One Ikea sofa styled three ways – country, coastal and global

We took a classic Ikea sofa – the Farlov sofa in white – and Hemnes sideboard and created three distinctly different schemes. Which one do you prefer?

There’s no more important piece of furniture in your living room than the sofa. So we took one of the most classic and popular Ikea sofas out there…

Farlov three-seater sofa in Flodafors white cover, £595, Ikea

…added an equally classic and popular sideboard…

Hemnes sideboard in white stain, £195, Ikea

…and styled them in three decidedly different ways. Each picks up on a mood of the moment, but which do you prefer?

Prefer a statement sofa? Check out: The DFS Zinc sofa has had a stunning velvet makeover. Uh oh!

Vintage country

Image credit: Dominic Blackmore

Put the informal white sofa and simple Hemnes sideboard at the heart of a pretty, country house look. Bird-print wallpaper provides a restful backdrop, the colours of which are brought out in the cushions and blinds. But by mixing in subtle geo prints and florals, the result is pretty without being overly flouncy or matchy-matchy.

Working in a pink chair and blinds balances out the scheme’s neutral blue tones, while a fancy mirror gives the sideboard more presence.

Get the look

Buy now: Keaton Blush fabric, £39 per m, Clarke & Clarke

Buy now: Jewelled Creek 4 30BG 56/097 vinyl matt emulsion, £24.49 for 2.5ltrs, Dulux Trade

Buy now: Fruit Aviary 216312 wallpaper, £62 per roll, Sanderson at Wallpaper Direct

Buy now: Junipa Anise coffee table, £499, House of Fraser

Buy now: Miss Behaving armchair in Moon Earth candy brushed cotton, £1,065, Sofa Workshop

Hampton coastal chic

Image credit: Dominic Blackmore

Basic white pieces mean you can be fearless in putting colour on the walls. So go bold with a vibrant blue that’ll feel fresh by day and mellow by night.

A supersize print breaks up the full wall of blue so it doesn’t overwhelm the look, and a blue rug echoes the wall to bring balance to the scheme. We love the double-decker coffee table – a useful all-in-one piece for storage, surface and display.

Get the look

Buy now: Jacobean Forget Me Not fabric, £50 per m, Blendworth

Buy now: Mazarine matt emulsion, £42 for 2.5ltrs, Little Greene at John Lewis

Buy now: Aldwych coffee table in Snow, £395, Neptune

Buy now: Up High by Fintan Whelan framed print, £275, John Lewis

Global simplicity

Image credit: Dominic Blackmore

Strip back the boho traveller trend and give it an upscale twist with these strong simple pieces, plain walls and restrained hits of pattern and texture. By using black and white as your base colours and then introducing a more colourful print, you can’t go wrong…

The global look is all about curating interesting accessories, such as the geometric lantern and vase on the sideboard, or the unusual giraffe sculpture. Notice how they have matt textures – keeping these objects shine-free keeps things relaxed and low-key.

Get the look

Buy now: Catalina Reb fabric, £35 per m, John Lewis

Buy now: Atlantis Stone wallpaper, £77.90 per roll, Andrew Martin at Wallpaper Direct

Buy now: Bronx nest of tables, £199, Next

Buy now: Randall armchair, £250, Next

Loved this? Read: One living room three ways: how to create on-trend styles for your living room this month

Which scheme would you most like to recreate in your living room?