How to Style a Curved Sofa
The curved sofa is one of the more whimsical choices you can make for your modern living room. Immediately charming and often quite elegant, the curved sofa also poses a challenge. Too many pieces of rounded furniture make a room feel too padded, plush, and playroom like. But if a rounded sofa stands alone as the only piece of curved furniture, its impact could be softened to non-existence. Hopefully, with a few styling tips, we’ll help you discover how to make the most of the rounded silhouette and soft edges that make curved sofas so desirable to begin with. Below we’ve collected a few curved sofas from our catalogue and will offer solutions for how to style a curved sofa like a professional.
Three Styling Tips for Curved Sofas
Approaching the curved sofa is no different than any other sofa. You’ll have a few things to take into consideration to not only ensure good flow through the room but the aesthetic you hope to create.
- Leave Room. The lack of sharp, clean lines means you’ll have to be a little more careful in your measurements. Rounded edges might leave a little more space, but they make it harder to fit pieces into you living room in a neat and tidy way. Take measurements, leave 18 inches between the sofa and coffee table, and at least 36 inches for primary walking areas.
- Balance Shapes. Rounded sofas are, primarily, circular—that is, they evoke the sense of roundness. This is wonderful for inspiring connectivity and unity in a space, but it should be balanced so the seating arrangement doesn’t feel too closed off or isolating. Open up the curves with straighter lines, and more angular pieces. Use coffee tables and lighting to complete the composition.
- Embrace the Unusual. You’re working with a unique piece of furniture when you choose a curved sofa—embrace it! Pull the sofa away from the wall, angle it, and let the curves define the movement of the room. Don’t be afraid to get creative with placement and the items you surround the sofa with, they all come together to make you living room unique, fun, and the focal-point of gatherings.
Our Favorite Curved Sofas and How We’d Style Them
We’ve plucked these pieces from our catalogue of modern sofas to give you an idea of how to style each. These pairings are fantastic starting points. Feel free to copy them exactly or swap out pieces for a completely customized look.
Rico Lounger Sofa
The Ferm Living Rico Lounger Sofa is such a fun sofa. There doesn’t seem to be a single straight or strict line in the entire construction which makes it a truly luxurious lounge experience. We’d pair this one with the Ferm Living Post Coffee Table and then incorporate more lines with the Meridian Lamp and Sector Shelf.
Stay Oval Sofa
One of the more memorable Gubi sofas, the Stay Oval Sofa has a softness to it that really works well in Scandinavian spaces. It’s gently curving backrest and seat is open and welcoming which means you can nestle some other rounded pieces around it without making the room feel too close. We love the Gubi Epic Coffee Table with it as well as a more straight-lined accent chair like the CDC.1 Lounge Chair or the GT Lounge Chair. And then shop of Gubi lights that have a wicker or metal shade.
Tearoom Sofa, High Back
The word that comes to mind when we see the Tearoom Sofa with high back is drama! This sofa makes a statement which you do not want to contradict. We recommend a low coffee table and minimalist lights to simultaneously showcase and soften the Tearoom Sofa. Audo Copenhagen’s Plinth is a fantastic table option, while we’d go with the Column Table Lamp and TR Bulb - Suspended Wall Lamp, or something with a little frill, for lighting.
RF1903 Sideways Sofa
One of the best ways to style the RF1903 Sideways Sofa is by pairing it with itself! Select a left and right module and situate them like yin and yang. This creates plenty of seating space and a warm conversation area. In the middle, we recommend a rounded coffee table to accentuate that circular flow. Something like the CH417 Tray Table or the Arc Coffee Table will complement the shape while keeping a low profile. This sofa is begging for floor lighting, so we think a light like the Task Overreach Floor Light from Original BTC is perfect.
Cape 3-Seater Sofa with Stitches
The added stiches to the Cape 3-Seater Sofa makes us think of clams and shells, as well as Art Deco accents. All of this comes together to create a very unique and elegant sofa. To complement its refreshing and energetic presence, we recommend more modern tables and lighting. For example, the Nati Tati Drawer High table is a great way to add some straight lines, while the Side Table 606 by Aino Aalto gets you those lines while continuing the rounded theme in the tabletop. Grab the G-10 Floor Light to sit beside the Cape sofa or cluster some Stone Pendants.
Rabelo Sofa
The arched armrest and seat of the Rabelo Sofa scoop you up and cradle you as you lounge and relax. We love this sofa for its stitching and timeless, sophisticated look. This sofa looks great with both rounded and more squared tables, so you can choose something like the Memória Center Table or the Androgyne Lounge Table. Lighting should be fun and Industrial in inspirations we think, so lights like the Sahn Chandelier, 265 Wall Mounted Swing Arm Lamp, and the Lampe Gras N°411 Floor Lamp are perfect.
Everything You Need for Styling a Sofa
There is no shortage of ways to style a curved sofa. We hope this guide helped clarify your vision and inspire you to embrace the plump, luxurious curves of rounded sofas. Their uniqueness gives living rooms a boost of personality while the soft edges create that irresistible comfort. Complete the composition with modern lighting, contemporary accent chairs, and the perfect coffee table—and find it all right here at HORNE!
Explore related collections, including Planters + Pots and Planters, and visit our design guides for a broader point of view.
