The living room is often the hub of the home, with the family sofa at its heart. Living room sofa ideas will significantly impact the overall look and feel of your living space, so choosing a comfy couch that looks great and suits the space too is vital.
Choosing a living room sofa is the first step; incorporating it into your living room ideas comes next. Cushions and throws are easy to add extra colour to a plain living room sofa. Picking complementary colours and patterns that match an existing colour scheme will tie everything together.
Living room sofa ideas
‘If all-over colour and pattern isn’t for you, consider statement detailing,’ says Suzy McMahon, Buying Director at Sofology. ‘Intricate aspects can elevate the style and make a living room sofa feel more luxurious. Whether you prefer buttoning, contrast piping, or hand-turned feet, remember that these small design features make a big difference.’
‘As a sofa should be a purchase you will love for years to come, consider shapes, colours and patterns carefully to ensure you opt for a style that will work not only with your current scheme but also transfers to a new look. If in doubt, opt for a neutral design where you can add patterns, colours and textures as and when trends change.’
1. Make a statement with a standout colour
Forget safe neutrals and make your living room sofa the focal point by choosing a bold, standout colour. Bright colours can energise a space and be a natural mood lifter. Let the sofa colour be the starting point for your colour scheme and bring in soft furnishings and extra accent pieces in complementary shades of equal intensity.
‘From a style perspective, remember that a sofa is often the centrepiece of the room, says Suzy McMahon, Buying Director at Sofology. ‘A new upholstery piece is a perfect opportunity to add personality and colour, so consider this when browsing designs.’
‘It’s tempting to pick a neutral style or colour on the basis that you may redecorate, however when investing in a new piece, it’s worth opting for a design and fabric that you’ll love for many years to come to increase its longevity.’
2. Lift a neutral sofa with colour accents
While bright colours are certainly more eye-catching than neutrals, neutral sofas are hard to beat in terms of versatility. A neutral sofa makes an excellent base for any living room sofa ideas scheme, around which you can create a variety of different looks and colour themes.
Dress up a neutral sofa with colourful cushions and throws line-up, mixing and matching different patterns and colour combinations. Please don’t leave it there though, extend your colour theme to include artwork on the wall above the sofa in cheery, complementary tones and bring in a brightly patterned rug in front of the couch to tie the look together.
3. Create a sociable seating arrangement
Create symmetry in a living room by using the sofa as an anchor point to arrange other furniture.
‘Many homes will naturally have all the seating facing the TV, but by simply adjusting the seating so that it’s facing each other, it will completely transform the space into an area for conversation,’ says Charlie Marshall, founder of Loaf.
‘The balance of two sofas facing each other, or even a sofa and two armchairs, will always be visually appealing. If it’s a family room, the sofa will likely be the main feature – and this could be a corner sofa or chaise. Create balance with a coffee table or storage footstool and an armchair or love seat to one side, which adds weight. The trick is not to group too much furniture in one area.’
4. Zone living space with a corner sofa
Clever furniture placement is an easy way of breaking up a large area, such as an open-plan living space. Use a corner sofa to create a cosy snug within a larger space, with the back of the couch acting as a room divider. Bring in a large rug as an anchor point, choosing a colourful pattern that coordinates with sofa scatter cushions.
‘In a flexible space, there are some pieces of furniture that will work harder than others, so it’s important to shop wisely and choose something that you love,’ says Jason Billings-Cray of John Lewis & Partners. ‘Use a corner sofa to section off a zone, choosing a mid-dark colour that will withstand its proximity to the kitchen.’
‘Choose an adaptable palette for an open-plan space, saving colour and pattern for a separate room where you can go a little crazier as you aren’t there the whole time.’
5. Pair a grey sofa with punchy brights
Bolder than neutrals but calmer than brights, grey is one of the most popular colour options for sofas. Grey sofa living room ideas are plentiful, as grey tends to be neutral to be partnered with a wide range of colour choices.
Grey comes in many variations, from pale and interesting to dark and dramatic. Opt for a mid-toned grey in a traditional setting, with a classic sofa shape and plush velvet upholstery for an elegant look. Team mid-toned grey with bright accent colours, such as jewel-toned cushions, plush throws, rugs and accessories
“The scale of your sofa is important,’ says Patricia Gibbons on the Design Team at Sofa.com. ‘Too big, and it can feel like it engulfs the room, too small, and you’ll be fighting over the best seat.’
‘Smaller rooms benefit from sofas with slimmer proportions and sleek silhouettes. Choose a model with elegant, tapered legs which raise the frame from the floor to give the illusion of more floor space. These larger-scale pieces feel more statement and create an anchor to design around without overpowering a large living room. They also help zone, effectively acting as a room divider.’
6. Mix and match cushions like a pro
Rather than throwing a pile of cushions on the sofa and hoping for the best, try a technique that stylists use to make their couches look like a million dollars.
When it comes to colours, follow the rule of three. Be led by the room’s colour palette and use three colours pulled from different room areas, such as wall colour, curtains and perhaps a rug or flooring. Mix and match these three colours for your cushions, using plains, mini weaves and larger-scale patterns, but keeping to the same three colours for a cohesive look.
‘As upholstery pieces are the bigger items in a space, they tend to require a little more thought in terms of colour and fabric pairings,’ says Patricia Gibbons on the Design Team at Sofa.com.
‘If you’re searching for something that will instantly refresh the feel of a room, switch up your cushions, choosing hues that reflect the season. This is a quick way to add in a new splash of colour and update the overall aesthetics of a room without splurging on a sofa.’
7. Pick a rug that suits your sofa
Choosing a rug to go in front of a sofa can be tricky and quickly wrong. ‘A living room rug can be used to define a living area and to combine sofa and chairs into one unit,’ say the rug experts at Benita.
‘In a large living room, a spacious seating corner can be accentuated by a large, cuddly rug and create the perfect feel-good zone. With large rugs, it makes sense to place all seating, like sofas and chairs, fully on the rug.’
‘If the living room is a little smaller, the rug should be proportionally smaller, and only the front legs of the sofa or chairs should be placed on the rug. For small living room ideas, position the rug directly in front of seating, with small furniture such as a coffee table positioned directly on the rug.’
8. Bring balance with a colourful backdrop
Neutral living rooms are relaxing and easy on the eye, but they can feel flat and lifeless without any contrast colour or texture if you’re not careful. Introducing a coloured panel behind a sofa will break up a plain wall and create a contrasting backdrop for a seating area.
Try adding a false half wall or a panelled area behind a sofa painted in a complementary tone. Running a narrow ledge along the top edge will give a display area that can be prettied up with colourful artwork, ceramics and ornaments.
Choose a muted shade for paintwork and tweak your existing colour scheme by bringing in extra touches that match the backdrop colour here and there on cushions, throws, rugs and artwork.
9. Wax lyrical with a quotation on the wall
Think about decorating the wall behind the sofa as another way of incorporating your new sofa into an existing scheme.
The empty area of wall space above a sofa is a prime spot for a piece of artwork. As an alternative to pictures and prints, why not choose a heart-warming quotation instead. A line or two from a favourite poem or perhaps a saying that holds sentimental value with the family are both lovely ideas.
Use vinyl wall stickers to create your wordy wall art. Companies such as Etsy or Notonthehighstreet.com have a range of ready-made quotations ready to go up onto a wall, or you could have a bespoke piece made to order.
Size-wise, choose a piece that measures roughly two-thirds the width of the sofa and position letters dead centre to fill as much of the space above the couch as you can.
10. Mix it up with multi-functional sofa seating
Image credit: Sofology
Sectional modular sofas are a fab idea for family living spaces as seating is easy to re-arrange or add to when your needs change. Instead of a one-colour scheme, shake it up a little by going for a colourful mix of seating in a corner arrangement. Shades of soft grey teamed with mellow mustard feel cosy and warm and are fun for a family den or snug.
‘To maximise space without compromising comfort, consider a corner sofa or chaise,’ says Suzy McMahon, Buying Director at Sofology. ‘Not only are they great for relaxing, but the length also serves as an integrated footstool that saves additional space in the room. Selecting a style with hidden storage can also help make the most of a small room, negating the need for additional bulky furniture in the area.’
How do I choose the right sofa for my room?
Selecting the perfect sofa is a very personal choice and will balance many factors including practicality, comfort, style and budget,’ says Suzy McMahon, Buying Director at Sofology. ‘The initial practical considerations are fairly straightforward; think about the space you have in your room, how many you would like to seat and the level of support you prefer.’
‘Make sure you measure your room accurately and, if you have an existing sofa, use that as a benchmark to understand any differing dimensions of a new model. In an empty room, a good tip is to lay down newspapers to help you visualise the footprint the sofa will use’ advises Suzy.
‘Don’t forget when considering sizing; you’ll need to allow for legroom and space to move around the sofa. Additionally, you’ll need to think about how you will get the sofa into the home. Delivery is a key stage in the process, so make sure hallways and doors are wide enough to accommodate your sofa.’
What direction should a sofa be placed?
This depends on your living room’s size, shape, and architectural features, as often, these will dictate where the sofa has to go. A general rule is to position the couch facing the room’s main focal point, such as a fireplace, window, or TV. But it can be tricky in a room with no natural focal point.
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Always consider the balance of the room before positioning the sofa. Too many visually-heavy pieces of furniture on one side of the living room will make it feel unbalanced. A sofa tends to be quite large and hefty, so try to even this out by positioning the couch on one side with armchairs opposite.
If you have a coffee table positioned between the two, leave a little breathing space around to give the room a better sense of flow and not impede traffic.