Velvet Sofas

By Kate Riley November 16, 2016

I’m painting my master bedroom this week and changing the color on the walls to the palest gray just so I can hang my new velvet curtains. (The new paint color is BM Classic Gray if you’re curious). Reason is, I found some beautiful lightweight pewter cotton velvet window panels at HomeGoods that I wanted to hang in my bedroom, but because they are too close to my existing wall color, I decided to paint the space lighter so I could show them off better. The velvet made me do it. :)

Like George Castanza from Seinfeld famously quipped, there are many of us out there that would “drape ourselves in velvet if it were socially acceptable.” I feel that way about the use of velvet in interiors too, there’s something about the velvet accent, be it curtains, pillows, or a grand sofa, that makes you want to reach out at caress it. Many years ago I reupholstered a chair in camel velvet and loved it until the sad day that it broke – I won’t name the culprit who sat in it and broke it but it happened, I wept, and had to let my chair go.

We have some friends who’s mother recently passed away and we were invited to see the apartment that they were preparing for an estate sale. I’ll never forget the forest green velvet sofa she had in her parlor, one that she had named her Seduction Sofa because “no one could resist it, or her, when they sat on it.” She was one of those wonderful eccentric women that spoke just like that and you loved her for it.

It’s true, the velvet sofa does possess that characteristic of irresistibility.

 navy-velvet-west-elm

 green-velvet-sofa

 

 slub-velvet-anthro

 blue-tufted-velvet-sofa

 wine-velvet-sofa

 caitlin-sofa

 

 green-velvet-sectional

 

I like the modern shapes that are available now, a velvet sofa adds the wow factor, whether it’s a nice neutral or a sassy bold color.

 modern-velvet-sofas

from top left:  blue harbor / velvet edlyn (multiple colors) / caitlin with the brass legs (multiple colors) / breda in navy / camel madeline / avec sofa with brass legs (multiple colors) / cooper blue / gray midcentury

image sources: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7

Would you drape yourself in velvet if it were socially acceptable? C’mon confess. :)

.

12 comments

  1. Love the look and feel of velvet. Not sure it would hold up very well with my guys, though. Could you list the source for the wine color sofa please?

    • Hi Karin, I don’t know the source of that particular sofa, just the image source which I linked to at the bottom. It’s a beauty!

  2. There is nothing like velvet! I always remember the green velvet drapes that Scarlett O’Hara had made into that beautiful dress in Gone with the Wind. I’m just waiting to reupholster my 2 beautiful living room sofas in gray velvet, as soon as it moves up the priority list.

  3. They are quite gorgeous but not for me. I have 3 white kitties and velvet would be a nightmare. Rehomed my previous queen sleeper sofa because it was too wide, too deep and too low and because only the cats used it. It was a pale buttery microfiber and the first time I sat on it after I moved, I found I was sitting in a couple of inches of white kitty fuzz. Don’t plan to replace it – don’t really need to, but I can still appreciate.

  4. I used to own a stunning long velvet coat that was gifted to me because it had been custom made for a very tall person. At 6’2″, I was the only one my friend knew at the time who was tall enough to carry it off. Loved that gorgeous thing until the day it caught on a sharp edge in a parking lot and ripped wide open. I stood there in disbelief and bawled like a baby.
    The couches in your post are gorgeous.
    Did anyone else yell at the pic of the green couch ” you hung the picture WAY too high” !!!!!!
    Ha ha. That’s always been a peeve of mine.
    Thanks for the reminder that I need to add a velvet couch to my dream list…. ;)

  5. We have a velvet sofa but it’s not chic like these. Every time I see one of those rich blue ones in a more modern shape I die.

    Ours is a traditional shape in a kind of champagne-colored velvet. It doesn’t really “speak” to me — but was so much better than the kind of 1950s-car-inspired two-tone leather one that my husband wanted that I went for it!!! The WAY FAR lesser of two evils.

  6. I moved 5 years ago and wanted a glam living room. Top of my list was a rich chocolate brown velvet sofa! It looks so beautiful in my cream room with a taupe and chocolate zebra print rug, cream accent chairs and gold accessories. Guests love that room and so do we!!

  7. I just recovered an old 1980’s Henredon sofa in navy velvet. It’s so fun to have it. I used a commercial velvet, so I’m hoping it stand up well. I replaced the cushions with down. The sofa has a traditional rolled armed – so not as modern as the ones shown above.

  8. Oh goodness yes! Although it is rather daft in Brisbane Australia. I do have two navy velvet pillows on my couch though and I love the little bit of luxe the pair provide.

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