Western Living Magazine
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Designer ways to incorporate bright sofas and sectionals in your home.
I’ve only ever owned grey couches, and looking at these beautiful living rooms from the WL archives is making me regret it. And if you keep on scrolling, you’ll understand why. From warm red and orange to cool blue and purple, I’ve got sofa inspiration for every single colour of the rainbow.
Would you believe that this is one of the more subtle rooms in this home? Renowned fashion designer Paul Hardy went big and bold for his first interior design project, incorporating gold ceilings, a rooster skeleton, a vintage working pay phone and an antique dental lamp, to name a few peculiar elements.
An oversized red sofa brings that same dramatic flair to the bonus room—Hardy even had to have a door removed in order to fit it into the space. See more of this Calgary residence.
Pops of orange can be found throughout this 4,500-square-foot Vancouver Island home—from the bar stools in the kitchen and the Bocci light fixture in the entryway to the Togo seating in the living area. Check out the rest of this Cadboro Bay property designed by Kimberly Bradley.
Okay, you caught us! This isn’t a private home… but it should still give you a good sense of what a cheery yellow sofa can do for your living room. It gives Kwench, a co-working office and event venue in the Old Town distinct of Victoria, a very warm and welcoming vibe. Explore this beautiful and multi-functional space.
Primarily inspired by the Scandinavian farmhouse style, this Edmonton home has a neutral colour palette. And then there’s the living room with its green sofa. Surrounded by floor-to-ceiling mullioned windows, it’s like a shimmering emerald in a jewellery box. Step inside this Ministry of Interiors-designed home.
This blue Replay sectional from EQ3 looks as if it were made for this Kitsilano condo, and that’s the genius of it. Since this living area is awkwardly shaped, designer Ben Leavitt of Plaidfox suggested that the owners block off the patio door to optimize the layout—and it paid off. See the before and after renovation photos.
The magenta sofa isn’t the only bright spot in this Paul Lavoie-designed living room. With a mix of blues, pinks and purples—as well as patterns and other embellishments—this maximalist space makes a statement. Learn more about this loud-and-proud aesthetic.
As if the last photo wasn’t enough to convince you that the team at Paul Lavoie Interior Design isn’t afraid to embrace colour, there’s this! Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, this Calgary home features blue cabinets, green curtains, a pink vanity and more dazzling accents—including the purple sofas in the at-home bar. Go down the rabbit hole to the Wonderland House.
Kaitlyn is a design-obsessed writer, editor and content manager based in Vancouver. When she's not busy swooning over gorgeous homes, you can find her reading, hiking and befriending as many dogs as possible.
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