Living Rooms

Top Ideabooks

Appears in

More Rooms

See also

Dens and Libraries Media Rooms

Hunker Down With a Built-In Couch

Whether your room is unusually shaped or you just want a unique furniture design, a built-in couch may be the answer

Shawn Gauthier April 9, 2012

I'm a freelance writer and design enthusiast who believes the best design is collected, not decorated, and that homes should always be as comfortable and functional as they are chic. In addition to writing for Houzz, I work as the Head Copywriter for Layla Grayce and Zinc Door.

I'm a freelance writer and design enthusiast who believes the best design is collected,... More

Comment8

Click "Embed" to display an article on your own website or blog.

If you’re having trouble finding the perfect couch and are considering custom, perhaps you should take it a step further: the built-in couch. Like any built-in unit, these couches have great advantages: They can be built exactly to your specifications, will uniquely complement your space and can even provide a spot for extra storage. On the flip side, these are likely an option only for homeowners, not renters, and you can't take them along if you eventually move, so be sure it’s where you want to allocate your money.

Whether the built-in couch is a serious option for you or you just want to browse and dream for the future, check out the following pics for some inspiring designs.

WA Design Architects

By using blonde wood as the base for this built-in couch, the design pulls in the beautiful hardwood ceiling of this contemporary space. Choosing a sectional design maximizes the slightly narrow living room’s seating availability.

Hull Historical

If you’re decorating a sunken living room, a built-in couch may best complement the space’s architectural features. Construct it along the edge to enhance the layered effect of the flooring’s different tiers.

The Lettered Cottage

Don’t think the built-in couch is only for modern spaces, to be topped just with clean-lined cushions. These designs can be ubercozy, as this couch in a cottage living space proves.

Mark English Architects, AIA

Here’s where the built-in couch can come in especially handy: a room with an unusual shape. Here, a curved built-in couch complements perfectly the oval shape of the space.

See the rest of this home

House + House Architects

And again, built-in couches prove to be just what this interesting space ordered.

Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects

Built-in couches are great for sneaking in seating in a streamlined fashion. By carving out a little niche in the built-in cabinetry, this area now benefits from an extra space to sit for a chat.

Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects

Here is another clever, streamlined built-in couch design. By taking advantage of this space, the room can now seat three extra people comfortably. This is a great option for smaller spaces that may feel tight with too many freestanding furnishings.

Fabrizia Frezza Architecture & Interiors

If you want to keep the budget down on this project, design a simplistic base for your couch. All you truly need to make it work are seat and back cushions, and perhaps a few throw pillows.

Montalba Architects

Don’t forget the extra storage that built-in couches can provide. This makes them optimal for areas that come with lots of excess stuff, like the playroom.

More:
Six Tips for Choosing the Perfect Sofa
The Conversation Pit, from Fallingwater to the Present

Comment8

Sponsored

Acrylic Coffee Cocktail Table Lucite, 32"x16"x16", 3/4" Thick

$279

Moroccan Blythe Contemporary Area Rug, Gray, 4'x6'

$80

Winsome Wood Curved End Table/Night Stand With 1-Drawer

$74

LumiSource Spyra Light Up Adjustable Bar Table

$216

5-Shelf Ladder Bookcase, Natural

$95

Leick Furniture Obsidian Glass Top Wood End Table in Chestnut Oak

$159

Comments (8)

See 5 more comments

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo

PRO

Rhonda Kieson Designs

The Hull Historical design is my favorite, for many reasons. I doubt free-standing furniture could improve on the versatility of this room. The built-in end tables with room for lamps makes it even more inviting. No adjustments will be necessary, as would be the case with modern sectionals, should someone just decide to "flop" on the couch. Yes, it is a throwback to the 60's, but in this case, I don't think I'd mind "going back in time."

3 Likes April 24, 2012 at 1:29PM