How to pick sofa color
How to Choose the Right Sofa Color
If you’re starting a decorating project from scratch, a sofa can be chosen first so you can decorate around it. A showpiece sofa as inspiration for a room could be upholstered in a vibrant luxury fabric, or covered in a colorful print. It is a focal point of the room.
If you are adding a sofa to an already decorated room or if you’d prefer the sofa play a supporting role, then choosing color becomes important. Choosing a new sofa for an existing color palette means that you'll have to decide if the sofa will be neutral, or if it will take on an accent role.
There are designers that favor a sofa that matches the wall color to unify the room and make the room look larger. This is a creative idea for a harmonious color scheme. If you are buying a sofa to match your wall color, then changing the wall color in the future could be complicated.
The most common approach is to buy a sofa that complements the other decor and is not the center of attention nor camouflaged into the wall color. This is why neutral sofa colors are the most popular for most homes.
What to Look for When Buying a Couch
Light or Dark Sofa
Once you decide if your sofa will be an accent or neutral color, you'll need to decide if your sofa will be light or dark. Your floor color has a big effect on choosing the right sofa color. If you're considering a potential sofa sitting on your floor, will it float on a sea of dark wood flooring or carpet or will it blend into it? Since a sofa is traditionally large and upholstered, and most fabric absorbs light, it can darken a room considerably.
If you’re putting a dark sofa on a dark floor, it will appear to disappear into the room. If you would like to use a dark sofa on a dark floor, you should try to make it more visible. A dark sofa with metal or light wood legs can create visual space between the sofa and the floor. The use of a lighter rug under the front of your sofa can separate the dark colors and make the sofa color pop.
A light wood or metal coffee table could also help to define the sofa from the floor.
A light-colored sofa has different challenges from a dark one. The biggest challenge of a light sofa is staining and wear. Before selecting a white or light sofa consider how the room is being used now, not how you hope it will be used. If your dog loves to lie on the couch, then you would probably not want to put a white sofa in your living room without some serious retraining. If your sofa will be used by kids and pets, and you still love the idea of a light sofa, then washable slipcovers are a stylish compromise.
We Found the Best Slipcovers to Keep Your Couches Clean
The Spruce / Jessica LombardiThe Color Option Right for Your Needs
Once you've considered the light and dark of your new sofa, it's time to think about color. If you're not working with a showpiece sofa, then a sofa in a neutral color is a popular choice. Neutral sofas are easy to decorate around, and can easily keep up with your style as it changes over the years.
Neutral sofa fabric includes beige, gray, taupe, and cream. A matte beige sofa fabric can appear dull around other colors, but a textured beige fabric with flecks of monochromatic color can create interest without adding new colors. Gray sofas can range from pale to charcoal colors. Considered a style chameleon, gray can be sophisticated, comfortable, cool or crisp. Neutral sofas can quietly complement your other decor, but still be stylish and attractive.
A sofa of any color can be beautifully integrated into your space if you treat it as another color from your color scheme. This means adding accessories or prints in the same color as the sofa, to spread the color around the room. A sofa is a large expanse of fabric, by repeating pops of the same color as an accent, it can balance your room.
The Spruce / Jessica LombardiFinishing Touches
When you buy a new sofa, don't feel obligated to purchase a matching love seat. A more flexible style option is choosing a set of upholstered chairs to complement your new sofa.
The chairs don't have to be an exact match for the sofa but can incorporate the sofa's color in a pattern or texture. Using a set of chairs instead of a matching loveseat gives you even more opportunities to add color from your color palette and more options for furniture placement.
Don't forget accent pillows and throws as the finishing touches when coordinating your new sofa with your room decor. These little pops of color give your living room that pulled-together look.
The Spruce / Jessica LombardiHow to Choose a Sofa Color for your Living Room
Unsure How to Choose a Sofa Color for Your Living Room?
We understand your stress. When you invest in a sofa, you’re making a huge home decor decision. As your largest piece of furniture, the color of your sofa will largely determine future modern decor choices. From paint color to throw pillows, your couch has a very wide range of influence. And while neutrals are tried and true, you might find yourself hankering for something a little different.
Enter the Belez series.
The Belez Sofa in Mink Taupe looking cool and elegant.
When you’re picking a new mid-century sofa for an existing color palette, you have the tough work of trying to re-anchor your space. Of course, there’s been a long-standing false dichotomy about whether your sofa should be a neutral element or a statement piece. Why not both? A neutral color has traditionally served to unify a room, whereas a bold color has meant that the sofa is the star. Instead, we’re seeing a preference for a new kind of neutral. How to choose a sofa color for your living room? With an eye to colors that are warm, sleek fabrics, and polished hardware, you can integrate muted colors into your space for a room that is color-forward without being overtly “statement.”
Matchy-Matchy
Matching your sofa to your wall color is a good, safe choice. Of course, that thinking ties you to a specific wall color and sofa color… for a long time. Instead, try thinking of your wall or sofa colors as the beginning of a palette.
What is the neutral that will best work for your color choices? If you love pinks, reds, and oranges, your best choice might be a soft camel tan. Tend towards dusky blues and sage greens? Look for a grey with similar tones. Instead of planning your room around a single piece, focus on the colors that you gravitate towards naturally, and collect pieces in that palette.
Reds and pinks (like the Belez sofa in Terra Red and the Lucca pillows in Blush Pink) set a cheerful, yet sultry mood.
Our Belez series is perfect for tonal selections. Considered the “new neutrals,” the hues are pearly and undersaturated. The Terra red sofa doesn’t scream for attention, but sets the tone of a room towards a warmth and comfort. Mink Taupe can trend towards yellows, blues, greens, or even purples. By rethinking “neutrals,” and by exploring the color wheels, you have a lot more options when faced with the question of how to choose a sofa color for your living room.
Consider Your Materials
Your lifestyle dictates the best material choice, but for this post let’s assume you’re a clean, functional adult who can take care of things.
Quality leather is a timeless material. It ages well, cleans easily, and holds up to common household pests, such as dogs and children. It also manages to stay cool in the summer and get cozy in the winter. A leather sofa also allows for other textures to have play in your space without overwhelming. You can keep your space fresh and up-to-trend by adding funky throw pillows or a blanket, but rely on the solid goodness of a clean leather backdrop. Leather also tends to be available on that new neutral scale: deep chocolate browns, caramel tans, olive greens, and clay-reds. Of course, leather isn’t always the right choice for your lifestyle. Check out our post on whether a leather or a fabric sofa is best for your lifestyle.
The Cigar Sofa looking handsome in a beautiful space featured by our pals over at Glitter Guide.
Use colors that complement your existing decor for a cohesive look. An easy way to choose a color for a sofa is to base it around other colors already in the room.
Using nearby colors on the color wheel will guarantee a match and take out some of the guesswork in trying to find the perfect sofa color for your living room.
The Psychology of Color
When you’re thinking about how to choose a sofa color for your living room, ask yourself: how do you want to feel in the space? Color psychology has a gigantic impact on the way that a room communicates its intent. For example, can you imagine a sensory deprivation tank painted an electric green? Or the inside of a bumping club, but in a sunny, soothing yellow? Color is as much about feeling as it is about aesthetic preference. As the anchor of your living space, your sofa is the communicator of feeling. Choosing a color that reflects your preferred mood, but that doesn’t compete for dominance, is a tricky balance to achieve. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of easy-to-incorporate colors for your modern living space, and how they’re said to affect your psyche. You’re welcome.
Red and Pink
If you’re looking to inject your space with some energy, red and pink tones are an excellent choice.
Pink brings feelings of calmness, compassion, and cheer leaning into straight-up JOY territory. If you’re looking for some uncomplicated delight in your living space, a sofa like the Emil or the Mirage might be just what you need.
A Beautiful Mess’s beautiful toy storage system, featuring our Blush Pink Matrix sofa.
Red amps energy from yay to HOORAY. Associated with feelings of passion, love, warmth, and excitement, a red couch can be the antidote to living in places with a long, dark winter. And while a cherry-red couch may sound a little intimidating, please know that’s not what we’re thinking. Picture moody, clay-like reds, such as the Belez in Terra red, the Burrard in Cayenne, or the Alcott in Oxblood.
Taupe and Grey
Practical, organic, classic, down to earth, and dignified. Sounds pretty aspirational, but these are the feelings evoked by grey and taupe. While greys tend to complement cooler-toned living spaces, the brown notes in taupe make it a good choice for warmer treatments.
Whether you’re drawn to the cool, sturdy Ceni, or the warm and organic Mink Taupe Belez, your living room is thisclose to feeling more grounded.
The Ceni Sofa wants to snuggle you, listen to you, and help you find the perfect Netflix show to binge.
Olive Green
Life keeps getting busier. Having a space that is a designated “calm down” zone is a smart and aesthetically pleasing move. Olive green is the color of peace, calm, and hope. Maybe you’re working late on a big project, or having a tussle with your youngest. Now imagine doing that in a room where your focal sofa exudes peace and calm. Inhale… Belez sofa in Olive Green…. Exhale. Feel better?
Tan and Brown
Do you want to feel supported? Like your can rely on your living space? Resilient and secure? Tans and browns bring gravity and stability to a space. If you lead a chaotic life and need your living room to be like a sturdy parental figure, a brown or tan sofa may be the best choice for you.
Take a look at perennial fav, the Sven Sofa in Charme Tan. Maybe you prefer the classically masculine Worthington, or the super mod Cigar.
The Sven in Charme Tan sitting pretty on beautiful blue floors. Elsie Larson does it again.
Black
Are you elegant? Maybe a little mod? Black is a classic color that exudes strength, and authority. If you want your living room to communicate that you’re confident and stylish, a black sofa is an excellent marker of taste. We love the super slim profile of the black leather Echo sofa, but the black leather Sven sofa looks so comfy and inviting…
Blue
If you’re not into green but you are into peace of mind, blue is for you. Known to promote calmness, serenity, and order, a beautiful blue sofa can centre your living space aesthetically and mentally. The sumptuous comfort of the Timber in Blue Spruce looks pretty dang calming. The pillow situation on the Kits in Pacific Blue also looks like it would promote some serious serenity.
We love the pink and teal combo in this CitySage design. Looking good, Kits Sofa in Pacific Blue.
How to choose sofa color for your living room? Simplify. Consider your wall color, what fabrics will work best with your lifestyle, and how you want your living space to feel. Once you’ve identified these three components, you’ll be surprised by how quickly the optimal color for your living room sofa will reveal itself.
How to choose a sofa color - interior photos, advice on choosing a sofa color
Upholstered furniture is not only a convenient solution for a comfortable stay, but also an integral part of the interior of the room. To understand which color of the sofa to choose, you need to decide on the palette of the room, stylistic decision, upholstery material and other characteristics. In addition, the selected color scheme should please the owners and emphasize the advantages of the living room, hall, and recreation area.
Practical tips for choosing the color of a sofa
- Matching the palette.
First of all, the chosen color should go well with other furniture, curtains and interior items, as well as decoration. In addition, you first need to decide which item will act as an accent in the interior. - Style part. The color should fit into the stylistic palette and emphasize the merits of the chosen interior solution. It does not have to be in tone with the finish, but complement the overall harmony.
- Practical side. When choosing light colors, you need to take into account the need for more frequent cleaning and special care. Periodically, the upholstery will need to be removed and dry-cleaned, as any contamination will be noticeable. Therefore, if there are children or pets in the house, it is better to choose upholstery in dark colors or with a pattern.
- Samples first. In good furniture stores, samples of colors and upholstery are provided to each client. You can take them home and choose exactly the option that will harmonize well with the decoration, other furniture and other items in the room.
It should also be taken into account that the same colors may look different on upholstery made of certain materials. For example, suede and velor look good in noble brown, blue, green tones, unusual lilac, purple, turquoise, red shades are used for jacquard, and it is advised to choose a practical gray-beige range for cotton upholstery.
Sofa color selection
Light type
This category includes sofas in white, gray, beige and other pastel, light colors. This category belongs to neutral and is suitable for almost any type of room, stylistic direction of the room. The only drawback is the high staining of colors, but this problem can be eliminated by purchasing furniture with an EasyClean coating, which is well cleaned with special detergents.
Dark palette
Deep colors can range from plain gray to chocolate brown, emerald green, indigo, purple, burgundy, and even black. Of course, this color type of sofas is more practical and does not require frequent cleaning, but it must be used wisely.
For example, such furniture can only be used in spacious rooms for accents. At the same time, other trim elements should be light. When choosing upholstery material, preference should be given to smooth fabrics, on which debris, animal hair, dust, etc. will not linger.
Bright type
This category includes turquoise, mint, red, green, yellow, blue and other sofas that will be an excellent bright accent in the room. Such options are often selected for children's rooms and kitchens, living rooms. Before you choose the color of the sofa, you need to decide on its practicality: it will depend on the upholstery material used, as well as the depth of the chosen color. For example, velvet and velor quickly accumulate dust and are difficult to clean from dirt.
Color scheme
- Monochrome. The scheme is used when it comes to a combination of shades of the same palette. For example, it can be blue and cyan, purple and lilac, light green and green.
At the same time, a brighter one is selected for the sofa, and not for the walls. - Analog circuit. The work is carried out with two shades that stand side by side in the palette (orange and red, green and blue).
- Complementary colors. Used to combine shades that are opposite to each other, such as red and green, purple and yellow, etc.
A more complex solution that includes three colors at once is called a triad. It can be classical, analog and contrast. In the first, 3 colors are selected through 3 sectors in the color wheel, at the same distance. In the second, all palettes are located next to each other, in the third - on the contrary, through one. The use of four colors arranged in pairs is called a tetrad scheme.
Features for different styles
Popular solutions for modern interiors are mixes of designs that combine the characteristic features of each. When choosing a particular direction or a combination of them, it is important to consider the appropriateness of the sofa colors used.
The table shows popular interior styles and recommended upholstery colors.
| Stylistic direction | Color spectrum |
|---|---|
| Classic and neoclassic | Suitable saturated, deep shades, close to natural. The universal solution will be gray, beige and brown. White and black is used as a tint. Also popular are golden, dark blue, coffee, red, amber. |
| Minimalism | Only monochrome, strict tones are used, such as blue, beige, graphite, gray, black and white. |
| Scandinavian | Monochrome is also preferred for him, but the shades should be more natural. Preference should be given to beige, white, turquoise, cold green. |
| Mediterranean | Should convey all the beauty of the marine theme, so coral, green, blue, turquoise, azure, beige, peach and milk prevail. Brown should be natural and rich. |
| Vintage | The color scheme is restrained, the use of faded patterns and colors is acceptable: light blue, pale green, pale blue. If the sofa becomes an accent, it is acceptable to use purple, brown, blue. |
| boho | Usually, in this style, it is upholstered furniture that becomes the center of the interior. Therefore, rich colors are chosen, such as orange, red, blue, raspberry, turquoise, chocolate, caramel. |
| Eco | At the core is nature. The color of the sofa should be warm, natural, so milky, beige, yellow, green, gray and brown palettes are chosen for the interior. |
| Pop Art | Juicy, non-standard colors are appropriate here, such as silver, pink, deep blue, orange, gold, crimson, bright red, etc. Shades should be clean, without inclusions. |
| High tech | Like minimalism, it requires clear, restrained colors. The sofa can be black, gray, white, metallic. Leather sofas add a special effect. |
| Provence | A cozy, warm solution that dictates the use of pastels with floral prints or stripes. Preference should be given to olive, terracotta, beige, gray, peach tones. |
These solutions are the main examples of great color combinations, but they can be expanded and complemented by the most unexpected options. The main thing is to observe the combination of palettes and achieve complete harmony in the interior by correctly “fitting” the sofa into it.
Room recommendation
The color is selected not only according to style and personal preferences, but also according to the type of room. Each palette has a certain influence on a person, so in the bedroom it should be calm, in the nursery - cheerful and bright, and in the living room - to relax and have a comfortable pastime.
Living room
When choosing the color of the sofa in the living room, the location of the room relative to the cardinal direction, the style of the room, and its dimensions are taken into account. For example, the larger the area, the more interesting color combinations can be.
Particular attention should be paid to living rooms with irregular geometry or with several zones separated without using a partition.
The living room is designed to spend time with family, relax after work, communicate with friends and relatives. Therefore, the color scheme is selected cheerful and cozy. The upholstery can be with an ornament or a pattern. It is worth considering that it is here that most of the time pets will be located, if any, so the palette is selected non-staining, easy to use. The universal colors in the hall include beige, brown, gray.
Bedroom
The room is designed for restful sleep and energy recovery. It should be as comfortable and convenient as possible, allow you to relax and recharge with positive. Therefore, it is important that the color of the furniture blends well with the finish and has the right psychological effect on the person. Most often, calm, neutral tones are chosen, such as gray, blue, pale pink.
If a pattern is needed on the upholstery, it should be discreet, have smooth outlines, without sharp corners.
In addition, it should not differ from the main color scheme. If you use bright accents, then only in the form of pillows or a blanket.
Child
When choosing the color of the sofa in the children's room, you need to take into account the wishes of the child, since children are more susceptible to colors than adults. We need a palette that will energize, stimulate constant activity, or vice versa - soothe, dispose to rest if the child is hyperactive. Simple natural tones stimulate brain activity. Green, blue, yellow, pink colors are simple and clear. Cushions, cushions, and other textiles can be used as bright, cheerful accents.
Kitchen
The choice of color for the sofa in the kitchen depends on the size of the room. The smaller the kitchen, the lighter the sofa should be. At the same time, it should have a special coating that is easy to clean and does not absorb dirt. Contrasting combinations also allow visually increasing the internal volume.
Orange, red, yellow perfectly stimulate appetite and cheer up. But, do not overdo it when choosing the degree of brightness, as excessive saturation can cause headaches and discomfort.
As for large rooms, it all depends on the decoration of the zones. For example, a recreation area can be done in soothing, pastel colors. But for communicating with friends and relatives, bright, cheerful shades are well suited. Patterns and velvet upholstery should be abandoned, as well as the use of white and black colors.
When choosing a color palette, it is important to pay attention to the shape and dimensions of the sofa itself. The larger the dimensions of upholstered furniture, the more neutral and light the color should be. For example, dark blue or purple colors are acceptable for small structures, but massive products in such shades will lead to a visual reduction in space.
Photo gallery
The gallery contains photos of finished projects using sofas in different colors, which will allow you to choose the right solution for any room.
What color to choose in the living room
The sofa is the main element of the living room in terms of size, appearance, and practical functions. It is on it that we first of all stop looking when we enter the room, we rest on it, read books, watch TV, arrange guests. It can become a bright accent of the interior, evoking associations with a holiday and fun, or completely harmonize with the main color scheme of the room, setting up for rest and relaxation.
What color is better to choose a sofa in the living room so that it is combined with other elements of the interior and in what cases is such a combination optional?
Which sofa color to choose for a monochrome interior
Monochrome interiors, when everything is matched tone on tone, can be completely boring. Usually they are decorated in beige or gray colors. It is this living room that causes peace, the desire to relax after a hard day's work or on weekends.
Such a design decision, when the wall decoration, furniture and decor are made in the same color, looks quite cozy. Variety can be achieved through different shades and textures. For a monochrome interior, a sofa to match other furniture and finishes is suitable, it is important to choose the right upholstery here - velor, fabric or leather will look great.
What color to buy a sofa for a contrasting interior
If you want to make the sofa a highlight of the interior, to distinguish it from other items, then you can play on contrasts. In this case, the decoration of the walls in white or in muted colors will serve as a background against which upholstered furniture will look like a bright spot, attracting attention and pleasing to the eye.
To smooth out the sharp impressions of contrast, decorative elements should be chosen in the same color as the sofa, or place pillows on it to match the finish. For contrasting interiors, upholstered furniture of any bright color - red, yellow, blue, purple - is suitable.
Which sofa is better - light or dark
When answering this question, one should start from the area of \u200b\u200bthe room and which side of the house the living room windows face. For small dark rooms, sofas with light upholstery are suitable - visually, this solution expands the space and brightens it.
But the dark upholstery of sofas looks great in spacious living rooms, especially if they are decorated in one of the modern styles - loft or minimalism.
If you don’t like either the first or the second option, buy a gray sofa, which is considered universal and is suitable for absolutely any room. This is a softer and more relaxing design solution, unlike white and black colors, and at the same time goes well with bright interior colors.
Which color of the sofa is suitable for blue, yellow, beige wallpaper
A harmonious color combination can be selected using the Itten circle, a basic tool for designers and artists. It contains ready-made color combinations.
To choose the color of the sofa, for example, for blue wallpaper, just select the blue color on the Itten circle and see which colors harmonize with it.
Below is a table of ready-made color schemes that will help you match the color of the sofa to the color of the wallpaper.
| Wallpaper color | Sofa upholstery color |
| White | Any colour |
| Beige | Beige, white, black, grey, yellow, purple |
| Grey | Grey, white, yellow, orange, red, blue, blue, lilac, purple |
| Yellow | Yellow, white, grey, blue, green brown, black |
| Orange | Orange, white, grey, purple, black |
| Red | Red, white, blue, green, black |
| Orange | Orange, white, grey, purple, black |
| Blue | Blue, white, grey, orange, blue, brown |
| Blue | Blue, white, grey, yellow, orange |
| Green | Green, white, grey, red, brown, black |
| Lilac | Lilac, white, grey, blue, purple, black |
| Violet | Purple, white, grey, yellow, orange |
| Brown | Brown, white, grey, orange, green |
As you can see, the white and gray color of the upholstery of the sofa is suitable for absolutely any color of the wallpaper.
