How to Build a Well-Designed Room

In every well-designed room, there’s one element that grounds the space, a visual and functional anchor that brings purpose to everything around it. When designing a living room, that anchor is almost always the sofa.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or refreshing your space, beginning with the right sofa makes every other choice easier. Here’s a guide on how to build your room around it, layer by layer.

Think of your sofa not just as furniture, but as a lifestyle indicator. Do you stretch out for solo movie nights? Host casual get-togethers? Need space for entertaining? Your answers will guide your decisions, from size and shape to fabric and depth. Sectionals are great for open layouts and larger households. Low-profile sofas incorporate clean lines and subtle silhouettes to keep smaller spaces feeling more open. Tufted and tailored sofas add polish in more formal spaces. Your sofa sets the tone, so start here, and let it speak to your space.

Once you’ve chosen your anchor piece, your color palette naturally follows. Use the sofa as your central hue, whether that’s a soft neutral or a bold statement tone, and layer around it. If your sofa is light, consider grounding elements like a dark rug or side table. Carry through subtle notes from the sofa, wood tones, metal legs, or fabric texture, in other furnishings and accessories.

Once the sofa is in place, balance the layout with foundational pieces. A rug will help define the space. Choose a coffee table that contrasts or complements your sofa’s height and shape. Round tables soften sharper lines, while rectangular tables offer more structure. If your sofa has legs or is lifted, ground the space with a plinth or slab-style coffee table. As for lighting, pendants and chandeliers add height and dimension to the room. These pieces don’t just fill space, they frame the sofa and elevate the overall experience.

Now that your base is set, add in warmth and personality: throw pillows and blankets bring softness, color, and dimension. Art and wall decor give the eye somewhere to rest beyond the furniture. Objects and books on tables or shelves make the space feel truly lived in. Your sofa might be the anchor, but the room finds its personality in the layers. When in doubt, come back to what grounds the space. The right sofa doesn’t just fill a room, it defines how you live in it.