12 Living Rooms That Make the Case for a Leather Sofa

Nov 30, 2025

A brown leather sofa, placed in front of a window that's flanked by off-white drapes

There’s lots of great furniture you can put in your living room—but it’s hard to beat the leather couch. The classic piece ticks every box imaginable. It’s cozy but structured, sleek but textured, and inviting but not too indulgent. It’s also versatile enough to suit different decor schemes, but bold enough to hold its own in any space.

Other pieces may be softer, sleeker, or more statement-making, but they’re not nearly as well-rounded. A leather couch is the perfect backdrop for a morning spent working, an afternoon spent lounging, or an evening spent entertaining. Plus, it’s lovely to look at—even when you’re not using it.

Thanks to its status as a tried-and-true favorite, the leather sofa has graced many living rooms. And in the process, it’s left us with plenty of décor inspiration to sift through. If you want to put a leather couch in your living room, rest assured knowing: There are lots of great ways to do it—and lots of pretty living rooms with leather sofas worth taking cues from.

01 Snag a Couch in an Unusual Color

传统风格的客厅，摆放着一张海军蓝切斯特菲尔德沙发。 Most leather sofas are black or brown, but those aren’t your only options. By scoring a leather couch in an unusual color—like navy blue, forest green, or dark red—you can make an unexpected statement in your living room.

02 Frame Your Sofa With Drapes

Alabaster Rustic Chandelier - A Modern Living Room Chandelier with Rustic Refinement and Iron Frame Featuring Alabaster Tiles - Perfect Hanging Light Fixture for Your Living Room

Snagging a sofa is one thing, but figuring out where to put that sofa is another. One easy option? Slide your sofa in front of a window, and frame it with drapes. The curtains will make your couch more nap-worthy, allowing you to shut out the sun any time you need some sleep.

If you score the right set, the curtains will bring your space together—complementing your couch, matching your throw pillows, or echoing the other accents in your living room.

03 Bring a New Neutral Into Your Space

A living room decorated with black and white furniture and decorâplus a bold light brown leather couch

Use your leather couch to disrupt your color palette—in a good way. If your living room is full of blacks, grays, and greens, sneak a light brown couch into the mix. Because the piece is neutral-colored, it should play well with your décor scheme while making your palette more dynamic.

04 Use an L-Shaped Couch to Dress Up a Bare Corner

A vibrant living room decorated with an orange-brown L-shaped sofa L-shaped sofas aren’t right for every living room. But they’re perfect for unused corners. So if you’re navigating a hard-to-decorate living room corner, slide an L-shaped couch into it. The sofa will dress up your corner and give you lots of living room seating to enjoy.

05 Pair Couches Made from Different Materials

A living room with a taupe canvas sofa, a brown leather sofa, and two black armchairs Don’t be afraid to mix and match couches. By pairing a sleek leather sofa with a soft linen sofa, you can add color and texture to your space. Just make sure the couch silhouettes are similar enough to look good side-by-side.

06 Give Your Couch a Side Table

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Couches tend to be a lot bigger than coffee tables, so if you plan on entertaining, flank your leather sofa with an end table or two. The extra table space will make sure everyone on your sofa has a convenient place to rest snacks and drinks during hangouts.

07 Add Contrast With Your Throw Pillows

A living room with a red Chesterfield sofa topped with blue and off-white printed pillows No couch is complete without a few throw pillows, and you can use the accessories to balance out your space. If your leather couch is sleek and modern, dress it up with the most classic pillows you can find. And if your couch is hefty and traditional, line it with bold, printed pillows you’d never expect to see there.

08 Flank Your Couch With Floor Lamps

A Chesterfield sofa flanked by two matching floor lamps Lamps are a must in any living room, allowing you to switch up the ambiance any time you need to. An end table topped with a table lamp isn’t your only option—by putting an end table on one side of your sofa and a floor lamp on the other, you can add light to your living room and levels to your layout.

09 Add Texture With a Fluted Sofa

A vibrant living room decorated with a fluted leather sofa, a plaid ottoman, and a white stone side table Some leather couches are more statement-making than others. If you want your sofa to make an impact, trade the classic leather couch for something tufted, fluted, or unusually shaped. The piece will quickly become the most eye-catching item in your living room, even before you line it with striking throw pillows.

10 Snag a Sofa to Match Your Biggest Window

Mallory Crystal elegant retro brass round chandelier pure crystal created for living room, kitchen

A massive window is a gift in any living room, but the feature can be tough to design around. Do you pair the window with a skinny couch that might look small and strange next to it? Or do you pair it with an extra-wide couch that might clutter up the room?

Thankfully, the two accents don’t have to be different sizes. By snagging a couch that’s exactly as wide as your living room window, you can avoid these undesired optical illusions. You can soften the boundaries between the two pieces with a set of pretty drapes.

11 Go Unusually Bright With Your Accent Colors

A living room decorated with a brown leather sofa, a glass coffee table, and an array of lime green, blue, and red accents Since leather couches are so versatile, you can have a lot of fun with your accent colors. Sure, you can keep things simple with subtle neutrals, earthy colors, or sleek jewel tones. But if you want to make a surprising statement, spring for something more vibrant—like bright neons or rich primary colors. Trust us, your neutral leather couch can handle it.

12 Top Things Off With a Chunky Throw

A brown leather couch topped with neutral throw pillows and a chunky knit throw blanket Your leather couch may be complete without a chunky knit throw—but it certainly won’t be as cozy as it could be. So finish off your couch with an ultra-chunky throw. You can tie the room together by matching the blanket to some of your throw pillows, or you can use it to add a brand new color, print, or texture to your space.

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