Unsure how to choose a sofa colour for your family room?

You are not alone. Many homeowners find the process of deciding on the right sofa for their home a daunting one.

As the largest piece of furniture in your living room, the colour of your sofa will influence the mood and overall aesthetic of the space. While neutrals are always a safe bet, you might be thinking about something a little different.

By following the simple steps in this guide, we trust that you will end up with a furniture piece that you love and one that fits well into your home.

1. The first step is to decide on the mood or feeling you want for your family room

Colour plays an integral role in interior design. As such, do not choose a sofa colour simply because it is trendy.

You may not be aware of it, but the palette used in a room can direct your mood or trigger certain emotions.

Therefore, you need to decide what sort of atmosphere you intend on creating for your family room. Will the space be used for energetic conversations, quiet relaxation, or as a cozy haven?

It is also worth considering the personalities of the family members who will make the most use of the room.

• Introverts tend to feel at ease in spaces with cool tones.
• Extroverts will be more comfortable in a room with warm tones.

2. Once you've decided on the mood, choose a colour that will reflect that feeling

Once you know the type of atmosphere you want for your family room, it becomes easier to narrow down your choices. Here are some popular sofa colours and their associated moods.

• Brown - comfort, warmth, elegance, and sophistication.
• Black - formality, elegance, richness - like this Paolo Panama Black Sofa by Eichholtz.
• White - calming, feelings of cleanliness and purity.
• Grey - comfort, and warmth, edgy in darker hues.
• Green - refreshment, peace, stress relief.
• Blue - soothing, stable. harmony.
• Orange - excitement, and enthusiasm, promote activity.
• Yellow - joyful, communicates happiness.
• Purple - sophistication, drama, richness.

3. Take into account how much natural light the room gets and whether you want a bright or dark colour

Another key factor to consider is the amount of natural light your family room receives.

A sofa in a west-facing lounge is going to be exposed to direct sunlight during the day. As such, a lighter colour is preferable because dark fabrics may fade over time.

Alternatively, choose a rich shade that is darker than the colour you envision so that any fading that occurs will gracefully reveal your ideal hue.

Bear in mind that your flooring is also going to influence the choice between dark or light colour seating. Unless you want your sofa to disappear into the room, we advise contrasting it with the flooring.

A light-coloured sofa will be the best choice for dark tiling or carpeting, and vice-versa.

4. Think about what other colours are in the room and choose a sofa colour that will complement them

Except if your family room is void of any other decor or furniture, you are going to need to choose a sofa colour that compliments any existing elements in the room.

What colour are the walls? Is there a rug? What shade and texture is it?

Furthermore, take note of the hue and material of any coffee or side tables, and of occasional chairs and ottomans that are already in the space.

If there is a generous mix of colour from the decor, you may consider choosing a more neutral couch.

We recommend ordering fabric swatches from your sofa retailer so that you can compare them against the existing palette in the room.

5. If there's any furniture or accessories you want to stand out, pick a sofa colour that will contrast with them

A monochromatic palette isn't for everyone. Perhaps your personal taste is better suited to vivid contrast in a bold palette.

To achieve this, you may want to highlight visual contrasts between the various elements in your family room.

Contrasting works better in a larger space where you have room to play around with proportion and shape to create a visually stimulating area.

This technique also gives you the ability to set a focal point in the room, whether that’s the sofa or otherwise.

6. Ask yourself how much use the sofa will get and choose a colour that can withstand everyday wear and tear

Will your sofa be used regularly in an informal setting or is it intended for occasional use? Your usage habits are usually a good indicator of what colours you should gravitate towards.

You want your purchase to last for as long as possible, so think carefully about how it will fit into your lifestyle. Consider the following factors:

• Do you have kids (or plan to have them in the near future)?
• Do you have pets?
• How frequently do you entertain in the family room.
• How tidy are the people you live with?
• And how you plan to use your sofa.

If your kids and pets will make regular use of the sofa, a dark or bright colour sofa will look cleaner for longer.

In conclusion

Choosing a sofa colour for your living room involves taking into account your lifestyle, personal taste, and the existing palette in the space.

With these considered, it becomes easier to narrow down your choices. Here at FCI, we offer sofas in a wide range of colours, so we can help you successfully execute your preferred design style.

Browse our extensive sofa catalogue for inspiration where you will find the fabric and colour customisation options we offer. We also encourage you to visit our showroom and chat with our experts who can help you design a sofa that is truly you.