Level Up Your Space With These Brown Couch Decorating Hacks
If you've just moved into a new home or apartment with an existing brown couch, we feel you. Brown leather or fabric sofas can present some unique decorating challenges. But have no fear - with a few simple styling tricks, your brown couch can become the stylish focal point your living room deserves.
Read on as we share our best decorating hacks for sprucing up a tired brown couch. From layering on cozy textures to embracing bold accent colors, these easy tips will help you create a warm, inviting living room that feels fresh and modern.
Complement Your Brown Couch With Earthy Accents
One of the easiest ways to help your brown couch feel current is by complementing it with natural, earthy accents. Consider incorporating wood tones, creamy neutrals, and textural fabrics in colors echoing the brown leather or velvet.
Warm Up With Metallics and Wood
Warm metallics like antique brass, copper, and bronze make perfect partners for rich brown leather. Pair your couch with brass pendant lights, a copper table lamp, or bold bronze throw pillows. Dark wood coffee tables, shelves, and picture frames also bring out the richness in brown.
Creamy Neutrals For Balance
Creamy beige, tan and ivory fabrics and accessories keep things fresh against a saturated brown. Incorporate cozy cable knit blankets in oatmeal or cream, tan linen throw pillows, or a fluffy off-white area rug. Sheepskins and cowhide rugs also lend a layered, Scandi vibe.
Textural Touches For Depth
Don't be afraid to play with textures to add visual interest around your brown leather or fabric sofa. Consider a chunky wool blanket, fuzzy Mongolian lamb pillows, or an extra shaggy area rug. The contrast showcases all the rich texture in leather.
Soft Fabrics to Balance Brown
All that brown leather and velvet can feel a bit masculine and formal. So choose fluid, touchable fabrics in pillows and accent chairs to soften up the look. Light linens and breathable cottons contrast beautifully with dark brown.
Plush Velvet and Chenille
Deep jewel tones like sapphire blue or emerald green velvet make a luxe match for a chocolate brown couch. Or try soft, tactile chenille pillows that you can't help but sink into. These soft but saturated solids keep things feeling upscale.
Lightweight Cottons and Linens
Consider linen pillow covers in natural, airy shades of cream, taupe and sage green to lighten up all that brown. Lightweight cotton throws in oatmeal and ivory also inject a breezy, relaxed vibe against rich leather and velvet.
Liven Things Up With Inviting Pops of Color
Ready for something a bit bolder? Use your brown couch as a neutral backdrop for playful hits of vibrant color. Paint an accent wall, add exotic plants, or layer on bright and graphic print pillows. The brown ground everything, keeping things feeling cohesive.
Paint an Accent Wall
Make your brown leather sofa the star by painting an accent wall behind it in a complementary color. Soft blue, light peach, olive green, or even a warm terra cotta orange could all work beautifully. Let the brown furnishings stand out against this colorful backdrop.
Vibrant Plants and Artwork
Plants instantly inject life into any space. Consider a trailing pothos vine, vivid green philodendrons, or a fiddle leaf fig next to your couch. Hang abstract art prints in contrasting colors like teal or mustard yellow. The bold tones make everything pop against the brown.
Graphic Print Accent Pillows
Have fun mixing and matching brightly colored throw pillows with graphic prints. Try chevron stripes, Ikats, or tribal triangle patterns in colors like tangerine orange, lime green, or cobalt blue. The lively patterns and colors energize a neutral brown palette.
Use Walls to Your Advantage
Don't underestimate the power of your walls when decorating around a brown couch. Choose soft beige, warm white, or even bold accent walls to make your brown furnishings shine.
Bright white walls serve as a clean, modern backdrop - making rich brown leather really stand out. Or opt for warm beige or light taupe walls for a more soothing, neutral scheme. And don't shy away from colorful accent walls in harmonizing shades.
Tips For Arranging and Layering Around Your Couch
When it comes to layering on accent pillows, throws, plants and artwork around your sofa, keep scale and color balance in mind. Vary heights, choose contrasting textures and patterns, and blend dark and light tones for visual interest.
Group accessories asymmetrically instead of evenly spacing. And consider framing your brown couch with lighter beige or white side chairs to keep the focus on that fabulous leather or velvet.
There you have it - our very best tips and ideas for decorating beautifully around a brown leather or fabric sofa. By thoughtfully layering on warm metallic accessories, cozy natural elements, soft textiles and vibrant pops of color, you can create a welcoming living room that feels fresh and current.
Keep in mind the colors, textures and styles that you already love as you make small updates over time. The right earthy ceramic vase, chunky woven rug or bright abstract art will enliven your existing brown furnishings.
Soon that hand-me-down brown couch will become a stylish centerpiece rather than a decorating woe. Bring on the compliments from friends who won't believe you once considered replacing it!