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Light or dark sofa? How colour changes the feeling of a living room
Between a pale sofa and a dark sofa, the choice depends on the room as much as on taste. The same tone gives a different result in a living room that gets sun all day and in one that faces a dark courtyard. In Montreal, where days grow shorter from November to March, the gap shows for a good part of the year. At Casavogue, the question comes up often in the store, and the answer rests on three things: the light in the room, the role of the sofa in the decor and what each tone shows over time.
Ruby sectional sofa by Charles David
What the light in the room changes
Pale upholstery returns the light it receives, which helps in a room facing north or furnished tightly. It works as a background and lets cushions, rugs and walls carry the colour. The Ruby sectional and the Forte sofa, both offered in a light tone, play that role: they cover a lot of surface without weighing down the living room. In a space short on natural light for a good part of winter, that is often the safer choice for a large seating piece.
When dark is the right choice
Dark upholstery absorbs light and gives the sofa a presence that pale does not have. In a well lit room, or when you want the seating to anchor the decor rather than sit behind it, dark holds the room better. The Lenon sectional comes in a dark tone, and the Lisbon collection exists in a dark tone as well as a light one, which lets you compare the same model in both directions. On upkeep, each tone shows something different: dark reveals dust and lint, pale reveals stains.
Choosing your sofa tone at Casavogue
The right answer is in your room rather than on a screen. Look at how many hours of direct sun reach the living room, how far the sofa sits from the window and which colours are already present on the floor and the walls. Photograph the room in the morning and late in the day: the gap between the two will already tell you a lot. Then come to our Montreal showroom with those photos and your measurements. Our advisors compare upholstery options with you and you leave with samples to place at home before deciding.