Bye, Boring Beige: The Best Couches for 2023 Are Super Colorful

How did our homes get here? How did we go from the autumnal palettes and sunken conversation pits of the 1970s to the bold bright colors of the 80s (à la Memphis design)... to then veering off into a whole lot of monochromatic, aesthetic blah as we headed into the modern day? Home design somehow fell down a beige hole to a world filled with millennial grays, white walls, and neutral accents. (Was it the new-millennium maximalism of our parents’ early-2000s Tuscan-revival kitchens that pushed us so far into the opposite aesthetic direction?)

If you’re guilty of having an aggressively minimal living space, why not trade in your ratty greige sectional for one of these colorful couches that will pump your space full of visual interest and energy?

If you missed last week’s Twitter storm over an $8,000 Roche Bobois sofa allegedly  found on the sidewalk in New York City, there was a ton of discourse about whether it's technically “safe” to adopt a discarded upholstered piece of furniture off the streets. While some commenters worried about bed bugs and stains, others were pissed they didn’t find it first—but the real takeaway here is that the people are hungry for a unique, bubbly, bright statement sofa, and they’re even willing to endure the possibility of vermin to get it. Instead of opening your home up to a questionable street find (or, at the very least, a thorough roasting on social media), make an investment in a unique sofa that will be the centerpiece of your living room for years to come. With that, let’s shine a light on a few of our favorite colorful couches.

The best thing about all of Interior Define’s furniture is that you can customize almost everything to your liking, down to the arm width and seat depth of a sofa or sectional. On top of having a huge selection of styles, you can order your custom couch in nearly 100 colors and fabrics, ranging from coral pink to topaz or berry purple. The Hayley Loveseat offers a perfect opportunity to add a pop of color—and a super comfortable binge-watching location—to smaller spaces.

It’s safe to say we're pretty obsessed with Albany Park—the brand's sumptuous sofas are made for sinking into and forgetting all your real-world problems as you watch the new season of I Think You Should Leave. Not only is the Kova collection known for being super-comfortable, but it also made it onto our list of the best modular sofas and conversation pits because it can be configured in so many different ways—from a tiny loveseat to the “Kova Pit,” a massive cuddle puddle oasis.

It’s no secret that if you walk into a hot person’s apartment, you very well may find a chic velvet sofa or sectional. (Let’s not forget the past year’s discourse about the iconic green velvet bisexual couch. If you really want to get the message across, make sure you opt for a dark green velvet, to really seal the deal.) Urban Outfitters’ retro-inspired Chamberlain Sofa comes in excellent color options—including 70s throwbacks like burnt orange and maroon—that can be harder to find.

While we’re praying for a mysterious rich aunt or toe-obsessed sugar daddy to come out of the woodwork and buy us an authentic Togo sofa, we have to admit that we don’t have a ton of disposable income to spend on designer furniture. While we wait for our financially endowed savior (fingers crossed), we’re saving our clams for pedicures and snagging this bright yellow Togo lookalike instead. 

Looking for the perfect accent piece for your foyer, the foot of the bed, or an office? Sometimes it can be challenging to find smaller furniture that doesn’t look diminutive or like it was made for children.  This 61-inch loveseat from AllModern comes in a striking dusty blue and a muted orange rust that will zhuzh up any room. Plus, it has an impressive 4.7 out of five-star rating from hundreds of enthusiastic reviews saying that it’s “super comfortable” and “perfect for a small space.”

To be absolutely certain you don’t have the same sofa as everyone else in your friend group, it’s always smart to scout out secondhand options. Case in point: This mid-century modern daybed in robin’s egg blue and impeccable condition from one of our favorite furniture resale sites, Kaiyo. 

While there aren’t a ton of really bright chartreuse and acid-yellow-green options currently on the market, these colors can be excellent, surprisingly neutral additions to your living space. If you don’t want to use it as an entry bench or extra living room seating, this little loveseat from Blu Dot would also be perfect as a banquette in a smaller dining area. 

Whose favorite color is gray, anyway? 

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.