In this blog, we keep saying that a sofa is one of the biggest furniture investments you will make in your home, and it makes sense to spend some time getting it right. You don’t want to be stuck with a large piece of furniture you use every day that doesn’t do its job well or doesn’t look right. The looks part includes picking the best colour for your sofa. Our guide will help you make the optimal decision on the subject of couch colour.

Think holistically

If you are starting to design the room from a blank canvas, decide on the overall colour scheme of the room (see our guide on colour design for inspiration). And if not, consider your existing décor. The sofa’s colour doesn’t have to match it, but it will need to work with it to create a harmonious whole.

Generally speaking, warm colours and neutrals (red, rust, brown, grey) work well in traditional, ethnic and rustic interiors. Bright shades and stark monochrome go with modern design schemes. These are just general ideas though and you need to consider all of your interior to make sure things fit together.

If your sofa is to be a focus of the room, choosing a contrasting colour to show off against the wall or the flooring will work well. It might even be worth painting the wall to enhance the effect. On the other hand, a sofa in a colour that matches the wall and/or flooring will ‘’disappear’’ into the design and thus will appear smaller and less significant – not a bad thing in a small and busy room.

If you are working with an existing room, neutrals are the safe bet, especially true (and fashionable) neutrals like greys or off-white shades. If want to enliven a mostly-neutral room with a bold choice of colour, look for other design features in your room: maybe a motif in the artwork, an ornament or elements in the rug or curtains.

Don’t forget functionality

Take practicality into account: pale colours are not a great idea in a home with children, messy adults or most pets. If you want to disguise pet hair, choose a sofa in a colour that matches your furry friend’s coat, whether a creamy-while Persian or a black Lab!

Sunlight will cause colour fading, so if your couch is going near the window or in a south or east facing room with large windows that gets flooded with light, choosing a lighter colour or a neutral shade that will fade in a pleasant way (grey, paler brown) might be the way to go.

Consider finishing touches

What about cushions, blankets or throws? Do you already have them? Will you want them matching the sofa or in similar tones, or contrasting ones? Patterned or plain? Do you already have some in mind or even own ones?

Similar questions apply to rugs. If you already have a large area rug, consider how your sofa will work with it. Neutral shades will work with anything, and are the best choice for traditional, usually busy, rug designs (e.g. a Persian ones), while bright coloured sofas need to be either matched with some of the colours present in the rug or paired with a subdued or neutral rug.

Personality matters

Do you pick a decorating scheme and stick with it for many years, or are you prone to flights of fancy and changing your rooms fairly frequently? If the latter is true, pick a sofa in a neutral colour. This way it will not get in the way of your changes, and you will be able to use it as a canvas for various updates and redecoration schemes.

Check our sofa selection for a choice of colours from neutrals and warm browns to bright reds, pastel blues and vivid teals.