How to dress your sofa (beyond cushions & throws)!
It's the centrepiece of the living room and gets a lot of use, so choosing a sofa that looks good and feels cosy is important. But don't underestimate the power of styling – a sofa will look bare without accessories and cluttered with too many.
It's all about finding the perfect balance, and it goes beyond throws and cushions, although they are a good place to start. That empty space above your sofa needs filling to avoid it looking like an afterthought; your coffee will need a landing spot close by; and long legs could do with a pouffe for better lounging.
'Pulling your sofas closer together, adding a plush pouffe or footstool, and bringing in new side tables with lamps can quickly alter the ambience,' says Marie Goodwin, head designer at Prestigious Textiles.
Here are nine ways to style your sofa like a pro.
Adding a throw or blanket is styling 101: handy for chilly evenings and an easy way to add colour or to soften a sofa that looks super contemporary.
We are big fans of swapping out accessories seasonally, so during spring/summer, choose something patterned and lightweight, and swap for a chunky wool throw in autumn/winter.
'You can either drape it around the top of the sofa or on the arms to create a cosy feel,' says interior designer Vanessa Arbuthnott. 'It is a great way to bring in an added texture and perfect for snuggling up on winter nights.'
You could also place your throw over the seat cushions – this can help to preserve the cushion fabric as well as provide protection from potential spills or scuff marks from pets and children.
'You can transform your sofa by layering in new cushions – it's the ultimate easy update,' says Sarah Keady, House Beautiful's style director. 'Mix different texture and fabrics together with accessories to add interest to your sofa and keep it all super tactile.'
If you go for patterned cushions, cluster them together in groups – keep your geometrics together, or your florals together, and so on. For something a little more considered, Vanessa suggests placing one on each sofa cushion and using some colour block pillows in between to brighten.
Go for varying shapes and heights so it all looks informal and relaxed. 'Layering is key when styling your cushions,' says Samuel Platt, creative design manager at Homebase. 'Different sized cushions sit well together for maximum impact. This creates a more voluminous look and can really elevate your living space.'
Adding a tall plant to the side of your sofa balances and frames the space. 'Opt for a vibrant all-green plant as it soothes the eye and provides a modern yet balanced look,' says Vanessa.
To introduce height and spread, opt for a tall, statement plant such as Swiss cheese plant, fiddle leaf fig, kentia palm, or cast iron plant, which can be positioned behind the sofa in a corner.
'To make more of a feature, add a collection of different plants in varying heights – plants like philodendrons and monsteras love growing alongside one another, so experiment placing them together,' advise the plant experts at Leaf Envy.
Bookend your sofa with a small side table, much like you would a bedside table. 'A side table next to your sofa is great to keep everything within arms reach whilst you relax,' says Sarah. 'It doesn’t need to be big, just enough for the essentials like a cuppa and the remote control.'
If you dot several side tables around your space or place one between two sofas, go for a curved design. ‘With no sharp corners, a round table lends itself to being more social, letting conversation flow naturally across and around it,’ says Martin Waller, founder of Andrew Martin.
A coffee table is an essential living room item and is often centred, placed directly in front of the sofa. Coffee table styling is the finishing touch in a living room. Camilla Clarke, creative director at Albion Nord, shares her top four tricks:
Play with scale; display larger items like big coffee table books and backgammon boards with smaller bowls or books
Avoid lots of small items that can make a coffee table look cluttered
However beautiful the arrangement, practicality is very important. Make sure there is enough space to put everyday things down, like a cup of coffee, book, or to put your feet up on
Make sure it feels relaxed and usable rather than staged or untouchable; include pieces that you use and love.
A floor lamp will frame your sofa much in the way that an indoor plant will. 'Lighting is so important in living rooms – use task lights to create a cosy corner as the evening draws in, ideal for a reading nook,' says Sarah.
Consider how it will look when not in use as well. ‘Choose bold designs featuring sculptural shapes, interesting texture or coloured glass to make a style statement, even when the light is switched off. Think of your lamp as an art piece or sculpture, like a design-led finishing touch,' says Martin.
Rugs are a great way to add some texture or pattern in your space and bring all of your furniture together.
You might prefer to have a soft and sumptuous rug directly in front of your sofa – perfect for sinking your feet into at the end of a long day. If possible, avoid the 'floating rug' look – a rug that sits in the middle of your living room without touching any adjacent furniture – and instead, go big. Choose a large rug that can sit comfortably under your sofa, coffee table, and at the very least, skim nearby armchairs or footstools.
Consider layering rugs too. 'Both practical and playful, layering rugs is a beautiful way of making a design statement that is uniquely individual and allows you to express your creativity through pairing different colours and patterns. Layering rugs wonderfully ties a room together, bringing additional warmth and colour into a space,' says Jodie Hatton, design manager at Brintons.
Footstools, pouffes, and ottomans perfectly complement a sofa – especially if it's a matching set – and depending on its size, it can act as additional seating for guests. Some footstools come with storage features, perfect for stowing away magazines, throws, and blankets.
'Often an overlooked piece of furniture, footstools can be a real hero for the home,' says Jemma Jaques, visual design lead at The Lounge Co. 'Not only do they add depth, colour and personality to your living space, but they also act as occasional seating if you're entertaining friends as well as a place to clear away the clutter if you opt for a storage footstool.'
If you have space above your sofa, fill it. Add your favourite artwork, hang quilts, or create a whole gallery wall. 'It can be a nice touch to fill some wooden frames with a few bold colours which mirror your sofa colours and coordinate with your theme,' says Vanessa.
'The sofa is often the investment piece of your living room so give it the love it deserves by framing it with your favourite prints,' adds Sarah.
Whatever you choose, go for an arrangement which is symmetrical and visually appealing. 'It may sound obvious, but how you frame, mount or display your artwork can change how you see it. A smaller artwork or photograph can instantly be made twice the size simply by getting it reframed with a mount and a new contemporary frame,' says Elinor Olisa Barikor, seasoned art expert and co-founder of DegreeArt.com.
'Another trick is to try painting a square or rectangle directly on the wall (a sample pot from a DIY store should be enough) and hanging your artwork over a colour block to make it truly pop.'
Follow House Beautiful on TikTok and Instagram.
You Might Also Like
