Dark Grey Sofa Decorating Ideas

13 Ways to Work Your Room Around a Grey Sofa

Found your perfect grey sofa? Show it off to the max with a living room décor idea to match your style

Amanda Pollard

31 October, 2016

Senior Content Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors and architecture.

Where do you begin when you design your living room? A good place to start is with the sofa. Choose one you love and create your room around it. In this new series, we share ideas on how to design your living space around some popular sofa styles. This time, it's a Houzzers' favourite – the wonderfully adaptable grey couch.

Team with turquoise
This simple two-colour scheme creates a tranquil space against the white backdrop. The retro-style corner sofa is upholstered in a very light grey, which adds to the pared-back look. Turquoise is a lovely colour to team with grey, but to avoid it appearing too cold, add some natural wood tones as they've done here.

Check out these tips for choosing the perfect sofa

Warm it up with red
Here, a turquoise and grey scheme has been given more depth with elements of russet. The three shades look great together and give this room a bright, contemporary feel.

The modern look is carried through by introducing square coffee tables and an angled lamp, with a right-angled furniture arrangement. The whole thing is softened with patterned cushions and a textured rug.

Buy a grey sofa direct from the Houzz shop

Create a Scandi sanctuary
Plenty of midcentury furniture and warm wood surfaces are the perfect framework for a Scandinavian look. Deep blue walls and accessories bring out similar tones in the cosy grey sofa.

Add another layer of warmth to a scheme like this with natural greenery. Here, the outside foliage works well, but you could achieve a similar effect with indoor plants.

Stick to classic navy
In this white-walled space, bright accents from the books and artwork provide the colour, so the sofa doesn't need to. This comfortable grey number looks perfectly inviting with some subtle navy and white accessories.

If you're going for something classic like this, mix it up a little by choosing different patterns and textures, as these homeowners have done.

Browse more grey sofas on Houzz

Add some bright accents
A grey sofa in a white room provides the perfect canvas to add your own style. Here, an adjacent shocking pink sofa, some well-chosen accessories and a bright piece of artwork completely transform the scheme.

To balance the sweetness of bright pink, it's a good idea to add some black elements, too.

Opt for dark walls
You can also go for bold style in a dark room, as these homeowners have done in this beautifully eclectic space. The grey sofa almost merges into the inky walls and provides a moody backdrop for the brightly coloured furniture, artwork and accessories.

Go for muted and elegant
This serene space is created with a mix of grey, teal and a lovely soft mustard. The colours work together to bring out the complementary hues of each other. For example, the mustard emphasises the yellow tones of the teal, which in turn brings out the green elements of the yellow.

The grey sofa holds the whole scheme together, and it would work equally well with a light grey version.

Bring in more grey with a twist
Don't be afraid to add more grey to the mix – this room shows how to do it. The grey walls and sofas are prevented from falling flat with the addition of a bright yellow rug, pink and yellow cushions and an elegant turquoise coffee table. The look is fresh and modern, and not at all drab.

Discover how to succesfully layer up grey tones

Contrast with earthy tones
With its white walls and plain grey sofa, this space could have been extremely minimal, but it's been cleverly transformed with a few choice pieces.

The key element here is the patterned rug, as it's instantly added texture and warmth to the room. The deep reds and oranges are then picked out by the coloured chairs, as well as the artwork and other accessories.

Lighten up with yellow
Add some fizz to your grey sofa with some shots of yellow. The bright velvet cushions and other yellow accessories here tie in with the gold lamp and picture frame.

With just a few items, the room has become a fun, contemporary space, but has been subtly toned down with a warm oak coffee table.

Style it with dusky hues
The grey sofa in this living space is an ideal shade to complement some elegant, muted colours. Velvet cushions in purple, turquoise and beige take on a dusky look next to the grey upholstery. The whole thing is beautifully framed by the blue wall.

Give it an industrial look
This loft-style space has some great features, such as the exposed pipework and light fittings. However, if you can't include these elements, it's still possible to create an industrial look with the clever addition of some black-framed glass.

Here, a Crittall-style mirror is a stunning feature in the room and is complemented by a metal and glass coffee table. The grey and black provide a contemporary backdrop, while the yellow cushions add some zing.

Soften with pale pink
Bring out the soft tones of a grey sofa by teaming it with a colour palette of pale pinks or corals. This large, imposing room appears calm and inviting with the muted pink cushions and glossy pendant lights. A thick rug makes the space feel even more cosy.

What do you think of these living room ideas? Have you designed your room around your sofa? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments below.