Living room with navy sofa

9 Tips for Decorating Around a Navy Blue Sofa

Sarah Lyon

Sarah Lyon is a freelance writer and home decor enthusiast, who enjoys sharing good finds on home items. Since 2018, she has contributed to a variety of lifestyle publications, including Apartment Therapy and Architectural Digest.

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Updated on 08/25/22

If your living room or family room features a navy blue sofa that you absolutely love—but just don't know how to decorate around—designers are here to help. There are many ways to stylishly integrate your navy piece into a room, whether you're drawn to light hues or bright ones. Keep reading for nine key design tips to keep in mind.

1. Turn to Nature

Designer Alice Kuaban of Oddessence finds that blue sofas look best when placed against neutral walls—she's a fan of white and charcoal gray backdrops, for example. "To make them look cohesive with other surrounding pieces, I love infusing colors that compliment blue, and usually gravitate to mother nature for inspiration," Kuaban adds. For example, embrace green by styling some plants next your sofa, place a walnut colored coffee table nearby, or set out some burnt orange or yellow accent pillows, she advises.

2. Introduce Some Lighter Hues

A sofa certainly doesn't need to stand alone. Use accessories to lighten up the navy hue. "Break up the mass of the darker tone with lighter colors and patterns through decorative pillows, a throw blanket or a large scale patterned rug," designer Courtney Sempliner suggests. "The blue family is vast and you can easily tie in lighter blue shades, or branch out into complementary colors such as kelly green or a warm golden tones."

Cat Guerra

3. Say Yes to Textures

"I love designing a navy blue sofa with a mix of textures to infuse personality and add visual interest," comments designer Ahmad AbouZanat of PROJECT AZ. For example, say yes to metals, brass accents, tufted rugs, and the like. In the below space, AbouZanat opted for a deep blue sofa which he paired with soft gray wall color and rug. "The velvet material of the sofas and brass accents provide a polished and elevated feel," the designer reflects. "To keep the space fresh, light and playful, I incorporated artwork with bright accents of pinks and yellows."

Trevor Parker for PROJECT AZ

4. Play With Purple

Purple pieces can also look nice alongside a navy sofa, says designer Lucy O'Brien of Tartan and Toile. "Navy has an undertone of purple, so any color with a purple undertone will go well to blend in with it," she explains. "Purple blues and more purple pinks are some of those options." O'Brien likes to introduce these shades in pillow form.

5. Or Go Bold With Jewel Tones

On a related note, designer Vivian Bayles agrees that jewel tones in general are a major win. "Create a moody room by adding jewel toned furniture with emerald greens, amethyst, or ruby reds," she suggests. "Consider using black and gray accented furniture that is elegant." As a finishing touch, Bayles is all for installing wallpaper behind the sofa, too.

6. Use Navy as a Neutral

You can totally do it, says Maggie Burns of Maggie Richmond Design. "I love using navy as a substitute, especially on a larger scale item like a sofa, for grey in a room when I'm trying to go for a more neutral look without having it look flat," she explains. Continue to treat navy as gray when selecting other accents for your space. "I like pairing it with black and white throw pillows and a neutral rug to really make the sofa stand out as the major source of color in the room," Burns adds.

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7. Don't Go for a Monochrome Look

Alexa Evans of Alexa Rae Interiors suggests not overdoing the navy when it comes to styling your sofa. "It's important to have some contrast," she says. "You want the navy sofa to be a stand out piece. " Evans suggests incorporating lighter colored pillows and having fun with textures—consider including some cream boucle pieces, for example. Be strategic when it comes to other elements in the room, too. "Use a light colored rug so that the navy sofa pops," Evans suggests. "Consider using a coffee table material that contrasts with the navy, such as carrara marble. Use neutral accent chairs that compliment the sofa."

8. But Do Incorporate Other Blues

Even if you don't go navy on navy, using blue throughout the rest of a space is always a smart tactic. "This will help bounce the color around the room for visual interest to the eye," designer Cat Guerra says. In the space below, she was intentional about selecting artwork featuring the color blue and adding a blue book to the nearby end table.

Cat Guerra

9. Go Bright

You can make use of the entire rainbow when decorating a room with a navy blue sofa, Bayles says. "Contrasting colors such as pink, coral, red, and oranges not only brighten up the space but also add contrast to the navy blue sofa," she notes. Bayles suggests introducing these hues in the form of accent furniture, decor, and art pieces. "Layering them is a great way to add contrast to the blue sofa while featuring some fun and personal elements," she says.

9 room scheme ideas for decorating around a navy blue sofa

(Image credit: Kendall McCaugherty. Design: Searl Lamaster Howe Architects)

You've got a lot of choices when decorating around a navy blue sofa. If you bought a navy blue couch for one living room scheme, but now you want to give your space a completely different look, it can be daunting to design around pre-existing furniture. Luckily, your navy blue sofa can change its vibe, chameleon-like, to find a home in plenty of different designs.

You'll need to consider not only the color scheme, but the other living room furniture ideas to go alongside. After all, just because you're keeping your couch, doesn't mean you can't change the rest of your scheme.

To serve up some inspiration, we've collected 9 different schemes each using a navy blue sofa to show the sort of styles you could try.

10 room scheme ideas for decorating around a navy blue sofa

Navy blue sofas are a popular choice because they're so versatile, and can be paired with plenty of color schemes and interior styles. In different schemes, a navy blue sofa can feel like a bold color choice, or almost a neutral.

From neutral schemes to colorful room ideas, these 9 real spaces show the range a navy blue sofa has that you can explore.

1. Team a navy blue sofa with a mix of textures

(Image credit: Francis Amiand. Design: Humbert & Poyet)

As important as thinking of colors that go with navy blue is considering the textures that will complement your sofa. In this design by Parisian designers Humbert & Poyet, a variety of textures and tones create a layered, interesting scheme.

'Mid-century and contemporary furniture decorate the apartment to create a space that is modern while in harmony with the classical codes of the original architecture,' explains Emil Humbert, co-founder of Humbert & Poyet . 'We mixed noble materials of marble, terrazzo, wood, and brass, which were selected for their character and harmony: marble for the sophistication, color and presence it brings to a space; wood for its warmth and richness; terrazzo as an accent and modern compliment; and brass to highlight and contrast the other materials.'

The bespoke blue sofa was designed for the apartment, while a matching accent chair in a textured boucle acts as a foil for its blue velvet.

2. Try grey for a stylish backdrop

(Image credit: Brotherton Lock. Design: Albion Nord)

A navy blue sofa is a great choice to lift a grey living room, especially if you put the right shades of blue and grey together. For a balanced look, choose your grey to even out the tone of your navy blue sofa, as showcased in the design of this London home by Albion Nord . While the walls and trim are painted in Farrow & Ball's much-loved Downpipe, fabric paneling behind the artwork has a warmer tone.

For a navy blue with colder tones, try a warmer grey for balance, while a warmer version of navy will balance best with a grey with more blue tones.

3. Up the glam factor with navy blue velvet

(Image credit: Greg Natale)

Navy blue lends itself well to a glamorous, luxury living room scheme when mixed with the right materials. Brass, marble, luxurious textiles and opulent prints can all elevate a navy blue sofa into new realms, as showcased by this decadent room design.

'I wanted to create something really moody and glamourous for this New York apartment living space,' explains interior designer Greg Natale . 'By choosing dark, tonal colors such as navy it creates a space that is really polished and refined,' he adds.

'I love to use wallpaper on ceilings, so I specified that then mirrored it with a larger exaggerated pattern for the rug choice.'

4. Go for a refined, elegant look

(Image credit: Pati Robins. Design: Cherie Lee Interiors)

Taking a less-is-more approach, while still focusing on luxury will take your navy blue sofa to a place that's more elegant than glamorous.

In the design of this converted manor house in the UK, interior designer Cherie Lee used a navy blue sofa for an elegant living room as part of a wider open-plan space.

Teamed with a traditional parquet, white walls, marble and a crystal chandelier, the navy blue sofa is elevated and brings a pop of color that enlivens the space.

5. Use blue on blue for a modern scheme

(Image credit: Greg Natale)

When you have a navy blue sofa, your first thought for the walls might not also be navy blue. However, this tone-on-tone blue living room idea can actually work really well.

You have two choices. Going tonal with navy blue layered on other shades, perhaps a light blue or even a green-blue teal will ensure your couch still stands out, while matching the sofa to the walls entirely will make it disappear, as in this modern design scheme by Greg Natale.

'I first envisioned this space completely tonal with the indigo blue,' explains Greg, 'but after some discussion with the client, I decided to soften the blue with the ombre effect blending the indigo into the white walls and ceiling. The end feeling is very immersive and cocooning!'

6. Create a playful palette around a navy blue couch

(Image credit: Alan Tansey. Design: MKCA)

When combined with a fun, pastel color palette, a navy blue sofa takes on a completely different energy, as showcased in this colorful living room idea created by Michael K. Chen of design studio MKCA .

With pink walls and green floor tiles dialing up the color factor in this space, you'd think a dark navy sofa would feel like a dull point. Yet, in reality, the colorful surroundings seem to play up the blue, while balancing the sugary pastels, that could read slightly juvenile, to ensure this snug still feels like a grown-up space.

7. Or opt for grown up jewel tones

(Image credit: Ruth Maria. Design: Kingston Lafferty)

From emerald green to amethyst, jewel tones are a natural fit alongside a navy blue sofa for a luxe look.

In this project, designed by Roisin Lafferty of Kingston Lafferty Design , a complementary palette of purple, blue and green delivers a refined, yet moody and dark living room, full of interesting textures and materials.

'We wanted to exude a sense of opulence and rich sophistication and wanted the richness of colour to be created with natural stone,' explains Roisin. 'The stone in this room is full of beautiful green tones and almost becomes a natural art piece and focal point in the room. By using natural materials as the key colour insertion, we have created a home that hinges on colour but manages to be timeless and full of character.'

8. Use timber paneling with a navy blue sofa

(Image credit: Patricia Goijens. Design: Dieter Vander Velpen Architects)

The cool nature of a navy blue sofa means it's a natural bedfellow for warm wood tones. This can be especially effective as a wall paneling idea, as seen in this cinema room created by Antwerp-based Dieter Vander Velpen Architects .

'In the home cinema, we covered all walls with walnut paneling, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere,' Dieter Van Velpen explains. 'Ink blue carpet, a deep blue velvet sofa and a coffee table with Lapis Lazuli inlays add a strong punch of color and personality to the space, while black ‘Nero Marquina’ marble around the fireplace rounds out the material palette. '

The material contrasts work well too - rich, buttery velvet creates an interesting contrast with the more rustic walnut of the paneling.

9. Create balance in a neutral scheme

(Image credit: Kendall McCaugherty. Design: Searl Lamaster Howe Architects)

A navy blue sofa can become a focal point in an otherwise neutral living room, but it's worth considering the rest of the scheme carefully, rather than simply lumping a colorful sofa in a more muted space.

'While the color palette in this space is neutral, there are attributes of other items that balance out the bold use of color on the sofa,' explains Greg Howe, founding partner of Chicago-based Searl Lamaster Howe . 'The graphic impact of the black and white stripes on the lounge chairs is one example. Another is the high-resolution detail of the over-scaled Daniel Beltra photo on the wall.'

'The room is wrapped in southern and eastern windows; the vivid brightness they bring in balances that of the blue while also serving to highlight elements such as the rich texture of the daybed’s textile and the deep plush of the carpet,' Greg adds.

Even in a neutral scheme, don't forget that the world outside your window forms part of your room's color palette too. 'While the blue of the sofa may not appear strongly in other elements inside the apartment, it clearly is a presence outside (at least on sunny days) with expansive skyline views and the expanse of Lake Michigan almost directly below,' Greg says.

What colors go with a navy blue sofa?

One of the best ways to figure out the best colors that go with a navy blue sofa is to look at the basics of color theory. Direct complementary colors can be hard to use successfully in interiors, more commonly seen used for impactful brand logos, so you might want to approach orange with care. And while blue is considered a color that goes with yellow well, you're more likely to see navy blue walls and a yellow sofa than the other way around.

Analogous colors on the color wheels are those that sit next to each, so a navy blue sofa will look great with shades of greeny blues such as teal and emerald, as well as with purple. Navy blue and pale pink are another popular color combination, while shades of beige and brown will create a beautiful, balanced look too.

Navy blue also looks surprisingly good with charcoal grey and black. The blue injects a bit of color the gives the scheme a bit of a lift, while staying in keeping with a moody atmosphere that can feel really elegant.

Luke Arthur Wells is a freelance design writer, award-winning interiors blogger and stylist, known for neutral, textural spaces with a luxury twist. He's worked with some of the UK's top design brands, counting the likes of Tom Dixon Studio as regular collaborators and his work has been featured in print and online in publications ranging from Domino Magazine to The Sunday Times. He's a hands-on type of interiors expert too, contributing practical renovation advice and DIY tutorials to a number of magazines, as well as to his own readers and followers via his blog and social media. He might currently be renovating a small Victorian house in England, but he dreams of light, spacious, neutral homes on the West Coast.

Blue sofa in the interior of the living room (50 photos)

A person's apartment is like a reflection of his inner world. We tend to make repairs after difficult life circumstances or, conversely, because we are happy. If emotions take over our minds, the changes will be massive. The face of every apartment or house is the living room. And the center of all this is the sofa - a real personification of a special world of tranquility, inspiration and relaxation. In the interior of the living room, the blue sofa is a bold claim for luxury and nobility.

Content

shades of blue
The influence of blue on space
Blue as an accent for the guest room
Combination of the blue sofa with the interior of the living room

shades of blue

Mysterious and intriguing color of the night and deep sea. Few dare to emphasize such an accent in their guest room. More often this happens because of the fear of not finding the right color solutions. Blue color does not forgive mistakes. So, you should understand its shades: light and warm, dark and cold.

Blue sofa in the interior of the living room

Bold interiors are built not only on color. Many nuances must be taken into account. Focusing on blue in the design of the room, it is necessary to build on the illumination of the room. This color loves space and good lighting.

Tip! If the windows face north, it is better not to risk it and give preference to a warmer color palette.

Large blue sofa in the interior of a bright living room

Influence of blue on space

Looking for options to visually enlarge the space, the designers came to the conclusion: a blue sofa in the interior of a small living room enlarges it, and hides square meters in a large area. This effect is due to the fact that human eyes focus on everything bright and voluminous. Blue is the color of concentric movement that attracts attention. Thanks to this, the irreplaceable meters of the layout of the guest room are played up.

Photos of the blue sofa in the living room:

Small blue sofa in the living room with mirrors

Color combination in the interior of the living room

Blue as an accent for the guest room

Functional sofa - the most popular element of living room furniture! It occupies a central place in the room and takes on the task of providing a convenient and comfortable pastime. The sofa should be both functional and combined with the interior. Upholstered furniture today solves aesthetic problems and decorates housing.

A photo of a blue sofa in the interior of the living room will help you make the right choice. However, you must be careful before buying this attribute of furniture, properly design the design of the room. Consider several options:

Monochrome. The interior of this room is distinguished by the strict presence of blue tones. In this case, the walls can be blue. The sofa against their background will only win. In tone, he will have to choose curtains and accessories. Examples of a monochrome living room in the photo:

Neutral with accent. In this interior, the main colors will be white and gray and the bulk of light shades. A blue sofa in such a frame will look original, bold and spectacular. Modern motifs in the interiors sin with the presence of accents in neutral rooms. Sometimes baroque living rooms are characterized by this nuance. Creating the zest described earlier in the interior, the color should not be repeated. Here are the photographs characterizing the proposed option:

Blue sofa in color scheme. Making a living room in bright colors with a blue sofa is a spectacular and bold decision. This does not mean that any color will be appropriate. It is necessary to pay attention to orange and yellow, which should still be based on muted colors. This combination will rather remind us of a vacation on the beach under palm trees. Fans of minimalism will be surprised.

Blue sofa in living room

Blue is the color of calmness, solitude and relaxation. A sofa in this color is a double power of relaxation. It focuses attention and energizes. Therefore, it is necessary to skillfully combine objects in the interior so as not to disturb the harmony of color and soul.

Combination of blue and white. It’s not worth talking about the versatility of white, with which all shades are combined. And in this case, it will be the perfect classic combination. Only it has one drawback: you can not overdo it with the background. If a blue sofa is placed in a perfectly white living room, the picture will be gloomy, cold and repulsive. The reception room should be comfortable and conducive to communication. You can fix this awkwardness with the help of modular paintings from a yellow or orange palette. Human-height African-themed vases or “golden” floor lamps are another feature of a modern interior.

Combination of blue and yellow. Vanilla or lemon backdrop for a sofa in dark blue is like a sip of water in the scorching heat. This color scheme creates a feeling of relaxation and tranquility, like on vacation. Yellow replaces the sun and sand, and the sofa is a deserted beach. To complete the interior of the living room, just add pillows and curtains to the frame.

Combination with red. It would seem difficult to combine contrasting colors in the reception room. But for designers, nothing is impossible. The blue sofa in the living room with red accents is a modern solution for bold, independent and ambitious people. In such an interior, it is the sofa that occupies the leading place, and pillows, floor vases and accessories can be red.

The combination with brown is a game of roulette. In such a kit, it is necessary to take into account the shade of both blue and brown colors at the same time. One mistake can lead to a problem. The easiest way is to use the color saturation and brightness options.

The combination of a blue sofa with black is original, bold and risky. Both shades are from the cold palette. Both are characterized as cooling emotions. Photo of the interior of the living room in black with a blue sofa:

Advice: do not choose voluminous objects (curtains, wallpaper) in red color - space overload is possible. In any case, this color should be rich and dark: wine, burgundy, ripe cherries.

The "black" color of the living room will perfectly fit a cobalt sofa or dark blue with gray accents. These inserts can be armrests, pillows or ottomans that are attached to the edges. However, you should not get involved in black. You can add several accessories from an adjacent palette to this color element. If we limit ourselves to only decorative items, the proposed color combination may not fully open up.

A blue sofa in the living room interior is a bold and successful solution. It can act as an independent accent or be in the role of an additional element. If you decide to update the guest room, remember that a blue sofa can make your interior exclusive and interesting. The main thing is to use this color in the right combinations.

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Blue Sofa in the interior of the living room living room, with what to combine it and see photo examples of stylish options.

We have already talked about the blue color in the interior, how it affects a person and his perception of space. Now let's figure out how to place a blue sofa in the living room interior, what to combine it with and see photo examples of stylish options.

Contents:

Which materials are best?
Blue velvet sofa
Blue velor sofa
What to combine with a blue sofa?
Where to place?
Blue sofa and blue curtains in the interior
Blue sofa in a gray interior
Quartblog Digest

The blue sofa is an amazingly fashionable piece of furniture in the living room, if you correctly approach the design of the entire space. Therefore, in order to avoid tasteless combinations, you should not use completely contrasting colors in the interior. In the same way as you should not overdo it with plain pieces of furniture. In order for the blue sofa to look harmonious in your home, two or three pieces of furniture of a similar color will be enough.

An interesting combination can be obtained if you add a small coffee table to the blue sofa in the interior, the surface of which will be made of transparent or translucent blue glass. Also, the surface of the table can imitate an iridescent blue mosaic.

The blue sofa will definitely benefit from armchairs of the same shade, it will be good luck if they are included.

Such furniture looks great in rooms decorated in Art Deco, Provence, hi-tech, minimalism and even classic style. The main thing is to choose the right decor.

What is the best material to use?

It is best to choose natural wood as the supporting structure of the sofa, because such a frame will serve you for a long time and reliably. Upholstery can be both smooth and velvety. The polished surface of the armrests and the velvet upholstery of the sofa will look original.

Do not be afraid to add a relief texture to the interior, but in this case, the rest of the furnishings should be done in a simple style: no fleecy carpets, voluminous wall coverings, etc. are allowed. .

By the way, it is important to pay attention not only to the color itself, but also to its saturation. There are a large number of shades of blue, such as indigo, ultramarine, blue, azure, etc. All these shades can be combined in the interior at the same time.

For example, indigo goes well with dark woods or various shades of yellow. This combination of cold and warm shades will look advantageous in your interior.

Another option to pair with a blue sofa would be to have mirrored surfaces in the room, such as a wardrobe with mirrored panels, would be a great addition.

Blue velvet sofa

Velvet has always been associated with wealth and luxury. Even today it has not lost its relevance, and in combination with blue shades, this material will add additional value to the sofa.

Blue velor sofa

Velor and velvet are the same type of fabric, the only difference is that velor has a longer pile.

How to combine a blue sofa?

The decor of the room where the blue sofa will stand should be relaxed and free. A combination of armchairs in the same color scheme or with some contrasting details looks great.

A small glass coffee table or rectangular TV stand will also look original.

The blue sofa can be perfectly complemented by a mirror cabinet or a geometric wall.

A blue sofa can easily get lost in a space filled with lots of furniture, so making this piece part of your room's design is a good idea to set the main focus on it.

What to choose from cabinet furniture?

Next to the blue sofa, multi-level furniture will look best, for example, a modular wall, a wardrobe, a chest of drawers or an elegant bookcase. Also suitable cabinet of the original form.

Where to place?

Definitely do not put the sofa near the window, as bright colors are more susceptible to fading. For a blue sofa, a free wall would be the most suitable place in the living room, but make sure that there is no radiator next to the sofa, as the wooden frame of the furniture can dry out and the upholstery will lose its color.

What can be used as bright accents?

Given that all the bright accents in the room will be concentrated on the blue sofa, it is not recommended to put other colorful objects in the room. But if you really want to add something bright, then you can decorate the sofa with pillows in natural colors, but the shade of the same color as the sofa must be used in the ornament.

If you decide to put a blue sofa in the children's room, then you can also install brightly colored cabinets, but in no case should you add colorful and voluminous accents on the walls, because you will get a clear overabundance in color, and this can negatively affect the mood and condition of your child.

Blue sofa in the interior of the living room - photo examples

Blue sofa and blue curtains in the interior: examples

Often, the combination of the same color for furniture and curtains helps to simplify the design of the living room for the owners of the apartment. Let's see what their union of the color we need looks like.

Blue sofa in a gray interior

Having created a neutral basic atmosphere in the room with gray walls, you can safely fit any color sofa into it. We will show you how exactly the blue sofa looks in a gray interior.

Digest Quartlog

Divannaya Mood: Types of sofas and the best ways to place them-and what is it actually called the sofa of your dreams and where is it suitable? The quartblog will tell you all about sofas: types, styles, features, differences and the best ways to place them.

Blue sofa in the interior: 20 examples - A blue sofa can decorate any living room. We have collected 20 examples for you that will prove it.

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