How to Find the Right Sofa to Match Your Living Room Decor

Your sofa is probably the focal point of your living room, so it's important to find the right one. Many factors enter into your buying decision. Does your sofa need to do double duty as a bed? Is your living room strictly for company or is it more of a family room? Does your decorating taste tend more toward traditional or modern? Taking these considerations from www.javatravel.net into account can help you choose a sofa that you and your family will enjoy relaxing on for years to come.

Mix and Match

Back in the day, living rooms were strictly matchy-matchy. The rule was that your living room couch and love seat had to have exactly the same pattern or color. Maybe could add a leather recliner or an armchair if your living rooms was big enough. Today, people aren't afraid to mix and match, and include pieces that they love, even if they don't "go" together.

One key to pulling off a mix and match strategy in your living room is to find pieces constructed of similar materials. For instance, if you have a traditional wood framed sofa and love seat, but a contemporary wood coffee table, go ahead and combine them. The boxy look of your coffee table will provide a nice contrast with the curves of your furniture, and vice versa, while the wood finish will tie the combination together.

Another mix and match strategy is to coordinate colors. For a floral sofa, choose a chair or love seat that picks up any one of its colors, even if it's made of a different material. The contrast in colors puts a fresh twist on a traditional combination that can otherwise look stiff and uninviting.

Your Couch and Your Lifestyle

If you have growing kids, or if your sofa gets heavy use in general, you'll want to choose one that's easy to maintain and still looks great. If your sofa also provides sleeping accommodations for overnight guests, choose one with a bed that's really comfortable, but is still stylish. On the other hand, if your living room is more formal and focused on entertaining, go ahead and get that white leather couch. It will provide a dramatic focus for your room which you can enhance with rich wood end tables and fine lamps.

Wood frames tend to give sofas a more traditional look to your couch. For an even more elegant flair, choose a couch that also has visible wood carvings on the arm rests or along the top. For a more modern living room, choose a sofa with a steel or aluminum frame. The boxy look that a metal frame produces gives your living room a glam touch, especially when your couch is matched with a clear glass coffee table and crystal lamps.