Peaky Blinders has kicked off a new sofa color trend that we think our editor actually began

What does Gina Gray from Peaky Blinders and our editor have in common? A yellow sofa that’s resetting design trends

Yellow sofa
(Image credit: NAINOA)

This season's boldest micro-trend has just revealed itself in the shape of a yellow sofa – and it's making statements everywhere.

Peaky Blinder fans amongst us may have spotted (and swooned over) Gina Gray's mustard-hued-sofa, but it's already a firm favorite here at Livingetc. In fact, we'd go as far as saying that our Editor in Chief Pip Rich kickstarted the sofa trend after investing in Studio NAINOA's yellow sofa for his Somerset home. 

Yellow Sofa Trend

(Image credit: BBC)

The photo below inspired Pip’s living room ideas, but we expect this trend will only accelerate, following its place on the Peaky Blinder’s set. However, you don’t need to take our word for it. Here, top experts react to this zesty design movement.

Yellow Sofa Trend


(Image credit: NAINOA)

'Yellow is the color of sunshine and happiness and helps to bring a feeling of optimism into the home – so it's only natural that we're seeing a trend in yellow sofas as spring approaches,' explains Hannah Armstrong, a Furniture Buyer at Heal's.

According to Hannah, this interior design trend allows you to add personality to your décor – especially those with a neutral color scheme. She recommends injecting yellow's vibrancy into a monochromatic space – whether you opt for bright lemon tones or warm ochre.  

Yellow Sofa Trend


(Image credit: Heal's)

Global designer Martin Waller from Andrew Martin adds that yellow sofas are a way of creating a 'mellow and uplifting' living room whilst paying homage to the escapism design trend. 

'It transports us back to long lazy, sun-drenched days in the Mediterranean, and it can brighten us up on gloomy days,' Martin says. When paired with the right shades, it can also accentuate the size of your living room – meaning it is equally sought-after for its space-enhancing qualities. 

'It works brilliantly with blues, teals, greens, and reds, and for real crisp freshness, use with white. But if you want to opt for tones such as grey, this will help create the illusion of space,' the designer explains.

How to bring the yellow sofa trend into your home

Yellow Sofa Trend

(Image credit: Pip Rich)

'I pinned NAINOA's design before I had even exchanged on the house – I even got my sofa recovered in yellow (it had been forest green) before the deal was done,' Pip says in the discussion of his home. 

'I was set on this space being green and with a yellow sofa because NAINOA's project felt so zingy, so uplifting, and like such a wonderfully soothing take on the elegant living room.'

The photo above shows the yellow staple in Pip's living room. The space does not capture much natural light as his window is shaded by a large tree. However, this sofa and Pip's paint ideas bring just the right amount of vibrancy to the space.

'Oxford Stone marble matt emulsion had just the right amount of grey tones in it to soften the green in the cool light, while the equally greyed yellow linen Leoni Quince fabric from Romo was equally pigmented with a paler weave,' Pip says.   

Yellow Sofa Trend

Leon small sofa in Chamonix, Honey priced at £1,895/ approximately $2,533 from Arlo and Jacob

(Image credit: Arlo & Jacob)

When styling a yellow sofa, Martin adds that it is best to use the color in 'dramatic flashes.' This will stop the space from appearing too mellow – and ensure your sofa remains the focal point of the space. 

Will this modern decorating idea stand the test of time? While the yellow sofa is having a moment now, its expert-approved qualities suggest this trend is more than just a fad. Here's to many more sunny days ahead. 

Here's where to buy a yellow sofa...

Megan Slack

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team.

Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US whilst studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site.

Megan currently lives in London, where she relocated from her hometown in Yorkshire. In her home, she experiments with interior design trends and draws inspiration from the home decor ideas she observes in her everyday work life. Her favorite pieces include her antique typewriter and her expansive collection of houseplants. When she isn’t writing, she is browsing London’s coffee shops and bookstores to add to her ever-growing library, taking over the open shelving in her apartment.