Can we make a resolution to buy a big-ticket item of furniture that’s not grey in 2017? Ever since the colour-matching corporation Pantone named Greenery as its colour of the year, I’ve felt a stirring in the soil, so to speak, a frisson in the foliage. Aren’t they spot-on? Don’t we need an injection of optimistic, upbeat colour that says “new start”, rather than “don’t panic”?
While I’m not enchanted with the precise hue Pantone chose (think frozen peas, boiled until flaccid), I’m on board with all manner of greengrocer-inspired shades, from kale to palest grape.
And it’s not just me who’s getting a tingle from plant-based colour cards. The green sofa is this year’s object of desire for design insiders. The most enviable example is by Pinch, exclusively for Heal’s. If, in the past, you have coveted Russell Pinch and Oona Bannon’s elegant upholstery, but dismissed it as beyond your budget, you’ll be thrilled to discover the new Wallis sofa. Every bit as elegant as Pinch’s own-label Goddard (£4,105, excluding fabric; pinchdesign.com), it starts at £1,999.
There are gorgeous greens, too, from all the usual suspects. Try the master sofa-makers at George Smith if you’re feeling flush: I adore the buttoned Seaton sofa in Reseda mohair velvet (£8,544, or £5,981 in the January sale; georgesmith.com).
For buyers on a slimmer budget, principally online labels such as Loaf, Love Your Home, Swoon and Made.com can be relied on to deliver fresh, affordable designs. Love Your Home’s Ottilie, in Grass velvet, and Swoon’s Berlin, in Emerald velvet, are gems.
Advertisement
Still think grey is a safer bet? Green may be the colour of the moment, but that doesn’t mean it’s a one-season wonder. These are sofas we will love long-term. Don’t think of green as a courageous colour choice, consider it nature’s neutral.
Keep your grey sofa if you must, but at least consider a green addition: Arlo & Jacob’s Bennet footstool is pictured in Apple Varese velvet from Designers Guild. From £199, £337 as shown; arloandjacob.com
Neat curved armrests, angled legs and rectangular cushions give the Rufus (W200cm) a midcentury feel. The Leaf Green three-seater is a snip — retro style on a shoestring. £599 (£499 in the sale); made.com
Swoon prioritises low prices while delivering good-quality modern design. The Berlin three-seater (W218cm) looks glam in Emerald velvet on a dark beech frame. £1,209; swooneditions.com
Pinch for penny-pinchers: the Wallis sofa, designed by the coveted brand for Heal’s, arrives in store and online on February 21. It’s shown in Designers Guild Emerald Varese velvet (W210cm; £2,499). From £1,999; order now on 0333 212 1915 or via advice@heals.co.uk
Advertisement
Steuart Padwick’s new Tilt sofa (W240cm) is a blocky three-seater with an original twist. The ball feet, set at the front of the seat only, provide the titular tilt, slanting the sofa back at a relaxing angle. The price includes the upholstery: Elgin 140140, by Bute Fabrics. £2,340; steuartpadwick.co.uk
The Sandbacka green cover of Ikea’s three-seater Stockholm (W211cm) is removable, making it perfect for high-traffic areas. The cushion covers can be turned, extending the life of the sofa. £1,000; ikea.com
An extra-deep sofa is a beautiful thing. Curl up on Sofa Workshop’s Lady May three-seater (W195cm), pictured in Grass Dusky Velvet. £2,255 (£1,780 in the sale); sofaworkshop.com
The Eden (W244cm) is a generous couch on slim tapered legs, dressed here in Dusky Pistachio brushed cotton. £1,639 (£1,475 in the sale); sofaworkshop.com
Counterintuitively, a small room is well served by a largish corner sofa. Matthew Hilton’s Chester (W200cm x D142cm) is a space-efficient bestseller from Habitat. It’s pictured in Emerald velvet. £1,900 (£1,300 in the sale); habitat.co.uk