Blue couch living room ideas – 10 ways to complement this standout color

Blue couch living room ideas come in all shapes and sizes – and shades, and tones, and tints. That’s because blue is one of the most multi-functional colors in the interior design spectrum. 

Asked to name their most indispensable piece of living room furniture, most people would opt for the couch. Cosseting and useful, upholstered seating has been a feature of the western home since the 18th century.

Blue couches are a surprisingly versatile color choice that can work in just about any living room layout. Its different tones have the power to convey a variety of moods, from bold to peaceful, so they can be easily introduced in any type of living room idea, no matter the size or style.

Blue couch living room ideas

Couches and living room seating ideas are becoming more multi-purpose as the routines of family life blur. So whether you are buying new or decorating around an existing one, or searching for blue room ideas, look to these blue couch living room ideas for inspiration.

1. Let a deep blue sofa take pride of place

Blue is one of the most popular colors for living room sofas – and really successful at creating a calming, elegant finish in a space that's often busy. 

'Season after season, we have seen interior designers opt for deep Royal blue tones when adding a color of focus into neutral décor schemes,' says Helen Pett, design ambassador at Arteriors London. 'Shades of blue tend to pair well with monochromes, woods, metals and brass accents. It’s a timeless color choice that can be easily varied and styled in so many different ways.'

2. Use black to contrast against a pale blue couch

'Choosing a couch in a shade of blue rather than a traditional cream or grey, can help elevate your living room design and provide an anchor to experiment with new and interesting colors,' say Jen and Mar, co-founders of Interior Fox. 

This popular turquoise color trend is easy on the eye – and a very good choice for those who prefer a louder hue, rather than subtle, quieter shades. ‘This is a guaranteed crowd-pleasing color with lots of positive associations. It embodies both the recessive quality of a blue and the calming quality of a green, making it very easy to work with,' says Annie Sloan, color and paint expert. 

To create a cohesive look, choose two or three colors to complement your blue couch. Pair with fresh accents of pink and balance with warmer tones of rust and deep yellow. Although not an obvious choice, furniture with black accents can provide a contrast against a vibrant blue, ensuring the sofa is the standout piece.

3. Use blue to inject personality into a restful scheme

'With high ceilings and large windows looking out onto the most beautiful views, we wanted to ensure we connected the living room with the great outdoors,' says Emma Deterding, founder and creative director at Kelling Designs. 'The overall scheme featured muted blue hues mixed with neutrals, whilst the pop of blue velvet on the couch helped to ground the space and draw the eye out to the grounds behind.

Blue hues always look great, and a statement blue couch will not only inject color and personality into the space, but will also be restful and add a sense of calm to the living room.'

4. Complement your electric blue couch with duck egg walls

From indigo to navy and cobalt, blue hues sit particularly well together, so offer great scope for pattern mixing. 

Here, 'the colorwash of Mylands’ grey-blue Long Acre™ No. 102 works as a soft and glamorous backdrop for the statement blue sofa, creating a space that feels cocooning and stylish, with a variety of tones, materials and textures,' says Dominic Mylands, CEO of Mylands.

5. Add depth with navy blue to an otherwise neutral scheme

This is a very classically proportioned reception room in a Georgian townhouse; a huge part of its appeal are details like the ornate cornicing and full French windows.  

The navy velvet sofa adds some color depth and contrast to an otherwise pale palette, as well as giving a modern twist to a traditional space. 'Dark upholstery when chosen with care is chic and also – whisper it – practical if you have pets or children,' says Natascha Dartnall, director at ND Studios. 

6. Color drench with blue

Color drenching is the process of choosing one color and painting it across multiple surfaces in one space. The result is brilliantly bold and thoroughly modern, though its appeal extends beyond its fearless aesthetic. 

'This elegant blue-striped couch, with its classic roll-curve ends and carved feet, adds an instant touch of Regency glamor into your home,' says Jamie Watkins, co-founder of Divine Savages. 

'In keeping with the opulence and grandeur of the Regency style we have added a playful twist with our Safari Soirée wallpaper, perfectly poised in the same shades of blue. On first glance all appears fine and dandy but on close inspection you’ll find cocktail-sipping tropical birds and a champagne loving safari fantasy. It certainly adds the exuberant and playful charm existent in the regency period.'

7. Match your couch color to a favorite fabric  

Blues are perfect for mixing when decorating – and you can achieve this easily with a sumptuous layering of texture and pattern, each featuring a different shade of blue with similar, complementary tones. In fact, this is the key to a serene blue-and-white living room color scheme. 

'In this room I used florals to give me the palette of colors I wanted to use in the rest of the room,' says Nina Campbell, founder of Nina Campbell. This particular floral print has this beautiful blue-grey color in the foliage and that gave me the opportunity to mix the print on the chair with the blue-grey on the couch.'

8. Take blue couch ideas to the country 

Don't be afraid to use blue in a country home. Done right, blue couch ideas work beautifully when paired with textural influences and rustic furnishings. 

Getting accent color ideas spot on isn’t always simple. We recommend enhancing the dramatics with a regal blue color palette. The beauty of beige, is that it's easy to decorate with and goes with just about anything. It's a fabulous neutral that can cope with strong color pops – like this blue couch.

9. Go dark with a pair of midnight blue couches 

Dark colors 'ground' a scheme and that's exactly what this pair of midnight blue couches do in this bold living room. Together with the black bookcase, they create depth in this scheme and contrast against the red and yellow accents.

10. Team a blue linen couch with a red rug for contrast

‘If it’s versatility you’re after, I don’t think you can go too far wrong with a classic navy linen. It’s a timeless material and the color works just as well in a bright home as it does alongside a more neutral scheme,' says Sue Jones, founder and creative director at OKA. 'I’d pair it with a lovely red rug for a bold look, or a jute weave, such as our Senada, for a more pared-back approach.'

What colors go with a blue couch?

If the blue couch is acting as your chosen pop of color, keep to neutral living room ideas for the rest of the scheme. ‘Layer with complementary shades like off-white, cream, or soft gray,’ suggests Stokes, who also champions the use of natural woods in its presence. 

Brown is a great pairing with blue if you favor dark living room ideas, especially in the form of natural materials – dark wood and navy is a winner, while lighter woods work well with medium to light tones. 

Head one step brighter and incorporate burnt orange for a moody, sumptuous scheme, or inject some fun with a total contrast in the form of yellow or pink.