Est. Reading Time: 7 Mins
Choosing the right sofa colour isn’t just about personal preference—it plays a key role in how your living room looks, feels, and functions. At La-Z-Boy Ottawa, Gatineau or Kingston, we know the impact a sofa can have on a space, especially considering it's often the largest piece in your living room.
According to Mary Lee Smyth, a La-Z-Boy interior designer in Kingston, “Colour is powerful. It’s what your mind gravitates to first when you enter a room. That familiarity can make you feel more at ease—even subconsciously.”
In this article, we’ll guide you through five design-forward tips to help you choose the perfect sofa colour for your living space.
Key Takeaways:
- Sofa colours significantly impact the mood and style of a room.
- Colours evoke subconscious emotional responses that can affect your comfort.
- Light sofa colours help smaller rooms appear larger and more open.
- Durability and texture are as important as colour when selecting upholstery.
- Swatch testing at home helps ensure your colour works with your lighting and palette.
In This Article…
- The Psychology of Colour in a Room
- Think About the Mood You Want to Create
- Be Conscious of Existing Living Room Colours
- Review the Size of Your Space
- Test Durability and Try Out Swatches
1. The Psychology of Colour in a Room
Before diving into trends or aesthetics, it’s essential to understand what colour does in a room. “When we see something for the first time, we often react based on our past associations with colour,” says Mary Lee Smyth. “That is how powerful colour can be.”
Colours influence not just appearance but emotion. Blue might feel calming, while red might energize a space. These interpretations are often personal; perhaps a favourite childhood colour draws you in more than trendy neutrals.
At La-Z-Boy Ottawa, Gatineau and Kingston, we offer a wide range of sofa colours and upholstery to help you express your personality through your space. Whether it’s a neutral beige or a bold mustard yellow, your choice contributes to the overall story of your room.
To learn more about La-Z-Boy Sofas in general, take a look at our comprehensive guide.
2. Think About the Mood
Living rooms serve different purposes for different people. Whether you use yours to entertain, relax, or unwind after work, the colours in your space can enhance that purpose.
“People are looking to recharge in a space that they know will allow that,” says Mary Lee. That’s why colours like soft blue, green, or beige are ideal for a soothing environment.
On the other hand, warm, bright colours like burnt orange, mustard, and red can bring a sense of energy and liveliness, perfect for extroverts or people who love hosting.
When shopping for sofas in Ottawa, many residents opt for calming tones like light greys and taupes, which pair well with natural wood and the colder seasonal light. These colours work year-round and don’t easily go out of style.
3. Be Conscious of Existing Living Room Colours
One of the biggest mistakes people make is choosing a sofa in isolation. You must consider what already exists in your room, including paint colour, rugs, flooring, curtains, and accessories.
“Opposing colours on the colour wheel might feel overwhelming if not executed thoughtfully,” explains Mary Lee. Instead, aim for complementary or analogous colours to create a cohesive palette.
For example, if your living room features cooler grey walls, a warm tan leather sofa can provide a beautiful contrast without clashing. Or, if you already have bold accent colours like navy or emerald, a soft beige or grey sofa helps balance things out.
This approach is especially popular in furniture stores in Ottawa, where customers are often looking for modern, versatile pieces that blend with both contemporary and traditional homes.
4. Review the Size of Your Space
Sofa colour doesn't just impact your mood, it also affects how large or small your space feels.
In smaller rooms, darker colours like navy, forest green, or black may feel heavy and constricting. “If your space is on the smaller side, opt for light and airy colours like cream or taupe,” says Mary Lee.
A trick she suggests? Use mirrors to open up the room: “Mirrors like to trick our brains into thinking a room looks bigger than it actually is.”
For open concept homes in Ottawa suburbs like Barrhaven or Kanata, homeowners can experiment more freely with deeper hues, using accent walls or furniture groupings to separate zones within the space.
5. Test Durability and Try Out Swatches
Not all colours look the same in every home. Lighting, wall colour, and flooring all influence how your sofa will appear in person versus online or in a showroom.
That’s why La-Z-Boy offers free fabric swatches to customers. Bring them home, tape them to your walls or lay them across existing furniture, and observe them in morning, afternoon, and evening light.
This is also the time to test fabric durability. If you have pets or kids, opt for performance fabrics like iClean™ or Conserve Sustainable Fabrics, both of which La-Z-Boy offers. They’re designed to resist stains, scratches, and general wear and tear.
For more durability comparisons, check out our guide to leather vs. fabric sofas; each material offers different benefits depending on your needs.
What's Next?
Now that you understand sofa colours on a deeper level, you can hopefully make a clearer decision to determine the right sofa colour for your living room. The popularity in colours is always changing as time goes by. To get a better idea of what is trending in the design world today, check out some Design Trends for 2025.
If you feel as though you still are not making the right decision for your room, do not worry. We can help with whatever problem you might be facing.
At La-Z-Boy Ottawa, Gatineau or Kingston, we offer complimentary interior design services to help create the room of your dreams. Our interior designers, along with our expert design consultants, are always eager to lend a helping hand. You can also book an appointment online before coming in. To learn more about La-Z-Boy Sofas, check out our comprehensive sofa buyer’s guide.
If you’re interested in learning more about our La-Z-Boy sofas, check out some of these articles:
Related Articles:
How to Disassemble a Reclining Loveseat & Sofa
(1).jpg?width=150&height=150&name=9C8A3062-Enhanced-NR%20(1)(1).jpg)