your catch-all guide to a cracking cushion combo.
Is your sofa looking a little stale? Your couch a little common? Your settee not sparkling quite like it should? One of the most frustrating situations for any decorator is feeling like your sofa’s not up to scratch. It’s the crowning jewel in the social hub of your home – the place where guests gather and your trusty cushion-clad sanctuary after a long and stressful day. A standout sofa is a must, so where is yours going wrong? Well to start, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, or in this case – don’t saw apart your sofa when your cushions are the culprits.
"The beauty of cushions is that they bring so much impact with such little fuss" says furn.'s brand manager and interiors expert, Anna. "They’re versatile, relatively affordable and simple to move around when redecorating. Equally, cushions have the power to completely transform your sofa-scape if you know how to play to your existing decor’s strengths".
It doesn’t matter if your sofa’s black, white or anything in between – a basic knowledge of colour theory is enough to energise your entire living room with a tasteful spread of cushion shades.
So, whether your grey sofa’s got you stumped, your cream couch is causing confusion or you’re baffled by beige, brown or burgundy – we’ve got top colour tips for a winning cushion combo.
We’ve all come across the colour wheel at one point or another. From your primary school art class to the studios of elite interior designers across the globe, the colour wheel is a cardinal tool, and has helped to create every sublime colour scheme that’s dominated the interior trends landscape. It doesn’t take years of strenuous study to master the wheel, and basic knowledge of a few key rules is more than enough to have you embellishing your sofa like an expert.
"If you fancy some colour, but you're not confident with selecting the right one for your sofa, search out a colour wheel online to have a look at what tones perfectly pop against your sofa colour" Anna suggests. "This will ensure you have balance and maximise on impact. You can never fail with adding neutral colours like ecru or natural however, and they can help you blend other hues together so it's not a colour overload".
Depending on who you ask, there are six or seven different types of colour scheme that can be made using the colour wheel. A lot of these are based around just three core colour schemes, and for simplicity’s sake we’ll stick to focusing on these three.
monochromatic.
The colour scheme of the moment since minimalism’s rise to stardom, we’re all more than familiar with the monochromatic look at this stage. A monochromatic colour scheme is one which uses different shades of one central base colour.
You can choose any colour you like, as long as you stay within that specific section of the colour wheel. Monochromatic schemes are calming, clean, sophisticated and uniform – making them a great fit with more pared-back designs.
analogous.
A slightly more daring option, analogous colour schemes take one base colour and pair it with its two next-door neighbours on the colour wheel. This results in a smooth trio of similar shades that’s easy on the eye while still creating some contrast, and works wonderfully for colour-loving decorators who want something balanced and cohesive.
Think cosy palettes of red, orange and orange-red that make the perfect sunset symphony.
complementary.
Otherwise known as opposites, complementary colours sit directly across from each other on the colour wheel. If you’ve ever come across an unlikely colour combination that somehow still worked, it was probably made using complementary hues. These schemes provide dramatic contrast that can easily overwhelm your space, so we recommend choosing one colour as a base and using its complement for accents and details.
Think deep red and forest green, zesty orange and sapphire blue, or any other combo that’s eye-catchingly chic. If you want a slightly softer take, go with a split-complementary scheme by bringing in a third colour that’s closely related to your base’s complementary shade. An example would be introducing a subtle touch of pink to a blue and red complementary colour scheme.
Now that you know your way around the colour wheel and the kind of combinations you can create, it’s time to start thinking more specifically. While the three palettes we’ve ran through provide a solid basis for building a superb colour scheme, every sofa is different, and stronger colours may need a bit of extra attention to find the perfect fit.
Also, it's important to keep in mind that building your sofa scheme directly from the colour wheel isn't the be-all and end-all. As Anna points out, "a scientifically-approved colour scheme might be pretty much guaranteed to work, but you shouldn't let that stop you from getting creative in your choice of sofa cushions. Interior design is an art form - so don't forget to express yourself. If you feel like your sofa is missing a random pop of zesty yellow or rich emerald green, then go for it!"
So, to be absolutely certain that your sofa-scape reaches its full, first-class potential – we’re running through our favourite colour combos for a whole host of sofa hues.
what colour cushions go with a green sofa?
When it comes to sprucing up a green sofa, the good news is that you’re not exactly short on options. Green makes a glorious pairing with neutral whites and earthy browns, while looking just as good alongside vibrant shades of blue, orange, gold and more.
However, our top pick for cushion colours that’ll pair prettily with a green sofa is – undoubtedly – pink. Green and pink are complementary colours, so this is a bold combination that’ll lend plenty of elegance while effortlessly drawing the eye.
what colour cushions go with a navy sofa?
Rich shades of blue are a staple of luxury interiors, so a navy sofa offers the perfect opportunity to lean into a more extravagant aesthetic. Powerful, regal shades like emerald green, crimson red and honey-golden yellow will bring out the finer side of your navy sofa.
If you’re looking for something a bit more soothing that’ll let your navy sofa shine, clean whites make for a timeless combination with deep blues. It’ll work all the better if you’ve already got white wallpaper or other white decor around your living room, creating a breezy coastal vibe that’s grounded in rich navy opulence.
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what colour cushions go with a beige sofa?
Far from being boring, a beige sofa provides the ideal blank canvas for you to go all-out with cushions and other living room accents. The beauty of beige lies in its neutrality, as you can dress it up or down with just about any shade without having to worry about colour clashes. Neutrals like white, black and tonal browns work a treat when paired with beige, and will shower your sofa with a healthy dose of minimalist magic.
If something a little more colourful is calling your name, decorative cushions in rich shades of blue harmonise beautifully with earthy beige tones. Go with textured velvet or tufted fabric for added texture and depth, and you’ll have a luxurious aesthetic that’s rooted in earthy beige warmth.
what colour cushions go with a brown sofa?
One of the most popular sofa colours out there, brown brings a timeless touch that’s stylistically flexible and refreshingly easy to work with. It fits like a dream next to everything from natural wood furniture to leafy potted plants, and brings buckets of warmth to shades on the cooler side of the colour wheel like blue or teal.
For a nature-inspired look that exudes earthy confidence, we suggest pairing your brown sofa with deep forest green cushions. It doesn’t take an ecologist to work out that brown and green is a tried and tested colour combination straight from mother nature herself, and it’ll inject your living room with an irresistibly organic feel.
Find out more about what colours pair best with brown, as well as the shade’s shocking history with our biscuit, taupe and pecan: let’s explore brown decor blog post.
what colour cushions go with a burgundy sofa?
A slightly niche hybrid shade that doesn’t even make an appearance on the primary colour wheel – burgundy is a style statement in and of itself. It exists somewhere between red and brown on the wheel, although its purple undertones are clear and striking. Rich, sophisticated and packed full of passion – let’s just say it’s not exactly a shade that’ll fade into the background.
As burgundy is quite powerful, consider balancing it with plenty of crisp whites in your living room decor. If you simply can’t resist introducing another pop of colour, bright butter-yellow cushions make an inviting addition – especially when paired with deeper burgundy hues.
what colour cushions go with a red sofa?
Radiant, warm and the universal colour of romance – red makes for a seriously striking sofa foundation. If a tranquil sitting room sanctuary is calling your name, however, stoney greys and wispy whites work brilliantly to play up the more soothing side of red.
For a show-stopping colour contrast that’ll balance out the boldness of your red sofa with ease, consider going with blue cushions in pale duck egg or sky-blue shades. Dramatic shades like red need an equal dose of drama to achieve perfect harmony, so a bold complementary colour scheme is a great choice for this sofa colour.
what colour cushions go with a cream sofa?
Lusciously off-white with subtle yellow undertones, cream is an oh-so-soothing hue that lies somewhere near the border of neutral shades. Like beige, a cream sofa offers a blank canvas which you can deck out with accents from all ends of the colour wheel.
Keep things tonal and sophisticated by layering up with icy white accents, and bring in pale grey cushions for a classic minimalist touch. Or, if you’re determined to bring your cream sofa to life, awaken its yellow undertones with orange cushions in shades of restful rust and tangy tangerine.
what colour cushions go with a teal sofa?
A popular contemporary shade that gracefully rides the border between green and blue, teal is a uniquely dynamic hue. It can appear both luxurious and laidback, both warm and cool, depending entirely on the colours it’s paired with. Navy cushions will bring out the richer side of your teal sofa, while hot fuchsia pinks will dial up the playfulness.
Our standout accent for a teal sofa, however, goes undoubtedly to natural cushions. Whether it’s organic wood furniture or woven jute cushions, honeyed tan shades sit irresistibly well alongside a teal sofa, bringing to mind breezy summertime scenes of sand, sky and sea.
what colour cushions go with a grey sofa?
If there was ever a sofa colour that carried boundless styling potential, it would undoubtedly be grey. Calm, balancing and a grounding force for just about any shade or pattern you pop alongside it – grey really is the perfect neutral. If your sofa is a lighter grey shade, consider going with cushions in soft pastel shades like blush pink or gentle baby blue. The warmth of these shades will sit splendidly alongside cooler grey tones, lending a fresh contemporary look on the more adventurous end of minimalism.
For darker and warmer grey sofas, bold and bright cushions in shades like scarlet red or sunshine yellow will contrast beautifully and look all the more radiant. Feel free to experiment with dazzling floral or geometric patterns when dressing a grey sofa, but keep it to just one or two cushions and let the others bring a sense of stability to the look.
Hungry for more sofa styling suggestions? We’ve already got a detailed guide on how to pick and style cushions for grey sofas over on our blog, so make sure to check it out if you’re itching for more inspiration.
No sofa setup is complete without a lush selection of layers, and our toasty sofa throws collection offers the ideal solution. Check out our 5 ways to style throws in your home and our general guide on how to dress a sofa if you’re stuck for design ideas, too.
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