Decorating your new home is one of the most exciting parts of the homebuying journey and your soft furnishings are one of the areas where you can get the most creative.

With this in mind, we have put together our top tips on how to choose the perfect soft furnishings for your home, so that your sofas, rugs, cushions, bedding and more blend perfectly into your new home.

1.     Consider your colour scheme

One of the first things to consider when deciding on soft furnishings is how they will interact with the colour scheme of the room or the wider home.

Of course you don’t want the items you select to clash, but there is more than one way for them to look good with your chosen colour palette.

Your cushions, rugs and curtains can blend in seamlessly with the rest of the living room to create a clean, minimalist and chic feel, or they can act as the pop of colour against your more neutral tones to create a modern and welcoming space. For those who like bright and bold from top to bottom, soft furnishings can be the perfect place to go wild with prints and patterns to complete a lively and eccentric aesthetic.

 

2.     Consider textures

Once you have settled on colour you can now start thinking about texture. Here there is plenty of variety to explore, from leathers and linens to velvet and velour. Consider which fabrics complement each other and try to mix them up to ensure the room has depth and contrast.

For example, velvet and linen are often paired together in interior design as the heaviness of the velvet compliments the airy feel of linen, and when paired together creates visual depth and interest.

 

3.     Explore trends

Of all the elements in your home, soft furnishings are the easiest to change, so this is the best place to hop onto trends that catch your interest.

2025 has seen the rise of maximalism, so for those looking to give the trend a try vibrant and interesting bedding, rugs, curtains and cushions are a great safe way to start.

Once you are in the mood for a change, or ready to hop on a new trend, you can transform your space without having to apply for planning permission, hire a handyman or do any DIY.

 

4.     Assess risk for damage prone residents

Aside from fitting your aesthetic, your soft furnishings also need to fit your housemates. Soft items are particularly vulnerable to the destructive power of pets and small children, so take steps to protect them at the selection phase to save trouble down the line.

Cat owners know all too well that no amount of scratching posts can completely eliminate the allure of the sofa, so be sure to select scratch resident fabrics for the home such as genuine top-grade leather or high thread count upholstery. For other types of pets, microfibre fabrics help prevent fur from embedding too deeply.

For those with young children it can be best to avoid whites, and to consider machine washable options to minimise the impact of spills and stains.

 

5.     Don’t neglect measurements

Whilst your soft furnishings have to fit your style, they also have to fit your home. Don’t forget to measure your new items before committing to a final purchase.

This step will avoid obvious errors such as curtains that are too long or short for the windows or table runners that drag on the floor, but also avoid issues with spacing that can upset the flow or feel of the room.

A rug for instance can technically fit in the living room, but make it look small or awkward if it’s not the perfect size or shape. Be sure to measure out not just what will fit, but what will emphasise the space in a complimentary way.

For rugs you can line up measuring tape or string to determine if you need a size that fits neatly under the sofa, a small one that sits under the coffee table, or a large rug that encompasses the entire living and seating area.

 

6.     Finally, think about day-to-day practicality

No matter how perfect your soft furnishing selections look, you will soon grow tired of them if they don’t work well in day-to-day life. When shopping think about your aesthetic, but don’t neglect the functionality of your choices.

Your bedding needs to be comfortable enough to enjoy sleeping in, which may mean going for more plain bed linens, but covering them with an embroidered throw when not in use to get the design elements you want. Curtains are a great way to get creative, but if you need pitch black to sleep a light and airy option won’t do, and for those who like being awoken by daylight seeping into the room, a thick and heavy option is all wrong.

Always keep in mind that your home is for living in and be sure not to make yourself uncomfortable for the sake of style when it is perfectly possible to have both.

 

To find out more about our developments and the areas we build in, visit https://mulberryhomes.co.uk/.