9 Creative Ways to Style Your Sofa
Inspiring design tips to create a sofa that’s both beautiful and wonderfully cosy
Your living room is likely to be seen by guests as well as you and your family, so your sofa needs to be both aesthetically pleasing and comfortable at the same time. Here are some tips on how to achieve a beautiful-looking sofa that’s still a great place to curl up after a hard day’s work.
Use the same colour, but different patterns…
Choose cushion fabrics from the same collection, but with different patterns. It will allow you to bravely mix designs without them clashing. Here, the homeowners have matched accessories to the main fabric colour for a cohesive scheme. You could cover an ottoman or armchair in a plain fabric of your chosen colour to really tie it in.
Choose cushion fabrics from the same collection, but with different patterns. It will allow you to bravely mix designs without them clashing. Here, the homeowners have matched accessories to the main fabric colour for a cohesive scheme. You could cover an ottoman or armchair in a plain fabric of your chosen colour to really tie it in.
…or use the same pattern, but different colours
If you want to mix colour and pattern, but are unsure how, a good way is to find a fabric that comes in more than one colourway. Here, the same fabric has been used to make wall panels; you could do the same with a throw, or commission a rug in an oversized version of the pattern.
If you want to mix colour and pattern, but are unsure how, a good way is to find a fabric that comes in more than one colourway. Here, the same fabric has been used to make wall panels; you could do the same with a throw, or commission a rug in an oversized version of the pattern.
Calm your sofa with neutrals
This room has a very Zen look, even with the bright artwork. By using different-shaped neutrals, and placing them in an orderly way, the look is calm and serene.
To add more interest, choose a neutral pattern for the square cushions.
Find more inspiring ways with neutrals
This room has a very Zen look, even with the bright artwork. By using different-shaped neutrals, and placing them in an orderly way, the look is calm and serene.
To add more interest, choose a neutral pattern for the square cushions.
Find more inspiring ways with neutrals
Play around with brights
The trend for dark walls is still going strong, and nothing looks more striking than some bright accessories arranged against them.
These luminous yellow dachshund cushions are particularly fun, adding humour as well as colour. A bright pink or yellow throw would also look great on the sofa, adding a large expanse of solid colour.
The trend for dark walls is still going strong, and nothing looks more striking than some bright accessories arranged against them.
These luminous yellow dachshund cushions are particularly fun, adding humour as well as colour. A bright pink or yellow throw would also look great on the sofa, adding a large expanse of solid colour.
Create a gallery of cushions
Each cushion here is like a different work of art. Don’t be afraid to mix completely different images, as long as the colours work together and the designs are of a similar style.
For instance, the two cushions on the outside have a white background and are the same shape, while the central ones bring in colours from the larger pair. A throw that picks up one of the colours would look fabulous.
Each cushion here is like a different work of art. Don’t be afraid to mix completely different images, as long as the colours work together and the designs are of a similar style.
For instance, the two cushions on the outside have a white background and are the same shape, while the central ones bring in colours from the larger pair. A throw that picks up one of the colours would look fabulous.
Pile ’em high
If you have a very large living space, you could put together some day beds, as these homeowners have. Pile them high with lots of different-sized cushions, so people can create their own mini seating area among them.
The same effect could be created with a single day bed in place of a normal sofa. It makes for a very easy sofa bed!
Find inspiration from these day beds
If you have a very large living space, you could put together some day beds, as these homeowners have. Pile them high with lots of different-sized cushions, so people can create their own mini seating area among them.
The same effect could be created with a single day bed in place of a normal sofa. It makes for a very easy sofa bed!
Find inspiration from these day beds
Add a linking colour
When you have different-coloured pieces of furniture, it’s a good idea to keep the cushions more uniform. These homeowners have gone for a monochrome mix, but by adding hot pink tassels to the corners, the cushions tie in with the pink chair and stop the sofa disappearing.
Another option would have been to have a mix of cushions picking out either the pink from the chair or the yellow from the ottoman.
When you have different-coloured pieces of furniture, it’s a good idea to keep the cushions more uniform. These homeowners have gone for a monochrome mix, but by adding hot pink tassels to the corners, the cushions tie in with the pink chair and stop the sofa disappearing.
Another option would have been to have a mix of cushions picking out either the pink from the chair or the yellow from the ottoman.
Be bold with monochrome
Black and white accessories are really stylish, and you can add as many patterns as you like, as they look great all mixed up. You could jazz up a sofa like this with a brightly coloured plain throw, or even a monochrome patterned one.
TELL US…
How do you style your sofa? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
Black and white accessories are really stylish, and you can add as many patterns as you like, as they look great all mixed up. You could jazz up a sofa like this with a brightly coloured plain throw, or even a monochrome patterned one.
TELL US…
How do you style your sofa? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
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Lots of strong colours have been used here, but the overall look is incredibly smart. The simple design, with complementary artwork, is all about symmetry. The lime green colour would look great picked out on a rug beneath the sofa.
Discover 9 ways to be brave with colour