---
title: "Custom Size Ottoman for Small Spaces: Narrower or Cut to Fit"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/custom-size-floor-sofa-ottoman-small-space/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Hana Lindqvist, The Quiet Geometer of Seattle"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/hana/"
published: "2026-04-25"
updated: "2026-04-25"
keywords: "custom size ottoman small space, floor sofa ottoman made smaller, narrow ottoman for a small room, modular floor sofa small apartment, custom floor ottoman size"
---

# Can the floor sofa ottoman be made smaller to fit my space?

*Small rooms ask for exact numbers. The ottoman is usually the piece that can give a few inches back.*

Also asked as: Can you make the ottoman narrower?; Two side by side in a 72 inch space?

> **The quick answer:** Usually, yes: the floor sofa ottoman can be made to a custom size. One was made 39 x 31 in (100 x 79 cm) instead of the square 39 x 39 in (100 x 100 cm), and the foldable floor ottoman is made to custom sizes too. One-piece sofas with a fixed foam backrest can't be resized.

![Low floor sofa in oat velvet with rust velvet side bands, two back pads and an arm block on oak boards by a jute rug](https://cushionguide.com/media/modular-floor-sofas/oat-rust-velvet-floor-sofa-blush-living-room-1600.webp "A floor sofa built from separate pads: oat velvet on every face you sit on, rust velvet wrapped around the edges where scuffs usually show first.")

## Key facts

- A floor sofa ottoman has been made 39 x 31 in (100 x 79 cm) instead of 39 x 39 in (100 x 100 cm).
- The foldable floor ottoman can be made to custom sizes.
- A second ottoman can be cut to fill the exact remaining width of a wall.
- A straight backrest instead of the L-backrest frees up the sides in a small room.
- The standard ottoman is the same height as the matching chair.
- One-piece sofas with a solid foam backrest fixed to the seat can't be resized.
- Hard table surfaces and new pieces, such as a separate skinny armrest, aren't made.

## What can be sized to your room

- ✓ **The ottoman's footprint.** One was made 39 x 31 in (100 x 79 cm) instead of the square 39 x 39 in (100 x 100 cm).
- ✓ **The foldable floor ottoman,** which is made to custom sizes.
- ✓ **A second ottoman cut to the wall,** so a pair fills the space edge to edge.
- ✓ **The backrest layout.** A straight backrest in place of the L-backrest keeps both sides open.

## What stays as it is

- ✗ **One-piece sofas** with a solid foam backrest fixed to the seat. They can't be resized.
- ✗ **Hard surfaces.** No table tops, and no armrest that doubles as a table.
- ✗ **Brand-new designs,** such as a separate skinny armrest.

## Two ottomans on a 72-inch wall

A buyer in the US had 72 in (183 cm) of wall and wanted two ottomans side by side. The plan: one full-size 35 x 35 in (90 x 90 cm) ottoman, and a second cut to the exact width left over. Together they fill the wall. For the same small room, a straight backrest instead of the L-backrest was suggested, to free up the sides.

## Why the ottoman is the piece to change

In a small room, the seat and back decide how you sit. The ottoman decides how far the sofa reaches into the floor. Change its size and the walkway comes back, while the sitting stays the same.

Leave a hand's width of floor. Heights stay simple: the standard ottoman is the same height as the matching chair.

The [floor sofa buying pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/floor-sofa-buying-guide-height-space/) covers height and space. [Small apartment floor sofa layouts](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/small-apartment-floor-sofa-layouts/) shows arrangements, and the sets are under [modular floor sofas](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/modular-floor-sofas/). How wide is the wall you are fitting?

Measure the wall.
Then the walkway.
Then the ottoman.

> **Tailor's margin:** A floor sofa ottoman too big for a small room can be made narrower: one came out 39 x 31 in instead of the standard 39 x 39 in.

> In a small room, a straight backrest instead of an L-backrest frees both sides of a floor sofa, and a second ottoman can be cut to the wall's exact width.
>
> — Hana

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Can the modular ottomans be customized for a small space?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes, existing pieces can be made to custom dimensions. For a 72 in space the plan was one full-size 35 x 35 in (90 x 90 cm) ottoman plus a second cut to the exact width. A straight backrest instead of the L-backrest frees up the sides. Hard table surfaces and new pieces like a skinny armrest aren't made.

**A common question:** Can you change the size of a sofa or an ottoman?

**The workshop's answer:** It depends on the model. The one-piece sofa can't be customized, but an ottoman was made 39 x 31 in instead of 39 x 39 in, and the foldable floor ottoman comes in custom sizes. The standard ottoman matches the chair's height.

**A common question:** Can the chaise or ottoman go on the left instead of the right?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. The sectional is fully modular with no fixed direction, so the chaise, open end or ottoman can sit on either side. Move the L-shaped backrest to the other corner.

**A common question:** Without Velcro or ties, won't the pieces slide apart?

**The workshop's answer:** They stay put by weight, a non-slip base and the metal bars, and every piece separates for rearranging. A rug underneath helps stop sliding.

## Questions buyers ask next

### How tall is the floor sofa ottoman compared with the chair?

The standard ottoman is the same height as the matching chair, so the two sit level when pushed together. If you change the ottoman's size, ask the workshop to confirm the height along with the new width and depth.

### Can a floor sofa be made L-shaped for a corner?

Yes. Order two floor sofa sets and the corner backrest is added free, or send a sketch for a custom L. One side runs longer than the other so the corner is covered.

### What separates a one-piece floor sofa from the modular one?

One-piece models have a solid foam backrest fixed to the seat, so they need no bars and can't be resized. The classic modular sofa has separate, softer shredded-foam backrests held by metal bars and can be rearranged freely.

## Related at the atelier

- [Can the modular floor sofa be made in a custom length or width?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/custom-size-modular-floor-sofa/): Yes, a modular floor sofa can be made in a custom size: order the closest standard length, about 79 in (200 cm) or 118 in (300 cm), write your exact dimensions and color in the personalization or…
- [Can the chaise or L side of the floor sofa go on the left instead of the right?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/floor-sofa-chaise-left-or-right/): Yes, a modular floor sofa sectional can put its chaise, open end or ottoman on either the left or the right.
- [What do the metal bars on a floor sofa actually do?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/floor-sofa-metal-bars-what-they-do/): The metal bars on a floor sofa keep the backrest cushions from sliding back or tipping over when you lean on them.
- [Modular floor sofa in raspberry and cream velvet for guests](https://cushionguide.com/readings/raspberry-velvet-floor-sofa-patterned-rug-pothos/): A modular floor sofa hosts best in a small room with a straight backrest, not an L, so the pieces can move when guests arrive.
- [Modular Floor Sofa in Rust and Cream: Five Mistakes Avoided](https://cushionguide.com/readings/rust-cream-floor-sofa-boho-corner-rattan-table/): A modular floor sofa works in a small room when the open seat faces the room, the arm sits on the window side and only one color is saturated.
- [Modular Floor Sofa in Mustard and Cream Velvet for Small Rooms](https://cushionguide.com/readings/mustard-cream-velvet-floor-sofa-macrame-wall/): A modular floor sofa makes a narrow room feel larger because its low seat leaves the wall above it empty and keeps sight lines open.
- [Is a floor sofa right for you? Floor couch height, back support and space](https://cushionguide.com/guides/floor-sofa-buying-guide-height-space/)
- [Corner floor sofa layouts: L-shapes, U-shapes, open or closed corners, straight runs](https://cushionguide.com/guides/modular-floor-sofa-layouts/)

*— Hana*

---

Written by Hana Lindqvist (https://cushionguide.com/masters/hana/) for CushionGuide (https://cushionguide.com/about/). The site explains made-to-measure cushions and the partner workshop makes them; measurements are in inches first. This Markdown mirrors the page at https://cushionguide.com/answers/custom-size-floor-sofa-ottoman-small-space/