Olivia Munn's cream sofa taps into a timeless furniture trend – it serves as a 'base foundation' for any living space

A sofa can be a centerpiece of a living space, and as such, color selection is crucial to determining ambiance. We are partial to a soft neutral – it serves as a blank slate for the rest of a room.

Olivia Munn's living area is a great example of how a cream sofa can be a soothing and stable fixture. The actor recently shared a photo of her plush, cream couch to her Instagram page, and it made us consider some neutral living room ideas.

While Munn has opted for minimal accessories (just a fuzzy, cream throw blanket), we got insight from an expert on how to style around a cream sofa, as well as the design trends that cream sofas fit into.

When it comes to the appeal of a cream sofa, experts say that these pieces are worthy investments thanks to their chameleonic tendencies, whether you opt for minimalism or maximalism.

'Cream sofas are a timeless, chic addition to the home,' says Monika Puccio, Head of Buying at Sofa Club. The neutral shade works well in all rooms of the home and its versatility allows it to sit against a variety of interior trends and colours.'

She continues, 'Due to the versatility of cream sofas, they sit perfectly within most design trends incorporated into the home. A cream couch is a great addition to a minimal or Scandinavian-style home, paired with other neutral shades to bring a subtle yet stylish look to the room. To fit with a more maximalist-designed home, the cream can work as the perfect base for bright pops of colour. Using lighting, accessories and other furniture in more statement colours can allow you to swap out trends more easily around a natural sofa base.'

Puccio says that there are endless color combinations, but there are a select few she recommends.

'Cream pairs perfectly with a wide range of shades, one of my favorite options would be a selection of natural shades such as mossy greens, light wood browns and greyish stone,' she suggests. 'These create a calm and warming environment and work well in living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms, wherever you prefer your sofa to sit. Adding statement citrus shades such as orange, yellow and pale limes against a cream sofa creates a subtle yet bold look in a more understated way.'

To maintain visual interest, Puccio says that decorating with plants in a living space is a fantastic way to enliven the room and ensure that there is some textural diversity.

'Cream sofas are versatile and can fit into various design styles allowing you to easily add character to your room,' she says. A neutral cream sofa is a great background for experimentation with your home style choices. A simple styling tip when working with a cream couch is to add greenery to the space with plants. Not only do these add to the look of the room they can also add a feeling of freshness and light within the room.

Alternatively, she says that floor and ceiling fixtures can also act as points of interest. 'Experimenting with lighting, rugs and furniture in a wide range of materials can be the perfect way to add visual comfort and interest to your living space. Think of a cream sofa as your base foundation, and build from there with different textures.'

One aspect to be mindful of with a cream sofa is that stains will be more visible than they would on a darker couch. Make sure to regularly spot clean a sofa so that it always looks good as new.