We all love our sectionals. Even the most stylish person will often have a sectional in their home, because that desire to be able to lounge around your home comfortably on Sunday morning is understandably strong. Unfortunately, like a perfect oversized sweater, it can be hard to be made to look stylish...but like a perfect oversized sweater, it is perfectly possible. Here’s how.

1. Go for a bold black sectional, and accent with artistic finishings

Usually sectionals come in moderate, muted tones like beige and gray. A black sectional is easy to match, easy repurpose should your style change or home change, and won’t easily show stains–but the best thing is despite its monochromatic look, it can still be quite bold, especially if you pair it with some punchy colors and metallic accents, like we did her for customer Nadine. See Nadine’s home

2. Pair a comfy sectional with architectural chairs

If you’d rather something more muted for the eyes, go for that comfortable beige sectional, and then dress it up with playful accent chairs, like this one from Anjulie’s meets Scandinavian design. In this case, the bold black color was shifted to the chair, but the chair could have been any punchy color and the style-meets-comfort of this room would remain. This is sort of like wearing an all black outfit, and adding a red lip–it is small but speaks volumes. See Anjulie’s home

3. Dress up a sectional with playful paint

Need all pieces to be comfortable though, and don’t want to sacrifice a chair? Okay, we’ve got you. Paint in an unexpected, playful color can also invigorate a room, and dress up a family friendly sectional. Here, this customer loved this sunflower color, but if you want to commit anymore, try a wallpaper. There are easy peel and stick options that have come a long way–and your sectional will too.  See Raquel’s home

4. Layer your muted sectional with more muted colors, then add interest with extras

Beige rooms are having a moment, and while they can be very peaceful to the eye, they can also be a little drab. An easy pick me up if your leaning is to a style that is more relaxing to the eye is to layer different shades of the same neutral tone, and then throw in a curveball for good measure. For Pamela’s home, we added this earthy green so as to not be overwhelming, but still add some visual interest. See Pamela’s home 

5. Get a sectional in leather

While a little more of an investment, leather has a way of making a sectional look a touch more sophisticated. It just looks and feels different from your standard cushiony gray or beige, while keeping it comfortable. With some geometric print pillows and plants, this sectional looks as stylish and comfortable as a leather sofa. See Kevin’s home

If your style is a bit more glamorous, there is nothing wrong with mixing a sectional with more glam pieces, like any tufted couch. The key to keep the color families together, and no one will be the wiser, like we did her for Antionette’s living room.

If this still feels overwhelming, or maybe just finding the right sectional seems too hard, or what direction to go in...our designers are standing by to help!