Chaise sofa or corner sofa: what is the difference?

Modern living room with a large corner sofa and natural light.

A chaise sofa has one long seat at the end that you can stretch your legs out on. A corner sofa has two sides that meet at a right angle, with seats along both. Shops use the names loosely, and a lot of "corner sofas" are really chaise sofas, so it helps to look at the shape and the measurements rather than the label. This guide explains the difference, how much room each needs, and which suits your living room.

What is a chaise?

The chaise is the extended seat at one end of the sofa, long enough to lie back with your legs up. On our range it is built into a universal corner, so the chaise can sit on the left or the right when the sofa is assembled. You choose the side once the sofa is in the room, not at the checkout.

Chaise sofas in our range

Length 1 is the long side along your main wall. The chaise end is Length 2, how far the chaise comes back into the room.

Living room with a chaise sofa positioned to leave a doorway clear.

Chaise sofa or full corner sofa?

A chaise suits you if one person likes to lie out in the evening, the room has one main wall, or a door or window sits close to the corner. The chaise end is narrower than a full second side, so it leaves more room around it.

A full corner suits you if you regularly seat four or more people and both walls are clear. Seats run along both sides, so more people sit upright.

A U shape suits you if the room is large or open plan and you want everyone facing the TV. Our U shape or corner sofa guide compares those two.

How much room does a chaise sofa need?

Mark the long side and the chaise end on the floor with masking tape, using the product page measurements. Then check the depth: it is the distance from the wall to the front of the seat. Leave a clear path of around 60 to 70 cm in front so the room still works, and make sure no door swings into the chaise. Our corner sofa sizes guide explains Length 1, Length 2 and depth in more detail.

Chaise sofa beds

Many of our chaise sofas also open into a bed, which makes them useful in a living room that sometimes hosts guests:

See our guide to double sofa beds for how those sleeping sizes compare with real beds.

Sofa with an extended seat section in a bright living space.

Left or right hand chaise

Stand facing the sofa: if the chaise is on your left, it is left hand facing; on your right, right hand facing. With a universal corner you do not need to decide in advance. Our guide to left and right hand corner sofas has the full rule and the common mistakes.

Our chaise sofas run from around £900 to £1,500. Any order can be split into 3 payments, or over 6 or 12 months on orders of £1,000 or more, subject to eligibility.

Questions people ask

What is a chaise in a sofa?

It is the long seat at one end of the sofa that you can stretch your legs out on. On our universal corners the chaise can go on the left or the right.

What is a good 3 seater sofa with a chaise?

Look at the overall length and the chaise length in cm rather than the seat count. Our chaise sofas run from about 2.5 to 3 metres long, with chaise ends from about 1.5 to 2 metres.

Are chaise sofas good for small rooms?

Often yes. A chaise takes less space along the second wall than a full corner, so it can fit where a door or window sits near the corner. Check the length, chaise end and depth against your floor first.

Delivery is to the room of your choice, free on orders of £499 or more, and usually arrives within a week (5 to 14 days). Every sofa comes with a 12 month guarantee. See all our chaise sofas, or send your wall measurements on WhatsApp on 07418 613890.

Written by Owen and Will, who spent three years collecting and refurbishing sofas around Bristol before starting Sofa Renewals. We use AI tools to help draft and check our guides; every fact about our sofas comes from our own product data.

Shop the range: Corner sofas · Large corner sofas