My name is Michele and I have a tan, microfiber sectional.  There, I said it.  I suspect I’m not the only person out there who, for a variety of reasons, has a microfiber sofa that plans on hanging around for a while.  While microfiber will never be considered chic, the fabric (if not the filling and frame)  is practically indestructible, a factor that’s hard to ignore when you have children and pets (and husbands.)  Would I make a different choice if I purchased my sofa today?  Maybe.  But there’s no point in looking back.  Let’s make the most of what we’ve got, shall we?

No matter how your microfiber sofa came to be and no matter how long he plans to stay, there’s no point in trying to make him something he’s not.  In fact, this is my first rule for styling microfiber.  Accept him for what he is.  I say “he” because there’s nothing feminine about microfiber.  Even if he doesn’t have cup holders and a refrigerator, he still has a masculine air.  Which isn’t necessarily bad, it just means that frilly, pastel pillows will look out of place.  Instead, choose bolder colors in classic prints that will also coordinate well with the tan color of most microfiber sofas.   Also, always use down or down alternative inserts!  Putting cheap pillows on your microfiber sofa will do nothing to elevate it. If you want to “upgrade” your microfiber,  invest in well made covers, throw in a couple of designer fabrics, and use quality inserts.

Below I’ve selected some pillow combos that I think work well. And yes, there’s lots of blue.  I think a bold, cool blue is a great pairing with the warmer beige or tan of microfiber sofas.  I would stay away from earthy colors, like mustard yellows, yellowy ivories and rusty oranges as these shades will only emphasize the large expanse of brown in the room.

Row 1: 1, 2, 3 Row 2: 1, 2, 3,  Row 3: 1, 2, 3 Row 4: 1, 2, 3

A couple more tips.  If you have a set of microfiber, say a sofa and love seat, or a sofa and chair, think about ways to break it up.  Can you replace the love seat with two chairs in another fabric?  Limiting the large amount of “beige” and mixing up furniture pieces will give the room a less “room in a box” look and create more visual interest in the space.   If that’s not practical right now, no problem.  You can still add pieces in different fabrics and textures to liven things up.  If you have a matching ottoman, definitely swap it for coffee table or maybe an upholstered storage ottoman in a different fabric.  Add a bold throw or even a white one like a chunky oversize knit to help lighten up the furniture and visually break up the beige.

Here’s a few inspiration photos of beige sofas (not necessarily microfiber but the styling applies) done right.

Maria Killam

Kelly G Robson via decor pad

Palmer Weiss via decor pad (sofa is brown velvet)

BHG

BHG

decoholic