Contemporary Sofas: Top 5 Sofa Styles for the Modern Home

5 – Contemporary Sofa Beds.

Right, we’re not talking poking yourself in the eye with rusty springs from a 20 year old sofa-bed, which fell off the back of a truck. We definitely aren’t talking bargain hotel sofa cushions, designed to be put in a bed shape on the floor, and we probably aren’t talking getting home after one too many drinks and being completely unable to fathom the workings of an overly complex mechanism.

A sofa bed might have connotations of neglected spare rooms or unwanted cousins coming to stay, but in reality a contemporary sofa bed can be a beautiful and stylish addition to the home.

There are two ways in which a sofa bed can succeed in being both stylish and practical (ie, you are able to unfold it and sleep on without major stress or injury!):

The ‘secret’ sofa bed is the sofa bed which, by day, is a stylish contemporary sofa and by night, a comfortable contemporary bed. The key to this kind of sofa bed is making the ‘bed’ element as discreet as possible. Navy blue fabrics or dark brown leather are great for hiding any folds or mechanisms which might otherwise be visible. The beauty of the ‘secret’ sofa bed is that it doesn’t have to be relegated to a spare room; it can sit proudly in the centre of a contemporary living room.

The futon style sofa bed is the other end of the spectrum. In other words, it’s a sofa bed and it doesn’t care who knows. The keys to the futon sofa bed are good quality upholstery (a removable cover is a must!) and good, solid wood frame. A good solid oak frame will help to create a light environment in the room. Futon sofa beds traditionally sit quite low to the ground, which adheres to some of the principles of Feng Shui. Essentially, tables and chairs (or ...sofa beds) which are near the ground create more space above them. Remember, the space above the floor can be just as important when creating a light and spacious environment. A futon sofa bed can give a really welcoming message to anyone who visits your home, as it portrays a message of comfort and hospitality. If you don’t want someone to stay, you can always say it’s broken, don’t worry.

4 – Contemporary Floral Prints.

I know what you’re thinking, but there are some fantastic printed sofa designs out there. Really fantastic.

Over the last few years, you may have noticed a mass outbreak of feature walls coated in floral wallpaper. Admittedly, this is one of the more stylish pandemics out there, but why slap your carefully chosen contemporary floral design on a wall when you can sit on it? (A sentence you never thought you would read, and I never imagined I would write. All in all, I think it went pretty well?)

A comfortable contemporary sofa with a floral print brings the attention to the centre of the room and creates a more relevant focal point. The beauty of a sofa is that it involves the rest of the furniture in the living room. Feature wallpaper can often mean you have to try incredibly hard to bring the attention back into the centre of a room. Feature wallpaper can also restrict the style and colour of sofa you can choose. Once you decide to go for a floral print, you have a lot of freedom to colour-match and find something that suits you.

Feature wallpaper is great, and the main reason it’s so successful is that you can turn a boring and ordinary wall into a contemporary design statement. Why stop with walls? If you want your perfect sofa, find the perfect body (cater to your price range, look in antiques shops and second-hand dealers by all means), this will be your wall. Once you have found your sofa, find your wallpaper (floral upholstery, if you weren’t already with me) and create your contemporary design statement.

3 – Contemporary Simplicity.

Eye-catching, vibrant prints can definitely be a beautiful way in which to express your style the home, but not every design is suited to every interior. If you are trying to achieve a relaxing atmosphere, busy prints and complicated designs might feel too hectic and could disrupt the flow of the room. Simple styles, clean lines and soft colours will enable you to turn your living room into a relaxing sanctuary, in which to unwind and relax.

Admittedly, one of the first things that springs to mind when ‘Contemporary Sofas’ are mentioned is minimalist style, which is perhaps why it’s surprising that there aren’t as many great simple styles out there as there used to be. Too often, the tendency is to lean towards big; loud; bold and colourful design statements in order to really make an impression. Contemporary design is as much about getting a feeling for the space as it is ‘wowing’ those who pass through it. A great way to create a flowing atmosphere is to have a consistent colour pallet throughout the room. Echo and compliment the colour of the sofa in cushions, soft furnishings and accessories throughout the room in order to create a sense of continuity. (Avoid directly matching the same colour too much as it can very quickly look a little cheap and tacky!)

A simple, low back on a sofa can create a better flow of light through the room and, along with clean lines and modular cushions, can bring a balance and symmetry to the space. A lot of modern apartments and houses will have an open-planned kitchen/living room, so it’s important to have a clear divide between the two. A low corner sofa with its back to the kitchen area is a perfect way to divide the space without completely separating the kitchen and living room. Try using a large, simple rug as your living room floor guideline and match up the edge of your sofa to the edge of the rug; creating a balanced linear space.

2. A Traditional Sofa, Reinvented.

Although people, fashions, trends and style will always move on, great designs will always be great designs. When juxtaposed with stylish contemporary interiors, vintage traditional sofas can be brought back to life in stunning fashion.

Up until as late as the early 1900’s ‘Chesterfield’ was used to describe any sofa at all. This pretty much tells you all you need to know about where the world-famous ‘Chesterfield’ sofa sits (Sits! Get it?) in the grand scheme of things. The iconic Chesterfield designs technically refer to any sofa with a buttoned back and arms and back of equal height. However, through time the name Chesterfield has grown to be associated with the brown leather version of this design. It’s quite amazing how you can take the buttoned leather design, which is actually used in the plush red leather seating of the House of Lords, and make it work in a contemporary atmosphere.

With the Chesterfield, the angle you have to approach from is ‘vintage’. Take a vintage Chesterfield with distressed (Physically distressed, don’t worry.) edging, coupled with open floor boards, open brickwork and a few Roy Lichtenstein or Any Warhol prints on the wall – Hey presto, the perfect blend of traditional and modern.

A good design will never stop being a good design.

1. The Bold Statement Sofa.

Contemporary art can often be about pushing boundaries; whether it’s music, painting, sculpture or anything else, they all thrive on exciting and innovative designs. Interior design is no different. The boundaries in interior design are set by the conventions of past designs. Much like contemporary art takes inspiration from portraiture and then laughs in its face, contemporary sofa design takes conventions from the past, twists them upside down, inside out and injects colours which might be more at home on the Las Vegas strip!

A serious design statement works best in a stylish, yet simple room; enhancing the effect of vibrant colours and unconventional designs. Remember, the colour you choose is just as important as the style. The human brain instantly makes connections with colours. Before you know it, you’re mind has decided what it thinks about a certain colour and what the connotations are. A natural green sofa will instantly invoke images of rolling hills and will perhaps be accompanied by the soft tones of David Attenborough’s voice. However, a vibrant green will instantly jump out with its energy and electricity – There’s your statement. The moment the colour reaches your eye, you’re not quite sure how to comprehend it, and you kind of like it...

Bold designs are often about taking people out of their comfort zone (mentally) and forcing them to try something new. In a world where vast armies of mass-produced lifeless discount sofas are produced, the invigoration of a statement piece is more than welcome. Colours like hot pinks and sexy reds really jump out and flaunt themselves. Dali’s famous ‘lips’ sofa is the perfect example of taking a colour and design people may not feel comfortable with and turning it into a beautiful and iconic contemporary sofa.

It is, of course, not essential to couple outlandish designs with vibrant colours. Much like fashion, where different people are suited to different styles, different homes are suited to different sofas. Style statements are beautiful when executed correctly, so find the balance that suits your home. A traditional sofa style with a bright sofa cover might be more suited to your home than Dali’s lips or a sofa in the shape of a hand! It’s always important to remember that the sofa must ‘work’ with the atmosphere of the room and within the home. Don’t be scared though; you can have an awful lot of fun once you break some boundaries.

It’s pretty amazing how something which is technically ‘one’ piece of furniture can have so many variations. Contemporary fabric sofas, for example, can be completely different to vintage; traditional leather sofas. The effect is style the same when put into the right interior though. Modern Sofas and Traditional Sofas have so many variations but it’s really up to you to identify what will suit your home and what kind of image you want to convey.

Contemporary Sofas - Here at 4 Living we sell a wide range of contemporary sofas for the modern home including fabric sofas, Italian leather sofas, Conran sofas, Chesterfield sofas and recliners. Click here to browse our latest collection and buy online!