How to choose the color of a sofa to match the interior: tips and ready-made solutions

General tips for choosing a sofa

Before choosing the color of the sofa in the interior, it is worth considering the basic rules:

• Ideally, the design of the room should be thought out before the renovation begins, so that the desired color combinations are clear in advance. If you have the opportunity, it is better to contact a professional designer during the planning stage.
• Choose the shade of the upholstery consciously and thoughtfully, because the colors we find ourselves among affect our state. If you want to buy a sofa with bright upholstery, you should think about whether this is a momentary desire? Will you get tired of the color after a year or a few?
• Focus not on trends and fashionable solutions, but on your preferences. If, for example, gray sofas are popular in all catalogs at some point, this does not mean that this will suit you too.
• Decide what you expect from a sofa. Will you unfold it every day and use it as a bed? Is the capacity of the boxes and their presence in general important? There are many sofa folding mechanisms on the market, from which you can choose a model that suits your request.
• Pay attention to the upholstery material: will stains be easy to remove? The question is especially relevant if you are looking for kitchen furniture or if there are small children in the family.

Universality or declaration

Catalogs and magazines of sofas with photographs of identical models in different colors contain illustrations of professional design of space in the context of combining their upholstery with room decoration, other furniture and decorative textiles.

Finding the best option starts with defining the concept. There are two main directions: universal, in which the general principles of contrast and tonal combination apply, and declarative, which allows you to make bold, non-standard decisions.

Selection by type of room

The second important factor when choosing a sofa is the type of room. Here again you need to focus on psychology: is the room intended for rest and sleep or for communication and leisure? Is the color “suitable” for the residents of an apartment, house or specific room?

Kitchen

The main thing to consider when choosing a sofa for the kitchen is its size. Plain white or beige sofas are better suited for small kitchens: they visually expand the space. Bright upholstery may look inharmonious: like a bright spot that will be difficult to beat.

In large kitchens and especially in layouts where the cooking area is combined with a dining room or even a living room, bright sofas, on the contrary, look great: they zone the space and visually expand it.

Note! When choosing a sofa for your kitchen, make sure that the upholstery is easy to remove stains. A great option is leather sofas.

An example of harmonious zoning of space in the kitchen

Living room

In living rooms, the sofa becomes the center around which the whole family and guests gather. Because of this, it is better to implement bold and unusual ideas in the living room: bright sofas and colors with patterns look appropriate and harmonious here. You can choose calmer options: in this regard, the living room is the most versatile room.

A successful and unusual combination of orange, lavender and white colors

When choosing a sofa for the living room, take into account the interior of the room, the amount of light in it (rooms facing the non-sunny side are best “brightened” with white furniture) and the size of the room.

A beige sofa brightens the living room

Bedroom

For the bedroom, choose sofas in neutral and soft soothing shades: beige, light brown, light gray. Often, especially if you choose a folding sofa for sleeping, darker upholstery in natural tones looks organic.

Remember that the bedroom should first of all be calm and comfortable. Brightness can be added with lighter elements than the sofa: with tulle and curtains, wall panels or paintings.

Kumo sofa bed is a great model for the bedroom

Children's

When choosing a sofa for a nursery, also consider whether the child will sleep on it. If so, it is better, as in the bedroom, not to buy sofas in flashy colors: they can interfere with relaxation.

In general, in recent years the trend of colorfully decorating children's bedrooms has been weakening. Practical considerations play an important role: too “childish” an interior will become uncomfortable for a teenager, and he will have to make repairs again and buy new furniture.

Sofa bed in a girl's bedroom

Here we have selected trending colors for 2022.

Repeat principle

The easiest way to choose a sofa is to choose a color that is already in the room. This approach is often used if a sofa with flowers, ornaments or other patterns is chosen, one of the elements of which must necessarily match the color of the surroundings (decor, furniture, trim).

Using the same principle, you can fit monochrome upholstery into an interior with multi-color wallpaper, carpets, and curtains. This color repetition scheme also works well in black and white designs.

Shade palettes and features of their use

To make it easier to plan color combinations, shades are divided into several groups: monochrome, neutral and saturated.

Monochrome palette

Monochrome shades are white, black and gray. These basic tones can be used in all styles and in combination with any other colors. Monochrome shades “dilute” the interior and give it harmony.

• White is a color that can visually enlarge a room and make it lighter, which is important if the windows do not face the sunny side.

Advice! If you are choosing a sofa for a small room, consider white or light models: they will “expand” the space. Dark small sofas in small rooms, on the contrary, are best avoided.

White sofa in the interior

• Black is a more “dangerous” option, which, however, looks great in spacious rooms and loft and minimalist styles. Perfectly balances other colors and adds severity and masculinity, suitable for work spaces and living rooms.

Black sofa in the living room

• Gray is a universal color that goes with all bright shades. Unlike white and black, this is a softer and more relaxing monochrome. Suitable for any room, popular in Scandinavian and classic styles, Provence and minimalism.

Idea! When combining some rich color and white or black, it is better to add gray elements: they will soften the space and make it more comfortable.

A gray sofa fits into any interior

Palette of neutral shades

Neutrals include all muted and not very saturated tones: beige, brown, light pink, lavender, tiffany, light blue and others. They are suitable for decorating cozy bedrooms and living rooms.

A good example of a sofa in a neutral shade is the pink Lucia sofa

Rich shades

Bright colors are used to create an accent and enliven a room. They have a tonic effect, so they look natural in kitchens and living rooms. Such colors can be called dangerous: it is important to observe moderation and not accidentally make the room too catchy.

Be sure to balance rich colors with monochrome and neutrals, and use two or more bright colors in the same room with caution.

A good example of a combination of bright colors

Monochrome neutrality

Light and muted neutral lights, which are variants of gray or beige, are available in hundreds of tint solutions with imaginative names: silver gray, dove, rose ash, sea pebbles, marzipan, incense, seaweed color, etc.

Such a chameleon sofa can become a backdrop for stylish, bright decor, emphasizing the elegance of classics and the severity of minimalism.

Fashion trends are adjusting the options for choosing neutral colors; if previously a gray sofa was considered a favorite, giving freedom in defining the palette, now it is giving way to mixed natural shades of brown and green.

Color schemes when decorating a room

Color schemes are ready-made options that describe the principle of combining shades in a room. The names of color schemes are similar to the names of shade palettes, it is important not to confuse them!

Monochrome design

The simplest principle of combination is monochrome. In this case, the entire room is decorated in the same color scheme, but using several different shades and usually white, black or gray “for dilution.”

In a monochrome design, the sofa is often, but not always, the element of the richest tone.

Monochrome living room in white

Neutral design

Neutral design is the most comfortable option. All furniture and decor are chosen in soft colors that are comfortable to the eye, often a combination of black, gray and white or white and brown in different tones.

With a neutral design, depth and completeness are achieved not so much by combining colors, but by combining different textures.

Living room in beige tones

Bright sofa and neutral background

By choosing a sofa that will become an accent in the neutral design of the room, you can make the room more interesting and complete. In addition, this is a great way of zoning.

There are no elements in the room of the same color as the sofa, but the interior looks harmonious

Neutral sofa in a room with a bright design

In this case, the sofa and all the furniture act as elements that balance the bright walls, thereby achieving balance. The shades of sofas for this purpose are chosen to be basic, but not too harsh, for example, not pure white or black, but ivory or dark gray.

Dark gray sofa in a bright living room

Bright sofa and bright decor

A bold solution for living rooms is a combination of several bright colors in one room. Usually, in order for the composition to look harmonious, the walls are made white or white with a catchy pattern, and the furniture is chosen in different colors, but approximately the same saturation.

You can also play up the deep tones of the upholstery: for example, choose bright wallpaper and elements for a purple sofa.

Purple sofa in a bright living room

How to choose the right one

• You should not choose furniture only according to the fashionable color of the season. Fashion passes, but furniture remains .
• If the interior design is being worked out from scratch, you need to take into account the combination of objects throughout the room .
• Choose furniture to match the tone of the walls. For example, for pale walls, choose the same shade of sofa upholstery, but brighter. And vice versa, match the bright walls with a pale sofa of the same color category.
• The tone of the furniture is selected according to the room in which it will be located.

Choosing a sofa to suit the style of the room

If you adhere to a specific design style, then the sofa should fit organically into it. Designers have developed ready-made combinations for different directions to make choosing the color of the sofa easier:

• Classic

Solid neutral shades of brown, gray, white, beige.

Gray Angelic sofa in a classic style interior

• Art Deco

Red, black, blue sofas.

For interiors in the Art Deco style, dark-colored sofas are often chosen

• Retro

Rich warm shades: brown, yellow-brown, orange-red, beige-orange.

When decorating a room in a retro style, try not to make it too dark. For example, yellow-orange or patterned wallpaper will go well with a brown sofa, but it is important to consider the amount of light in the room.

Light brown sofa in a retro interior

• High tech

Acid and bright colors, often plain upholstery.

An example of a successful combination of blue and neutral shades

• Minimalism

Plain upholstery. Gray, white, black are suitable.

A characteristic combination for minimalism: gray, white, black and beige

• Provence

Delicate and light shades of blue, lilac, pink, beige. Sofas with neutral patterns fit in.

White sofa in Provence style in the living room

• Country

Natural tones: yellow, green, beige, brown. Sofas with a combination of different colors and bright colors are suitable.

For country style, it is important to choose natural and deep upholstery tones.

• Scandinavian style

Soft and soothing shades, plain upholstery. Grey, white, beige.

Simple sofa shapes with white, gray and beige upholstery suit Scandinavian style

Advice! The most universal colors of sofas are neutral and light or medium-saturated. These colors fit into any interior, and this is the simplest solution. It is only important that the color of the sofa does not completely coincide with the shade of the walls: for example, the color of the sofa with beige wallpaper should be several tones richer or lighter.

What color sofa will go with blue wallpaper?

If the interior contains blue, brown, light blue colors, you can safely choose a sofa in bright green or dark green. White. Peace, inspiration, goodness - these are the main feelings from this color.

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Principles for selecting color combinations

The last point that must be taken into account when deciding how to choose the color of the sofa to match the interior is the rules and methods of combining colors with each other.

Itten Circle

The Itten Circle is a tool that helps designers and artists choose harmonious color combinations, and an excellent cheat sheet for those who are thinking about what color of the sofa to choose.

There are two popular options for the circle. The first consists of 12 compartments, the second “continues” each color with several of its shades: from more saturated to less saturated.

To decide on a color palette, it is easier to use a circle with 12 compartments.

Below are 6 color combination options. You can visually scroll through the circles, changing colors to find the right combination.

Itten circle: color combinations

It’s easier and more convenient to use Itten’s interactive circles, which can easily be found on the Internet. For example, to find out what color of the sofa will go with beige wallpaper, just select the beige color and choose from ready-made color combinations.

Advice! Use the Itten circle if you choose a sofa with a pattern or upholstery in several colors. The combination of colors in the sofa should be in harmony with the color scheme of the room and, especially, with wallpaper and curtains.

A living room in gray tones looks complete thanks to lilac elements

Ready-made color solutions. How to correctly combine the color of a sofa and wallpaper

A table of ready-made color solutions can help when choosing a sofa to match the color of the wallpaper. Please note that most interiors use more than two colors. To select such a combination, it is better to work with the Itten circle.

Also think about the color of the curtains in advance: usually, like the sofa, they become the second large element that attracts attention. There is even a classic rule: curtains and a sofa should be the same color, and there should be few other similar elements in the room.

However, today designers adhere to this rule less and less. For example, if you are thinking about what kind of curtains will go with a brown sofa, it is better not to choose dark tones, including brown ones: then the room will look gloomy even with light wallpaper.

Advice! Consider the amount of light in the room: if there is not enough light, it is better that the wallpaper or at least the sofa and curtains are light. For small rooms, consider interiors with a predominance of white.

Table of solutions for matching a sofa to the color of the wallpaper

Dark or light?

The desired shade is determined in accordance with the decoration of the room; the sofa can be lighter or darker in tone, or completely match the decoration of the walls, creating a merging effect.

It is considered a bad decision to place a dark sofa on a dark floor; in such cases, it is necessary to refresh the color scheme with a light carpet.

White – soft beauty

White sofas remain a dream for many, because it is generally accepted that only neat perfectionists can afford such a choice.

But if you look at the problem of maintaining cleanliness without bias, you can agree that ease of care is determined not so much by color as by the quality of the material.

A snow-white sofa surrounded by white walls creates a unique atmosphere of airiness and openness. It is originally combined with the texture of wood of all shades and traditional oriental carpets.

This traditional attribute of the Mediterranean interior, over time, became the main trump card of modernism, which allows you to paint the walls and floors black, install a sofa in front of a panoramic window, update the possibilities of black and white design, use white in an unusual combination with a spectrum of warm colors, especially orange and variations of red.

Red upholstered furniture in the interior

For a red sofa, color plans No. 1 and No. 4 are most suitable. That is, it is better to choose a red sofa for a monochrome interior or as a bright accent for a neutral interior.

Red sofa against a terracotta wall: monochrome scheme

The red sofa itself is very bright, so introducing it into the interior of a different color can result in a heavy, oppressive combination, which can make the interior seem overly colorful and noisy.

If you still decide on a bright combination, combine red upholstered furniture with light green, golden orange and golden yellow. You can combine it with muted blue, but this combination is, as they say, not for everyone.