Living Room

9 examples that prove you need a more comfortable sofa

Is your perch plush enough?
Chris Warnes

If the kitchen is the heart of the home, surely the warm and cozies come directly from the couch.

Hands up who’s in love with their sofa? If your arm didn’t shoot straight into the air, perhaps it’s time for an update on one of the most significant furniture pieces you will buy.

A gathering place for the family to share in weekly TV shows, huddle in the face of scary films or snuggle down for story time, the more welcoming and comfortable your sofa is, the better.

An army of soft furnishings can make all the difference too – layer warm snuggly throws in autumn and winter as the cooler weather bites, coloured and curated cushions stacked up for days whilst you kick back in comfort to read a good book.

If you’re already in the market for a new couch or are just getting started on the transition, here’s a collection of choices that work beautifully in the space to inspire your purchase.

1. Coastal comfort

A light colour palette and natural timbers call for the luxury of linen sofa covers. Washable for maximum convenience, these can be changed out with the seasons and for a freshen up.

9 examples that prove you need a more comfortable sofa | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: Patrick McGrath)

2. Boho bliss

The drama of velvet is just the texture for a bohemian decorating style. Layered with cushions in natural woven cotton and surrounded by pattern and colour, the deep navy tone and gathered, tufted upholstery treatment ups the comfort factor to a heavenly level.

9 examples that prove you need a more comfortable sofa | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: Chris Warnes)

3. Light and bright

Sheer elegance doesn’t give way to comfort with the clever choice of denim blue the perfect foil for a neatly upholstered off-white armchair. Feather-filled cushions and plenty of cushions create a snug nest.

9 examples that prove you need a more comfortable sofa | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: Chris Warnes)

4. Low and lean

The generous depth of the cushions on this substantially sized couch allows for an ever-changing smorgasbord of plump cushions along its length. The warm grey base colour is the perfect foundation for fun decorating with a mix that can change with the styles and seasons as they come and go.

9 examples that prove you need a more comfortable sofa | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: Chris Warnes)

5. Provincial prize

Crisp white covers are loose here to give that “lived in” look in this charming French provincial style living room. A neutral palette and soft, natural textures allow architecture and ambience to take centre stage.

9 examples that prove you need a more comfortable sofa | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: Derek Swalwell)

6. The flexibility of loose covers

A neutral colour such as this natural linen creates a blank canvas for your decorating desires. Here, a monochromatic scheme speaks volumes in the detail of handmade pieces and accessories.

9 examples that prove you need a more comfortable sofa | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: Graham Jepson)

7. A lifetime of leather

A leather sofa is an investment that is seldom unappreciated. With a natural hide that only gets better as it ages, a leather couch is timeless and evolves over time with use to become part of your life’s decorating story.

9 examples that prove you need a more comfortable sofa | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: John Downs)

8. Classic design

Look to classic shapes when choosing a leather sofa – a design that appeals to you or that you have always admired will withstanding many permutations of your decorating makeovers and ideally form part of an eclectic furniture collection over time.

9 examples that prove you need a more comfortable sofa | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: Cath Muscat)

9. Doubling up on style

Coupling a pair of matching sofas works beautifully both to anchor a generously large space and give a cohesive look to a smaller living space.

9 examples that prove you need a more comfortable sofa | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: Simon Whitbread)

10. It’s all about the layering

No matter your choice of sofa, a plain fabric offers a foundation on which to build numerous decorating palettes. Summer, winter, coloured or neutral, let your sofa be a chameleon in the overall scheme living room style.

9 examples that prove you need a more comfortable sofa | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: Chris Warnes)

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