How to choose the color of a sofa to match the interior: rules for choosing a sofa and features of color selection

How color affects human conditions

Psychologists have concluded that the colors of the environment around us determine not only our mood, but also influence the formation of character and worldview. Therefore, the color content of living space must be approached from a scientific point of view.

The sofa is the most significant, comfortable piece of furniture.

Let's go through the main colors of the spectrum and find out how they affect us:

A lot of white will fill us with energy and increase physical tone, making us forget about fears and worries. It has a stimulating effect on vision and the endocrine system. One drawback is that white gets tired quickly.
If you want to feel prosperous, immerse yourself in red tones. True, this is not for long, because red promotes nervous tension, gradually moving from a positive effect to a negative one.
Warm, yellow tones promote brain activity and creative bursts, restore vital energy and lift your spirits. But for children, yellow color works the other way around – it irritates and makes them capricious. For a nursery, blue is more suitable, it will calm you down and give positive emotions.
Green color gives the interior freshness, relieves anxiety and worry, and invigorates the body. But if there is a lot of green, then it will work as a sleeping pill, promoting relaxation and relaxation.
Black absorbs all other colors, so you should not abuse this color. The advantage of black is that it hides flaws and shortcomings.

Selection of combinations

The use of paired and multi-color combinations of the color wheel is another selection method that guarantees harmony.

There are schemes of combinations by complementarity (opposite colors, for example, purple-yellow) and by analogy (lying next to each other, for example, blue, blue-green, green). This selection presupposes strict correspondence in color saturation (tone).

How to choose the right sofa color

Let's talk about how to choose a sofa to match the interior. It is unlikely that you will start decorating the interior space of any room from the sofa. Therefore, we must assume that it will be an element of the overall picture. The sofa should not stand out and violate the conceptual approach, either in combination with other pieces of furniture or in the choice of colors. The main requirement is that the colors of the sofas should be in harmony with the color of the walls and curtains.

It is important that the colors are in harmony with the walls, carpeting, and other furniture.

There are two main groups of sofas based on color:

Monochromatic, universal. In this group, it is much easier to choose the color of the sofa in the interior.
With a pattern or ornament. It’s more difficult to choose here; you have to find a balance between the color scheme of the upholstery and the main color of the room.

A colorful sofa will help “dilute” the overall atmosphere and will be combined with individual details of the same color scheme.

Selecting a sofa to suit the style of the room

Maintaining the general concept of solving the color scheme of the interior space is the main task when choosing a sofa. The main combinations of the color-style pair include:

rich, dark tones are suitable for techno or neo-constructivism style;
black, white, gray colors for sofa upholstery - for rooms designed in Gothic or minimalist style;
classic - all shades of brown, white and blue.
Country style is more impressed by natural shades - green, yellow, beige.
red sofas, black or blue - art deco.
bright, acidic colors will fit perfectly into techno design or hi-tech.

Rely on your preferences, what do you like more - a calm environment or a pompous, extraordinary one.

Choosing a sofa for the type of room

The choice of color for sofa upholstery, first of all, depends on the nature of the room, taking into account the influence of the color scheme on human psychosomatics. For example, a bedroom should be dominated by warm, soothing tones, while, on the contrary, a room for an active lifestyle will require a bright, burst of color that is invigorating and calls to action.

For small rooms, opt for upholstery in a light tone. Too bright or too dark colors of sofas with large patterns will be too expressive here.

If you used one color when painting the walls, it is important that the furniture be an identical color, only different from the walls.

Bedroom

The very name of this room suggests sleep and rest. The interior decoration here should breathe comfort, forcing the person who enters to relax, enjoy the atmosphere of peace, intimacy, relaxation, and recharge with positivity. Various aspects contribute to the creation of such an interior, including a harmonious combination of the color of upholstered furniture with the color scheme of the bedroom. Here it is best to opt for neutral tones, for example, pink, blue, gray or a combination of them.

The pattern on the upholstery should not be too bright, with smooth contours, for example, in the form of clouds or flowers.

Subdued colors are suitable for the bedroom, since here you relax and gain strength after a hard day.

Living room

When designing a living room interior, the color scheme takes into account a whole range of circumstances that influence the final choice. It is necessary to take into account whether the room faces the sunny side or not, in what style the basic design of the room is made, and the size of the living room. Now, let's think about how to choose a sofa for the living room by color.

The living room is the focal point of all family members, lively communication takes place here, and active life flows. Therefore, the colors needed here are bright, saturated with an expressive pattern or ornament.

The color of the decor, upholstered furniture affects our feeling and mood.

Kitchen

This is a case where size matters. Experts recommend decorating small kitchens in light colors, thereby artificially increasing the internal volume. The kitchen will look more spacious and bright. It is in the kitchen interior that it is permissible to use contrasting color transitions. Therefore, the upholstery of the sofa in catchy, bright colors, orange, red, yellow-hot, will come in handy. This design will have a beneficial effect on improving appetite and raising tone.

For large, spacious kitchens, any colors and shades are suitable and, better, zonal division of the room.

For the kitchen, feel free to use bright colors. For example, orange or red help increase appetite and overall mood.

Children's

It is known that color has an effect on a person, especially on a small one. Therefore, you need to choose a color scheme for a child’s room based on the child’s character traits. Sanguine children can be amused by bright colors. Which will stimulate them to be active. Choleric people require a decrease in energy. Tones of a calm, neutral spectrum are suitable for them, but you can choose brighter sofa pillows.

For children, simple natural colors are preferable; they stimulate brain activity.

Here you should approach the choice of a sofa very carefully, since the color affects the mental state of the child.

Combinations of different colors

There are several useful rules that you need to know for the correct combination of different colors when organizing your interior:

It is not recommended to collect more than three different flowers within one room.
The color of the furniture should stand out harmoniously against the background of the color scheme of the walls, curtains, and ceilings.
The color of the sofa upholstery should be selected taking into account the tone of the colors used in the decorative design of the room: neutral, warm, cold.
By combining different colors you can achieve a visual increase or decrease in space.

The choice of this furniture should be approached with all seriousness, because your mood and how comfortable you will be in the room will depend on its color scheme.

Mechanism

When purchasing upholstered furniture for the living room, you must take into account the internal mechanism of the sofa. There are several types of structures, on which it depends how the acquisition will be laid out:

The book is one of the first mechanisms and the most common. The seat rises, and after a slight click, it lowers along with the backrest. This is certainly fast and convenient, but such furniture in the room cannot be placed close to the wall.
Eurobook. To unfold such a structure, you need to pull out the seat and pull the backrest into its place. This type of furniture is suitable for everyday use.
Dolphin. The additional half of the sleeping part is pulled out from under the first. The lack of a drawer for storing linen is usually considered a design flaw.
Accordion. This sofa has a spacious place to rest, but it is very difficult to unfold: the seat is raised until it clicks and pulled forward.
American and French folding beds. These sofas store most of the sleeping space under the seat. This furniture often has an original design and is very easy to use.
Roll-out mechanism. Robust design with retractable bottom. But the wheels can be left on the carpet.

It is better to look at the mechanism not at the photo, but to try how it functions in reality.

The right decision would be to choose a sofa to match the color of the interior

A soft turquoise sofa will give the room a special atmosphere

A gray sofa in the living room will look harmonious in the interior

See alsoSofa in the kitchen photo in the interior

Color scheme for choosing a sofa

For the convenience of combining different shades, color schemes have been developed:

Monochrome design. Here different shades of the same color are used.
Neutral color scheme. In this scheme, for the entire interior, a combination of neutral tones is provided, for example, beige and white.
A sofa in a neutral color against a backdrop of bright decor.
Color explosion on a neutral background.
Combining bright upholstered furniture with bright decorative design of the room.

For different styles, it is recommended to select not only different sofas, but also models with different upholstery colors.

Monochrome option

The monochrome design of the interior space of the room is based on one color in a combination of its various shades. This solution is the simplest. Following this scheme, the color of the sofa is matched to the main color of the decor with a slight difference in shade. The monochrome design option is good for minimalist interiors or recreation rooms.

Walls and furniture are of the same color scheme. The only difference is the shade.

Option with neutral colors

To decorate a room in a neutral color style, use soft, calm colors with a variety of textures. This approach allows you to give the interior depth and layering. Materials and objects, against the background of such color design, look more distinct, with a special texture.

In order for the sofa to fit into the design, its color must correspond to the overall concept, be discreet and calm. The neutral interior design envelops you in comfort and tranquility.

The prevailing atmosphere is calm and comfortable. The walls are light, the sofa is chosen in pastel colors.

Option bright walls neutral sofa

This design decision is based on finding balance. In this case, the bright colors of the room decor will be balanced by the restraint and neutrality of the upholstered furniture. Neutral colors include colors and shades such as gray, beige, white and black. They will act as an excellent counterbalance in any colorful interior.

To combine interior items with walls, use furniture in consistent colors for colorful walls.

Option color spot

The meaning of this color scheme comes down to highlighting a certain area in a room decorated in muted, neutral colors with a bright color. A sofa with bright upholstery and an explosion of color will disrupt the tranquility of the color scheme that reigns in the room, thereby focusing the attention of the visitor. To enhance the effect of the spot, in the same area you can place lamps, shelves or curtains matched to the sofa.

If the room is in calm colors and you want to create an accent, then place a bright sofa in the room.

Option “bright in bright”

The decor of the room in bright colors makes it dynamic and creates a feeling of rapid development of events. For this design, a basic element is selected in the interior, on the basis of which the entire composition is built. Most often, brightly painted walls become the base. The remaining elements, no less bright, contrast with the main background.

In a game of contrasts, upholstered furniture also fits into such an interior. Moreover, not only the sofa and the walls can be different colors, but also the elements of the sofa itself, for example, dark blue upholstery and yellow pillows.

An option for those who like expressive design. Combine bright walls with a colorful sofa.

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.

Features of choosing a small and large sofa

One decision to buy a sofa is not enough; you also need to decide which one and choose from the variety of models offered by manufacturers. The main criteria in this situation are price and your preferences.

The choice of furniture color must be approached carefully and certain requirements must be adhered to.

But to make the choice more specific, we suggest taking into account some useful recommendations on the topic:

For small-sized sofas, the upholstery color is preferable in neutral or light colors, which helps to visually enlarge the object when placed in the interior. You can choose pastel colors in combination with a small, bright pattern across the field.
The upholstery material must be durable and reliably withstand loads. Upholstery made from mixed fabrics made from natural and synthetic fibers is more suitable for this purpose.
The sofa should be comfortable and convenient. If it is intended to be used as a sleeping place, then it is better if it is equipped with an orthopedic spring block.
A small sofa in a small room should be safe. This refers to the design of the armrests; it is desirable that they be soft or absent.
The transforming sofa should work smoothly without much effort, unfolding and reassembling with a simple movement.
The back side should also be upholstered with fabric, which will make it possible to place upholstered furniture anywhere in the room.
The angle between the backrest and the seating surface should ensure comfort.

The blue color gives peace, tranquility, and has a healing effect on the mental state.

Brown - a new interpretation

Brown sofas with textile or leather upholstery create an atmosphere of warmth and comfort, emphasizing the beauty of the floor with a textured wood pattern. They can add a touch of liveliness to a blue-gray Scandinavian-style room, or complement a warm orange palette.

The combination of a chocolate sofa with white on the walls and in the decor is on the crest of fashion. The presence of many mixed and tinted variations from reddish camel to brownish-black allows you to create pairs and triads with green, yellow and sea green.

How to choose the right original sofa

The most original sofa must meet the following criteria:

High margin of safety and reliability. It is ensured by high-quality assembly and a durable frame made of well-dried wood. Such sofas do not lose their functionality for a long time.
Comfortable. This is a general selection criterion, which is achieved by ergonomic design, comfort and moderate softness.
Ease of operation. The linen drawers, bars, removable armrests, and folding mechanism built into the sofa should work like a clock, without jamming or grinding, smoothly and reliably.

When choosing colors, remember one thing: its color scheme is an integral part of the entire interior and must be in harmony with the design concept.

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.

General recommendations for choosing colors

To finally decide on the color of the sofa upholstery, pay attention to the simple recommendations of experts:

do not follow fashion trends, they change very quickly, but the furniture stays with you for a long time;
take advantage of the designer’s advice when developing an interior from scratch;
be guided by the color scheme and general style of the room space;
consider the type of room and its main purpose;
beige, gray or sand will fit into any interior.

With a white sofa, the interior feels airy, renewed, positive, and calm.
When choosing a color scheme for a room, your desire will be paramount. There is no need to be guided by fashion trends and third-party opinions, what is important is your feeling and understanding of comfort, your preferences. All traditional decisions are not a standard and are not always appropriate; they are only designed to help make a choice.

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.

50 sofa color options in the interior

Beige – sophisticated neutrality

A beige sofa may be the only right solution in a room with dark walls of chocolate brown, ocher, burgundy, and charcoal. It also goes well with navy blue and emerald green.

This color looks good on elegant models of Chesterfield sofas, upholstery with non-contrasting embroidery or textured patterns.

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.

Photo gallery

The gallery contains photos of finished projects using sofas in different colors, which will allow you to choose the right solution for any room.