A different coffee table -- something less brown and with a less hulking footprint that can provide a contrast to the sofa.

if you want to take out the brownness, take out off the brown pillows.

painting the walls a rich orange or coral would be nice with some contrasting throw pillows for a warmer effect.

or if you want to keep that rug, which it looks like it has some greens/blues, you could play off those tones for a crisp blue wall color and some fun printed pillows.

i'm having the same issue with a couch we purchased that looks more 'peach' in our apartment than it did 'tan' in store.

I'd go for some window treatments, throw pillows, and/or rug in some bright jewel tones. You need something to offset all the beiges and browns you've got there, what with the earthy colors of your coffee table, rug, and floors.

I'd paint over the coffee table into a bright magenta or turquoise or just white. Curtains would get the same colors than the coffe table. The walls would be either (very) light grey, or anise.

I'd place a throw with patterns on the coach. In another way, the throw could be white in order to break the brown tone...

I like your area rug--I'd let that be the guide:)

colorful pillows with some fun pattern. Looks like you've got a rug under there that is a good jumping off point for wall color. I like a little of that plus some orangey colors for pop in the pillows or a throw.

p.s. the post right below this one is a perfect example of the combination of spa blue, brown, greens and orange...

Collect photos of your family and scrapbook like images that help to remind you and your family members of their cherished relationship. Remove the drawer pulls from the coffee table. Sand the finish so that you have a clean surface to work with. Arrange, on the surface of the table, the prints and items you have collected in a pleasing manner you like. Don't be afraid to make flush those items that have dimension. Take your time. What you are after here is a scrapbook of family memories and not an antiquity that will, a couple of hundred years hence, be a museum piece. Once you have decided on a design that pleases you then begin the coating of polyurethane. Select new drawer pulls and place them. On the walls behind the sofa, choose a few images you selected for the table-scrapebook. Take it to a copier place and have them translate it to black and white and enlarge it hugely. Once you get it back home wipe it with swaths of fast spray paint in colors that you like. Hang the images on the walls. Also consider some of the images of the things you chose for the table and have them copied on your choice of colored fabrics, and then have them made into various throw pillows of various shapes and sizes. Get rid of the rug. The sofa is imposing enought without the rug placement. Consider replacing the or over layering the miniblinds with ordinary white sheers that are too long and too wide to fit the window. They are the softening to all the straight lines. Place a floor pot filled with easy care succulents, light in color, by the arm of the sofa that is showing; it should be a low pot. Behind it should be a curving arched floor lamp. Place a tray on the table that is blackish brown and in it place a couple small roundish pots, different sizes, for small succulents. Bribe your child, the youngest one, to sit on the sofa and read a book, shoes off. If you have a pet, try to get the pet to look at the book, next to the child, as if the child is reading to it. Voila! You now have the photo you want!

I don't think that's an ugly sofa at all! I actually really like it.

I would throw some horizontally wide-striped pillows on it in either a couple key colours, or in a variety of bright colours (maybe with some green, or maple colours to tie into the kitchen - a TINY bit -).

I think because you have so many different colours in your counters/cabinets/sofa, you can't really go painting a 4th on the walls.. I would stick to a light grey/off white and add some bright colours in the accessories. I also think wall mounted reading lights above the sofa will help make it cozier. And a striped area rug that ties in some of the pillow colours would be great! especially with kids!

Ikea has some nice striped pillow cover options. in a couple different colour options.

How about chartreuse: http://paintyourspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/ol4a-300x268.jpg (notice they keep the walls light) ... or a sort of avocado with a sort of washed-out red: http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/archidea/archidea1001/archidea100100008/6187159-green-red-and-brown-living-room--rendering.jpg

Or turquoise: http://www.thelennoxx.com/wp-content/uploads/arsl03_britt.jpg (I'm not a fan of leopard print, so ignore them and just enjoy the turquoise walls with the brown sofa)

Right now everything in the room contributes to the muddy brown feeling - it's not just the sectional. I'd go with white - white walls, white pillows, a white throw and a white rug. And you need a new coffee table - something small and light, maybe metal with a glass top.

I'd go with a teal/peacock wall that works with the countertop in your kitchen. Just an accent wall behind the couch or maybe behind and to the right of the couch (as much as I love teal, a whole wall would be overwhelming). Even a couple of bright throw pillows in a contrasting color would help liven things up. I'd get a few swatches and compare them both to your countertops and to the rug (if you intend on keeping that). They don't have to match per se, but they should be in the same hue or color family so they don't clash.

go with a warm gray for the walls.

Walls, windows and pillows and you'll be all set! I second the vote for jewel tones -- and you might find some inspiration from these pillows - I built my living room around one!

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/decorating-and-accessories/decorative-pillows/1

The way to make your brown sofa seem less brown is to actually bring MORE brown into the room.

I'd suggest painting the walls a deep shade of brown, such as Benjamin Moore's Black Bean Soup - which is a darker, richer, nearly black shade - and will actually make your sofa appear brighter. With the contrast of the white trimwork, some darker brown and golden-hued pillows & throws to bring the color of the floor up into the room, some gold-toned draperies and a larger rug with rich golden, brown and green tones, your room will appear more cohesive and rich.

I'd change the coffee table to something lighter if possible; paint the walls white; and add some pillows that pop - everything looks good with brown. I like this palette:

http://www.decorpad.com/photo.htm?photoId=67096&relatedPhotoId=31387&index=0

We just inherited a brown couch from my mom, and our old accompanying loveseat is a taupe shade we thought was a good call back in 2006, so I feel your pain.

I'd recommend couch pillows, curtains, and a rug in a nice fun bold graphic pattern you like that still blends all the other colors together. If you can't find curtains that fit the bill, consider picking out fabric and having someone custom make them. I actually just worked with a great NYC Etsy vendor called MiLuCouture who does custom drapes.

Good luck!

I agree, it's not the sofa - it's the coffee table AND sofa. You need a much lighter-feeling table. I'd go white with that, but whatever feels right. You could do two small tables too, it's always such an airy look and it's practical because they're easy to move around.

Blues look great and fresh with brown, especially paired with white. I am thinking the white walls suggestion above is pretty good.

The rug is cute but it may serve better in a different room, if you want to really change the look in this one.

a similar thing happened to me and i did something that i never thought would work. i actually painted my walls a very similar color as the couch fabric... only a shade or two lighter. then, i accessorized with toss pillows, paintings, curtains, rugs and accent furniture that have bursts of colors (i have grass green, ball jar blue, and hints of yellow and other blues and greens). yes, this all sounds crazy but my living room (in my and all my guests opinions) is just beautiful! besides, your couch shouldn't be the focal point of the room. use extraordinary colors and you should be all set!

I think it's an adorable couch ;) Paint it a light green or a warm orange / yellow and it'll go with the kitchen fine. Paint the coffee table!

Switch to a glass coffee table, and on some colourful throw cushions - i think pink+orange+colour of your rug would be a great combo.

@ bepsf I think that is a terrible idea. Talk about a cave, depressing feeling! There is a percentage game one has to play with when it comes to such deep colors. I know you know better than that.

1- different coffee table will work, try something not so cumbersome, something lighter

2- either a huge issue or a small issue here might be your color palette. I would suggest going creamy and gold vs. the blues and greens. Wouldn't some lovely gold/brass/copper metalic accents look lovely? Like "liquid-looking" window treatments with a coordinating glass/brass coffee table?

3- I would move away from the brown, blue, green and gravitate towards sexy warm colors. Also, grey-ish purple would really pull in the cool color scheme if you want to go that route AND don't be afraid of a black pillow maybe paired with a floor light with a creamy/yellow glowing fabric lampshade and a nice shiny black base...

ok ok ok here is a new color palette:
dark brown
cream
black
creamy gold (not Donald Trump!)
greyish silver (not like a dime)
greyish purple (like poi, its a Hawaiian treat)
burnished/dull brass

taa daa!

Good luck!

I really like these colors with a brown sofa.

http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2011/04/tamika-jamaal-nate/

there's nothing else going on around it- it needs to be 'in play'...
wall color, wood-toned blinds, artwork, perhaps a sofa table behind it with some lamps, patterned throw pillows, etc.

Definitely change the coffee table.

Glass top coffee table. Actually the ad that appears just below your pictures, shows a large sectional with a modern glass top table. Something like that would go a long way to lightening this up. It's not just the color, it's the enormous mass of the sectional and the big, solid table.

I have a brown sectional (a warm rich brown I love actually) but I have Moroccan pillows on it - the reds really warm it up - many have orange and a beige in them but also some blue, green - kind of go with everything.

I might second the idea of going with more brown as per an earlier post, but that's hard to do & might require a professional. Question, does ethan allen have any literature? How do they show the couch in their brochure? That might be an easy start.

Turquoise and brown: perfect together. Add a bit of Green to go with your countertops And voile! Maybe you Can find a print with turquoise and a little green, BTW, I wouldn't have gone with green in the countertops but you've already made the commitment so do the best you can.

I second adding turquoise, and aquamarine, too. Add live plants. Consider an aquarium, if possible, that will bring light, color, and action to the space.

The coffee table is too close in color and shape for the sofa. Because of its size, the coffee table looks almost like a continuation of the sofa. I would go for a glass top, in a different shape, like an oval. Or what a pair of ottomans- square - in a fabric or an organic material such as metal or wicker? You could place a tray on top of one of them to hold remotes, books, wine glasses, ec.

The rug looks nice with the sofa. Pull some colors from it for your throw pillows. Add some sparkle with mirrors in burnished gold frames or silvertones. Add a soft throw in a creamy tan or ivory.

I like the sofa. It's good-looking, and you can change the look of it completely with accessories.

Wow - you have a lot of good ideas here. I would suggest like the others...bring lighter colored accessories and change the coffee table. Maybe something smaller and lighter. And of course if you want to match it to the tile in the kitchen then keep the accessories in that color range. Maybe even get some organic like baskets to get an earthy feeling without being so brown. There are some great seagrass accessories out there. Good luck.

i think bepsf got it right, actually. a bunch of light tones are going to make it look like you're trying to play down that brown. go with rich tones and lots of textiles. it will look more designer-y. you might want to get a glass topped table.

Lots of good suggestions here, but if you've decided that you hate the sofa, talk with the kind people at Ethan Allen and see what they can do for you.

I made a horrible (for my room) Pottery Barn selection a few years ago. I called them months after the purchase and asked them for solutions. They took the sofa back and gave me a store credit so I could get a new (perfect for me) sofa.

Light gray for walls, yellow accent pillows for sofa {which is nice by the way) and if can replace the coffee table with a glass metal one. Replace window blinds with shades perhaps with gray and yellow.

It's nice! I would either go with v. light turquoise pillows or a red/white combo.
good luck

I think an avocado wall colour would look nice but also consider what colour walls you have in the kitchen - I would keep them consistent. In my house I have the same colour white in every room but have a couple of feature walls in strong colours in the kitchen & living room. It makes the house feel less busy and also allows for me to decorate and change the soft furnishings as the mood strikes me.

Also, agree that the coffee table is too close in shade to the sofa. Maybe go for a round really deep dark brown or white but not glass if you've got kids to break up the boxiness of the sofa and avoid sharp edges. I can see the blinds are practical and neutral so I would only update the rug to something more modern and bring in colour and some brighter cushions.

PS Your rug looks cream, green and beige - not seeing any blue. Is that right?

Love the couch. I'd do the following...

> recover the pillows in colourful fabric (make one the same colour as your countertops perhaps?)

>paint the table white (or buy a less bulky table)

> paint the walls a nice earthy color (tan, light green, light blue)

> get some neutral curtians

I always google like crazy when I'm trying to decorate a room. Googling "brown couch" is a great way to see how others have done it. Make sure you save the images in a folder so you can compare them later :)

I say blue and turquoise cushions.

Lose the coffee table and get a small nest of tables to put to one end of the sofa in a light wood colour.
As the coffee table is the same tone as the sofa, it makes the sofa look really large at the moment.

Walls white or light grey.
Good luck.

One example...
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/339/browncouch.jpg/

I agree with everyone who said to add blue and turquoise to the room, but in the form of drapes and throw pillows, and pops of coral would look lovely. Keep the walls light (gray or white, not tan - tan would look muddy) and swap out the coffee table for something less visually heavy, maybe two smaller tables or something with a glass top...

Two words: Throw pillows.

In bright jewel tones. Maybe even sand down the coffee table, paint it white, and add a few colorful accessories to it--a magenta TV tray, a vase with a spray of daffodils, etc. Good luck!

I think the sofa looks nice and you are 2nd guessing it right now because the room is unfinished. It's hard to say exactly what colors to suggest because we can't see any of the kitchen. But based on just this photo, I would actually try a dark grey - darker than the sofa even.

I know it could sound like it will make everything too dark, but contrary to popular belief, a dark wall color can actually make a room feel larger. Offset with your white wood, I think it will look very elegant and give your new sofa a proper context. The rug has light colors, and the blinds are white too, so the contrast between light and dark will be stunning. Just don't pick a grey that has the same value as the brown because it will make both blend together. Get some pillows with some brighter colors (green and light brown to tie in the kitchen?) and it will be stunning.

agree with biscuits, I have a huge brown sectional (though more expresso) and I have rich jewel tone throw pillows on my couch...deep reds and blues in paisleys and brocades for a bohoish look. World market and Pier 1 are great for this, but I got mine from Ebay and I think Marshalls

based on what little I see of your room/style you seem more transitional modern, so you might want to go with more brights like others have suggested aquas, yellow, greens.

or you can go with some light blues and grays, but you should go bold with patten and texture as they are all neutrals.

brown goes with anything so just experiment with throw pillows or lay fabrics around int he right color. agree that you should switch out your table, I think a round ottoman in a fun color or patter with lighten things up a lot

PS - and don't forget to put up some art with white mats on the grey wall for more pop. Dark-light-dark...

Think about Missoni style textiles for some extra cushions....

Get rid of every other "brown" accessory you can afford to.

Off white walls, and maybe instead of one coffee table, you can have two smaller, foot stools in a hard material, like chinese garden stools or solid wood round or square stools, so they can be moved individually if needed.

Taupe walls. Longer, thinner, white coffee table. White framed pictures on both walls behind sofa. White arc floor lamp to the left. Bring in cushions with blues and greens to match your rug and counter tops. If that all looks too matchy then maybe throw in another accent color with a couple of cushions and 1 or 2 pictures/objects on walls... bright purple?

I think it's a great couch! I'd pull that rug a little closer to the corner. And I, too, would swap the table for something smaller and maybe round, or even an ottoman. I think white always looks good on walls, but also think a pale blue that complements the green marble in the kitchen would work nicely. And throw pillows do wonders for plain couches! Target has some great ones (I especially love the Dwell ones), as do World Market (check out their bright velvet ones) and sometimes even Urban Outfitters. Etsy shop ModDiva has some very funky pillow covers (including Marimekko!).

I actually don't mind the sofa, but I have something similar in my house so I might be biased. And I REALLY like the your rug. If it goes alright with your counters, I would work that into the color scheme - maybe teal and orange pillows, and a light tan throw blanket. I would agree with the comments that say to get a smaller coffee table - I have several small storage cubes in front of my brownish monster.

I completely disagree with any suggestions about patterned pillows. I would load up the sofa with maybe all-white pillows, or some light solid color. I know you have kids, but you have to keep them light to balance the heaviness of the sofa, and pillow covers are washable.

I also think the coffee table needs to be changed or modified. It's hurting you.

Great sofa, just work with it by lightening up it's surroundings and it's accessories! :)

I agree with darlingdesign, above, who has solved this problem for herself in the real world ! and her ideas would go w/ the green marble in the kitchen. The darker walls would go far to hide little fingerprints as well. Yes to whoever said white-off white mats w/ framed art. Yes to the glass coffee table, w/ the caveat of a wooden surround to cushion the inevitable bumps of childhood. I like your couch, and it looks really comfortable. It will be just fine.

I had your problem in reverse when I moved into a rental with two rooms painted in that brown (which I hated, but did not want to spend to cover over.)

When I bought a couch in a tomato red, sort of leaning toward brick red or orangy, it made the brown walls look OK. So try that color on your walls. Or something in the red family - coral, etc. It should go fine with the green marble, as red and green, being opposite on the color wheel, look good together.

I also used natural (tan) curtains to good effect. So I'd try that for pillows if you decide pattern or other colors don't work for you. Pale yellow accents also work well with the brown and red.

I like your coffee table, but agree the brown doesn't help. It is nice wood - DON'T paint it. If you don't want to replace it, put something of a different color over the top surface of it - fabric, vinyl, oilcloth, whatever. Will also protect that nice wood from scratches while covering up most of the brown you see on the table. Your kids could then eat on it, do crafty stuff, whatever, depending on the durability of what you use.

I can't see enough of your rug to see if it works - you'll figure it out. I think getting the wall color right is crucial, then go from there with the rest of the stuff.

Also, I'm a klutz, and so don't like living with glass tables. I don't think they are child friendly, either - not just because of potential breakage, but they scratch, and are really hard when you bump into them, especially (but not only) if they have sharp corners.

get a new coffee table. something funky and possibly red. and get a brighter and more colorful rug. maybe a design with a lot of white or light grey in it.

Turquoise goes very well with the brown you have: http://www.flickr.com/photos/citikas/5672187654/

So does spring green: http://www.flickr.com/photos/citikas/5672187308/

The most practical solution for you would be to use your rug as the palette for colours. For example, throw pillows the same colour as the background and coffee table the same colour as the vines and leaves, or vice versa.

omnombisuits said it perfectly: jewel tone throw pillows. You want shiny fabric to bounce the light around in jewel tone colors {secondary colors). Design for contrast, shiny/dull = shiny jewel tone pillows against dull brown sofa.

Lot's of tips...let us know what u decide to do and post pics somewhere!

I LOVE your couch! And I'm just going to repeat what a million posters have put: Pick up that fabulous blue/turquoise in the carpet and put lots of pillows and a throw blanket on your couch.

Here is where I digress from the others: Keep the coffee table. It's a great size. BUT, go to Lowe's or Home Depot and invest in four sheets of blue/white/green/brown glass tiles (the kind you normally put in a bathroom) and re-top the coffee table with those.

Paint the walls a nice taupe/tan with white trim and you'll have an amazing living room.

So, one time I went to Portland, OR and got drunk. Then I was riding around the streetcar and came across West Elm. At this time I didn't even know West Elm had stores, and got so excited I totally raided the throw pillow section. . . anyway . . .

My couch is also a large brown sectional with pillow backs that pull away. It came with a large ottoman that we use as a corner bench. You can see from these photos that we accessorized them with a bunch of different colored and textured pillows as well as a colorful batik quilt my mom made. Adding some lovely colored cats also helps. :)

Since these photos were taken, we added some colorful sort of Native American-ish rugs. bad photo of corner rug . . . bad photo of couch rug Notice we actually took one of the brown pillows off of the back of the couch and put it on the ottoman. It's replaced by a couple of big throw pillows in a print. The pillows all came from IKEA or West Elm.

I've been told my decorating style tends to the "wood elf" so I would pair a dark brown sofa with hunter green pillows and maybe a blanket over the back.

Some green accented wall art and your leaf print carpet could really play up "woodsy" if you want.

I'm sure you don't want to change a new expensive sofa. The cheapest solution is throw pillows in some bright color combination.
Plenty of place have them. Changing the rug would really help. The pillows and rug should be coordinated. The coffee table could stay maybe put some bright child proof accessories on it like low baskets. I'd look at the new marrimekko stuff at Crate and Barrel for ideas or purchase.

light gray walls, chartreuse or orange and ivory/white throw pillows, and a more modern coffee table- the one you have now just looks like its competing with the couch.

You guys are awesome - thanks for all the creative ideas! Now I have a lot to play around with. I bought the coffee table at a steal a few weeks ago (again from EA) when I needed something right away for guests. Although the table has great storage, I can see how it makes matters worse.

At the moment, I am leaning toward green or cream for a paint color because that will work for the kitchen as well (it's one big room). Plus new throw pillows and stuff on the walls. I’ll post pictures when I get it pulled together. Thanks again!

I have no idea what your design aesthetic is, but I've been in a similar conundrum. I suggest painting the walls an aqua/seafoam color, adding bright, colorful pillows and art, and painting the coffee table white.

My inspiration is this beautiful interior of the Wary Meyers home:

http://swallowfield.typepad.com/swallowfield/2009/10/wary-meyers-tossed-and-found.html

We have a brown sofa but it's a deeper brown. . .we put blue and yellow throw pillows on it. I also made my own painted coffee table; smallish (the couch is apartment-sized) with a yellow top and blue tapered legs. It looks awesome (I think). There's a big, colorful painting on the wall behind the couch. Nothing boring about any of it!

I had this same problem. We bought a HUGE u-shaped sectional in brown so dirt would not show too much. Then it seemed to overwhelm the living room. I've managed to break up the brown by adding other large furniture items in light toned neutrals like white, light grey, beige, and tan (rug, curtains, coffee table). By doing this I can now accessorize with any colors. I have chosen aqua, blues and yellows in muted tones. I've also eliminated any other dark browns from the room. I even painted my dining set a light grey (Martha Stewart - Grey Squirrel) and re-upholstered the dining chairs in a bold blue and white fabric.

Here's your answer: (scroll to picture 5 of 12):

http://www.bravotv.com/flipping-out/season-5/photos/before-and-after/before-and-after-photos-sunshine-terrace#image-96547