise on the left.

If you prefer a made-to-order designer corner, our Exclusive corners, such as the Aldbury Corner Sofa (£1,399, listed at 300 × 190 cm), also let you choose a left or right corner. They're made to order, and the product page shows the lead time.

Measuring for a corner sofa bed, not just a corner sofa

A corner sofa bed has two footprints: the sofa in the daytime and the bed at night. It also has a storage lid that has to open. Before you commit to a side, check three extra things:

The open bed. When the bed is out, it comes forward from the main seating section. Tape out that extra depth too, and make sure it doesn't hit the coffee table, a door swing or the television unit. Not every product page lists the open-bed size. If it isn't shown, email us with the sofa name and we'll confirm it before you order.
The storage chaise. Most of our corner sofa beds have an ottoman-style storage box under the chaise. The lid lifts up, so keep the space above the chaise clear of low shelves or a deep window sill.
Getting it in. Corner sofas usually come in separate sections, but it's still worth measuring your front door, hallway and any tight turns. Our free delivery includes carrying it into the room you choose, building it and taking the packaging away. Measuring the route first just means there are no surprises on the day.

Grey Verity corner sofa bed with the storage chaise lid lifted to show the storage box underneath — Verity Corner Sofa Bed With Storage M84, £779 (view product). Mid-grey soft plush fabric. The photo shows the storage chaise lid lifted, which is why the space above the chaise needs to stay clear.

Common mistakes to avoid

Picking the hand from a sitting position. Always stand facing the sofa.
Forgetting the door swing. A door that opens inwards needs its full arc clear, not just the doorway.
Boxing in a radiator. If the chaise has to go near a radiator, leave a gap so warm air can still reach the room.
Assuming every corner is reversible. Look for "Left Corner Only" or "Right Corner Only" in the name.
Measuring only the sofa. For a sofa bed, measure the open bed and the space to lift the storage lid too.

FAQs

What is a left hand facing corner sofa?

It's a corner sofa where the long chaise section is on your left as you stand facing it. At SOFGO, "left corner" means exactly this.

Do I need a left or right hand corner sofa?

Put the open end of the sofa towards the door or main walkway, and the chaise on the far side where it won't block anyone. Tape the footprint on the floor, stand in the doorway, and see which side the chaise is on.

Does a left or right corner cost more?

Not at SOFGO. Where a sofa offers both, the price is the same either way.

Can I change the side later?

If the sofa is listed as reversible, it can be rebuilt the other way round. Fixed-hand models, marked "Left Corner Only" or "Right Corner Only", can't.

What if my room has doors on two sides?

Keep the busiest route clear. Often a smaller model or a mini corner works better than a large one squeezed between two doors. Our guide to small corner sofa beds with storage covers compact options.

Still unsure which side you need? Send us a message with a rough sketch of your room and the sofa you like. Every SOFGO order comes with free UK mainland delivery and free assembly in the room of your choice, with the packaging taken away.