5 of the best red sofas & tips on how to style them

As a naturally fiery shade, you may be mistakenly thinking that red is a difficult colour to work with.

In this article, I’m going to show you how to style a lively sofa, plus share my top 5 red sofas to bring your living room to life.

When did red sofas become a trend?

Red has always been a popular colour choice for sofas.

Since the heydays of the esteemed Chesterfield sofas, which date back to the 18th century, red sofas have been a furniture staple that have adorned many a country estate and other abodes for many decades.

Traditionally upholstered in shades of deep claret and maroon, Chesterfield sofas set the style for red sofas. 

Remember, red doesn’t have to mean pillar box red.

There are a variety of red shades that span from bright to deep with rich hues to muted options.

What goes well with red couches?

As a red couch is a bold statement in itself, especially if it’s bright red, you’ll need to put a little thought into the rest of your colour scheme to make sure you create a lovely contrast to really show off your sofa.

Fortunately, there are several shades that work well with, all shades of red, namely white, black and grey.

Meanwhile, if it’s a bright red sofa you are after, then neutral colours, e.g. tan, beige, cream and gold, are extremely effective at balancing out the brightness.

When it comes to more vibrant shades of red, steer clear of other bright colours, which will instantly clash.

Plus, you’ll want your bright red sofa to be centre stage, not fighting for attention.

How can I tone down a red sofa?

The best way to tone down a red sofa is to make your living room (or whichever room your sofa may be in) all about your sofa.

That means no other competing colours and subtle injections of other shades, ideally grey, white and black, or wider neutral colours for bright red sofas.

One of the quickest, easiest and most cost effective ways of toning down a red sofa, is to pop some cushions on it.

This will help break up the solidness of the sofa, and soften it in the process.

What colour cushions go with a red sofa?

The key here is to steer clear of cushions that are too busy – just one to two shades and minimal patterns is what you’re aiming for.

Colour-wise, select shades that are on the white, cream, grey and black colour spectrum, and if you go for black, balance it out with a one or two cushions that are light grey or cream or choose smaller-shaped black cushions.

A row of large black cushions will immediately look extremely blocky and stark. 

The same principle also applies to throws.

A cream or white throw will break up some of the red while also adding a classy touch to the overall result.

Depending on the material your throw’s made from, chunky knitted wool or super soft velour, you’ll also be adding an extra layer of textured detailing too. 

What colour curtains go with a red sofa?

White, cream and sheer curtains look wonderful against a red couch, helping to brighten up your room, and making it feel a lot fresher and brighter overall.

Depending on your overall colour scheme, beige, gold, black and certain shades of red curtains can also be successfully paired with a red sofa.

If swatches are available, make sure you order them, so that you’re 100% sure of the curtain colour in reality and how it looks against your sofa. 

Not sure which red sofa to go for?

Take a look at this much-needed sofa inspiration - my top red sofa picks: