You Likely Didn't Realize That These Sofa Styles Are Dating Your Space

Have you ever been frustrated by the drab look of your living room, no matter how many walls you paint, picture frames you rearrange, or pieces of furniture you move around? Maybe it's time to take a closer look at your sofa, which could be the once-popular living room design trend that's now dating your space. As the centerpiece of a living room, a sofa can be the determining factor between an outdated space and a stylish one. 

If you're in the market for a new couch or are merely flirting with the idea of changing your current one, take heed of the sofa styles that designers are advising us to steer clear of. This includes bulky or matching couch sets, outdated upholstery choices, and dull colors that stir up memories of the impersonal minimalist trend. As an important (and costly) investment piece of furniture, a sofa should be a timeless and carefully considered item that will hold steady amid the ever-changing trends.

While no one can argue with how comfortable sectional couches are for lounging and chilling, these bulky and oversized furniture pieces take up way too much space, both spatially and visually. They can also feel very limiting as their shapes dictate the flow of the room, preventing you from moving them around to try out trendier layouts to reinvigorate your space. Matching furniture sets also tend to date a room, as they feel very predictable and therefore unexciting.

When it comes to color, crisp whites, rich creams, or gray sofas just aren't cutting it anymore. While very much favored by minimalists, the all-white sofa aesthetic can feel uninviting and impersonal. Meanwhile, 2025 has homeowners ditching gray for trendier colors, so your gray-colored couches will tend to date a room even further. In addition to color, the appeal of upholstery like velvet or bouclé has started to wane, declared too fussy and high-maintenance for this year's tendency toward more relaxed living spaces. A sofa's shape is another likely culprit in a dated living room. Boxy and linear sofa silhouettes, designed as modern-looking pieces, now create the opposite effect in a living room.

Now that you know the sofa styles to avoid, let's focus on what works. To keep your living space fresh and current, favor sofas with curved, rounded profiles, which align with 2025's biophilic and nature-centric trends. Modular sofas, with their adaptable segments that can be configured to a room's dimensions, can create a feeling of spaciousness and fluidity as opposed to the hefty presence of a single large sofa.

Lean toward soothing earthy tones for sofa colors, taking cues from the stunning Pantone color of the year, Mocha Mousse. You can also explore other trending sofa shades like burgundy, terracotta, or jewel tones. But keep in mind that you can't go far wrong with neutral colors, which will always stand the test of time. Lastly, try mixing up different furniture pieces for a fresh new take on your living room. Whether they're brand new, thrifted, or vintage, an eclectic mix of furniture pieces alongside your sofa can help energize the look of a dated living room.