No matter how big your living room is, there is always a sofa nowadays. And often, it even becomes the heart of the entire room. This is where we relax in the evenings, where we receive guests, and where the family gathers. This classic comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles. However, to ensure that this piece of furniture is not only functional but also visually impressive, you should follow some good advice—or at least consciously ignore it.
1. Harmonize with other furniture
Of course, the sofa or living room must meet your needs in terms of color and design. It is also vital that the couch also matches the other furniture.
In other words, What’s the point of furniture that looks nice but doesn’t match its surroundings?
A common problem is that it competes visually with other furniture and accessories and fights for our attention. Instead, you can consciously choose a gray sofa that is elegantly reserved. The chest of drawers may be the visual highlight, or it’s the painting on the wall that you want to draw attention to. In our article, you can read why gray sofas are anything but boring (Loriot knew this many years ago).
In general, the more colors, styles, and shapes you combine, the greater the risk that they will no longer be in harmony. However, nowadays, there are no longer any general rules. Mixing styles and (consciously!) breakthroughs in style are also trends, as are uniform looks that consistently implement a theme. Be clear in advance about what effect you want to achieve.
2. The correct ratio between the size of the room and the sofa
It may sound simple: the sofa size must match the room’s area. However, in some apartments, there is a particular imbalance.
The following applies: It’s not just a sofa that’s too big in a room that’s too small that can look disharmonious. There is also the risk that a sofa that is too small will get lost in a room that is too large.
Don’t let the appearance of a furniture fair fool you. Since it has nothing to do with your living room, it’s easy to misjudge it. Please get advice on this. You can make a non-binding pledge here.
3. The right location
Once you find a sofa of the right size, you should place it in the best place. But what does that mean specifically? The right decision often depends on the design of the sofa. Although most sofas are perfect for use in a corner or against a straight wall, many models also invite you to place them in the center of the room.
This can provide efficient benefits. For example, a sofa becomes a functional room divider. This is especially useful if you have an open kitchen or use part of the living room for work. Finally, you can get additional storage space by placing a chest of drawers or flat shelves behind the sofa.
Functional aspects also play a role. For example, if you want to read for as long as possible during the day, you can place the sofa near the front window. Remember that sunlight can cause some upholstery materials to age more quickly or cause discoloration.
4. Choose the right accessories
In the end, it’s the small accessories that make a sofa a particular visual highlight, right?
But which elements play an essential role here? In addition to the absolute classic pillows, other textiles, such as carpets in front of the sofa or beautiful lamps, highlight this particular piece of furniture.
As mentioned at the beginning, pay attention to the effects of your choices. Although minimalism, for example, tends to focus on simplicity and harmony, there are also great examples that combine old and new or different colors and materials. For example, a classic, ornate coffee table can blend perfectly with a simple, modern living room.
5. Wall and ceiling lights
Of course, the sofa can also be illuminated “by chance” with wall and ceiling lights, which makes it very eye-catching and unobtrusive. Classic reading lamps also serve an efficient purpose.
Small spots in the sofa area are very beneficial. It will be more “futuristic” if the spots are not framed on the walls (or ceiling) but on the floor area. This allows you to achieve exciting and dramatic lighting effects. LED light strips are becoming increasingly popular to provide a real highlight after the sun goes down.
6. Art and furnishings – the perfect combination
You can skillfully display rather simple sofa models with drawings, art prints, and paintings. The colors should match and complement the sofa’s design.
Tip: If you hang art directly above a sofa, the viewer’s eye will be drawn first to the more striking image and then to the couch. The two ultimately merge into one piece of furniture and art, which makes it a visual highlight in the room. See also: Furnishing your living room perfectly fits the “eye-catcher principle”…
Last word
Does every sofa now have what it takes to be a living room highlight? Yes, of course. Different means and methods are required depending on the style, shape, and color.
You may have a sofa designed so strikingly that it attracts attention. Then you don’t have to add too much and keep the rest of the living room more maintained.
But even if the sofa itself doesn’t look stunning, it can still be staged as described here. The right accessories, the right combination with other furniture, lighting, and the right placement in the room can make your sofa stand out.