If you've ever paused on a product page trying to work out whether you need the "left-hand" or "right-hand" option, you're not alone. It's one of the most common sticking points when ordering an L-shaped or corner sofa, and getting it wrong means a daybed pointing the wrong way in your lounge.
Left-hand and right-hand refer to which side the daybed or extended section sits on, measured from your point of view as you face the sofa from the front. A right-hand configuration has the daybed on your right as you look at it; left-hand has it on your left. Because our sofas are made to order rather than pulled from existing stock, you get to choose this orientation to suit your room, something you generally can't do with an off-the-shelf sofa built in one fixed configuration.
How Is Left-Hand vs Right-Hand Actually Measured?
This is the part that trips people up, because it's genuinely easy to measure it backwards. The orientation is based on your perspective looking at the sofa front-on, not the sofa's own "left" and "right" as if it were facing you back.
So if you're standing in front of the sofa, facing it, and the daybed is on your right-hand side, that's a right-hand configuration. If the daybed is on your left, that's left-hand. It has nothing to do with which way the sofa is facing in the room, it's purely about what you see when you look at it head-on.
Why Does This Choice Even Exist?
Not every sofa gives you this option. A sofa that's mass-produced and sold as-is from stock is usually built in one fixed orientation, so if the daybed ends up on the wrong side for your room, there's no way to change it, you either work around it or don't buy that sofa.
Because our sofas are made to order, the frame and cushions are built after you place your order, in the configuration you choose. That's what makes left-hand and right-hand a genuine option rather than a workaround, you're not picking between two sofas that already exist, you're specifying how yours gets built.
How Do You Know Which One You Need?
The simplest way is to work it out in the actual room, not from a photo or floor plan alone.
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Stand where the sofa will go, facing out into the room the way you would when seated.
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Look at which side has more open floor space, that's usually where the daybed should extend.
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If the daybed needs to sit against a wall, near a window, or away from a walkway, that side determines your configuration.
It's also worth double-checking against a room photo or a simple sketch before ordering, since a made-to-order sofa isn't something you want to reorder because the daybed ended up facing the wrong way.
Does It Matter for TV Placement or Walkways?
Yes, quite a bit. Two things are usually worth considering:
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Sightlines to the TV. The daybed end is where people tend to stretch out, so it's worth checking that this position still has a clear, comfortable sightline to the TV rather than an awkward angle.
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Walkways. If there's a door, hallway or walkway on one side of the room, it generally makes sense to keep the daybed on the opposite side, so the sofa doesn't block natural movement through the space.
Can You Change Configuration After Ordering?
Once your order goes into production, the configuration is locked in, since the frame and cushions are built specifically for that orientation. The flexibility is at the ordering stage, not after, so it's worth confirming your left-hand or right-hand choice carefully before checkout rather than assuming it can be adjusted once your sofa is already being made.
Which Zorora Sofas Offer Left- and Right-Hand Options?
Several of our L-shape ranges are available in both configurations, including the Nobu L-Shape, Lira Luxe L-Shape (Small, Medium and Large), and the Zola L-Shape. On each product page, you'll see a configuration selector where you choose left or right, measured exactly as described above: from your perspective, looking at the sofa front-on.
FAQs
What if I get the configuration wrong when ordering?
Since these are made-to-order pieces, it's best to confirm your configuration before placing your order rather than after. If you're at all unsure, our showroom team can talk you through it in person, or you can reach out to our support team to double-check before you check out.
Does left-hand or right-hand affect the price?
No, configuration is purely about orientation. Left-hand and right-hand versions of the same sofa are priced identically.
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