Chevron patterned accent chair in pink from the Colby range at DFS, €915, available in seven colours,dfs.ie
For years sofas and armchairs have taken a back seat (excuse the pun) in interior decor schemes; upholstered in safe neutral shades and injected with the odd splash of colour by a trusty throw or cushion.
But now their moment has come and they are taking centre stage, dressed up with stylish zigzags, abstract geometrics and candy colours – you would swear they had just stepped off a catwalk.
Take sofa specialist DFS for example. Its current collection features show-stopping numbers such as the Colby armchair in rainbow chevrons and the wild animal print Bite range. At Arnotts the ultra modern shaped settees of the vibrant Linge Roset brand will certainly catch your eye.
Bite chair in leopard print at DFS. Also available in animal patchwork print and plain fabric, €779, dfs.ie
(Left) Teal coloured Daphne lounge chair at SOUL €599, (Right) Tangerine Kent chair with disc leg, from €780 at SOUL, see soullifestyle.ie
The trick to pulling off such a loud design is to do the opposite to what we’ve been trained, ie let the piece of furniture do the talking and keep accessories to a minimum in muted tones or solid blocks of a complementary colour.
Forget matching three-pieces, too much of any one hue or pattern is never a good move, rather adopt a pick ‘n’ mix approach by contrasting one knockout colour with an eclectic pattern.
Then you can create further visual impact by mixing different textures like velvet, leather and wool. And by layering contrasting fabrics like silk cushions with cashmere or even an identical print in several colourways.
Design Lab’s Margot three-seater in Occipinti’s wisteria indigo fabric, €1,560 plus delivery, sofa.com
For print lovers, the Sofa.com ‘design lab’ offers exclusive fabric collections from some of the best emerging textile designers.
This summer it is showcasing East London design house Occipinti’s flowing floral watercolour design in dramatic indigo, purple and delicate white that can be used to cover any of its sofas or armchairs.
CA Design’s mushroom stools in cashmere or wool, from €395. These stools can slot together to create a multicoloured bench, cadesign.ie
If you are a little hesitant at investing in such a daring piece, smaller play-stools and pouffes are a good way of dipping a toe into this look. They are easily moved to be as discreet or vocal as you wish.
Irish boutique CA Design has a fun collection of woollen stools in poppy colours like tangerine and fuchsia that can neatly slot together to create a multi-coloured bench. Or you could try Made.com for its latest line in gorgeous raspberry and coral colours.
Raspberry and coral Lulu pouffes, also available in neutral and raspberry, from £179 (€225), Made.com
By Kim Willoughby
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