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The most common reason a sofa cover does not fit is not the cover. It is an incorrect measurement taken before ordering. Bellissima covers are measured differently from how most people estimate their sofa size. Reading this guide before ordering takes three minutes and eliminates the most common source of returns and exchanges.
This guide covers the measurement method for all Bellissima cover types: standard sofa covers, corner sectionals, L-shaped sofas, and bed headboard covers. It explains each dimension, shows you exactly where to measure, and tells you what to do when your sofa falls between two sizes.
Read this before measuring anything
All Bellissima sofa covers are sized by the back length of the sofa, excluding the armrests. This is NOT the full width of the sofa including armrests, which is how most people think about their sofa size. The armrests are not included in this measurement. Place your tape measure at the inner edge of one armrest where it meets the sofa back, and measure across to the inner edge of the other armrest. That measurement, and only that measurement, determines your size.
This distinction matters because armrests vary enormously between sofa designs. A sofa with slim armrests may have a total width of 195 cm but a back length of 175 cm. A sofa with oversized pillow armrests may have the same total width but a back length of 155 cm. These two sofas are completely different sizes for a slipcover, even though their overall footprints are identical.
The WavyTech™ cover is engineered to fit the sofa back, seat, and front face. The armrests are covered by the parts of the cover that extend over each side. The armrest coverage is built into the cover design as a proportion of the back length. This is why the back length excluding armrests is the defining measurement.
Each Bellissima cover is defined by up to three dimensions. Understanding what each one means and where to measure it prevents the most common ordering errors.
Sofa cover dimensions explained
Back length
The width of the sofa back
Measured from inner armrest edge to inner armrest edge. Excluding armrests. This is the key sizing dimension.
Depth
Front to back of the seat
Measured from the front edge of the seat cushion to the back of the sofa frame at seat level. Includes the seat cushion depth.
Height
Floor to top of the back
Measured from the floor to the highest point of the sofa back. Includes legs and base frame height.
Get a standard tape measure
You need a standard flexible measuring tape, at least 200 cm long. A rigid ruler is not suitable for measuring irregular furniture surfaces. Have someone help you hold the tape taut for more accurate readings. Small errors at the measuring stage can result in a size selection that is close but not correct.
Measure the back length excluding armrests
Stand in front of your sofa facing it. Identify where each armrest ends and the sofa back begins. Place the zero end of your tape measure at this inner edge of the left armrest. Pull the tape horizontally across to the inner edge of the right armrest. Record this measurement in centimetres. This is your primary size-determining measurement.
Measure the depth
Sit on the sofa to flatten the seat cushion, then stand up. Place the tape at the front edge of the seat and measure horizontally back to the sofa back frame. Do not include the armrests in this measurement. The depth is a check dimension: if your sofa has an unusually deep or shallow seat (beyond the 90 cm listed limit), it affects how the front section of the cover fits.
Measure the height
Place the tape at the floor directly at the base of the sofa and measure vertically up to the highest point of the sofa back. If your sofa has feet that raise it significantly off the floor, include these in the measurement. The height limit for all Bellissima sofa covers is 100 cm. Most standard Indian sofas fall between 75 and 95 cm in height.
Write down all three measurements before selecting a size
Back length: _____ cm. Depth: _____ cm. Height: _____ cm. With all three recorded, find the size in the chart below where your back length falls within the stated range and both depth and height are below the stated maximums. If the back length falls exactly on a boundary (for example, exactly 160 cm), choose the larger size.
Armchair and single-seat sofa cover
Back length: 60 to 100 cm (excl. armrests) | Depth: up to 90 cm | Height: up to 100 cm
A 40 cm range within a single cover size is possible because of WavyTech™ biaxial extension. This covers everything from a compact armchair to a standard single-seat sofa.
Loveseat and standard 2-seater sofa cover
Back length: 100 to 160 cm (excl. armrests) | Depth: up to 90 cm | Height: up to 100 cm
Covers loveseats, compact 2-seaters, and standard 2-seat sofas across a 60 cm range. The most commonly purchased size for Indian urban apartments with space constraints.
Standard family sofa cover
Back length: 160 to 220 cm (excl. armrests) | Depth: up to 90 cm | Height: up to 100 cm
The most common living room sofa configuration in Indian homes. Covers the full range of standard 3-seater dimensions sold by Indian furniture brands, which do not follow a unified dimensional standard.
Large sofa cover
Back length: 220 to 280 cm (excl. armrests) | Depth: up to 90 cm | Height: up to 100 cm
For large family sofas. WavyTech™ distributes tension evenly across the wider back length. Available in Microfibra Embossed and Microfibra Printed only (not Goffrato Cotone or Velvet).
When your sofa falls between sizes
If your back length measurement falls exactly on a boundary — for example, 100 cm (the boundary between 1 Seater and 2 Seater), or 160 cm (the boundary between 2 Seater and 3 Seater) — always select the larger size. WavyTech™ stretch accommodates the full range including the upper boundary. Choosing the smaller size at an exact boundary risks insufficient coverage at the back corners and armrest transitions.
Corner sofas and L-shaped sectionals require additional care in measurement because of their geometry. A standard sofa has one back length measurement. A sectional has two sections meeting at an angle, and each section contributes to the total back length differently.
A corner sofa is a symmetric sectional where two sofa sections meet at a 90 degree corner in the middle. Both sections are typically equal in length. To measure a corner sofa for a Bellissima cover, measure the total back length of both sections combined, excluding armrests at each outer end. Start from the inner edge of one outer armrest, follow the sofa back around the corner, and measure to the inner edge of the other outer armrest. This total measurement should fall within the 180 to 370 cm range for the Corner Sofa Cover.
An L-shaped sofa has a main sofa body and an extended chaise section. They are asymmetric. To measure an L-shaped sofa you need two measurements: the total back length (measured the same way as a corner sofa, from outer armrest inner edge to the other outer armrest inner edge), and the ledge length (the length of the chaise section only, measured from the corner point where it joins the main sofa to the outer end of the chaise).
| Dimension | Corner Sofa | L-Shaped Left Chaise | L-Shaped Right Chaise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back length (total) | 180 to 370 cm | 180 to 370 cm | 180 to 370 cm |
| Ledge length | Not applicable | 100 to 170 cm | 100 to 170 cm |
| Height | Up to 100 cm | Up to 100 cm | Up to 100 cm |
The extended section is on your left
Stand in front of your sofa, facing it. If the extended chaise section (the longer section without a back, or with a lower back) is on your left hand side, you have a left chaise configuration. Order the L-Shaped Sofa Cover Left Chaise version.
The extended section is on your right
Stand in front of your sofa, facing it. If the extended chaise section is on your right hand side, you have a right chaise configuration. Order the L-Shaped Sofa Cover Right Chaise version. Left and right chaise covers are not interchangeable. The internal construction is different in each.
The left and right chaise designations are determined from the perspective of someone sitting on the sofa, facing outward, not from the perspective of someone standing in front of the sofa. If you are unsure, the safest method is to photograph your sofa from directly in front and compare the photo with the product images on the relevant collection page before ordering.
Bellissima bed covers are headboard and frame covers. They cover both the headboard panel and the visible frame of the bed base. They are not mattress covers or bedding. Measuring for a bed cover requires different dimensions from sofa covers.
Bed cover dimensions explained
Width
The width of the bed frame
Measured across the outer width of the bed base frame at its widest point. This is the standard bed size measurement.
Headboard height
From the mattress top to headboard top
Measured from the top of the mattress surface to the top of the headboard. Not from the floor.
Frame height
The visible height of the bed base
Measured from the floor to the top of the bed base frame where the mattress rests. Includes the bed legs.
| Size | Width | Headboard height | Frame height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed Cover Single | 80 to 140 cm | Up to 130 cm | Up to 50 cm |
| Bed Cover Double | 140 to 180 cm | Up to 130 cm | Up to 50 cm |
| Bed Cover King | 180 to 210 cm | Up to 130 cm | Up to 50 cm |
Indian bed frame sizes do not follow a universal standard. What is sold as a "Queen" bed by one manufacturer may be 150 cm wide. Another brand's "Queen" may be 160 cm. Measure your specific bed frame rather than relying on the size name given by the manufacturer. The width measurement of the actual frame is what determines which Bellissima bed cover size to order.
| Product | Primary dimension | Range | Secondary dimensions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Seater Sofa Cover | Back length (excl. armrests) | 60 to 100 cm | Depth up to 90 cm, Height up to 100 cm |
| 2 Seater Sofa Cover | Back length (excl. armrests) | 100 to 160 cm | Depth up to 90 cm, Height up to 100 cm |
| 3 Seater Sofa Cover | Back length (excl. armrests) | 160 to 220 cm | Depth up to 90 cm, Height up to 100 cm |
| 4 Seater Sofa Cover | Back length (excl. armrests) | 220 to 280 cm | Depth up to 90 cm, Height up to 100 cm |
| Corner Sofa Cover | Total back length (excl. armrests) | 180 to 370 cm | Height up to 100 cm |
| L-Shaped Cover (Left Chaise) | Total back length (excl. armrests) | 180 to 370 cm | Ledge 100 to 170 cm, Height up to 100 cm |
| L-Shaped Cover (Right Chaise) | Total back length (excl. armrests) | 180 to 370 cm | Ledge 100 to 170 cm, Height up to 100 cm |
| Bed Cover Single | Width | 80 to 140 cm | Headboard height up to 130 cm, Frame height up to 50 cm |
| Bed Cover Double | Width | 140 to 180 cm | Headboard height up to 130 cm, Frame height up to 50 cm |
| Bed Cover King | Width | 180 to 210 cm | Headboard height up to 130 cm, Frame height up to 50 cm |
My sofa back length is exactly 160 cm. Is that a 2 Seater or a 3 Seater?
A back length of exactly 160 cm is at the boundary between 2 Seater (100 to 160 cm) and 3 Seater (160 to 220 cm). Always choose the larger size at a boundary. Order the 3 Seater. WavyTech™ stretch accommodates the full upper limit of each size range. Ordering the 2 Seater at 160 cm risks insufficient coverage at the outer edges of the back panel.
I measured the full width of my sofa including armrests and got 210 cm. What size do I need?
You need to remeasure excluding the armrests. The 210 cm total width figure includes armrests, which are not part of the back length measurement. Measure from the inner edge of the left armrest to the inner edge of the right armrest, at the point where the armrests connect to the sofa back. This measurement will typically be 20 to 60 cm less than the total width, depending on your armrest style. That measurement determines your size.
How do I know if my sectional is a corner sofa or an L-shaped sofa?
A corner sofa is symmetric: both sections are roughly equal in length and the sofa can be used on either side of the corner. An L-shaped sofa is asymmetric: one section is a full sofa back (the main body) and the other is an extended chaise with either no back or a much lower back. If your sectional has a chaise section, it is L-shaped. If both sections have full backs of equal height, it is a corner configuration. Look at your sofa from above (a photo helps) to see the configuration clearly.
My sofa has an unusually deep seat (over 90 cm). Will the cover still fit?
The 90 cm depth limit is the tested maximum. Sofas with seats deeper than 90 cm may find the front panel of the cover does not reach fully to the base of the sofa front face. The back panel and armrests will still be covered correctly. If your sofa is slightly over 90 cm in depth (91 to 95 cm), WavyTech™ stretch may accommodate this, but it is outside the tested range. Contact us before ordering if your depth significantly exceeds 90 cm.
I ordered the wrong size. How do I exchange?
Contact Bellissima Covers through the contact page. Exchanges for incorrect size orders are handled on a case by case basis. To avoid this, measure the back length excluding armrests as described above and confirm your measurement against the size chart before placing the order.
My bed is sold as a Queen but I am not sure of the exact width. How do I measure?
Do not rely on the bed's marketed size name. Measure the actual outer width of the bed base frame with a tape measure. Queen beds in India range from approximately 140 to 165 cm depending on the manufacturer, which falls within the Double cover range (140 to 180 cm). Measure your specific bed and match to the size chart above rather than using the manufacturer's size label.
For information about how WavyTech™ stretch accommodates a range of sofa sizes within each cover, see the WavyTech™ Technology page. For fabric options available per size, see the Fabric Guide. For washing and care instructions after your cover arrives, see the Care Guide.
Italian slipcovers for every piece of furniture you love — sofas, sectionals, armchairs, runners and beds. , Tailored by WavyTech™ to fit any shape, any home.
