There are a few big decisions to make when designing a living room from scratch. Namely, what color you should paint your walls, and what furniture you need to fit. If you're feeling lost on where to start, a good place is your wall and sofa color combination — the key to an elevated and expensive-looking space.
Sure, you could opt for a white sofa or wall — it's a safe bet — but the true magic most often happens when you push the boundaries of your wall and sofa color a bit further. A rich rust-red sofa with a dirty neutral wall or an emerald green wall with a textured beige couch, perhaps? Confidence oozes with luxury, and luxury often reads as expensive.
So, what are the most expensive-looking wall and sofa color pairings? Below, with the help of designers, I've curated a list of four ideas to inspire a living room worthy of a five-star hotel.
1. A Moody Jewel-Tone Sofa Against Neutral Walls
Neutrals don't have to mean just off-whites and beiges; this black wall gives the rich rust red sofa a moment to shine.
The first expensive-looking wall and sofa color combination is all about high contrast and high reward. Toronto-based interior designer, Marc Contardi, says, "I will always swear by a rich jewel tone or moody regal-colored sofa and a neutral wall color (never white)."
This pairing can expand across a wide color range, too. Think rust-red or emerald green sofas paired with a neutral wall that provides a restful contrast in the design. One color Marc says to avoid here, though? A crisp white. Opt instead for dirty neutrals for a more luxurious feel.
"It elevates a room because the neutral wall allows the color of the sofa to be a main attraction and focal point to the space," says Marc. "When beautiful and rich colors are used properly on furniture, the look is timeless and chic."
Style it with other textiles, such as drapery, area rugs, decorative cushions, and then, of course, other curated pieces of furniture to complete the vibe.
Marc Contardi is an interior designer and the founder of Marc Vincent Design Consultancy. Marc graduated from OCAD University and has been a practicing interior designer for 15 years. With an interior design portfolio that spans international markets, Marc is known for his versatile approach, working seamlessly across a range of aesthetics — from contemporary to transitional to traditional.
2. High-Saturation Tonal Combinations
Color drenching not only makes a space look bigger, but more expensive, too.
Next up in the way of chic wall and sofa color combinations? A tonal color drench. Specifically, a bold blend of oxblood colors and dusty pinks and plums with similar undertones.
Dallas-based interior designer Lauren Saab says, "A tonal oxblood scheme reads immersive and cocooning, the kind of enveloping palette that always feels custom and high end."
For a particularly moody spin, try oxblood walls with a tonal sofa in velvet or mohair. Or for something less intense, try dusty pink walls with an accent sofa in deep plum. It's a combination that's come in perfect timing with the current purple sofa trend.
With a tonal oxblood scheme, variation in finish is key. Matte paint on the walls with velvet or mohair for the sofa, layered with stone or antique brass, breaks up the depth. "The depth of color creates a cocoon effect, and the texture shifts keep it from falling flat," says Lauren.
3. Emerald and Parchment
A soft, luxury white sofa is best paired with deep colors to ground it.
It's not white, it's "parchment". Lauren says another favorite expensive-looking wall and sofa color combination is emerald or dark forest green walls paired with a parchment-colored sofa.
Dark green is one of the ultimate luxury colors — the blue-tinted, phthalo green immediately comes to mind. It's rooted in nature, yet still associated with high-end designer brands in fashion (Ralph Lauren, Burberry, and Barbour, to name a few). When dark greens are paired with parchment, they "bring balance between drama and light, so the room feels curated and intentional," says Lauren.
Decorating with jewel tones on the wall provides a dramatic backdrop, letting the sofa glow against it. To style a room in emerald and parchment, incorporate touches of aged brass lighting, dark-stained wood, and a patterned cushion or throw to add depth and polish.
4. Taupe and Brown
Brown has become one of this year's most beloved colors in interior design.
From Pantone's Mocha Mousse (a milk chocolate taupe shade) to pops of deep mocha brown, the earthy color has been everywhere lately. And, when incorporated strategically, brown exudes a seriously sophisticated aesthetic.
Marc recommends finding a sofa in a "mushroom, caramel, or chocolate brown — something that still feels like an earth — and pair it with a neutral paint color on the wall to complement."
Once again, texture should be your guiding light when styling a taupe and brown wall and sofa color combination. Style a wooden coffee table in the center of the room or add tonal throw blankets to balance the look.
Living rooms can be one of the most intimidating rooms to decorate, but the reward of lounging in your stylish, expensive-looking space is well worth the effort. Next up: rugs. Ever wondered which comes first, rug or sofa? We've got the answer.
