India, Jan. 8 -- L-shaped sofas are everywhere right now, not because people truly understand how they work, but because they are assumed to be space-saving, high on seating capacity, and visually clean thanks to endless mood boards. But does that assumption hold up in real homes?

That corner seat is the giveaway. It only works if the sofa is used mainly for lying down, with cushions dumped and feet up. In everyday settings, no guest willingly climbs into that corner. Add to that the bulk. It eats up space and quietly steals opportunities for corner shelves, floor lamps, or even breathing room.

This one is simple. When you have more pieces, you automatically have more options. A 3+1+1 setup lets you rearrange your seating based on how y...