7 Ways to Disguise Your Sofa if You Don't Love it
Bored with your couch? Check out these ideas for changing its look without starting from scratch
Susannah Hutchison
5 February 2018
Houzz Contributor
We head there to relax at the end of the day, so the more inviting your sofa looks, the better. But as a big investment piece, it’s not something most of us can upgrade whenever the fancy takes us. Or maybe you inherited your sofa from friends or family, or you’re in a rented home where the couch was in situ and it was never to your taste in the first place. Whatever the cause of your sofa dissatisfaction, have a look at the ideas below for disguising it in plain sight…
Nip and tuck
Are you a flinger or a folder? When it comes to throws, there are two approaches – the artfully crumpled or the neatly placed. Here, the backs of the dark sofas now look much lighter thanks to the addition of the throws, and tucking them in creates a smarter, more permanent feel.
Are you a flinger or a folder? When it comes to throws, there are two approaches – the artfully crumpled or the neatly placed. Here, the backs of the dark sofas now look much lighter thanks to the addition of the throws, and tucking them in creates a smarter, more permanent feel.
Add colour with chairs
You can’t go wrong with a neutral sofa, but if you’re wishing you’d been a bit braver when agonising over the colour swatches, compensate with chairs instead. These models in soft blue velvet add a gentle dose of colour to the room and tone with the patterned rug and sofa cushions.
If space (and/or budget) is limited, search for a cocktail-style chair (or chairs) without arms instead of a more traditional armchair.
Love the idea of velvet? Have a look at these lush sofas
You can’t go wrong with a neutral sofa, but if you’re wishing you’d been a bit braver when agonising over the colour swatches, compensate with chairs instead. These models in soft blue velvet add a gentle dose of colour to the room and tone with the patterned rug and sofa cushions.
If space (and/or budget) is limited, search for a cocktail-style chair (or chairs) without arms instead of a more traditional armchair.
Love the idea of velvet? Have a look at these lush sofas
Blend it with a dark wall
If that bold-coloured sofa you fell in love with when you bought it no longer quite fits with your design ethos, why not try painting the wall behind it in a toning dark hue? This makes the seat blend into the overall room, rather than drawing the eye as it would if placed in front of a white or pale wall.
If that bold-coloured sofa you fell in love with when you bought it no longer quite fits with your design ethos, why not try painting the wall behind it in a toning dark hue? This makes the seat blend into the overall room, rather than drawing the eye as it would if placed in front of a white or pale wall.
Accessorise with care
It’s easy to chuck on some cushions willy-nilly, but for a more measured masking act, choose a selection of colour-coordinated cushions that are all the same size and shape, then add a neatly folded throw over the arm of the sofa.
Check out these living room lighting ideas
It’s easy to chuck on some cushions willy-nilly, but for a more measured masking act, choose a selection of colour-coordinated cushions that are all the same size and shape, then add a neatly folded throw over the arm of the sofa.
Check out these living room lighting ideas
Cover with layers
Neat and ordered not your thing? Embrace a more laid-back approach and layer up cushions, rugs and blankets in a variety of shapes and colours. The key to this look is confidence: don’t be timid – pile ’em high, so the overall look is deliberately eclectic.
Neat and ordered not your thing? Embrace a more laid-back approach and layer up cushions, rugs and blankets in a variety of shapes and colours. The key to this look is confidence: don’t be timid – pile ’em high, so the overall look is deliberately eclectic.
Distract with pattern
Patterned cushions add instant interest, but for a double dose of disguise, deceive the eye into looking beyond the sofa with bold decoration. Here, a graphic design has been painted onto the wall behind the couch, but a high-impact wallpaper would have the same effect.
Browse sofas in the Houzz Shop
Patterned cushions add instant interest, but for a double dose of disguise, deceive the eye into looking beyond the sofa with bold decoration. Here, a graphic design has been painted onto the wall behind the couch, but a high-impact wallpaper would have the same effect.
Browse sofas in the Houzz Shop
Design around it
Rather than trying to hide it, liven up a plain, dark sofa with monochrome accessories throughout the rest of the room. Here, what could have been a fairly staid choice now works as an integral part of a stylish design scheme.
How have you disguised a sofa? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
Rather than trying to hide it, liven up a plain, dark sofa with monochrome accessories throughout the rest of the room. Here, what could have been a fairly staid choice now works as an integral part of a stylish design scheme.
How have you disguised a sofa? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
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I bought brown couches and have thrown blue patterned material over the easy chairs. They were going to be loose fitted covers but that never happened. While I'm generally ok with it - the aim was a Moroccan feel - I'm thinking coastal for summer by cheating and throwing sheets over couches which can be thrown into the washing machine with some blue on white cushions. Already got seashells and glass containers from previous versions of decorating