One Room Challenge | Three Rooms Inspired by the Sofa

It’s week two of the One Room Challenge so it’s time to start making some decisions or it’s never going to happen! Last week I shared my living room before pictures with you and today I’m going to share my plans and ideas for filling the space. Staring with the most important item of all.

In my opinion, the central focus of any living room is the sofa. Most likely the largest object in the room, the couch is not only a design statement but also the most used piece of furniture. It needs to bring the room together as well as it’s occupants. It needs to be welcoming, comforting and comfortable. I want to fall onto the sofa at the end of the day and feel totally at ease and to ensure this happens you need the whole room to work together, creating a calm space.

In my previous rented homes, I had a habit of letting this idea slide. I would do what I could with the furniture I had and wonder why I always felt the need to get up and change something. Why there was ultimately always something off with the room. It’s not that I didn’t like most of the furniture. It’s that I didn’t think about how the pieces worked to compliment each other and most of all, the sofa.

So I’ve put together three mood boards for three very different styles of room. I’m hoping this will give me the answers to a lot of questions I’m asking myself at the moment. Let’s see…

This room works because the muted colours compliment the grey sofa rather than washing it out. The pops of accent colour help to keep the room interesting instead of bland and boring. Geometric shapes contrast with natural materials to create a modern yet relaxed feeling. And while the room is minimal, it still feels personal. Bringing simple but delightful design elements together to add character.

I particularly love the idea of a corner sofa. My living room is a narrow walk through space but this West Elm chaise sectional means I can have that style of couch without needing a large space. Its simple design means I can add patterned cushions without clashing. Score!

I’ve been trying to be braver with colour, especially when it comes to decorating our home. The colours here are still muted but they’re also much deeper. Combined with furniture and art that mix richer and lighter tones, the overall look is not overwhelming or overpowering. The look is still fresh but when the lights are dimmed and the candles are flickering you’ll feel totally snug, especially under this throw!

I’ve mixed the beautiful teal sofa with soft blush pinks to create a contemporary colour way that will help bring these minimal design elements together.

To me, this seems like a much more masculine room, even with that pink chair. But I still really like it! This is a room entirely focused on the materials and using them in interesting and different ways. Raw and natural wooden elements are set against metal and glass. I especially love the feet on this sofa.

I think this room would look amazing covered in plants. Green accents everywhere you look to soften the individual elements without taking anything away from the overall styling of the room.

While this post might have answered some questions it might just have created even more. I’m seriously struggling to pick my favourite! Perhaps I’ll end up bringing a few different elements together and hoping they work…I’ll have to make more mood boards. I could easily end up making mood boards all day long! Help a girl out. Which is your favourite room? Let me know in the comments.

I wrote this post in collaboration with West Elm and you can find all these products on their website (except for the artwork in room two. You can find that here).