The Power of The Statement Sofa

If you’re a casual reader of my articles or follow my work, you know that I embrace the power of color and do not shy away from the impact it can have. I’m always trying to encourage people to be brave, be different, and experiment with their interior and exterior design color palettes because there’s just too much beauty and inspiration to be had to simply “fall in line” with traditional expectations. Sometimes, you just need to make a bold design statement and add life to a space lacking inspiration! Enter the statement sofa. 

What Is a Statement Sofa?

Not too long ago, I wrote a piece focusing on colorful minimalism. Revisiting that design philosophy will help us better comprehend the intentions behind a statement sofa. 

From the article, 

“Colorful minimalism is the strategic positioning of bold/bright/excited colors throughout a home with a modern/minimalistic base color scheme. Simply put, it is pops of intentionally loud colors in an otherwise quiet, neutral space.”

Simply put, a statement sofa is a foundational piece of furniture that adds a “pop” of color to an otherwise neutral space. It differs from an accent piece or accent color because it’s not being layered into a dynamic color scheme; it stands alone as the color statement in the room. 

Why Use A Statement Sofa?

You may ask yourself, “Amy, why does the sofa need to be the statement piece in the room? Couldn’t you make a color statement with an art installation or an accent wall? While I agree that statement colors can be made in other ways, the sofa can anchor a room in ways other items cannot. 

Firstly, the sofa is most likely the largest item in the room itself, and all other pieces of furniture are matched to it. Also, everyone needs a place to sit in a room, no matter the square footage of the space. Only some people will have the option/opportunity/space to place a large piece of art or installation in their TV room/living room. Using the sofa to add color makes practical and functional sense, as it’s often the anchor in the room or the design! 

Secondly, the amount of color that a statement sofa can instantly add to a room is unmatched by most other pieces of furniture. Aside from painting the walls, adding a statement sofa is an immediate way to incorporate an abundance of new color and energy! 

Statement Sofa – Strategies and Schemes

• Juxtaposition with neutral surroundings

As a color specialist, I’m always looking to play with contrast and juxtaposition, and a statement sofa’s #1 purpose is to provide both. A statement sofa needs to stand out from the surrounding base colors of the room. So, statement sofas are more impactful in spaces with neutral or soft base colors. The walls, whether leaning towards a cooler hue or warmer one, must not compete with the saturation/vibrancy of the sofa being used; a statement sofa no longer makes a statement if it’s competing with bold colors elsewhere in the room. 

For example, envision a green velvet sofa, awesomely retro in its vibe, juxtaposed to a soft, creamy-white neutral base wall paint. There’s no mistaking that the sofa is making a declarative statement. Still, it doesn’t overwhelm anyone entering the space because the soothing nature of the established base colors creates a wonderful balance.  

• Highlight the statement color with supporting accents

While the color of the statement sofa will predominantly only be in one place, it works beautifully to echo that statement color with accents in the room. What do I mean by that? Picture a vibrant cobalt blue sectional sofa with soft off-white walls surrounding it. Then, add some artwork with pops of supporting creamy yellow, light pinks, or even a teal green color! It helps to create an arrangement and color theme, but so subtlety that people in the space may not consciously notice the layering. We always want the statement sofa to be the biggest pop of color in the room, but layering in accents in support of that color helps to enhance the statement color even more.  

• Fabrics and textures can contribute to the story as well

If your personality doesn’t gravitate toward loud colors enough to incorporate a teal, royal blue, or rose-red couch into your living room, that’s ok! Materials and surface textures can create design statements themselves when contrasted against one another. What do I mean by that? Well, take a beautiful cognac or saddle-tan leather sofa into a neutral space, and not only do the natural stains of the leather make a statement, but the texture of the hide contrasted with the surrounding smooth walls works to add visual and physical dynamics to the space. You have made your statement in a very unique way! 

Don’t Be Afraid of Making a Statement!

I love statement furniture. It’s almost a “cheat” regarding quickly changing the tone and color presence within any space, plus you don’t have to paint or hire a contractor to get furniture in your home! Try it; if you do not enjoy the color statement, you can always move your sofa from one room to another! 

For inspiration, you can also decorate your room using a color theme from the Color911 app. When the time comes when you want to change up your design? Keep the sofa, but change to another theme for a whole new look!  If you’re looking for interior color palettes to start the new year fresh, thats another way the Color911 color app can help. There are dozens of curated color themes to match every personality/taste. Every theme is created by a color expert, but you be the designer and use it as your guide to pull together a design you’ll be proud of! That’s what it’s all about!