By: Jacey Larsen

Bringing together sofas and chairs in your seating areas can help create a trendy twist on the typical living room design. There are many ways to get innovative with your pairings, and being unafraid to experiment with new ideas, styles, color schemes, and layouts can lead you to find a beautiful combination for your home.

KNOW THE CORRECT SCALE FOR YOUR SEATING

It is important to have the proper scale in mind when purchasing chairs and sofas for your mix-and-match arrangement. Your seating should be complimentary, meaning that they look proportionate next to each other. The sofa and chairs should also be no more than within 4” of each other when it comes to height, in order to prevent awkward imbalance.

PLAY WITH DIFFERENT MATERIALS AND TEXTURES

If you want to stick with a classic style in your living room, utilizing one main material/texture throughout the area is ok, if it is done within a reasonable amount. At least one other contrasting texture should be used, even if it is in small quantities, to assist in breaking up the largest utilized material. Using two or more materials in your space also creates visual interest, helping you avoid a living area that looks basic or crowded. A good example of this would be coupling wood with fabric.

CONSIDER THE LEGS OF YOUR CHAIRS

One tip that most people typically don’t consider is how to mix and match the legs of your seating. If your couch has shorter or hidden legs on it (most couches on the market do), then it is best to pair it with chairs that have longer or more embellished legs. The same idea applies the other way around as well. This helps to balance out the negative space in your living room and is a detail that is best if not overlooked.

STAY AWAY FROM SIMILAR SHAPES

This is probably the most essential tip you can consider when it comes to building your seating arrangement. The biggest idea with constructing your own set of chairs and sofa is to bring about distinction and variance within your design. This is hard to create when your seating is too alike in style or shape. For example, don’t pair a rectangular sofa with an elongated chair. Instead go for a square or circular shape that carries its own definite style.