Sofas By You, Harveys Furniture: How To Style Your Sofa
Last week, I was lucky enough to receive a Winslet sofa from the lovely people at Harveys. I chose all the components of the sofa myself, from the size to the style to the colour and material, right down to the feet. I've written a blog which you can read if you click here about the amazing journey this sofa had made from the order process, right through to it arriving in my home.
What I particularly loved about this offering, Sofas By You, from Harveys is that it is a Handmade in Britain product. As you can see from my previous blog, each part of this sofa was handmade with care and it really shows. It's also super comfortable, the velvet is really soft and once you are sitting down, you don't want to get back up again which is a bit of an issue. Even my hard to please husband pronounced it more comfortable than the current sofa. Velvet sofas are super on trend at the moment so I was quite excited about being able to style it in my home.
So what did I do?
Found The Perfect Spot
I have a huge gallery wall in the bar area of my dining room that had a sideboard below it. After taking the measurements, I realised that the new Winslet sofa had a low back and would fit perfectly underneath the prints. I'd chosen the three seater version so it slotted underneath nicely.
It was also directly opposite our home bar so an ideal spot to have a drink and a chat. The dining room has a wooden floor which contrasted perfectly with the dark wood of the sofa feet.
Added A Rug
I'm a big fan of furniture being placed on rugs rather than being directly on the floor. As a general rule, I always try and place my furniture - sofas, dining tables - partly on rugs as I think that otherwise it can look a little disjointed. Texturing the soft furnishings gives it a layered effect which softens the look.
I'm lucky enough to own a vintage Boucherouite rug, my favourite, and it's a rainbow of colours including a hint of green. I'm a huge colour fan so wanted a contrast so the rug was a perfect match. I layered the rug with another rug (yes, I like rugs) in a geometric pattern and this really gave the look an edge.
Added Contrast
For me, the most exciting thing about styling a room is mixing different materials and texture. So I added two round bamboo side tables which I had picked up in the charity shop for a song. Bamboo and wicker are making a huge comeback and it's worth scouring the second hand shops to see what you can find! Plus they are brilliant as inside/outside furniture and are perfect for taking outside when the weather is good.
I love the contrast of the luxurious green velvet of the sofa next to the natural material of the bamboo. One of the things I really like about the Winslet is that it can be styled up or down, whatever your home decor style may be. It's a really flexible style choice plus, being a Chesterfield style, it's timeless.
Added Cushions
I didn't want to overdo the cushions (something that I am prone to) as the Winslet is such a gorgeous sofa that I wanted to show it off, particularly the handmade buttoning at the sides and back.
So I added just a couple - one in a turquoise velour with a neon pink pattern and the other a simple leather effect gold. Again, I was looking for contrast to make the room pop. I chose low bolster style cushions rather than square ones, to fit with the shape of the sofa.
Added Lighting
I love the contrast of the Artichoke green velvet with pink, so I brought in a neon pink standard lamp to the right hand side that looked fab and picked up the pink of the cushion.
There was already a yellow neon LOUNGE sign on the wall so this gave me the colour hit I needed in this space and added much needed light in the evening. After all, the sofa is opposite the bar - you need to be able to see your Aperol Spritz and peanuts.
Created Focal Points
I always love differing levels when styling a space and books are always a brilliant way to do this. It's easy to pop a plant on a table but it looks far more effective if you give it a bit of height by placing it on books. I stacked up five of my interior favourites and placed a fern on top of them in a blue patterned pot.
Don't veer away from mixing colour - it makes for a really eclectic look. Rooms don't need to be themed. By making the plant and books a point of interest, I created focal points away from the sofa which made it blend beautifully into the space.
I added my favourite Monstera (cheese plant) to the left of the Winslet in a wicker pot that contrasted with the bamboo and velvet. Plants really make a room and soften the edges.
So now my Harveys sofa looks like it has been there forever and is already a super popular seating choice in our household. In fact, we've already had arguments over who will be sitting in it. It's a beautiful, handmade piece of furniture of really solid construction and we look forward to having it in our home for many years to come.
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*This post is sponsored by Harveys Furniture.