How to Choose a Furniture Color to Make a Room Feel Cozy Yet Larger

Consider your room's color scheme. Focusing on three or four colors, including one dominant color, instead of using random or mismatched colors, helps the room feel cozy and polished. Make sure your colors include some contrast to avoid a dull mood.

Determine whether you want the furniture to appear smaller or larger. Choose dark colors for items you want to minimize and light colors for items you want to appear larger. Don't use intensely bright colors on large objects, such as couches or tables; save intense colors for accents, if you use them at all.

Consider whether you want furniture to stand out or whether you want to highlight other elements of design, such as artwork on the walls or an interesting hardwood floor. If you want your furniture to stand out, choose a color that contrasts with the color of the walls. If you want it to blend in, choose a color similar to the color of the walls and make sure you accent other elements.

Use texture to make the room cozier and more inviting. A soft throw on a couch, textured pillows or a chenille rug gives a room warmth and visual interest. If you choose light-colored furniture, use contrasting colors for textured items to create warmth. For example, cover an ivory couch with a crimson throw or put a purple picture frame on a side table.