Emerald green sofa living room ideas – to breathe new life into your space

Bold coloured sofas is a hugely popular homeware trend of late that’s hard to miss, especially emerald green sofas. As homeowners gain confidence with colour we're seeing more and more inspiration for emerald green sofa living room ideas on Instagram and Pinterest.

Before you think it’s too out there for you, a sofa in this gorgeous on-trend shade is actually more versatile than you may initially think. If you’re brave enough to embrace it, it will bring a whole new dynamic to your home.

Emerald green sofa living room ideas

It’s worth bearing in mind when you’re picking the best sofa for your family in this on-trend colour, that green can also bring calming effects and wonderful wellbeing benefits. The shade is known to create a sense of serenity and tranquility, which can actually make us feel more at ease and more productive – a valuable quality in the current climate and lots of us working from home.

Colour also comes in a wide spectrum of shades, from true bluish emerald to muttered yellow tones, which will also influence the mood of the room. Plus, the colour’s vibrancy is also determined by the fabric of the sofa. An emerald green sofa upholstered in velvet or chenille will have a more light-reflective, shine-like appearance, opposed to a woven fabric, which will be duller.

1. Contrast natural textures with a green sofa

Whether you have a large contemporary space with lots of natural textures, such as bare brick, stone and terrazzo, or you have created an industrial vibe using faux-effect wallpaper and natural flooring, a green sofa is a great choice for pulling all the materials together and softening the space.

It acts as an anchor point, pulling all the finishes together, keeping the room looking stylish but subtle and not overly bold. Add warmth with burnt orange cushions and a tonal cosy throw. And don’t forget plenty of greenery to really bring out the green tones in the room.

2. Enhance emerald green with bright colour pops

There’s nothing quite like walking into a room that makes you smile, especially a space that’s filled with lots of cheerful colour. With an emerald green sofa as your basis, build the scheme around it using bright orange, peppy yellow and a vivid cerise. Layer with accessories in accents of blue to add a sense of fun.

Resist overdoing it and stop the colour combination from becoming overwhelming by keeping the walls neutral with a light shade – white is best. Your goal is for the furniture and decor to be the focus and stand-out from their backdrop, rather than merge into one big hodgepodge of colours.

Buy now: Boxit Velvet Forest Green, 3-seater, £699, DFS

3. Paint a tonal wall and make a sofa statement

Now this is a scheme that has us green with envy. Just look at that rich, jewel-like emerald shade made even more opulent with the gentle shimmer from the velvet. It’s the perfect picture of a perfect emerald green sofa. So it makes absolute sense to draw even more attention to it with a matching painted wall behind; almost framing it like art.

This imaginative living room paint idea is easy to do – you just need a spirit level, pencil and masking tape. Draw a line just above the top of the sofa and fill the entire area below with a vivid green shade of paint. The pink and yellow occasional chairs make the whole scheme really pop.

4. Enhance green with opulent golds and reflective finishes

A structured sofa will instantly give a room a formal feel, especially if finished in a rich green velvet upholstery. A two-seater in this sumptuous material, paired with unique gold hexagonal detailing, conjures feelings of what it might’ve been like to sip cocktails in the mid-fifties in an old Hollywood hotel.

At home, you can bring this mood to life by positioning your green velvet sofa alongside mirrored furniture such as a coffee table and sideboard, and styling with gold metallic accessories. Palm-like greenery, silk cushions and modern art ties the whole scheme together – just perfect for a grown-up entertaining space.

5. Contrast a concrete-effect wall with a sleek green sofa

The real beauty of decorating is that you can do just about anything you like. Yes, there are 'decorating rules', but  all that really matters is that you create a space you love spending time in. And when you break those rules, well, that’s where the fun begins.

Just like this styling idea, which contrasts two very different looks you wouldn’t typically see together – a modern industrial concrete-effect wall with a sleek, streamlined sofa paired with geometric cushions. Its compact frame, narrow arms, and pintuck detailing give it an elegant, fuss-free finish in contrast to its concrete backdrop – like finding an emerald in the rough.

It’s a juxtaposed styling idea that when combined looks absolutely fabulous.

6. Partner muted hues with statement accessories

Even in nature, you’ll find emeralds in a spectrum of shades – from slightly bluish to muted yellowish greens, so you don’t have to do ‘vivid’ to work the trend. Go for an olive tone with earthy pigments that will introduce a calmer feel, especially if you can’t bring yourself to commit to a more zingy shade.

You can still pep it up with colourful accessories, such as these vibrant cobalt blue vases and monochrome patterned cushions. Details that you can chop and change as you please. This week blue, next week magenta!

7. Choose a softer tone for your base colour

In a relaxed space, it’s important to find balance and not bring in anything that is too jarring with the overall scheme. Whilst grey sofas tend to be the go-to when picking the main piece, green can work just as well as a base colour – it’s all about tone. Keep it light and then style the rest of the room around it.

After all, green is found almost everywhere in nature – think rolling hills, luscious trees and leafy plains – and brings with it a whole host of benefits that can actually do wonders for our wellbeing. Green will give a space a fresh, serene ambience and create a sense of balance, which will help you to feel clearer and calmer.

Go for a softly-toned green sofa with a selection of indoor plants against a crisp white wall for a fresh and inviting look.

8. Blend green velvet and wooden details for a grown-up vibe

In a room decked out in brown wooden furniture and rattan accessories, it makes total sense to introduce a splash of green with an emerald sofa. The two colours from mother nature’s trusty palette complement each other beautifully and evoke a calming mood, whilst also having a strong grounding presence.

Moreover the pairing creates a grown-up vibe, particularly with the addition of midcentury details, like this teak glass-top coffee table which showcases the beauty of natural wood and really pops against the green velvet sofa.

Buy now: The Rebel, 3-seater sofa,  from £1,104, Snug

9. Make it moody with deep, cocooning shades

If by choosing a green sofa you seek a dramatic look, then combining it with a deep shade for the wall is the approach to take. A rich aegean or plum would pair beautifully with the blue undertones of an emerald green velvet sofa. To elevates the decor to another level, taking it from everyday to everything, add a panelled wall effect (easy to do yourself).

Style the room with a luxurious rug that brings together the mix of jewel-like shades, lots of greenery, velvet scatter cushions and little accents such as fresh flowers to keep the space feeling special.

10. Enliven a traditional scheme with a colour injection

An emerald green sofa is a brilliant way of adding a modern edge to a traditionally decorated living room. It’s the perfect complement to floral decor, particularly bold botanical wallpapers, and gives an elegant feel. A velvet finish makes it even more luxurious.

Hints of lime and yellow bring it all together further, giving it a modern edge, especially when incorporated with contemporary accessories and pieces of furniture. Here, an oversized ceiling light with smoke-glass globe shades, brass side table and multi-coloured rug work together with the emerald green sofa for maximum impact.

How do you style an emerald green sofa?

An emerald green sofa is actually really easy to style. There’s no need to feel threatened by its striking appearance when you play to its strengths. The beauty of the shade is that you can treat it in multiple ways. It’s really all about the look you want to achieve and that’s your first decision.

Have a think about the mood and emotion that you want to evoke – do you want a bold, stand-out scheme that makes you feel upbeat or something more subtle and serene that has a calming feel?

An emerald green sofa really can be a strong basis for a scheme, and shouldn’t be discounted due to its colour. The trick is in layering the look together and creating something cohesive. “Choose pieces that complement each other and mix and match materials, so you don’t overwhelm your space with too much emerald green,” says Suzy McMahon, the Buying Director for Sofology. “Pair with metallics for an opulent look or wood for an unassuming, yet luxurious touch,” she continues.

  The sofa’s overall design, whether sleek and contemporary or more traditional with flourishes, will also influence how you style it. “Opting for designs with intricate details, such as fluting and button detailing can elevate simple styles and materials for an understated look. Additionally, curved edges are less imposing than defined lines and can help create a more welcoming space,” Suzy says.

What colours go well with a green sofa?

 Just about all colours go well with a green sofa. After all, it is a prominent colour in nature and can be found next to most shades. But you do need to consider the richness of the hue of your emerald green sofa when choosing your colours for accessories and decorating the room itself.

Think about its tone and vibrancy, and then decide whether you want to achieve a contrasting or complementing look. Once you have your vision in mind, you can start playing around with colour combos.

Let’s say you have a typical vibrant emerald green velvet sofa that shines when the sun catches it; this shade of green is calling out for a striking look. It would look absolutely fabulous dressed with bright pink or zesty yellow cushions and matching decor.

A more muted tone of emerald that falls into the yellower end of the spectrum would benefit from tonal accessories, bringing a blended, earthy feel. Try burnt oranges, mustards and neutrals.

What colour rug goes well with a green sofa?

Again, almost any colour rug goes well with a green sofa. You just have to think about the overall scheme you have and, of course, the type of flooring. Do you want to draw attention to your floor or lose it to the rest of the scheme? A neutral, light-coloured floor will disappear if covered in a matching neutral, light-coloured rug. Conversely, a rug that pops with bright colour will be highlighted and become a focus.

Whatever colour you go for, it’s best to tie it to the rest of the scheme and the different elements around it. What should be avoided for a rug, however, – and indeed other items – is choosing a matchy-matchy green. You don’t want everything to just blur into one another. Each piece from cushions and curtains to ornaments, art and the sofa itself, has its own story to tell and so should be given a piece of the spotlight. If you choose everything in the same green, it’ll just blend into one big uninspiring jumble.