Right, so you’ve got one of those rooms, haven’t you? The kind that feels more like a hallway someone decided to call a living room. I’ve been there—literally. My first flat in Camden, back in 2019, was a classic Victorian terrace slice. The front room was about 4 metres long and, oh, barely 2.5 metres wide. Felt like decorating a train carriage.
And then you go and fall in love with an extra long sofa. Blimey, I remember spotting this gorgeous deep-emerald velvet number in a showroom off Tottenham Court Road. It was nearly 3 metres long! My heart said yes, my tape measure screamed. But you know what? We made it work. It’s all about tricking the eye, really.
First thing—don’t shove that long sofa flush against the longest wall. It sounds logical, but it just turns your sofa into a runway. Try floating it. I know, sounds bonkers in a narrow space, but trust me. In that Camden flat, I angled the sofa slightly away from the wall, creating a little walkway behind it. Suddenly, the room had flow. Felt wider instantly. You could actually walk to the window without doing that awkward shimmy past the coffee table.
Lighting’s your best mate here. Overhead lights? Forget ‘em. They cast shadows that make walls feel like they’re closing in. I’m a sucker for floor lamps—the arc kind that curve over a seating area. Got a beautiful brass one from a vintage shop in Brixton. It draws the eye up and out, not just along the tunnel. And table lamps! Little pools of light at different heights break up the length.
Rugs are sneaky important. One long runner rug? Disaster. Makes the room look even narrower. Go for a wider rug, one that the front legs of your sofa and chairs can sit on. It anchors the space sideways, if that makes sense. I found this wonderfully chunky, light wool rug at a market in Spitalfields—the texture alone added so much warmth.
Now, about that extra long sofa… don’t let it dominate the conversation. It’s a star, but it needs a supporting cast. Pair it with something that breaks the line. In my current place, I’ve got my long sofa (a cosy, linen-upholstered beast) opposite two elegant, slender armchairs, not another long piece. Creates a conversation nook, not a staring contest across a corridor.
Accessories are where you can get playful. Long, horizontal art? Might as well draw arrows pointing down the room. Try a gallery wall with a mix of portrait and landscape frames. Or one large, vertical mirror leaning against a side wall—it bounces light and visually pushes the walls apart. I’ve got one propped up next to my bookshelf; it makes my modestly-sized living room feel almost… airy.
Oh, and storage! Clutter is the enemy of a narrow room. I learnt that the hard way after tripping over a pile of magazines for the umpteenth time. Slimline console tables behind the sofa are genius. They hold lamps, books, a drink, without eating into precious floor space.
It’s not about fighting the room’s shape, but dancing with it. That extra long sofa can be the coziest, most inviting part of the space if you frame it right. It becomes this wonderful, sprawling spot for Sunday lie-ins or hosting your mates—mine has seen more than a few lazy afternoons and probably one too many spilled cups of tea. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s creating a place that feels good. And you absolutely can.
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