7 Ideas on How to Decorate your Living Room with Velvet

Velvet is a fabric that’s very ‘in’ right now with no sign of it going anywhere! If you’ve seen it splashed all over your social media feeds, you may be feeling like it’s time to update your living room with some modern velvet furniture and accessories.

With its luxurious texture and unique sheen, velvet will add a touch of glamour to your living room. And, as one of the most versatile fabrics around, you’ll easily be able to find something to suit your taste. Here are 7 ideas from the design experts at Swyft on how to decorate your living room with velvet.

What are the Different Types of Velvet?

Before you start decorating your living room with velvet, it’s important to learn and understand the different types to help you make decisions on themes and style. The most popular types of velvet are:

• Silk Velvet - lightweight with a shimmer finish.
• Cotton Velvet - sturdy and often mixed with polyester with a matte finish.
• Wool Velvet - heavy, soft fabric that’s ideal for colder months.
• Synthetic Velvet - made from 100% synthetic materials this type is very hard-wearing.
• Crushed Velvet - lustrous with a crinkle effect that’s extremely popular right now.

1. Velvet Sofas

Adding a velvet sofa to your living room will really make a fashionable statement. Velvet sofas are wonderful to sink into and lounge on while watching your favourite TV shows with your partner, mum, sister, friends or pets. Much to many people’s surprise, velvet sofas are highly durable and able to withstand a lot of wear. They’re also less prone to snagging as they have no loose threads of raised weaves so they’ll easily last you for years.

Available in a wide range of rich colours, velvet sofas will add a touch of class, elegance and sophistication to your room. You can find plenty of information in our velvet sofa buying guide to help you.

2. Velvet Cushions

If changing your sofa is not currently an option, or buying an all velvet sofa is too daunting, you can jazz up your current sofa with some luxurious velvet cushions. Adding cushions to your sofa is the perfect way to add a pop of colour in a neutral room, or complement the existing colours to tie the whole room together. Velvet cushions are also a great way for creating texture and a cosy atmosphere.

3. Velvet Armchairs

If you have some dead space that you want to utilise for more seating, adding a sumptuous velvet armchair is a fantastic option. When it comes to styling an armchair to your already-existing furniture, think about the flow of the room, you’ll want to match the vibe of the current furniture as much as possible. Having a thick, chunky leather armchair in a room filled with light and airy, fabric furniture won’t work at all.

An armchair is also a great opportunity for you to contrast colours or patterns to create a visually stunning impact in your living room. Take a look at our contemporary and modern fabric armchairs guide for more styling inspiration or see our range here.

4. Velvet Curtains

Add some texture and interest to your living room with velvet curtains. Crushed velvet curtains make for a striking appearance whereas silk velvet curtains will add a rich, opulent look to the room. If your living room is known for being a little chilly too, velvet curtains will do a great job at keeping in the warmth. Velvet curtains are a real indulgence that your home deserves to allow it to stand out from the rest.

5. Velvet Ottomans

An ottoman is the perfect sofa addition that gives you the opportunity to put your feet up after a tiring day, and a velvet ottoman will take that comfort to the next level. Soft and squishy, a velvet ottoman will not only provide an extra, comfortable seating area or foot-rest, but it’ll also add to the overall look and feel to the room too. A velvet ottoman is a fully functional accessory that will help to complete your living room.

6. Velvet Lamps

If you’re going for a retro look, velvet lamps can make all the difference. Velvet lamps will really help to brighten up the room, in more ways than just lighting, with their deep yet vibrant colours and unique texture. It’s a great way to add a visually pleasing statement piece to your living room and to make the whole room feel a touch more glamorous.

Available in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours it can be tricky choosing the right style, but if you think about the flow of the room and the colours, patterns and textures that will match or contrast your existing furniture, you’ll be able to find something suitable in no time.

7. Velvet Stools

A velvet stool is a staple piece of furniture for any home that can be used in multiple different rooms to add style, class and function. You can include a velvet stool in your hallway to allow people to sit and put their shoes on, or in the dressing room for a comfortable and fashionable place to sit when doing hair or makeup. They will also work wonderfully well in the living room for when you need extra seating for guests or somewhere to put your feet up. A velvet stool is simple but essential.

Take a look at our range of contemporary and modern flat-packed sofas, perfectly designed for smaller spaces.