Everyone who owns a reclining sofa knows the struggle of the ugly gap between the back of this piece of furniture and the wall. Maybe you’ve had some ideas on what you could put behind it, but everything seems to block the sofa’s reclining feature so it doesn’t go back all the way. In this article, we will go over 13 things you can put behind a reclining sofa to end this struggle.

Take a look at our list of the different types of furniture that can be put behind a reclining sofa below; each one with a bit of an explanation of why they would work for different situations and a few hints on placements if you choose them. Hopefully, should you find yourself in the same situation, the list would help you as well. Read below to find out what the options are. 

Things To Put Behind A Reclining Couch Sofa

Keep reading to find a list of different pieces of furniture that could work behind a reclining sofa. There are various forms of furniture you can use, and most of these are based around the wall (or wall-hugger) recliners, a popular current choice. But, some pieces can also work for recliners that need space behind them to go back all the way. 

1. Buffet Tables and Sideboards

Buffet tables and sideboards work really well if your dining room is next to your living room. This allows the top to be used for decorative purposes and the cabinet beneath for organizational purposes for your dining needs. 

You can store extras like placemats and seasonal table decorations as well as linen napkins for special occasions. The surface can hold things that tie into your living room and dining room together such as decorative bowls, vases, or even family photographs. 

The ICE ARMOR 99JET1400-2053-10 66″ w Sideboard Storage Buffet Table has cabinets and drawers to give you lots of organizational options.

2. Benches or Ottomans

Putting a bench or ottoman behind your reclining sofa is cute to make the living area inviting. If you have cubbies underneath the seating, it can invite your family and guests to take off their shoes and store them, helping to keep your carpet, area rug, or even bare wooden and tiled floors in the living area cleaner. 

This one has storage under the seat and is versatile enough to be changed to a footrest later if you decide to put something else behind your sofa. If you decide on an ottoman, it can be a comfortable place to sit and read the mail or even for your pets to relax. 

3. Desks

Desks can be a creative way to decorate behind your sofa and save space while remaining a functional piece. With the increase in people working from home, this idea has increased in popularity, especially in smaller houses or apartments. 

This way, moms, dads, or parental guardians working from home can still see their little ones playing in the living room while still keeping a sense of professionalism. Also, you are able to see the television yourself if you want.

Either a simple person’s writing desk, which has clean lines would work or a more elaborate, ornate bureau-style desk could work based on the style of your living room. The Cubiker Computer Desk from Amazon is the perfect width and length to fit comfortably behind most sofas.

4. Small Dining Tables or Bistro Sets

Small dining tables and bistro sets can also look good behind a reclining sofa. This can be a small rectangle-shaped table or even a round bistro. It should be more for coffee and conversation than for meal dining, though, as you wouldn’t want any spills or dropped food to end up down the back of your fancy couch. 

Of course, if you live in a tiny home or a small apartment home using it for dining is completely acceptable. The Monarch Specialties Round Drop-Leaf Table and 2 Chairs for Small Spaces work well and have to drop leaves so you can extend it when needed.

5. Bookcases

Bookcases can make great statement pieces and almost act the way a headboard does behind a bed while still remaining a functioning piece— Who wouldn’t love grabbing a book and sitting on the sofa, reclining back, and immersing yourself in a fantasy world?

You can display many items on the shelves from vases and knick-knacks to vintage books. You can even color coordinate items or group like colors together to increase the interest on the shelves. The shelves can range from floor to ceiling with the sofa placed in front of the bookcase or it could even be the same height as the couch but facing outward like a buffet would face. 

To see an example of this, you can check out the Sauder 2-Shelf Bookcase. This bookshelf also comes in a variety of different finishes to match your decor, including:

• Chalked Chestnut Finish
• Estate Black Finish
• Lintel Oak Finish
• Oiled Oak Finish
• Salt Oak Finish
• Select Cherry Finish
• Washington Cherry

Now, let’s look at the chest of drawers.

6. Chest of Drawers

Chests of drawers help to add a sense of warmth and coziness to your living space. However, when putting it behind a reclining sofa, the chest should still not be taller than it. It can be flanked by a set of comfy chairs to extend the look of the length to match your sofa. 

To see an example of how this looks you can click here: 6 Drawer Double Dresser 

7. Bar Carts or Bar Tables

Having a bar cart or table at the back of your sofa is great if you are used to entertaining. This allows you to serve drinks to those sitting or to your guests before entering the actual seating area, allowing a great segway into having a seat and enjoying conversations. 

For an example, check out the ASYA Industrial Bar Cart for Home with Wine Rack and Glass Holder.

8. Shelving

Shelving goes along the same lines as a bookcase behind your reclining sofa but is more for decorative use. You can stack framed pictures (without having to put nails on the wall), and small decorative items and all can be color coordinated to match your throw blankets or pillows. 

The current sought-after shelving is in line with the farmhouse country style. These have wooden “floating” shelves and black iron hooks that connect the shelves to the wall. You can see a set of these here for reference.

9. Trunks

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention trunks as well. Old fashioned steamer trunks are a piece not only decorative but also functional that would look amazing behind your reclining sofa. They are great for storing seasonal things such as throws and pillows. 

Their designs help to add a pop of interest and class to any room. They come in a wide variety from steampunk to vintage. They are also versatile and can be used as coffee tables as well. To see an example, check out the Vintage Treasure Chest Wood Storage Trunk Organizer Box Side Stand

10. Charging Tables

Sofa tables have also come a long way. A lot of them now come with built-in electric sockets for lamps as well as built-in USB ports so you can connect phone chargers. This helps you keep a clean look with fewer wires trailing behind your table. You can see an example of this here: Skinny Sofa Table with Outlet

Also, remember that you can decorate each item differently. If you want a clean defined look something with drawers to hide odds and ends would work. Top it with a few family photos or a set of lamps. 

11. Plants

Large floor plants or plants on decorative stands are a great way to camouflage the empty space between your sofa and the wall itself. Some positioning of couches requires you to be able to see behind the couch when walking into the room and can leave wires from electronic components of the couch showing. 

Placing the plants or plant stands toward the wall will block the line of sight from seeing behind the sofa. To see an indoor plant example, check out the Costa Farms White Bird of Paradise Indoor Plant.

12. Sofa Table

The tables you often see in living rooms are called sofa tables and are a popular decor choice. Because sofa tables come in varying dimensions and heights, there are several different placements in your living room; one popular placement is behind your sofa. 

Sofa tables are probably the most used option for filling the gap between sofas and the wall, and this is actually what they are intended to be used for. Once it became trendy to put furniture more in the center of rooms instead of against the walls, they were used as decorative alternatives to just seeing the fabric backs. 

Most sofas are very thin and some come with drawers or shelving for baskets to help with organization. One example of a great sofa table would be the BON AUGURE Rustic Console Table Behind Sofa with Storage Shelves, which is in the vintage farmhouse style, which is also currently a very popular home decor style.

13. Blankets

If none of the options listed in this article will work for you, maybe you don’t like any of them or you don’t own the pieces of furniture to put in the space behind your sofa, fear not. You can always throw a blanket over the back. It can add a splash of color and a bit of interest hanging from the back of the sofa. 

Things You Can Put Behind a Wall Hugger Reclining Sofa

The newest reclining sofas are called “wall huggers” and only need about four inches of space behind them. These work great if placed in the center of the room as well. All of the options I have listed in this article will work with this style of the couch too. 

Remember that your lifestyle can determine which of these would work. If there are lots of kids in your home, the shoe cubbies may work best to keep your floors cleaner and have a central location for the whole family’s shoes. 

If you want a more cozy look you can flank a chest of drawers with two comfy chairs. If you want comfort and usefulness you can try a bench with storage underneath and top it with a few colorful throw pillows. 

Ideas for Decorating Your Living Room

In case you are more of a visual person, you can visit Pinterest pages that have lots of photographs of different setups with different pieces of furniture. You can also save the ones you like and create a mood board for inspiration.

Conclusion

In conclusion, you have lots of choices of what to put behind your sofa. You are not just stuck with a sofa table itself, although that is a wonderful choice. You can be creative and place something behind your sofa that adds a bit of organization or ease into your life. 

Whether it’s keeping the kid’s shoes wrangled or offering a drink as the perfect hostess you have lots of choices. Try some out, switch them around and see what you come up with. Pretty soon you’ll find one that works wonderfully for you and your family.