Modular Sofa Plus Swivel Recliners: 5 Ways to Arrange the Mix
Outdoor layout guide · Published by Outdoor Nook, which makes and sells the furniture shown
A sofa holds a group together. A recliner is where one person goes to lean all the way back. Most patios need both, and our Malibu II modular sets are built to combine them: a stationary modular sofa made of separate units, plus two swivel glider recliners in the same wicker and cushions. Here are five ways to arrange the mix, with real footprints, and four things owners wish they had known first.
One fact up front: the modular sofa does not recline. The recline, glide and 360-degree swivel come from the two recliners. If you want reclining seats on the sofa too, see the reclining sofa sets in the questions at the end.
Give each seat one job
Sofa seats are for sitting up: eating, talking, watching. Recliners are for leaning back, gliding and turning. Splitting the jobs is why the mix works. The sofa carries the extra guests, and the two recliners become the seats people ask for.
“…the most comfortable outdoor furniture I have sat in (chairs are a little more comfy than couch).…”
Every footprint below uses the Malibu II size charts: the recliner is 32.2 inches wide, 29.9 inches deep upright, 56 inches with the footrest out and 67 inches fully reclined. The modular sofa (two corner units and one armless unit) is 101.6 inches wide. The modular loveseat (two corner units) is 76 inches wide and 35.5 inches deep.
1. The straight run
Sofa along a wall or railing, one recliner at each end, all facing the same way: the view, the pool or a screen. With the 5-piece modular sofa set, plan about 166 inches (just under 14 feet) of wall: 101.6 for the sofa plus 32.2 for each recliner. Plan depth for the recliners, not the sofa: 67 inches when fully reclined, plus the gap behind them described below.
2. The horseshoe
Keep the sofa against the wall and angle a recliner in at each end, facing a table in the middle. Everyone can see everyone, and the open side faces the yard. Angling the chairs shortens the run below 166 inches, but each recliner now reclines into the room, so leave its full 67 inches pointing toward the center and keep the table out of the footrest’s path.
“…It looks great on my deck. It is so comfortable. Everyone loves the recliners and how spacious the couch is.…”
3. The face-off
Put the loveseat on one side and the two recliners side by side opposite it, with a table between. It suits a deck or porch that is long and narrow. The math is tidy: two Malibu II recliners side by side measure 64.4 inches, a little less than the 76-inch modular loveseat across from them. Front to back, plan 35.5 inches for the loveseat, your table and walkway, and 67 inches for the reclined chairs.
4. The L with an ottoman
The 6-piece sectional set adds a 35.8-inch ottoman to the sofa. Push it against one end of the sofa as a chaise for whoever wants to stretch out, or float it in front as a footrest and spare seat. Set the recliners across the open corner, angled toward the sofa. Along the wall, sofa plus ottoman is about 137 inches (101.6 plus 35.8).
5. Two zones
On a bigger patio, let the sofa face the conversation area while the recliners turn toward the view or a fire table a few feet away. If you add a fire table, the Malibu II firepit table is 24 inches across and 22.8 inches high; read the fire pit clearance guide before placing cushions around it. For more recliner pairings, see recliner layouts with side tables, fire tables and a sofa.
Four things owners wish they had known
Modular set owners keep raising the same four points.
1. Seat heights: the sofa sits lower
The Malibu II modular sofa sits lower than the recliners, and lower than it looks in photos.
“…The sofa is a bit lower to the ground than it appears in the photos, but we are not tall so it's not a problem.”
“…The couch is comfy. It does sit lower to the ground and is a lower profile than expected but it’s good to go.”
Here are the numbers from our size charts, side by side:
| Piece | Seat height | Overall height |
|---|---|---|
| Malibu II swivel glider recliner | 20.1 in | 43.3 in |
| Malibu II modular sectional / sofa units | 18.3 in | 27 in |
| Malibu II modular loveseat units | 18.5 in | 31 in |
| For comparison: Huntington stationary sofa / recliner | 20.5 in / 20.5 in | 42.5 in / 43.3 in |
| For comparison: Newport stationary sofa / recliner | 20.1 in / 20.1 in | 36 in / 43.3 in |
What it means: the Malibu II sofa seat is about 1.6 to 1.8 inches lower than the recliner seat, and its back is much lower, so the sofa reads long and low next to the taller recliners. Shorter guests may find the sofa the easier seat to get in and out of with feet flat. Taller guests tend to prefer the recliners, where the higher seat and the footrest help. If you want sofa and chair seat heights to match, the Huntington stationary groups are 20.5 inches for both.
2. Covers: built in on the chairs, separate on the sofa
Every swivel glider recliner has a patent-pending cover built in. It unfolds from a pouch on the back and packs away again, so there is nothing to store. The Malibu II modular sofa pieces work differently: they ship with a separate fitted cover in a carry bag. Plan a nearby spot for that bag, such as a deck box.
The same goes for modular sofa pieces in our other collections: the cover isn't built in, but it comes with a carry bag for easy storage.
3. Keep the sections together
Modular units clip together, which is what lets you reshape them, and also why they can move. Owners have told us the sections can shift a few inches front to back, and one owner of a lighter aluminum modular sofa planned to weigh it down against wind. A few simple fixes help:
- Back the sofa against a wall, railing or planter so the units have something to sit against.
- Set the sofa on an outdoor rug; it gives the units a common base and can help keep them lined up.
- After moving or cleaning, check that the clips between units are fully engaged before you sit down.
- In very windy spots, put the fitted cover on when you are not using the sofa, and contact us if a clip loosens or breaks.
4. Recline clearance: chairs off the wall, sofa against it
The sofa is stationary, so it can go right against a wall. The recliners cannot. On the Malibu II side chart the chair is 56 inches deep with the footrest out and 67 inches fully reclined, so the chair gets about 11 inches longer between footrest-out and full recline. Leave that gap behind each chair, plus room to swivel, or pull the recliners forward of the sofa line. Our guide to how much space an outdoor recliner needs walks through it.
What each Malibu II modular set seats
| Set | What is in it | Seats | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-piece modular loveseat set | Loveseat (2 corner units) + 2 recliners | 4 | $3,192 |
| 5-piece modular console loveseat set | Loveseat + console unit + 2 recliners | 4, plus the console | $3,510 |
| 5-piece modular sofa set | Sofa (2 corners + armless) + 2 recliners | 5 | $3,703 |
| 6-piece modular sectional set | Sofa + ottoman + 2 recliners | 5, plus the ottoman | $4,360 |
Prices as of October 2026 and can change; check the product page for today’s price and availability. All four have Portland Stone cushions on dark brown and grey mixed-weave HDPE wicker over a rust-proof aluminum frame.
Good to know before you order
- Free shipping. Orders ship within 1–2 business days and arrive in 5–8 business days by FedEx (contiguous 48 states). Assembly is minimal and needs no tools.
- 14 days for a full refund. Return an undamaged item in its original packaging within 14 days of delivery and we arrange the pickup. From day 15 to day 90, returns are accepted with a 20% restocking fee and you pay return shipping. See our returns policy.
- 5-year frame warranty, 2-year cushion warranty, against defects in materials and workmanship, for the original buyer. Read the full warranty.
Choose your Malibu II set
Pick the set that matches the seats you need, then tape out the footprint. For layouts with other shapes, see our modular outdoor seating guide, and find more planning guides in The Outdoor Living Room.
Questions before you order? Call 1-800-296-0232 or email cs@outdoornook.com.
Quick answers
Does the modular sofa recline?
Why does the sofa look lower than in the photos?
Do the sofa pieces come with a cover?
Can the sofa sit against a wall?
Can I return a set if the layout does not work?
Sources. Reviews: Outdoor Nook customer reviews on REVIEWS.io, retrieved October 2026, quoted as written; excerpts are marked. Prices and specifications are from our product pages and size charts as of October 2026.
