When searching for a sofa, one of the most important considerations you’ll have to make is which arm style you like. Because the shape and height of the arms have such a big influence on overall style and comfort, it’s no surprise. When looking for the correct arm shape and height for your lifestyle, examine the following questions and answers.
Do you lean on the arm of your sofa?
Consider how you want to utilize your sofa before deciding on the style of arm you should acquire. Will you want to lean against the arm or lie with it supporting your back? If you answered yes, look for a sofa with a higher arm that will provide you greater support.
Which Sofa Arm Height Is Right For You?
The “inside arm height” is the most essential measurement when it comes to arm height. The distance between the top of the seat cushion and the top of the arm is measured in inches. The greater this number, the more assistance the arm will offer.
Related: 25 Amazing Victorian Sofa Ideas For Elegant Living Room
How to Measure Sofa Arm Height?
When measuring a sofa arm, start at the surface of the seat cushion and work your way up to the armrest. The location of your arm and where your elbow naturally bends will be altered by the height you sit at, which is why we measure upwards from the seat cushion.
Standart Sofa Arm Height
Leaning against lower arm heights (6 inches or less) is less optimal. These lower arms are ideal if your sofa will be used in a more formal setting with less room for reclining or if you like to sit straight on your sofa.
That being said, you can’t help but fall in love with anything. Don’t be concerned if you come upon a fantastic sofa with a lower arm style. A well-placed cushion might help compensate for a shorter arm. In fact, you may lean on a cushion that is up to 12 inches taller than the top of your arm and yet feel supported.
Anywhere between 7 and 9 inches is considered an average arm height. It provides sufficient support for leaning on and is frequently the appropriate height for resting your head on, particularly if it is a rounded arm.
A very high inner arm height, anything 9 inches or taller, will give more back support. These sofa arms provide a snug area to wrap up in, and they’re especially useful if you want to sit up straight and put your feet up on the sofa.
Which Arm Style Is Most Appropriate for You?
A sofa arm’s style, in addition to its height, may make the item look more formal or casual. When looking for a sofa, you’ll come across three different arm styles: English roll arm, rolled arm, and track arm.
English roll arm
Roll your arm in the English way. The English roll arm has a small roll and is low and set back. It’s by far the most conventional style arm, and it’ll add a touch of class to any space. Are you concerned that these sofa arms will appear too traditional? Use tapering legs to modernize the style.
While English arms give a sofa a more formal feel, especially when coupled with a skirt, they may also be used in a cottage or beach house. This arm style isn’t the most supporting because it’s normally on the low side.
Rolled arm
Arm rolled up. The rolled arm has a similar shape to the English roll arm, although it’s more casual. Rolled arms look even more casual when combined with a covering. They may make a transitional space feel more welcoming and relaxing.
Choose a nicer fabric like velvet or add a nailhead trim to dress up a rolled arm sofa and make it more formal. If you want a comfy place to lean, rolled arms are an excellent choice because they’re generally very tall and their rounded shape is pleasant even without a pillow.
Track arm
Arm with a track. Because track arms are straight and do not roll, they are exceedingly adaptable. They may work in a modern, classic, or anything in between setting.
Track arms are available in a range of heights and widths. When combined with traditional components such as a wingback chair or antique paintings, a track arm sofa may help to modernize a room.
Track arms are typically your best choice if you already have a contemporary space and want to keep everything sleek.
High Sofa Arm Height Benefits
High sofa arms help balance out a room with high ceilings, whereas low-armed sofas seem weird and out of place. High-arm sofas can assist generate intimacy in huge spaces.
Better Posture
To be able to lean an arm on a high sofa armrest, you must be seated straight, therefore choosing a high armrest sofa should enhance your posture and help you sit more upright. Avoid slouching to benefit your back muscles and avoid back discomfort.
Lounging
A high armrest forms a barrier at the end of the sofa that you may prop pillows against to relax. It might feel a sofa more comfortable by enclosing the seating area at each end.
Low Sofa Arm Height Benefits
Open Up feel
Smaller rooms benefit from sofas with low arms. Low arms don’t block sightlines or create visual obstacles, giving the sense of a more open and breezy space. Larger spaces benefit from a sofa with high arms whereas smaller spaces suffer from a sofa with high arms.
Formal or casual
Low-armed sofas work well in a wide range of settings. A sofa with low arms might seem serious in an office or professional setting, but it can also look relaxing and laid back depending on the design.
Head Resting
If you want to lie on your sofa, one with a low arm will support your head and neck, making it ideal for a sleep or relaxation.
Considerations
Comfort
When deciding on the arm height for your living room sofa, the most crucial aspect to consider is comfort. Because this will most likely be a place where you and your family spend a lot of time, it’s critical that you and your family feel at ease; otherwise, you won’t want to spend time there. Consider how you’ll most likely use the sofa and what you like and hate about the arms on your present sofa.
Many people would buy a sofa based only on its appearance, but they will be astonished to learn that the sofa’s arms can have a significant impact on how you can arrange yourself on the sofa and your degree of comfort. A medium or high arm would work best if you want to sit on the sofa and lean to the side. Low arms are incompatible with persons who lean to one side because they are too low for the forearm to rest in and feel unnatural. If you want to rest your head on a sofa arm, you’ll want a low-height armrest so your neck isn’t twisted at an awkward angle.
Other Pieces of Furniture
The most popular location for a side table is next to the armrest at the end of a sofa. If you want to maintain your side tables, consider about how a new sofa will appear next to them, or if you’re buying new side tables to go with a sofa, make sure the table height is consistent with the arm height of the sofa.
A sofa with a high arm should be combined with a tall tabletop on a side table. This is because bending over a high arm to place a drink on a low table might be physically difficult, and you won’t be able to view the objects on the table while sitting on the sofa because your eyesight will be obscured by the high arm. This is inconvenient and can result in spills and bangs. The height of your side table should be comparable to the height of your arms. It can be a few inches lower or higher, but not by much, since this will make it unusable in terms of practicality and will also make the room appear imbalanced.
Conclusion
Another thing to keep in mind about arm styles is that they don’t have to match from piece to piece. In the same room, feel free to blend a traditional English rolled arm sofa with a more contemporary track arm chair. This will result in a transitional space that appears to have been accumulated over time.
