Sofa + 1 chair An 11×13 living room fits an 84 in sofa, a coffee table, a TV and an armchair two ways: under the window on a 13 ft wall, or on an 11 ft wall facing down the room. A sectional with a chair fits once, under the window.
An 11×13 room is 143 square feet: two 11 ft walls (132 in) and two 13 ft walls (156 in). Compared with an 11×12, the extra foot of length adds a second layout with an armchair: the sofa can now take a chair under the window, not just on an 11 ft wall.
We ran every combination through the living room layout planner: four sofa sizes, zero to two armchairs, three walkway settings, with and without a TV. The table has the results.
What fits in an 11×13 living room
| Seating | Sofa + table + TV | + 1 chair | + 2 chairs | Minimum setting | Roomy setting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loveseat 60 × 34 in | Fits | Fits | Fits | + 2 chairs | + 1 chair |
| Apartment sofa 68 × 34 in | Fits | Fits | Fits | + 2 chairs | + 1 chair |
| Sofa 84 × 37 in | Fits | Fits | No | + 2 chairs | + 1 chair |
| Sectional 96 × 65 in | Fits | Fits | No | + 1 chair | + 1 chair |
Solved with 30 in walkways and a 16 in gap to the coffee table unless a column says otherwise (minimum: 24 in paths and 14 in; roomy: 36 in and 18 in), and the TV on the wall the sofa faces. A 32 in door near a corner of one side wall, a 60 in window centered on the other, 32×32 armchairs and a 60×16 TV console. With a TV, a sectional takes one chair, at its open end.
Doors and windows move the answer more than a few inches of wall do. Enter yours in the living room layout planner and it tests every layout against the same rules as this page.
Three layouts that work in an 11×13
Layout A: Sofa under the window, TV across
All checks pass
- 8 ft 10 in from the sofa to the screen
- 34 in between the coffee table and the TV
- Wall beside the sofa: 36 in and 36 in
- 16 in sofa to coffee table, 30 in paths from the door
Best for: sitting closer to the screen: 8 ft 10 in.
The trade-off: the TV goes on the door wall, and the 34 in between the coffee table and the TV is also the way through the room.
Layout B: Sofa on an 11 ft wall
All checks pass
- 10 ft 10 in from the sofa to the screen
- 58 in between the coffee table and the TV
- Wall beside the sofa: 13 in and 35 in
- 16 in sofa to coffee table, 30 in paths from the door
Best for: an open middle: 58 in between the coffee table and the TV.
The trade-off: you sit 10 ft 10 in from the screen, so a 65 in TV fills only about 25°.
Layout C: Sectional plus a chair
All checks pass
- 8 ft 10 in from the sofa to the screen
- 34 in between the coffee table and the TV
- Wall beside the sofa: 12 in and 48 in
- 16 in sofa to coffee table, 30 in paths from the door
Best for: a chaise to stretch out on, plus a chair for a guest.
The trade-off: the sectional sits 12 in from one wall and the TV goes on the door wall.
Room for two chairs?
With an 84 in sofa, only at the minimum setting (24 in paths, 14 in to the coffee table): one layout, sofa under the window, a chair at each end. A 68 in apartment sofa fits two chairs at 30 in paths (one layout, under the window), and a 60 in loveseat fits them at least three ways.
At the roomy setting (36 in paths), no sofa takes two chairs, but every sofa and the sectional still take one.
Where the TV goes, and how big
From the sofa to the screen is about 8 ft 10 in. A 65 in TV fills about 30° of your view from there; Filling 30° of your view takes a 65 in screen, and THX’s 40° an 89 in one.
From the 11 ft wall (Layout B) you’re about 10 ft 10 in away, where 30° takes an 80 in screen. Smaller TVs work; they fill less of your view. The TV Size Calculator shows the angle for your size and distance.
What changes the answer: doors and a second doorway
- Door in the middle of a 13 ft wall: the sofa and TV fit at least three ways, but no armchair fits with an 84 in sofa.
- A second 36 in doorway in the far corner, on the top 11 ft wall: the sofa fits two ways and the sectional at least three ways, neither with a chair. A loveseat keeps one chair.
- A second doorway at the top of the window wall: the sofa fits at least three ways, without a chair.
In short: a second doorway costs you the armchair unless the sofa shrinks.
The clearances we checked
These are the numbers behind every verdict on this page. Each has three settings, minimum, standard and roomy; the layouts above use standard.
The sofa-to-table gap stays in the 14 to 18 in range every guide we checked gives; armchairs keep the same gap to the end of the table. The walkway is checked on a floor grid, so a layout fails if any seat or the TV can only be reached by squeezing past furniture.
- Wall to wall in two places: rooms are rarely perfectly square.
- Every doorway, which way each door swings, and where people walk through.
- Window widths and sill heights, and any radiator or vent below them.
- Where the TV outlet and cable come in.
- Your sofa’s outside size, arms included, and the chaise length on a sectional.
- The way in: hallway, stairs and doors the sofa has to pass. Will It Fit Through? checks them.
Questions
Should the sofa go under the window in an 11×13 living room?
It’s one of two good spots. Under the window you sit closer to the TV (8 ft 10 in); on an 11 ft wall you get more open floor in the middle.
Can I fit a sectional in an 11×13 living room?
Yes. A 96 in sectional with a 65 in chaise fits at least three ways on its own and once with an armchair, under the window.
How much space should be between the coffee table and the TV?
We require at least 24 in, the minimum Houzz gives for a minor path. In this room the layouts leave 34 in to 58 in.
Sources
- How to Get Your Furniture Arrangement Right (Houzz)
- A guide to living room clearances, measurements and spacing (Homes & Gardens)
- How to space furniture in your room (Ballard Designs)
- Sofa dimensions: how to choose the right size (Wayfair)
- How to Choose the Right TV Size for Your Room (LG): screen size = viewing distance ÷ 1.2, for a 40° view
- What size TV should I buy for my living room? (THX): screen size = viewing distance × 0.835, the same 40°
- EG 18-1994: Design of Effective Cine Theaters (SMPTE, withdrawn in 2003): a picture filling about 30° of the farthest seat’s view, where the common 30° comes from
- How to measure for a sectional (Wayfair)
- The Armchair Buying Guide: Standard Dimensions & Types (Castlery)