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.
Color selection rules
Firstly, the upholstery material must be organic to everything else - completely fit into the design.
Secondly, the color must match the area of the room: this thing is bulky, and the wrong upholstery tone can visually make the room smaller.
Thirdly, practicality is not in last place - a light sofa is unlikely to be appropriate where there are small children and pets - a child can spill juice, drop an unwrapped melted chocolate candy, cats and dogs often have dirty paws, clean stains from Light furniture is more difficult than bright or dark furniture; any speck will be immediately noticeable.
Color also affects psychological comfort; it’s better to choose something that you won’t get tired of after a couple of months, something that won’t irritate your eyes.
So, those upholstered in white material look beautiful, but they are troublesome to take care of, and overly bright upholstery, geometric patterns or large images can simply become boring after a while. In addition, a thing you liked in a friend’s house may turn out to be completely out of place in your own.
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 the trending colors of 2021.
A selection of photos of interesting models of beige sofas
Still unsure whether to choose a beige sofa? Look at a selection of photos that demonstrate how harmoniously a model of this color looks in the living room in different styles and design options. Photos of finished projects will help you find interesting ideas, different possibilities for their implementation and unusual combinations that will help make the interior of your home or apartment comfortable and individual.
1 of 13
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
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
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.
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
Wallpaper color | Sofa color |
White | Any shades |
Grey | Any shades. Grey, red, yellow, orange, purple, blue, cyan, lilac, white |
Beige | Beige, brown, yellow, purple, grey, white, black |
Red | Red, green, blue, white, black |
Yellow | Yellow, blue, green, brown, white, gray, black |
Orange | Orange, purple, gray, white, black |
Green | Green, red, brown, white, grey, black |
Blue | Blue, orange, yellow, white, gray |
Lilac | Lilac, blue, purple, white, gray, black |
Violet | Purple, yellow, white, gray, orange |
Blue | Light blue, blue, orange, brown, white, gray |
Brown | Brown, green, orange, white, gray |
Interior features
Beige bedroom design
Peace, harmony and comfort, which are inspired by beige shades, are best revealed in the bedroom. It is for this reason that the use of beige wallpaper in the bedroom is considered the most versatile and simple option for decoration. This room can be decorated in one shade or diversified with bright inserts. And so that the bedroom does not seem monotonous, you should give preference to beige canvases with patterns. It is interesting that bright accents on beige walls will interfere with sleep, and therefore it is better to stick such coverings behind the headboard.
To decorate other walls, plain coverings, as well as those made with stripes or with a small neutral print, are suitable. The color of furniture pieces paired with beige canvases should also equate harmony. Massive pieces of furniture in rich and dark shades will not look beautiful in such an environment. But light wood or snow-white tones of furniture will emphasize the delicacy of the design. Curtains in a beige bedroom room can be of different shades - you just need them to be in harmony with the style of the interior. A child’s room can also be made beige, and even more so if the child is very small. Warm and soft shades on the walls can calm a child and put him to sleep. Such wallpaper can be combined with patterned coverings depicting fairy-tale characters, animals, cartoons, space, natural elements, floristry and other motifs.
Kitchen in beige shades
Choosing the perfect wallpaper for your kitchen is a serious matter. In such an interior, light walls will become dirty from time to time, and regular steam exposure can ruin the wall coverings.
For this reason, consider in advance all the advantages and disadvantages of using wallpaper in the kitchen and choose the best option. To ensure a cozy and durable design in the kitchen, it is worth using non-woven beige wallpaper or vinyl coverings that can be washed. If you want to provide additional wall protection, use special panels or tiles. Beige kitchen wallpaper can be combined with sunny and warm shades that create a cheerful and spring-like environment. The combination of soft blue, light green, yellow and pink was ideal. The floor can be dark or light - it all depends on the furniture design and personal preferences. The overall shade of the kitchen under the beige wallpaper should be made more saturated in order to balance the range of colors. What furniture is perfect? If the room is small, then you need to create the brightest possible interior, and therefore the furniture color should be quite delicate and light. Dark wood furniture and furniture have a place if there is enough space. You can choose the color of curtains for beige wallpaper based on this rule.
Living room with beige wallpaper
Such wallpaper for the living room will look more interesting when additional decorative elements are used. These can be bright accents, sparkles, shimmer, textured inserts and realistic drawings (in this case, photo wallpaper is used). To imitate a spectacular painting, you can choose beige vinyl wallpaper or silk-screen printing with floral and plant compositions. Such hall coverings should not interfere with the creation of a luxurious environment. For this reason, plain walls should be complemented with rich accessories, make inserts and panels from textured wallpaper, or create unusual combinations on wall surfaces. Make beige wallpaper the background, and decorate one of the walls in a different color. This method makes it possible to make unusual accents in the area of the fireplace, sofa or TV, and also draw attention to stylish ledges and niches in the space. Even beige can vary in saturation, and dark tones close to brown can create an insufficiently lit and cramped environment. For this reason they should be light.
Depending on the style direction, choose patterns on the walls. For example, for a living room, classic beige wallpaper can include floral arrangements, strict lines and unusual large patterns. Tables, cabinets and other interior items can be dark or light. Upholstered pieces of furniture in the interior are much more difficult to choose than others. What shade of sofa is suitable? Choose bright accents for the walls, floors and style of the room. It can be dark, light and juicy depending on the design. In certain cases, it is worth deciding which sofa will suit best with beige wallpaper, and this should be done based on the color of the tulle and curtains.
Selection of curtains
What color of curtains goes well with beige wallpaper? The answer is not difficult to find. Curtains are chosen according to your wishes - light colors expand the space and also refresh the atmosphere, and those that are darker will create contrast. Interestingly, in this space you cannot use overly bright accents that distract from sleep. For this reason, craftsmen advise using curtains and drapes made in pastel and delicate colors. The fabric can have patterns and designs with catchy accents, but the second shade should not dominate near the window. The choice will also depend on the lighting and dimensions of the room. Dark and cramped spaces should be refreshed with curtains in pink, soft blue, white, peach and light gray shades. In light and large rooms with beige wallpaper, brighter curtains - blue, red, green, brown, yellow, etc. - look great.
Now you know how to make the atmosphere in your home as harmonious and cozy as possible. One of the main advantages is that you can add additional shades to your interior design from time to time without harming the interior design. This means that the room will be original and stylish.