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10 Ways to Make Your Sofa the Star

From textiles to space-saving tips, here’s how to style your living room furniture like a pro

Jess Chamberlain
1 /10 Thomas J. Story

Balance pillows

If your sofa is a solid color, consider adding graphic or patterned pillow designs for a touch of art. If your sofa fabric is patterned or graphic itself, go with solid colors to ground it.

2 /10 Lisa Romerein

Add texture

White upholstery helps a small space feel larger, or a dark space feel brighter. Give it some dimension by adding graphic and/or textured pillow and blanket accents. Extend this style to the whole room through rugs and window shades.

3 /10 Lincoln Barbour

Save space with a sectional

Typically, we consider sectional sofas only for large living spaces, but they can live large in small spaces too. This built-in sofa can seat 10-12 people (and can sleep a few overnight) because it maximizes the room perimeter space.

4 /10

Make a blanket statement

Tuck a blanket (or textile remnant) around the bottom or back cushion of a leather sofa for a soft and warm look and feel. This is also a great trick for concealing a stained or damaged cushion. If your sofa is floating away from a wall, simply hang the blanket over the back. Swap out the fabric with the seasons, or whenever you desire a refresh.

5 /10 Photo by Jennifer Cheung; written by Sharon Cohoon

Style a bench

Add firm pillows (or multiple soft-fill pillows) to bench seating to create an inviting lounge area outside. Invest in pillows with outdoor fabric, or simply pull some from inside for temporary use.

6 /10 Photo by Ericka McConnell

Accent a daybed

Prop firm pillows against the walls of a cornered upholstered daybed for a cozy nap nook any time of year. No daybed? This same tactic works for a large upholstered ottoman or even a covered twin mattress.

7 /10 Neil Reynolds

Prep for a pet

Layer a couple sheepskin rugs on a sofa to help protect the surface from pup damage. The cozy material will be loved by human loungers too.

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Set up multi-purpose seating

Small spaces demand hardworking furniture. In this live-work home, a midcentury Hans Wegner daybed functions as a living room sofa, a guest bed for visitors, and "conference room" seating for business meetings. Keep pillows and blankets simple so they serve all purposes.

9 /10 Thomas J. Story

Take it outside

You can never have too many cushions outside. Layer a mix of firm and soft pillows (covered with outdoor fabric) on outdoor seating. For bigger parties, the large, firm pillows can double as additional seating on the ground.

10 /10 Photo by John Granen

Play with pattern

Don't be afraid to mix pattered pillows on a solid color sofa. Here, stripes and floral designs mingle for a fresh spring look. In winter, swap these out for darker-hued pillows and throws.