13 Ways To Style The Striped Sofa Trend
The striped sofa has always been a classic option, but they are having a bit of a renaissance moment, making them bring a fresh, fun modernity to a room. Incredibly versatile, they fit into a whole manner or space design ideas, from maximalist print clashes to cosy cottagecore and retro mid-century styles. Scroll on to see 13 ways to style one…
Go statement with red and white stripes
There is one investment piece that’s been on our interiors wish list for quite some time, and that is Buchanan Studio’s striped sofa. Handmade in England using the finest 100% Belgian linen and crafted into squishy, almost cartoon-esque proportions, it really becomes the entire personality of a room. The slubby fabric and plump cushions mean it’s not just a statement piece to enjoy looking at but super comfy, too. It comes in a few different colourways, but the punchy red and white stripes are our favourite.
Pair with a gallery wall
There is something about the maximalist charm of a striped sofa that pairs perfectly with a gallery wall behind it. It’s not a look for fans of stripped-back, modernist design, but if you like to see your personality on your walls (and your sofa), this is a winning combo.
Embrace cottagecore
Ex-Vogue Fashion Director and celebrated stylist Lucinda Chambers knows her way around a good print. That goes for interiors as well as fashion, and her charming striped two-seater nestled perfectly into the nook of a room is making us want to redecorate under the guise of “cottagecore”.
Choose retro modular shapes
If you love that mid-century, modular sofa shape but want to add more personality to your space, go with stripes. This YSG Studio design has a retro charm thanks to pale blue and chocolate brown – always a winning combo – and will act as a grounding layer to add many different textures, prints and colours.
Mix with earthy tones and natural materials
For laid-back rooms in earthy tones, filled with natural shades, a fine-stripe sofa can add a nice focal point. London-based interior design and fabric specialists, Colours of Arley, are a great option if you’re having the highest quality stripe fabric. They are known for some really punchy colours, but this soft and calming brown and white design is just dreamy.
Opt for banquette seating
Adding a seating area to a dining or kitchen space can add a lived-in and cosy feel – essentially putting a sofa where you can’t really put a sofa. Stripes are a great option as they draw the eye down around a central gathering point, making a really cocooning and warm space, perfect for accommodating chaotic midweek dinners, lazy weekend breakfasts and intimate dinner parties.
Don’t be afraid to print clash
It’s no secret we’re not afraid of a print clash here at The Handbook – fashion or interiors – and a striped sofa is a great way to achieve that maximalist look. Although punchy and bold, stripes feel quite safe in the print realm, so they act as a great grounder to mix in other prints. Sticking to a set colour palette can help things feel harmonious, but otherwise, just have fun with it.
Mix stripes with stripes
Take inspiration from this living room setup of bag designer Clare Vivier’s L.A. home. A masterclass in proving stripes paired with stripes works.
Break it up with twin chairs
We will always love a sofa, plus two matching arm chairs set up in a living room, and this room, designed by London-based studio Pernille Lind Studio, is the perfect combination of big bold stripes mixed with calm chocolate brown.
Embrace skirted styles
Cottagecore has been one of the biggest interior trends over the last few years, and a striped sofa is very much part of that. An easy way to get that lived-in charm is with a skirted sofa, and we love it best in a charming, punchy stripe, even if the rest of the room feels more modern.
Echo the colours of the room
An easy way to make a room with a striped sofa feel pulled together is to mirror some of the colours in the rest of the room. Pull out a few colours from a rug and match the stripe to those, take inspiration from an art piece or marry up the shades of furniture pieces in the room with the stripe of the seating, as seen with this beautiful green and pink stripe fabric by Jane Churchill.
Go for beach house stripes
Finally, if your interior style errs on that beach house, chilled out, cool blues and bleached woods vibe, you can’t go wrong with a seersucker navy and white stripe. The classic maritime tones and rustic materials marry perfectly together for a space that feels very modern New England.
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