What Goes With Leather Furniture

If that hide-covered sofa is making you seek decorating solutions, we’ve got just the pairings for you

 Laura Gaskill - Houzz Contributor

Leather chairs, sofas and ottomans tend to be big, comfy and classic — no wonder they’re a popular choice for living room furniture. But too much bulky leather upholstery can make a space look dark, heavy or just … boring. Wondering what to put with all of that brown or black leather? These ideas should help.

Taylor Jacobson Interior Design

1. Rich painted walls and a Moroccan rug. Peacock blue is a bold (but highly livable) choice for walls, especially in a smaller room — the intense hue enhances and uplifts dark leather pieces. Pair it with a goes-with-anything Moroccan rug, an organic wood table and a gallery wall.

Cory Connor Designs

If you have wood bookcases or cabinetry in the room, consider painting these pieces to match the walls. Or, for a subtler effect, paint only the backs of the bookcases or the interiors of the cabinets.

Wildcard: Peacock blue and orange. Take rich peacock-blue walls up a notch by adding contrasting Hermès-orange accents. Try a pair of footstools or X-benches, or furnish a window seat with bold orange cushions, as shown here.

Morrison Homes

2. Black, gray and texture. To keep things interesting in a neutral space, it helps to really play up texture and shine. Try smoky mirrored or reflective furniture (or a mirror on the wall); a soft, low-pile rug; and a plush faux-fur throw. Shades of gray, black and white make easy partners for a brown leather sofa.

risa boyer architecture

3. Kilim rug. The warm colors and rich pattern of a flat-weave kilim rug helps a leather piece settle into the room. Kilims make an especially dynamic pair for modern pieces, like the leather chair shown here.

Darren Palmer Interiors

4. Charcoal and wood. A deep, dark charcoal-hued natural-fiber rug makes a caramel-colored leather sofa look even more rich and luxurious. Play up a rustic-modern mood with woodsy side tables, wood-framed mirrors and nubby burlap, canvas or wool pillows.

kelly mcguill home

5. Light neutrals. Lighten up a leather sofa or furniture set by surrounding it with soft, warm neutrals, like ivory, cream, sand, beige, wheat and gold. Try crisp white walls, a faded traditional or pale natural-fiber rug, woven shades and creamy linen throw pillows.

Staples Design Group

Even a change as simple as tossing a cream-colored throw over your leather piece can give it a lighter look.

Murphy & Co. Design

6. Rough linen, tweed and velvet. Leather looks stunning alongside rich, autumnal fabrics like tweed, velvet and rustic, nubby linen. If you have a full set of leather furniture, consider breaking it up and using just one or two of the leather pieces, paired with something upholstered in one of these delicious fabrics — the leather will look the richer for it.

Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

7. Bright, bold pillows. The great thing about black or brown leather is that just about any-color throw pillows can work. Try changing the colors up seasonally, with fresh blues and greens in spring and summer, and warm cinnamon, cranberry and persimmon in fall and winter.