7 couch colors that will never go out of style
Trying to future-proof your living room is no easy feat. But experts say that investing in couch colors that never go out of style is one on the easiest ways to ensure you’re not spending more than you should be in the long run.
Couch color trends come and go, but there are a few shades that can stand up to the ever-changing tides of these trends. From light and dark neutrals to rich, earthy tones, there’s a host of sofa shades that will ensure you design a timeless living room that never dates.
Couch colors that will never go out of style
(Image credit: Amber Lewis for Anthropologie)
‘Ultimately, I think timeless couch colors come down to personal preference and how the color fits into your overall design plan,’ says Kerith Flynn, Principal and Founder of Margali & Flynn Designs in Long Island, NY. ‘If you want something that’ll blend with changing trends, neutrals are usually your best bet.’
Unless you know you really love a particular bold color and won’t tire of it after a year or two, sticking to neutrals – either light or dark – is a safe way to choose your sofa shade. However, they aren’t the only options when it comes to choosing a couch color.
‘At the end of the day, a timeless couch color is one that can evolve with your space and still feel just as chic years down the line,’ says Lauren Lerner, Principal and Founder of Scottsdale-based Living with Lolo.
If you want to play it safe though, these are the seven couch colors the experts believe will never go out of style.
1. Soft gray
(Image credit: Marie Flanigan Interiors/Julie Soefer)
The obsession with all gray living rooms might be over, but a gray sofa will always be a versatile and stylish option. And it doesn’t need to be the cool, minimalist color we often associate gray with, choose a soft gray – a greige even – that will work as a base for either more layers of neutrals or bolder shades.
‘When it comes to choosing a timeless couch color, I always recommend leaning into tones that feel both elevated and flexible,’ says Lauren Lerner. ‘Bright neutrals like soft gray, cream, and beige are classics for a reason – they layer beautifully into just about any space and create a calm, effortless foundation.
Miramar English Roll Arm Fringed Sofa
An English roll arm sofa is a couch style that will never date and, when paired with a neutral hue like soft gray, makes a timeless combination.
Oceanside 90″ Wide-Arm Sofa
If you’re looking for something a little more contemporary, this wide-arm sofa is a high-quality option that offers a clean-lined, modern look along with the comfort factor.
Perfect for smaller spaces, this curved sofa will add a sleek and sophisticated feel to any room.
2. Cream
(Image credit: Victoria Holly Interiors)
It might not be the most practical shade, but cream is a tried-and-true couch color that will never go out of style. It offers a fresh, bright feel that can be smoothly integrated into any living room scheme.
‘Bright neutrals, like creams, are timeless and versatile, so they’re a safe bet for long-term style,’ says Kerith Flynn. ‘They work in almost any space, can be easily accessorized with throw pillows or blankets, and tend to complement a variety of other colors.’
Kerith adds that cream sofas are a great option, ‘if you like a clean, airy feel or a minimalist aesthetic’, adding ‘they will always be in style’. One word of warning, however? ‘They can be harder to maintain in busy households with pets or kids,’ she concedes.
Keanu Boucle Upholstered 3-Seater Sofa
Combine comfort and style with this curved sofa from Wayfair, which also ticks the box for affordable chic.
Cream sofas offer the ability to layer your space with color and texture through soft furnishings. These velvet ochre cushions by Anthropologie are stylish as well as cozy.
The pretty pleats on this Lulu and Georgia sofa give a nod to the nostalgia trend, which is traditional yet timeless.
3. Olive green
(Image credit: Michael Mitchell/Ryan Garvin)
An earthy tone, olive green is a soft, soothing shade that adds color without overwhelming a space. This inviting ambiance ensures this is a couch color that won’t go out of style, and will serve as a chic and practical option that will future-proof your living room.
Lauren Lerner is a fan, and says she’s ‘drawn to rich, earthy tones like olive, saddle brown, and muted mustard. When done right, they bring so much warmth and character without feeling trendy.’
Again, this shade is a lovely alternative to a neutral that works as a backdrop color for plenty of other shades. If you want an olive couch to lean more neutral, pair it with cream and beige accessories; if you want to feel more like a colorful choice, oranges and blues work so nicely with this muted green.
Brenda 3 Seater Sofa With Slipcover
An olive slipcover sofa is a timeless, yet on trend piece. We talk a lot about slipcovered sofas making a comeback, but really they never went anywhere, they are just being styles in new, chicer ways and choosing an olive green colorway will rid the style of any fussiness.
Soho Home Margeaux Fringed Cotton-Blend Velvet Pillow
If you aren’t in the market for a brand new sofa, but want to bring this timeless hue into your living room, this olive green throw pillow would look perfect on a neutral couch, or create a gorgeous contrast with an earthy orange sofa for a bolder look.
Blue and green should never be seen? A color myth that’s so dated now, and if you are after a combination that’s endlessly chic, an olive sofa with this deep indigo tone would be perfect.
4. Navy and indigo
(Image credit: Imperfect Interiors)
Dark blues, like navy and indigo, offer a fail-safe choice when it comes to couch colors. A color seen in nature, it evokes the calming essence of the deep ocean, offering the ultimate sink-in spot and a hue that transcends living room trends.
‘I love deeper shades like navy, especially when a room needs a little mood or depth because it’s bold but still incredibly versatile,’ says Lauren Lerner.
And Lindsay Olson, Principal and Founder of Lulu Designs, agrees that indigo is her go-to for a couch color that you’ll be happy with for years to come.
‘The most classic of all sofa colors to never go out of style is indigo,’ she comments. ‘Much like a comfortable pair of jeans, it’s always in style, it can be paired with anything, and is a great backdrop for all rooms.’
Irene Gunter, Principal, Gunter & Co, is also a fan of dark blue sofas, especially for busy spaces. She explains, ‘Navy sofas (or for that matter, dark green ones) are often a first choice in areas that are family friendly and heavily used by kids, pets having to endure snacktime, jumping around and general wear and tear.’
‘It’s got an instant cozy appeal and, especially in winter, feels incredibly warming to a room. It also helps that as a color it’s especially forgiving! Navy sofas are often our go-to in cinemas and family rooms (where there’s a separate formal space).’
Velvet Reversible Throw Pillow
Navy and burgundy might be an unexpected color pairing, but it’s one that really works. Use burgundy cushions, like these ones from Wayfair, for a rich yet soothing space.
Otti Hand-Knotted Wool Rug
Add dimension and pattern with a large area rug in burgundy, blue and cream shades.
A navy velvet sofa is the height of sophistication, and will offer an inviting space for some respite as well as being a hue and fabric match that won’t date.
5. Ochre and mustard
(Image credit: Design by Studio DB / Photography by Matthew Williams)
After years of loving cooler grays, color trends are shifting to favor warmer, more earthy tones. As these hues are so entrenched in nature, they offer a look that truly lasts, so a safe choice for your couch color.
As Kerith explains, ‘If you’re looking to make a statement and create a cozy, unique space, earthy tones are a great choice. Just keep in mind how they will complement the other colors in your home.’
Earthy tones layer well with other earthy tones and warmer neutrals, but they look wonderful with shades from the opposite side of the color wheel. Pair a deep burnt orange sofa with deep blue throw pillows for a soft yet clear contrast.
A deep mustard shade is the way to do yellow if you want your couch color to remain timeless. And this luxurious shade goes hand in hand with a totally timeless couch material too – velvet.
Hettie Belgian Flax Linen Pillow Cover
Bring a hint of timeless mustard into your sofa set up with this rustic throw pillow. It’s so versatile that you could pair it with any couch color.
Emmy Indoor/Outdoor Pillow
Create some contrast by looking to the opposite side of the color wheel and pairing your mustard couch with a blue throw pillow. Avoid primary colors if you don’t want a really bold clash, and instead pick deep gray/blues like this one.
6. Charcoal
(Image credit: Marie Flanigan Interiors, photography Julie Soefer)
Along with navy, charcoal is another dark neutral that will stand the test of time and offer a sofa shade that outlives fads or trends. A black couch might seem intense, but a rich, soft charcoal gray is the perfect shade to ground a living room without looking too stark. Opt for a slipcovered sofa, or a design with a softer silhouette, these will work better with darker shades if you don’t want the couch to feel too dominant in the room.
‘Dark neutrals can add a lot of sophistication and depth to a room,’ says Kerith Flynn. ‘Navy and charcoal are less harsh than black, and they pair well with wood tones and metals.’
What’s more, there’s also the obvious practical side to darker neutrals that can be another appealing factor. ‘They’re also great at hiding stains and wear, which is ideal for homes with little kids or pets,’ adds Kerith.
Pair your charcoal sofa with a pretty floral cushion for an inviting slouch spot that also offers visual interest.
Everleigh Slipcover Sofa 96.5″
A slip cover sofa is a practical choice that also offers a large choice of colors. Charcoal is a timeless choice that pairs well with beige for a layered, soft look that also has depth.
Beige and navy are always a winning color combination that is soothing and soft as well as timeless.
7. Beige and greige
(Image credit: K Interiors/John Merkl)
Once thought of (unfairly) as being a little boring, beige is enjoying a surge in popularity. In short, beige is back, and beige living rooms are a particularly lovely and livable scheme.
But it’s also a classic warm neutral that makes an ideal pick for a couch color that will never go out of style. Not sure whether you prefer beige or gray? Opt for griege for a combination of both that also makes a time-foiling choice.
Interior designers love this choice, too. Lulu Designs’ Lindsay Olson says, ‘I am loving a greige… not gray, not beige. It is my go-to for a room that needs a lighter colored sofa or sectional.’
Macy Upholstered L Sectional
Not quite as warm and dark as beige but definitely not as cool as a traditional gray, this greige sofa is the ideal neutral and a safe yet classic choice.
Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines x Loloi Jett Throw Pillow
Greige will lean more to gray or beige depending on the colors you pair it with. Pick out some warm beige throw pillows like these from Joanna Gaines’ collection with Loloi to bring out the warmth in a gray sofa.
This soft greige throw is an easy and affordable way to add this timeless shade to your couch setup. That hint of cream in the fringing will just lift all those slubby neutrals too.
What color sofa goes with everything?
If in doubt, light neutrals are an easy choice for a sofa color that goes with everything.
‘Light-colored sofas like beige, cream, and light gray are just a timeless classic,’ says Irene Gunter.
‘They instantly make any model of sofa look more ‘upmarket’ than a darker color, and just lift the whole scheme to look incredibly elegant and refined.’
‘When in doubt, we always venture towards these colors for sofas as we often provide clients with visual aids to allow them to see how the sofa looks in various colors and aside from fun patterned sofa, a light neutral is always the front runner.’
What is the most popular couch color?
As much as we would all like to believe we are out of the gray era, the most popular couch color is gray. But, as many designers will note, it has shifted away from cool grays to more of a griege, so a much warmer take on the popular couch colors of the past.
Choosing a couch color that will never go out of style is very much down to what colors you consider to be timeless. Neutrals are, of course, a safe choice, and as far as the wider questions of what colors won’t date, creams, beige,s and grays will always come out top. But maybe those shades don’t suit your living room, or maybe you have gone neutral in the rest of your living room, and adding an olive or navy, or mustard couch will be the thing to stop all those safe shades from dating.
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