Stylish Ways to Decorate a Beige Sofa

Co-authored by Suzanne Lasky, ASID and Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA

Last Updated: July 5, 2021 References

You can’t go wrong with a beige sofa! No matter your style, you’ll look cool and sophisticated with this classic piece. As a neutral, beige fits into any design scheme, so you can change up your room’s look without replacing your couch. With the right pillows and accessories, your living room will look like it belongs in a style magazine.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Throw Pillows

1
Pick shades of grey, tan, brown, or beige for a clean, minimalist effect. Create a calming feel in your living room by sticking to a mostly monochromatic look. Beige is technically a washed-out tan color, so it looks great with colors in the brown family, as well as grey. Try these pairings to create different looks:^{[1]
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- For a rustic design, go with burlap, brown leather, or tan pillows.
- If you want a chic look, stick to light grey or monochromatic beige pillows.
- If you’re doing modern decor, try slate grey, dark beige, or brown pillows.
2
Create contrast with dark-colored pillows to liven up the room. Take advantage of the pale, neutral beige of your sofa by introducing bold shades in your pillows. Pick a shade that’s in your floor rug or a piece of art in your room, or just go with your favorite color. You might try this:^{[2]
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- Plum or emerald if you like jewel-tones.
- Burgundy or burnt orange for a fall or winter look.
- Fuschia or mustard yellow for a bright, spring or summer vibe.
- Navy blue for a classic design.
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3
Play around with patterned pillows to change up your look. Because it’s a neutral, beige makes the perfect backdrop for patterned pillows. Go with 1 pattern for a simple look, or pair a couple of patterns together for a unique, stylish design. Try out these looks with your beige sofa for a fun effect:^{[3]
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- Fun patterns like script, chevron, polka dots, plaid, or silly designs, like dinosaurs.
- Tribal prints or batik.
- Stripes.
- Animal print, such as cheetah or zebra.
- Flowers.
4
Layer different colors and patterns to create a more dynamic look. Pair different colors and prints to create a look that’s uniquely you! Start with 2 to 4 solid-colored pillows, then toss in 2 or more patterned pillows. Arrange them in layers to bring your design together. Here are some fun ideas:^{[4]
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- For a chic look, pair gold pillows with a deep jewel tone, such as plum, or a pale shade, like peach.
- If you want a rustic look, try laying rust or country blue pillows with burlap or leather pillows.
- Create a classic look with navy blue or black pillows layered with striped pillows.
- For a cozy cottage style, try a faux fur pillow paired with solid grey pillows and beige sweater-style pillows.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Accents

1
Drape a throw blanket over the arm or back of your couch. Add a practical touch with a cozy blanket. Fold the blanket up into a square and drape it diagonally across the back of your sofa or fold it into a long rectangle and lay it over the arm. Stick to your living room color scheme or take advantage of the neutral color of the couch by choosing a pattern.^{[5]
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- For instance, you might drape a deep plum or charcoal blanket over the sofa.
- Pick a textured blanket for a more dynamic look. For instance, faux fur or a crochet sweater blanket will make your living room feel both cozy and upscale.
2
Arrange colorful accents on your side table or coffee table. Add a personal touch to your living room with knick knacks, photos, or flower arrangements. Try a large centerpiece or pair 3-4 items of different sizes to create a showcase. Here are some ideas:^{[6]
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- Keep a vase of flowers on your side table.
- Get a large faux succulent and pair it with 2 smaller succulents at its sides.
- Set a lamp with a colorful shade on your side table.
- Arrange coffee table books about art on your coffee table.
- Place a row of colored candles across your coffee table.
3
Frame your couch with large, leafy plants. Bring nature inside for an attractive, calming living room. Pick a plant with large, leafy foliage and place 1 beside your sofa. You could also put plants on either side of your couch. The following plants will all look great:^{[7]
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- Split-leaf philodendron
- Kentia palm plants
- Fiddle-leaf fig
- Castiron plant
- Snake plants
- African spear plants
- Winterbourn
4
Lay a richly colored rug in the center of your seating area. Rugs warm up a room and bring style to your space. Choose a solid color rug that fits into your color scheme or go with a fun pattern to add visual interest to the room. Try these ideas:^{[8]
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- Get a jute rug if you want a rustic or natural look.
- Choose a deep plum, gold, or peach rug to complement your upscale design.
- Pick a trendy patterned rug for a current look.
- Stick to a black or charcoal rug for a minimalist look.
5
Hang brightly-colored art behind your sofa. With a beige sofa, you can make bold choices with your wall art without worrying about clashing. Choose 1 large art piece or create a colorful gallery wall over your couch. Stick to just 1 color for a monochromatic look, or evoke a color scheme.^{[9]
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- For instance, you might hang a large painting with shades of plum, lavender, and grey.
- If you want to create a gallery wall, choose photos, paints, or prints that all have similar colors. For instance, you might keep your color scheme to purples, greens, greys, beige, or gold.
6
Pair your beige sofa with additional seating in darker shades. If you’ve always wanted a statement piece, this is your chance to try it on a smaller scale. Add a pop of color with a love seat, chaise lounge, or chair. Choose a color that fits into your color scheme and complements beige. Here are some fun ideas:^{[10]
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- A plum or emerald armchair will look fantastic next to your beige couch.
- A charcoal chaise lounge or loveseat will warm up your living room.
- Mustard yellow or gold can liven up your space while still keeping it cozy.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Color Schemes

1
Create a monochromatic look by sticking to shades of beige and tan. Beige is the perfect color for a monochromatic look because it can fit with both browns and greys, giving you more options. Paint your walls a pale beige, light grey, or sand color. Choose beige, tan, or pale grey rug and curtains. For your coffee and side tables, go with light grey or a natural wood color.^{[11]
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- You can stick to 1 shade of beige or a range of colors that fit together. For instance, you might go with light beige, dark beige, and tan. Similarly, you could go with beige, light grey, and dark grey.
2
Stick to neutral colors for a calm, relaxing space. You deserve a relaxing space to calm down after a busy day or to connect with friends and family. Try colors like navy blue, brown, or charcoal. If you want more color, muted and washed-out shades of most colors act as a neutral. Pick something like sage green, pale yellow, lavender, or peach.^{[12]
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- For instance, paint your walls tan, hang brown curtains, lay a brown and grey rug, and choose throw pillows that are beige and brown.
- If you want more color, you might paint your walls charcoal, then choose pale yellow curtains and throw pillows, as well as a yellow and grey rug.
3
Incorporate bright colors to liven up your room. If you love the energy of bright colors, incorporate them into the room so you'll get a boost every time you come into the room.^{[13]
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Expert Source

Suzanne Lasky, ASID
Interior Design Consultant
Expert Interview. 31 March 2020} Create a space that’s bright and airy with colors like yellow, bright blue, orange, or red-orange. Both washed out and saturated shades will look great next to your beige sofa. Here are some arrangements you might try:^{[14]
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- Paint your room lemon yellow and choose a slate grey rug and curtains. Then, incorporate pillows that are pale yellow, charcoal grey, and beige and yellow striped.
- Start with pale grey walls, then hang bright blue curtains and lay down a blue and beige patterned rug. Choose throw pillows that are grey faux fur and bright blue.
4
Paint a dark accent wall behind the beige sofa for a dynamic look. You don’t need to paint your entire room to get a splendid effect. Choose a deep color like plum, burgundy, emerald, charcoal, brown or mustard yellow. Place your couch in front of the wall, then hang a large painting or gallery wall over the sofa. Choose art that features your accent wall color along with neutral colors, such as beige, grey, black, tan, silver, or gold.^{[15]
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- For example, let’s say you painted your accent wall plum. You might hang a large painting that has swirls of plum, lavender, charcoal, light grey, and beige. Then, you might lay down a charcoal rug and choose throw pillows that are charcoal and lavender.

Expert Q&A
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Question

What color goes well with my sofa?

Suzanne Lasky, ASID
Interior Design Consultant
Suzanne Lasky is an Interior Designer and the Founder of S Interior Design, a design consulting company based in Scottsdale, Arizona specializing in new home builds, home remodels, and all related design options for residential and small business clients. Suzanne has over 19 years of interior design and consulting experience. She is an Allied Member of the ASID (American Society of Interior Designers). She earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Indiana University and an AAS in Interior Design from Scottsdale Community College.

Suzanne Lasky, ASID

Interior Design Consultant

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Try looking for inspiration in things like the artwork in the room, a brightly-colored area rug, or your bedding.
Question

What if I want to use a color that's not in style?

Suzanne Lasky, ASID
Interior Design Consultant
Suzanne Lasky is an Interior Designer and the Founder of S Interior Design, a design consulting company based in Scottsdale, Arizona specializing in new home builds, home remodels, and all related design options for residential and small business clients. Suzanne has over 19 years of interior design and consulting experience. She is an Allied Member of the ASID (American Society of Interior Designers). She earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Indiana University and an AAS in Interior Design from Scottsdale Community College.

Suzanne Lasky, ASID

Interior Design Consultant

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Color is very personal and it affects us differently. Don't look for colors based on what's trendy right now—pick something that really speaks to you.