Dr Dulux: How To Pick A Sofa Colour

Buying a sofa is one of the most significant investments you make in your home. It’s likely to be the centrepiece of your living room and will undoubtedly affect some of your décor choices too. So, choosing a sofa colour is a big decision. Here are a few ideas to help you get it right.

The first thing to consider is what kind of project you are taking on. Are you designing a brand new room from scratch – new sofa, painting the walls, new curtains, the works? If you are, you’ll have more freedom to explore different sofa colour combinations. On the other hand, if you’re simply choosing a new sofa to complement an already decorated room, then it’s more a case of choosing a sofa colour that suits the space.

Secondly, you need to be honest with yourself – are you the kind of person who changes their mind easily? If so, you might want to consider choosing a sofa colour that you won’t get bored of quickly!

Sofa colour combinations: a general rule of thumb

The sofa colours you’re drawn towards should work with the colour choices you make for your interior décor. Broadly speaking, you’ll be choosing between a neutral or accent sofa colour. Neutrals are popular sofa colours, as they are easy to tie in with a range of palettes – or if you decide to switch up your décor later down the line. This chic grey sofa from our sofa partner DFS, fits perfectly with the warm tones of reds, pinks or oranges. Featured below we have Soft Stone, a warm neutral with delicate pink undertones. Like this style of sofa? Check out the Grand Designs Farnham sofa available exclusively at DFS here or the Spinn sofa here.

Get creative with sofa colour combinations – this tool makes it easy

Our sofa partner DFS has a brilliant online tool to help you with choosing a sofa colour. Put simply, it allows you to mix and match different paint and sofa colour combinations. It’s handily divided into 4 trends – brights, neutrals, greens and earthy. Simply choose the one that chimes with what you’re trying to achieve. Not only will it recommend the right sofa but the right paint colours too. Why not try it for yourself?

4 ways with sofa colours

Warm amber and golden tones give your living space a sense of laidback positivity. Here we’ve used Just Walnut​ and Soft Stone to set the backdrop for the gorgeous French Connection Hackney Sofa from DFS. Accessorise a tan leather sofa with oversized cushions, casual throws and a shaggy carpet to create a relaxed, inviting room.

If you live on a busy street, the world outside your living room window can feel hurried and hectic. So, here’s a way you can dial it down indoors, and make your lounge into a haven of tranquillity.  We used Dulux Colour of the Year 2020, Tranquil Dawn​ and Faded Damson on the walls. Then we paired it with ‘Tom’ sofa from the DFS So Simple range. With its clean lines and soft, sink-into-me cushions, it’s the perfect seat for easing into at the end of a long day.

Who says beige has to mean boring and ordinary? Play with different shades like we have here with  Summer Linen and Cookie Dough, and actually what you get is bags of character. A simple square-sided sofa in a neutral grey ties the palette together, offering the perfect backdrop for your interesting ethnic-inspired vases and artwork.  

You needn’t restrict yourself to neutral tones when choosing a sofa colour. You could choose a deep sapphire blue sofa as the starting point for a room that feels understated yet colourful. A dusky pink on the walls – here we’ve chosen Sicilian Summer 6 – will soften the scene, allowing you to add bright pops of colour with your accessories.