Decorating Around a Black Leather Couch

Next weekend, Adam and I are moving into a new apartment! I’m very excited to get out of this one and have more room to decorate and really make the space into a home. A couple years ago, when Adam moved in with me, we decided we needed to ditch our rickety, cliche college futon and get an actual sofa. We went to Big Lots, which surprisingly has really nice full size couches for dirt cheap. When we narrowed down the selection based on taste and budget, our options were between a modern beige sofa or a large black leather couch.

Although I had my reservations about the choice, we both figured that the black leather fabric would be more forgiving to snacks or drinks enjoyed in front of the TV. Plus, it was actually really comfortable and cushy. But, when we got it delivered that day, I became overwhelmed because it was such a heavy presence in the room that I didn’t expect. We tried decorating around it, but sort of gave up and just let it take over the room.

Now that we’re moving, Adam entertained the idea of getting a new couch. If you’ve ever moved, though, you know that the whole process can get expensive. There are other things that we actually need (like a fridge) that take priority over items we already have. So I decided to come up with some color scheme options for the new living room that balance out the black leather sofa, but keep things light and fun.

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When we first tried decorating around the sofa after purchasing it, I incorporated blue accents to match a blue chair that Adam’s grandpa had given him. So when looking around at decor we already had, I noticed that I could put together a room that incorporated the original blues I invested in, plus hints of gold by hanging wall art together that we had been keeping in different rooms. This living room would be the easiest for us to put together, since we’d be mostly rearranging the decor we already own so that everything works together. I liked how the gold brings warmth to the cool tones. Plus, I could use the wine glass canvas Adam’s mom painted for us!

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While thinking about other color schemes we could possibly use, I figured that blue needed to stay constant throughout because of Adam’s chair being a permanent and sentimental furniture piece. I’ve always loved the combination of blues and greens, because it reminds me of sunny weather and relaxing days. Bright blues and greens also pop against the dark furniture we’ve accumulated in efforts to compliment the couch over the years, like our black book case and coffee table. The light, cool shades definitely help balance the dark pieces.

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Finally, the most simplistic but rather chic design option: black, white and blue. This was the color palette that my friends loved the most, and the one Adam chose out of the three as our future living room color scheme. There’s something timeless about black and white, and I plan on accenting with different shades of blue, like navy, sky, & cobalt. The combination is very tranquil, and makes the black leather couch seem the least out-of-place, which is why I wasn’t too bummed that I didn’t get my way with my first choice of blue & gold accents. I also get to use this beautiful, one-of-a-kind sketch that I inherited from my grandma, which looks just like her when she was young. I can definitely get into this clean look… plus I can always use the gold decor in the bedroom!

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Now that we’ve decided on our major design decision, I’m even more excited to move and start sprucing the place up. If you guys are interested, I’d be happy to do a follow-up post with pictures of how everything looks once we’re settled in.

Do you have a piece of furniture that’s hard to decorate around? How did you save the room?

Don’t forget to pin your favorite color scheme! Let me know which one you like best in the comments.