From a curved couch in a Paris apartment to an extra-wide sofa in São Paulo, our latest lookbook showcases eight living rooms where oversized sofas take center stage.
The sofa may be most people’s favorite place to sit and relax, but it can also make a bold design statement.
Below we present eight living rooms in which sofas, which are significantly more solid than conventional furniture, serve as the focal point.
This is the latest in our lookbook series, which offers visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more, check out previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with paper lamps, sculptural furniture and 1970s-style decor.
DN Apartment, Brazil, by BC Arquitetos
An olive green sofa in the shape of a wide crescent, courtesy of designer Jader Almeida, draws attention in the open living room of this São Paulo home.
Part of a 1970s building, the apartment was renovated by local studio BC Arquitetos and furnished with classic Brazilian art and furniture, including a Petala coffee table by Jorge Zalzupin with a bronze head sculpture by Florian Raiss.
Learn more about DN Apartment ›
Apartment on the Canal Saint-Martin, France, by Rodolphe Parente
Interior designer Rodolphe Parente renovated this classic Haussmann-era Parisian apartment to highlight its original features while showcasing the owner’s contemporary art collection.
Nowhere is this contrast in style more evident than in the living area, where a sculptural vintage sofa nestles around a mother-of-pearl coffee table in the middle of the room, with a black and white rug with a graphic pattern beneath its feet.
Find out more about this apartment on the Canal Saint-Martin ›
Hotel Valley Ho, USA, by 3rd Story
The suites at this mid-century hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona, feature spacious U-shaped sofas with colorful upholstery.
As part of the renovation, Anissa Mendil of the architecture and interior design firm 3rd Story wanted to introduce contemporary furniture that would complement the building’s modernist architecture.
Learn more about Hotel Valley Ho ›
Gale Apartment, Brazil, by Memola Estudio
From the double-height ceilings to the mosaic wall to the extensive art collection, numerous elements compete for attention in the living room of this São Paulo apartment, renovated by local firm Memola Estudio.
The anchor point for everything is a super-long sofa against one wall, which ensures that the room’s overall color palette remains neutral, despite the vibrant wall hangings above.
Learn more about Gale Apartment ›
G-Rough, Italy, by Gabriele Salini
Italian hotelier Gabriele Salini wanted to create a rough yet noble atmosphere for this Roman hotel in a 17th-century palazzo that combines historical elegance and Italian modernity.
In the entertainment areas of the rooms, an extra-deep sofa, which can also serve as an additional bed, provides an interesting eye-catcher.
Learn more about G-Rough ›
Radikal Klassisk, Spain, by Puntofilipino
“Radikal Klassisk” is an apartment in Madrid designed by local studio Puntofilipino as an unusual interpretation of Danish design, with an intense colour and material palette that creates a brooding atmosphere.
A curved couch from the Danish brand NORR11, consisting of three individual parts with different fabric covers, dominates the sparsely furnished living room.
Learn more about Radikal Klassisk ›
Breezeway House, Australia, by David Boyle Architect
A built-in sofa lines the living room wall in this holiday home on Australia’s east coast, designed by New South Wales studio David Boyle Architect.
The generous seating area is reminiscent of patio or garden furniture and picks up on the theme of ambiguity between inside and outside that continues throughout the house.
Learn more about Breezeway House ›
Design Space AlUla 2024, Italy, by Sabine Marcelis and Cloud
Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis and architecture studio Cloud designed a lounge to promote the Saudi city of AlUla during this year’s Milan Design Week.
At the centre is a massive modular seating area by the French design studio Hall Haus, which bears striking similarities to Pierre Paulin’s never-produced Dune ensemble from 1970.
It wasn’t the only design of its kind on display in Milan this April. Another installation exploring the future of the living room consisted of a yellow sofa platform custom-made by the design studio Panter & Tourron.
Learn more about Design Space AlUla 2024 ›
This is the latest in our lookbook series, which offers visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, check out previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with paper lamps, sculptural furniture and 1970s-style decor.
