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10 Great Ways to Make Use of the Space Behind the Couch

One of the ideas interior designers love to emphasize to their clients is to pull the sofa away from the wall. It helps to create the idea of a floating sofa for an enhanced visual effect. Unfortunately, while this might look great in pictures, it doesn't always come off the right way in real life. Instead, an unutilized space remains behind the sofa, which you might not know how to decorate. Fortunately, this guide highlights some fantastic ideas you can utilize to make the most out of that space behind the couch. Decorating the space behind the couch goes a long way in adding a layer of depth and interest to your room. Whether the space is too broad or too narrow, the following ideas are worth trying for an eye-catching effect.

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1. Place a Shelf Behind the Couch

Mounting some shelves behind the couch is a brilliant idea that brings out the creativity in you. It provides you with easy access to your favorite books when you need to read something while resting on the couch. Besides, a shelf naturally fills the walls to make perfect storage for decoration too.

Think of an innovative and sleek standing shelf behind the sofa. You can give it an artistic look by placing a floor lamp or a musical item like a guitar to make the ambiance edgy and beautiful.

You can never go wrong with regular or built-in shelves. However, ensure to maintain a minimalist design so that it doesn't overshadow the couch but subtly complements it. For example, you could decorate it with souvenirs or photo frames for some charm.

Depending on how you utilize your creativity, you can achieve different results by playing around with the design and placement of the shelves.

2. Put a Sofa Table Behind the Couch

While it seems like having a sofa table behind the couch is a no-brainer, it is a creative decorative idea. However, it's not just a matter of putting a sofa table in this space. Consider some factors when choosing your sofa table:

  • Height: Unlike console tables, sofa tables vary in height while the former tend to have a standard size. When shopping online, you might find that people use the two terms interchangeably.
  • Length: For the best visual effect and for symmetrical balance, your sofa table should not be less than ½ the length of the sofa. The ideal length would be ¾ the length of the couch for a balanced appearance. Alternatively, if your table is less than the ideal length, you can flank it with chairs to visually extend it.

3. Add Storage With a Console Table

A console table behind the sofa seems like another obvious idea to cover your couch's behind. Console tables are available in a wide range of styles and prices, and you can use them to create some extra storage space behind the sofa. If the space is small, a console with open shelves will create the best effect. This design is effective for a light and uncluttered look. It also provides you with some space to display your most attractive decorative pieces.

If there is more room behind the couch, you can choose a console table with closed shelves. This will mainly come in handy when you don't want the hard work of maintaining open shelves. A console with closed shelves looks equally good and requires minimal maintenance. As a tip from expert designers, choose a console that is about 2/3 the sofa's width. It also should be a few inches shorter than the back of the couch. You will seamlessly create a balanced look this way.

4. Invest in an Eye-Grabbing Piece of Art

If the wall behind the floating sofa is empty, consider placing a single statement piece of art that makes that wall stand out. If it's a large piece of art, you don't have to nail it to the wall. Instead, you can let it rest against the wall.

Have you ever thought of using empty frames as decor pieces? They are brilliantly effective at decorating open spaces. As such, consider getting a bunch of Victorian bare frames and lining them up behind the sofa. They help take away the attention from the floating couch onto the artwork. Besides, it effortlessly warms and brings life to that space.

5. Experiment With a Mirror to Fill Space Behind the Couch

Don't be afraid of experimenting with unique decor ideas or coming across as different. As an illustration, placing a large mirror behind your sofa brightens up the room, especially if the opposite walls have windows. Besides, if your living room is small, a mirror placed in a strategic position helps the room look bigger.

6. Add a Bench for Extra Sitting

Do you feel like your living room needs some additional sitting space? If yes, it could benefit from a bench behind the sofa. The arrangement is classy and comes in handy, especially if the back of your seat is near the entrance. For example, you can use the bench as your resting place when you come home exhausted or on your way out.

An upholstery bench with a pop of pattern is an excellent idea to play up the warmth of your leather sofa. Consider getting a bench that can also act as your extra storage space for things like the fleece blankets you use to cover yourself on those chilly evenings.

You can tuck baskets or a floor lamp in the space next to a bench. Alternatively, you can use this dead space and keep the high-traffic walkways clutter-free.

7. Put a Bar Table or a Bar Cart

A small table between two chairs is another exceptionally brilliant idea for utilizing the space behind the couch. You can use this as the spot where you watch TV as you eat your dinner. However, it would help if you were careful with the height of the table and chairs.

You don't want to use such long bar tables or chairs that they loom over the back of the sofa. The best approach to this décor idea would be to use bar tables that are the same height as or lower than the back of the couch.

Using a bar cart won't differ from a sofa table, but you will dedicate it to a specific purpose. If you often entertain visitors in your house, a bar cart is a practical solution that helps them reach out for their favorite drink with ease. There's no better way to make friends and family feel at home.

8. Create a Secluded Seating Arrangement

If the space behind the sofa is big enough, why not add more seating there? It can be the perfect place where you tuck yourself away as you read your favorite book. You could also make it the space where you catch up with your loved one over drinks after a long day at work.

Two miniature chairs with a patterned side table are perfect choices for creating a balance away from the main living room. It creates a feeling of being away from the living room but keeps you close enough to the rest of the family. Think of it as the place you and your partner can enjoy a little “me” time without going too far from the kids.

Consider incorporating benches if the space allows it. You want to have pieces of furniture that you can rearrange when you have a large party to host, conveniently tying two sitting areas together nicely.

9. Create a Tiny Home Office

Do you want to make this little (or ample) space behind the sofa more functional? Then, you can transform it into a home office. It is an amicable solution if you need a home office but lack extra space in the house.

You might also want to use it as a homework station for your children or a place where you can tackle your online bills without interruption. There is a lot you can do with this small and cozy home office behind the sofa.

10. Create Low Couch Shelving

low-shelving using the space behind the couch
Loft living room interior with modern, stylish, and cozy design.

Couch shelving is not your conventional way of styling the space behind the sofa. It calls for creativity if you want to pull off a stunning look. It entails creating low-level bookcases behind and on the sides of the couch.

The parts besides the sofa can act as a table where you place things like your phone, a cup of hot chocolate or coffee, or the remote when watching TV.

You can leave the shelves open or design them as closed storage spaces. If left open, they make an excellent place for placing other décor items like a vase of flowers or organic décor items. Ensure you keep the shelves neat for the best aesthetic appeal.

Make Use of the Space Behind the Couch

From these ideas, you can see there's a lot you can do with the space behind the couch instead of leaving it empty. These ideas don't compete for attention with the sofa, but they gently complement it and bring out the best for this space. Check out our blog for more ideas on making the best out of your indoor and outdoor space.

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