In many cases, layering like this can be the difference between a room coming across as one that’s cold and bare, or one that’s warm and inviting – and nowhere is this more true than with your living room sofa.

The focal point when planning your living room layout, much like taking the time to choose the perfect sofa, a properly dressed lounger can seamlessly turn a basic and functional living space into a stylish and cosy abode; one that you won’t want to leave, even when it’s time to turn in for bed.

Of course, dressing a sofa properly is easier said than done, especially if interior design isn’t your forte. So, if you’ve never tried your hand at properly arranging your sofa cushions or laying down a lounge throw, here are our top tips for styling a sofa to help get your inspiration flowing.

Unless your dream home décor is minimalism at its absolute extreme (and if it is, then why are you reading this), proper furniture layering and decoration are going to be essential if you want your home to feel like, well, home.

All sofas, even those intentionally designed with minimalism in mind, can absolutely benefit from the addition of extra cushions and the odd throw or two, and it’s kind of hard to make your sofa feel anything other than bland without them.

Instead, you want your sofa to feel snug and inviting, not to mention comfortable to sit on, and that can only really come with dressing your sofa up for the occasion and style you have in mind.

If you’ve dabbled in interior design before, you might already have an idea of what’s involved with dressing a sofa. However, there’s a lot more that goes into this process than just picking the right cushions and throws to sit on it.

With that in mind, here are our top tips for how to style a sofa so that it feels layered with love:

Starting off with the obvious, no self-respecting sofa would be complete without the right number of sofa cushions nestled in its nooks.

A must for introducing that extra layer of sumptuous comfort, we recommend going with a maximum of three cushions for a standard-sized sofa, and five if you have a particularly big lounger – though there’s no harm in adding one or two smaller throw cushions on top of this to up the snug factor.

As for cushion size and arrangement, your largest and most comfortable cushions should sit at the back of your sofa – that way they can provide proper support – while any smaller ones should be arranged in descending size order to avoid them getting lost amongst each other when you’re putting your feet up.

Another must for sofa-styling, a tasteful blanket or throw can make all the difference when it comes to warming your sofa up, especially on those chilly winter nights when the snow is falling.

Of course, a blanket or throw can do more than keep your legs toasty while watching TV, and the right throw placement on your sofa’s arms or back can help to soften any hard edges while also providing a contrasting texture or colour to your sofa’s primary style palette.

And, naturally, you don’t need to keep the same throw out all year, and there’s nothing wrong with switching to a fresh one every few months to match the passing of the seasons.

Ok, while not a direct part of your sofa, let it not be said that the right rug won’t help to make your lounger pop when you step into the room, not to mention giving you an excuse to slip your socks off when sat down so you can scrunch your toes up in those cushy fibres.

Adding a distinctive visual flair to any space, you’ll naturally want to find the sort of rug that matches your given home décor, but you should also look for one that is both big enough to comfortably sit a coffee table on, and long enough to match the length of your sofa.

Don’t forget to position your rug so that it touches your sofa’s legs, either! Otherwise, you’ll be left with a rug that looks like it’s just floating on the floor.

Perhaps the trickiest part of styling a sofa to get right, including a couple of nuanced textures can be a great way to further layer the styling of your sofa, but you need to be careful about not overdoing it.

For example, a couple of cashmere cushions or a woollen throw are ideal for homes with a rustic aesthetic, while vintage and antique fabrics are better suited for older homes and sofa designs.

Alternatively, if you plan on using patterned cloth for your cushions and sofa throw, then we’d definitely recommend taking a less-is-more approach by keeping your patterned throw at the back of your sofa, and then swapping between patterned and non-patterned items at your loungers' front.

And if you really want to keep things simple, why not opt for standard cushions with a textured trim? Even this modest aesthetic choice can do plenty to bring a touch more variety to your décor.

As with texture, when it comes to dabbling with additional sofa shades, it’s best to keep things uncomplicated by leaning into the tones that specifically complement your overall lounge aesthetic.

For those with a more neutral space, natural but muted tones are a fantastic option for bringing in extra warmth without making things seem overly bright or active, while jewelled and rich tones are ideal for adding a hint of drama to bolder-styled rooms in need of feature points to draw the eye.

Again, however, keep these additional colour touches light; otherwise, you’ll risk overpowering your lounge aesthetic and making things feel needlessly cluttered.

Last, but not least, no sofa space is complete without a few lounge essentials to keep it company. First and foremost, you’ll definitely want to include a coffee table in front of your sofa to put those mugs down on – or a side table if you have space – as well as a footrest if you really want to lounge back in comfort.

On top of this, softer lighting in the form of a tall floor lamp can really help to set the mood and can help to turn your sofa into more than just a spot for watching TV, while a tall plant or two can help to frame the space and add some much-needed greenery to your home interior.

And if you have the space for it, then don’t forget that you can always add extra furniture around your sofa, such as bookcases and overhead storage, and a few pieces of wall art hung behind your lounger can really help to fill out a space so that the wider room doesn’t feel overly barren.

When it comes to sofa styling, the main thing to avoid is overdoing the décor additions. An overly cluttered sofa is going to feel just as uninviting as a sofa with no trappings at all, and you don’t want to be putting clean cushions on the floor so that you actually have room to sit.

Similarly, be careful about placing too many things on your coffee table or nearby shelving. Again, doing this can make your lounge feel cluttered, and you risk accidentally spilling your freshly boiled cup of tea on some much-loved ornaments.

And there you have it; those are our top tips for how to dress a sofa. Hopefully, your mind is now brimming with ideas for how to style your own lounger, which means all that’s left to do is buy those sofa cushions and throws to bring your vision to life – so why not check out the Barker and Stonehouse collection today?

With furniture to suit every area of the home, including your lounge, kitchen, and garden, there’s something for every home in our range. Take your time browsing, and don’t forget to visit our inspiration page for more nifty décor articles like this one!