Left-Facing vs. Right-Facing Sectionals: How to Tell and Choose

Picture the chaise in your room before choosing a left- or right-facing sectional. Its extended seat can sit beside a wall, reach toward an open area, or cross the route from the door. Use the same viewing position for the product photo, room sketch, and order description.

Stand in front of the sofa to name the side

Face the sofa and look toward its seats. A chaise extending toward you on your left is left-facing; one on your right is right-facing. Once you sit down, your own left and right are reversed relative to that view.

The chaise seat is the extended place where you can stretch out your legs. Use the selected configuration's image and dimensions to confirm its position before ordering.

LAF and RAF label individual pieces

LAF means Left-Arm Facing; RAF means Right-Arm Facing. Stand in front of the individual section and look toward its seat. LAF has an arm on your left; RAF has an arm on your right. An armless section has neither outside arm.

A two-piece left-chaise arrangement can contain a LAF chaise and an RAF sofa. Their armless sides meet in the middle, with an arm at each outside end. The “RAF sofa” on the order describes that component; the chaise remains on the left when you face the completed arrangement.

Before paying, match three things: the complete configuration picture, the side where you want the chaise, and the names of the pieces in the order. If a CHITA option is unclear, send us the configuration you are considering and describe the chaise side from the front.

Choose the chaise side for your room

Start at the door you use most. Mark its opening, the path to other rooms, and the furniture you need to reach. Then test both chaise positions against that route.

Mark the full footprint

Use the configuration's overall width and maximum depth. The chaise projects farther than the upright seats. A reclining design also needs the footprint with its moving parts in use.

Mark the outline with painter's tape suitable for the floor, or make a scale drawing. Include the coffee table, door swings, drawers, vents, and outlets. Walk from the entrance to the seats and adjoining rooms, keeping the exit route clear.

Test the room while someone is seated

Have one person use the seating area while another walks through it. If a regular user has a walking aid or wheelchair, test with that aid, including the approach to the seat and space to turn.

Keep separate measurements for the main route, the coffee-table gap, and moving footrests. Our sectional coffee-table guide explains how to check reach and access together.

Finally, sit at the proposed chaise and sofa positions using a chair. Check the TV or conversation view from each place. Keep the outline that works for those views and the walking routes.

Fixed, reversible, and modular sectionals

You can switch sides only when the design supports that arrangement. Read the configuration and assembly instructions for the version you are ordering.

• Fixed orientation: the chaise and adjoining pieces are made for a particular arrangement. Order the side you need.
• Reversible chaise: the design allows the chaise side to change. Follow the specified method for moving its base, cushions, or other parts.
• Modular sectional: separate pieces offer layout choices. Check which arms can move, which connectors match, and where powered components plug in.

“Modular” describes the construction; L-shaped and U-shaped describe the layout. Our sectional sofa types guide explains those categories.

Before placing the order

1. Describe the chosen side from the front: “When I face the seats, I want the chaise on my left,” or “on my right.”
2. Match that description to the selected configuration image and the listed components.
3. Compare the full width and chaise depth with the outline you tested.
4. Confirm that doors, drawers, and the main route remain usable.
5. Check the delivery route against the package dimensions, including turns and any elevator.

Our doorway and delivery-route measuring guide covers the package measurements to take. If you expect to change the chaise side after a move, confirm that exact capability before ordering.

Sectional orientation questions

Does right-facing mean my right while I am sitting?

No. Right-facing uses the view from in front of the sofa, looking toward its seats. The chaise is on your right from there. Once you sit on the sofa, that chaise is on your left.

Why does my left-chaise order include a right-arm sofa?

The labels identify different pieces. In a two-piece arrangement with arms at the outside ends, a LAF chaise joins an RAF sofa. Their armless sides meet, leaving the chaise on the left when you face the completed sofa.

Which side is better for a small room?

Try the chaise on the side away from the main walking route first. Then test both complete outlines with doors and storage open. A shorter chaise or smaller sofa may free up more room; our small-room sofa layouts show arrangements to consider.

Can every modular sectional change from left-facing to right-facing?

No. The available arrangements depend on the arms, connectors, and individual pieces. Confirm the configuration shown in the assembly instructions, including power connections on a reclining model.