How to Mix and Match Living Room Furniture

Mixing and matching furniture is an art that can inject personality into your living room and resonate with your interior design vision. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to get furniture sets - you can mix and match different styles, materials, and colours.

But, if you aren’t careful, you can end up creating a space that is cluttered and overwhelming.

Whether you're starting from scratch or giving your existing living room a makeover, fret not as we share some tips to help you create a cohesive and stylish arrangement.

6 tips for mixing and matching living room furniture

Define your preferred style(s)

Knowing your preferred style will guide your furniture choices and make mixing and matching easier. Too many competing styles can make a room feel disjointed.

Whether it’s Japandi, Modern Farmhouse, Mid-century Modern, or a mix, it's a good idea to start with one primary interior or furniture style as the foundation for your room's design. Your secondary style should then complement your primary style and add depth or contrast.

@denisekellerofficial creates a harmonious living room with the Desmond Leather Armchair, Hamilton Chaise Sectional Sofa, Seb Coffee Table with Storage, and Lorenzo Wool Area Rug.

Adding a tertiary style is possible but should be done sparingly. This style should be used for accent pieces or small details rather than dominating the room.

Choose a dominant piece

Start by selecting a dominant piece of furniture, such as a sofa or sectional. This piece will set the tone for the entire room and act as the focal point.

The dominant piece should be proportionate to the size of your living room. In a larger space, you can opt for a larger dominant piece like a sectional sofa or a substantial coffee table. In smaller living rooms, a well-designed sofa or a unique accent piece can still take centre stage without overwhelming the space.

@sunset.palmas lets the Marlow Performance Bouclé Chaise Sectional Sofa take centre stage in a spacious living room.

The dominant piece should also align with your chosen interior style. If your style is modern, go for a sleek and minimalist piece. For a modern farmhouse vibe, opt for a rustic piece or one with natural materials like cane.

Create contrast

Creating contrast is a fundamental principle of interior design, especially when mixing and matching living room furniture.

Pair your dominant piece with complementary yet contrasting furniture items. For instance, if you have a sleek modern sofa, balance it with a rustic wooden coffee table.

@havrillahome pairs the modern Parisian Hamilton 3-Seater Sofa with the modern farmhouse Casa Round Coffee Table.

Also, use contrasting colours to make furniture pieces stand out. For instance, if your dominant piece is a neutral colour, add colourful accent chairs or accessories to create a vibrant contrast. Don’t be afraid to experiment with a mix of light and dark colours as well to create a striking visual contrast.

Stick to a colour palette

Maintaining a consistent colour palette is essential to tie the room together and create a well-balanced look.

Choose a dominant colour, a primary colour, and accent colours. Then, use the 60-30-10 rule - allocate 60% of the room's colour to the primary colour, 30% to the secondary colour, and 10% to accent colours. This balanced distribution helps maintain visual harmony even when mixing different furniture styles.

@hues.living’s Pebble Chaise Sectional Sofa in Forest Green creates a striking contrast against the neutral colours in the space.

Alternatively, for a monochromatic look, choose colours from the same colour family or colour scheme to ensure they work well together. For instance, if your dominant colour is a cool blue, select accent colours like soft grey and navy, which are also in the cool colour family.

Balance patterns

Patterns can add visual interest and personality to a space, but they can also easily make a room look messy if you’re not careful.

Create balance by pairing vibrant patterns with solid colours. Pictured: The Adams Chaise Sectional Sofa.

Maintain a sense of balance by pairing bold patterns with more subtle ones, or use solid-coloured pieces to break up the visual intensity. Stick to a consistent colour palette and ensure that the patterns complement each other in terms of style and mood.

Pick common materials

Another way to make your living room look balanced is by picking common materials across different interior design styles. This helps create depth and interest in your living room without it looking cluttered.

@michellereed maintains picks common materials like wood in the living room. Pictured: The Owen Chaise Sectional Sofa, Wayne Armchair, Seb Round Coffee Table, and Marc Oval Jute Rug.

Select one material as a dominant element that will be consistent throughout the room. For example, if you opt for wood as your dominant material, pick a mid-century modern sofa with wood accents coupled with a modern wooden coffee table.

We hope that this article has helped you in your journey to design your living room to express your style and personality. Mixing and matching living room furniture can be a fun and creative process, and can truly be rewarding when done right. Follow these tips and enjoy the journey of transforming your living room into a harmonious haven.

If you need more help visualising how different furniture pieces can work together, try out our room designer tool!