Design Tips for Styling a Sectional Sofa

A good sectional sofa can look delightful on its own. However, no room would look complete without a few additional pieces of furniture and fabrics. Even when the furniture looks stylish already, getting creative and weaving a table or sofa into your overall design scheme is well worth the effort. Sectionals are a much stronger tool for boosting aesthetics than some homeowners realize. To make the most of your cozy seating arrangement, use these design tips for styling a sectional sofa. As you’ll learn below, even something as small as a pillow can turn a good couch into a great centerpiece.

Make Those Pillows Pop

One of the best ways to cozy up a sectional sofa is with a collection of throw pillows. Throws come in various colors, shapes, and sizes, so you can create a brilliant focal point with the right set. By beautifully arranging accent pillows in the center of a sectional, you can give the sofa a uniquely aesthetic. Additionally, this display offers a simple, convenient place to store and grab pillows when you or a guest need some extra comfort. You can also place a couple of smaller pillows on both ends of the sectional to create a fuller, more balanced look.

The contrasting scale between throws might not sound like much, but details like size and shape can make your decor pop. Our decorative pillow sets come with different sized covers for a reason—with those contrasting sizes, you can arrange pillows into unique displays of color and fabric. Furthermore, a pillow cover’s color can make it pop against the sofa stylishly—black pillows contrast delightfully to white couches. Likewise, a pale blue pillow introduces an intriguing design element to beige sofas.

Since sectionals are typically a place to relax after work or socialize with guests, comfort is key. When adding throws to sectionals, go or a set with soft, snug fabrics you’d happily reach for when kicking back. Accent pillows look small, but they offer a large amount of creativity, thanks in no small part to the unique patterns you’ll find many displaying.

If There’s Room, Try a Blanket

Some sectionals are larger than others. If there’s still plenty of empty space on your couch after adding your decorative pillows, grab an enticing throw blanket or two. Draping a stylish blanket over your sectional adds an extra touch of warmth, both aesthetically and literally. On cold evenings, you can grab the throw blanket and wrap it around yourself to stay nice and toasty. Here’s a neat tip for anyone with ample open space on the side of your sofa—drape a blanket over one or both sides to imbue that space with a touch of snugness. You don’t want to overstuff the couch with decorative ornaments, but filling up empty space here and there is always fun.

Stunning Hardware

Decorating a sofa isn’t just about what you put on it; it also involves the additional furniture you install in the surrounding area. Near the center of your sectional, set up a nice wooden coffee table. Don’t set the table up too closely; there should be sufficient breathing room between the furniture pieces. However, the coffee table makes a convenient tool for placing food, drinks, books, and additional decor. Plus, a table with a wood texture makes an elegant contrast to a soft sofa. If you’d prefer a more comfortable place to prop your feet up, skip the coffee table and find a cozy footrest instead.

Whether you choose a footrest or a coffee table, consider adding two side tables at either end of your sectional. If you have a coffee table, finding a side table with the same style can be a great way to echo the smooth, sleek texture throughout the room. Plus, you can place a nifty lamp on the side table to add an extra, stunning light source. On the other hand, if you go with the footrest, the side table plays the role of its coffee counterpart: convenience and creative contrast. At the end of the day, your hardware should be functional while flowing with the overall room design, so tables and footrests are your best bet.

Roll Out the Welcome Mat

A great way to extend the welcoming look and feel of sectionals is with a snug rug. So what does extending the sofa’s aesthetic mean in this context? As we mention throughout this guide, sectionals are a place for people to sit down and unwind. While the average carpet or hardwood floor looks nice, it typically doesn’t share the lavish, cozy aesthetic of sofas and decorative pillows. With the right rug, you can make the ground you walk on appear and feel just as luxurious as the sofa itself. For the best results, choose a rug with a similar texture to the sofa but in a different color. That way, you can ensure the rug pops without sticking out like a sore thumb or mundanely mimicking the sectional.

Add Natural Beauty

Introducing potted plants into your design plan is a simple, powerful action. Natural elements, such as plant life or wood accents, bring serenity and calmness to a home’s atmosphere. Setting up potted plants around the sectional can be the perfect way to make the area feel more relaxing. If you have enough room, larger plants behind the sectional can look elegant while helping you achieve the right atmosphere. However, even small potted plants on your coffee or side tables can bring your sectional to life wonderfully. As with the throw pillows, you can play with the scale of potted plants—a small piece of greenery on the table with a larger counterpart nearby can expand that feeling of serenity while tying it into the design scheme cohesively.

Whether you use one or several, these are the top design tips for styling a sectional sofa. Even when the furniture looks great, make it yours. Echo your color palette through welcoming rugs or cozy pillows. Show your personality through the patterns of blanket fabric or the style of your coffee table. Suffice it to say; almost any piece of home decor can become a brilliant design asset with the right vision behind it.