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Did you know that the most popular colour for a sofa is grey? This, along with other neutral colours are among some of the colours we naturally like to gravitate towards when picking a sofa colour.
But why is this the case? Wouldn’t we want to diversify as humans and not feel so…blah? Surprisingly, neutral colours help out a lot in this sense.
According to La-Z-Boy Kingston’s interior designer, Mary Lee Smyth, she tells us that neutral colours for furniture, like a grey sofa, can become the perfect canvas for any theme you want in your house.
“Instead of getting a unique coloured sofa, you can easily create your theme with home decor and accent colours. Plus it’s easier to switch those out when you’re tired of them than a whole couch,” she says.
So, since a grey sofa can be a great start to your living room, how does one style a grey sofa? What colours go well with a grey sofa, and what kind of creative ways can we decorate them? This article will highlight 5 design tips that you can use to style your neutral sofa.
In This Article…
- What Colours Go with a Grey Sofa?
- How Can I Choose the Right Shade of Grey for My Sofa?
- What is the Ideal Lighting for My Grey Sofa?
- What are Some Creative Ways to Personalize My Grey Sofa Setup?
- What Should I Avoid When Styling a Grey Sofa?
1. What Colours Go with Grey Sofa?
As mentioned before, Grey is considered one of the most popular colours to add to a large furniture piece like a living room sofa. So, what colours go well with a grey living room sofa?
Well, that answer is not as simple as one may think. Because grey is a very neutral colour by nature, it goes well with almost every colour!
So, it’s not a matter of what can go well with a grey sofa, but maybe what colour isn’t the best, but more on that later.
Mary Lee says that certain colours may even change how we look at the colour grey. She adds different colours to the same grey fabric and demonstrates that the grey seemingly changes depending on what colour is next to it.
“If you add a colour like burgundy next to it, it might look a little lighter than you’d think. But if you add something like a light blue to the mix, you might think the grey looks darker. It’s all how we perceive the shades, with our brains tricking us into thinking it’s a different colour each time.”
2. How Can I Choose the Right Shade of Grey for My Sofa?
As there are different shades of any colour, there are also different shades of grey you can add to a sofa.
The type of grey you would want to add must go well with the colour of the rest of your furniture. Mary Lee says that end tables can be a great indicator of what shade of grey you have to add to your room.
“These furniture pieces are the closest furniture items that’ll be next to your sofa, which means they’ll help compliment it the most,” she says.
If your end tables are darker in tone, contrasting them with a lighter grey might be the best option if you’re trying to keep your living room light and airy. The opposite goes with end tables that are lighter in colour. Adding a dark grey sofa can help emphasize its importance in the room and help naturally draw attention to it.
If you do not have any end tables in your living room, the next best thing you can do is try matching the shade of your grey sofa with other furniture pieces that are close to it. This can be another loveseat, an accent chair, or a coffee table.
3. What is the Ideal Lighting for My Grey Sofa?
Playing with light in a living room can be as easy as changing up the type of colours in a room as well. While it may not be as exact as opening up windows and adding mirrors to lighten up a room, adding other different shades of neutral-coloured items can help create the ambiance you’re looking for.
However, it is important to remember that not all shades go well together. Mary Lee says that diversifying is key and to not add any shades that are too similar to each other. “If you decide to add a grey colour that’s too close to your grey sofa, it’ll look off and not well put together.”
Lightening up a dark grey sofa can be as easy as adding lighter neutral colours to a room, like white coloured linens or light drapes for your windows. Light browns are also a great neutral colour to add to a dark grey sofa, and can even become an interesting accent colour to a neutral room with a fresh pop of colour.
4. What Are Some Creative Ways to Personalize My Grey Sofa Setup?
Personalizing something so neutral like a grey sofa can go in many different directions. It all depends on what you consider your own personal style. But what does your own decor style look like?
Well, that’s the fun part, it can be anything you like! Maybe you have a favourite colour that you can seem to get enough of, like navy blue. You could add decor accessories and accent pillows in and around your living area to help create a general colour scheme.
Or maybe you’re someone who loves feeling different textures. You could add an area rug to help compliment your sofa’s style and feel. Mary Lee says, large area rugs are great for covering more space, which is vital when matching one with a sofa.
You can even diversify your grey sofa by considering purchasing a grey leather sofa. Though leather can be more expensive, they do help with creating a more modern look to your room, as well as creating more of a textured appearance.
To learn more about Which Sofa Cover is Right for You, take a look at this article.
You might also be interested in adding statement pieces, like unique wall art that goes with your added colour theme and creates a layered look to your room.
As mentioned before, there are many ways you can choose to style your living room, and your style can help lead you into creating a living room that is irresistible. And to think it all started from your grey sofa!
5. What Should I Avoid When Styling Grey Sofa?
Last but not least, after considering some of the design tips above, it is important to note that some things are not recommended to do as well.
One of the design details Mary Lee advises against is picking a certain sofa that is too specific in one style. “Something with a track arm might be a better idea to keep things neutral, as opposed to a sofa with rolled or pleaded arms,” she says.
Rolled arms on a living room sofa might make your piece look too formal, whereas key-shaped or pleading arms might make it too modern. Track arms are the perfect style of sofa that’ll help keep things neutral.
Some examples of sofas with track arms include the Paxton or the Meyer.
As mentioned above, keeping away from similar shades of grey is definitely something you should avoid. If you have more than one grey colour in your room, your living room might risk feeling a little awkward, and not what you might want for your home.
Mary Lee also says if you’re adding more than one furniture piece with the same grey colour on it, it is best to order them around the same time to avoid them looking off from each other as well.
“Sometimes the shades to our fabrics and leathers can change without notice, depending on the dye lot or the manufacturer discontinuing that material.”
Lastly, Mary Lee also says that grey doesn’t need to be considered for your living room! Believe it or not, you can still have a grey living room without having a grey sofa in the mix. “While everyone wants to believe that going with the crowd is preferable, you can make the conscious decision to do what feels right in your gut,” she says.
Not everyone needs a grey sofa in their living room, instead, you can have a sofa that isn't a neutral colour and have the rest of your living room in greys. This can still work to create a cohesive-looking room, as well as keeping the tips in this article, useful for creating a living room that goes against the grain.
What's Next?
Now that you know everything you need to know about styling your grey sofa, you can now make a more conscious decision whether to get a grey sofa or choose something else. If you did like what you saw from us today, you might be interested in learning more about our products and what else they have to offer.
Make sure to check out these best-selling articles below:
- Best Selling Recliners at La-Z-Boy
- Best Selling Sofas at La-Z-Boy
- Best Selling Sectionals at La-Z-Boy
If you’re looking for a new stylish and comfortable living room furniture furniture to add to your home living room, why stop by today? You can start shopping by visiting one of our local showrooms located in Ottawa or Kingston. You can also schedule a visit online before coming in.
Our design consultants are always eager to lend a helping hand. Take advantage of our interior design services to see how our furniture can fit in your home.
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