These are the sofa trends that are set to go out of style in 2026 – and I think some might surprise you

The favoured styles of sofas don’t tend to change as frequently as some of the other interior trends, since sofas are large investment pieces that people should be buying only once every 10 years or so. But living room seating trends do still change and evolve with time – and there are some sofa trends going out of style in 2026.

Many of the most recent sofa trends - whether that’s of 2025 or the last couple of years - are still staying relevant. It’s largely sofa styles that have been popular for the past five years or even a decade that are set to fade in 2026, according to interiors and sofa experts.

‘After over a decade of British interior design being dominated by a cool, restrained elegance, we are pleased to see that 2026 will be all about adding a genuine sense of warmth and personality to our homes,’ says Rohan Blacker, founder of a new sofa brand Schplendid. ‘It’s not about removing fun elements of designs, but more about cultivating moments of joy with longevity.’

1. Cool grey and neutral upholstery

Cool-toned grey was the sofa colour going out of style in 2025 already. But since sofas are such investment pieces as already mentioned, phasing out a trend takes a while. However, grey and other cool neutrals are set to continue dropping in popularity.

‘Cool, minimalist interiors are losing traction,’ says Chris Cooke, head of design at sofa brand King Living. ‘Cool, mid-tone greys continue their decline. The shift from 52% of fabric sofa purchases in 2019 to just 10% in 2025 signals a broader move toward palettes that feel nurturing and expressive. Customers want emotional connection in their homes, and grey no longer delivers that.’

2. Sofas with harsh, angled design

Organic, curved shapes have been the favoured style of sofas and other furniture and decor for a few years now. And it’s a home decor trend that’s not going anywhere anytime soon. On the contrary, it’s growing in popularity and as a result, sofa designs with rigid, angled features are going out of style.

‘We’re moving away from anything overly structured or sharp,’ says Kelly Collins, Swyft’s head of creative. ‘Hard angles, tight foam-only seating and ultra-mid-century silhouettes will start to feel dated.’

Chris at King Living agrees, ‘Highly structured, rigid silhouettes are also fading. Clients are gravitating to designs with softened lines and a more relaxed posture. Sofas like Zaza and Aura perform well because they prioritise comfort, tactility and lived-in luxury rather than strict geometry.’

3. Loudly patterned styles

Certain sofa upholstery colours and styles can become on trend quite quickly but then also fade in popularity just as fast. That’s why I’m such a big fan of sofas with removable covers, much like my own sofa, the King Living 1977. That way you can embrace a sofa colour trend you like without changing the entire sofa.

But as we all want our homes and living rooms to be cosy and soothing spaces, loudly patterned sofas of dopamine decorating are dropping in popularity for 2026.

‘Bold, high-contrast pattern-on-pattern looks are losing momentum because they can overwhelm smaller spaces. As life gets busier, people want pieces that soften the room rather than dominate it; the opposite of those statement-led styles we’ve seen over the past few years,’ Kelly at Swyft says.

4. Bold primary-coloured upholstery

Similarly to loudly patterned sofas, styles in bold primary colours are also fading in popularity for the same reasons, making way for earthier tones like green, brown and terracotta.

‘High-saturation statement colours are also becoming less common as a primary sofa choice. People are investing in pieces for long-term living and gravitating toward grounded, natural tones that evolve effortlessly with the rest of the home,’ Chris at King Living explains.

Sofa styles I recommend instead

So if you’re planning on investing in a new sofa anytime soon, it’s best to avoid these styles. But if you’re not and your existing sofa colour or design are on the list it doesn’t mean you should get rid of it. Instead, you can update it with some clever styling.