It’s time. You’ve been living with your sofa for a long, long time. It’s got a style. But it’s not your design style anymore. So it’s been decided. You’re ready for an upgrade.
Whether you’re buying new, reupholstering, or going with a slipcover for your sofa, there’s a basic pitfall that’s easy to fall into. The challenge of tying it all together.
You look around, find the right piece, and pick a fabric you love that serves your style and function needs. But when it arrives, it’s just not right in your room.
But it looked so great in the showroom. What gives?
Today we’ll channel your inner merchandiser. They’re the folks that make your favorite furniture store feel so put together and homey. They help you envision how a new piece can look in your space.
Except that their space isn’t your space.
You didn’t pick the wrong sofa or the wrong upholstery. You just need follow-through. Today we’ll help you tie it all together like a pro. It’s easier and closer than you think. With just a little bit of intentional use of color, texture, and accents, you can make your room picture-perfect.
Choosing A Color Palette That Ties Your Room Together
One of the best ways to achieve a cohesive look is by matching your sofa and the upholstery on your other furniture pieces and decor accessories. While it certainly doesn’t require being all monotone matchy-matchy, it is best to stick to a limited color palette.
Let’s unpack that a bit. Because tossing in “color palette” alone may have you feeling a bit uneasy. You don’t have to have mad artistic or design skills to choose the right color palette. You’ve got two things going for you right this moment:
- You know how to dress yourself.
- You know how to Google.
Come date night, you don’t walk out the door in a silk blouse and pajama bottoms, do you? And, gentlemen, you don’t turn up at your best friend’s big day in a blue suit and a neon orange shirt and tie, right?
Picking an outfit that “works” is pretty much the same mental muscle set as picking the right upholstery color palette. Instead of laying your outfit out on the bed and checking the mirror, you’ll need to look at your room and give it some thought.
First, ask yourself what kind of style vibe you wish the space had. Next, what pieces from your old look are staying or going? Cool. Now look at that beautiful new — or refreshed and reimagined — couch. What really “goes” with it? Trust yourself.
Still uncertain? Great news. You live in the internet age. Google “complementary color schemes for a (insert your color) couch.” You’ll get more inspiration than you can imagine. Literally.
Dive deep and learn all the ins and outs of color wheels and mood-based design. Or keep it simple with quick and easy bits of information. You’re just a few keystrokes away from the inspiration to get you pulling your space together.
As you start to dial into ideas, select a few colors you want to use throughout your space and try to stick to them as much as possible. You can use different shades of each color, or mix and match different colors, but try to keep the overall look consistent.
Using Fabrics To Give Your Room Design Upgrade That Finished Feel
At this point, you may be a bit concerned. You wanted to buy a new sofa but not a new everything. No worries, you can tie it all together without throwing it all out. Applying your newly discovered color palette can be done in degrees.
You may wish to replace or reupholster other existing pieces of furniture. Or simply slip on a slipcover and refresh your throw pillows and/or curtains. There’s a path to design harmony for virtually any budget.
Fun With Furniture
Looking to add a bit of contrast and pizazz to your room decor? Back to those wardrobe choices. You don’t put together outfits with wildly competing patterns. Same for your furniture.
Let’s say you go with a simple sand-colored eco-friendly chenille fabric for your sofa. Since the sofa color is solid, a little pattern will bring a lot of pop. How about your armchairs? They’d look amazing as accent pieces with a Fiesta Mandala patterned Damask fabric in radiant red.
And, of course, The flipside is also true. Make your sofa an accent piece decked out in a bold contemporary pattern with pink tones like our Fruit Punch. (It’s gorgeous btw. Well done.) Just keep those armchairs simple with a complementary toned-down teal twill solid fabric.
Whether it’s crackle or calm you seek, get your furniture on the same style page by upgrading the rest of your furniture upholstery. You’re getting good at this already.
Still not sure what color palette to choose? Keep it classic. Timeless fabrics like muted, neutrals colors like a dove beige tweed, denim blue linen, or olive green faux suede can give your living room a sophisticated and polished look while allowing the flexibility of changing your look with ease later.
The Pop Of Pillows And Curtains
One of the simplest ways to sew together your room’s style is through curtains and pillows. This is part of putting together your “outfit” when you’ve got your basics on, and you start adding accessories to really nail your look.
Accessories can add a pop of color, ground an already vibrant space, or simply bring a new texture to the room. Return to your color palette. With your furniture now claiming its color personality, what’s still missing?
Are you loving how your sofa and chairs are standing out? Then let them have their lane. Try adding curtains in neutrals like a calming cobalt performance microsuede. Or bring in splashes of light and lift with throw pillows in a snow-white Cryton tweed.
Maybe the flip side is true, and your furniture is rolling fairly incognito with simple tones and texture. Bring on some boldness within your color palette. Embroidered patterned pillows are like bold and beachy foliage with aqua, blue, and green accents. Or let your curtains channel their inner diva with a rich and rocking amethyst chenille textured fabric.
Details can take your space from meh to magic, from weary to wow.
The Secret’s Out — You’ve Got Serious Design Style
The trick to tying a room’s upholstery style together isn’t some elusive secret decoder ring. It’s about listening to yourself and honoring what your room’s “outfit” feels like it’s missing.
Take the new or refreshed sofa you love and use it as a stepping-off point for finding a color palette that’s just your style. Narrow it down to a few color tones. And bring those into your space through your furniture and accessories. In no time, your room will go from chaos to cohesion.
All by trusting your instincts, doing things you already know how to do, and reaching out for a little help from your friends when you’re ready to get it all done. (Psst…when it comes to upholstery, that’s us. Give us a call today.)