Cool and Contemporary
A single silver wall behind a red couch is ethereal. Adjoining walls could be silver and gray wallpaper or pewter, ebony or winter white paint. Deep medium blue or cobalt will add drama behind a red sofa. Muted or light blue will lower the heat -- toss a few soft blue pillows on the red sofa to connect it with the pale walls.
Welcoming and Warm
Colors drawn from nature, such as olive green, fern, moss and autumnal gold are an Arts and Crafts palette to surround a red sofa with a wood frame. Marigold, mustard and the bright yellow-orange of chili peppers and chrysanthemums add a spicy flavor to a room with a red couch. And red sofas look spectacular in red-walled rooms -- test the shades and intensities of the reds before painting, to be sure you're mixing cherries with cherries and apples with apples so the reds don't fight each other.
The Cool Spectrum
All shades of turquoise work with a red couch. Pale turquoise can be as delicate as the background of a Faberge egg with a ruby red sofa at its heart. Medium turquoise with a red-orange couch is a southwestern color scheme in Spanish colonial and adobe homes. Lime green is a fresh, fun spin on the classic opposites red and green. Lavender is an unexpected, bold choice that open the door to a sophisticated eclectic living room style.
Not-So-Tame Neutrals
-
Chestnut brown has enough red in it to pair comfortably with a red sofa in a more traditional room with lots of wood furniture and cream accents. Crisp white creates a spotless background for a sleek, angular red couch in a contemporary room. A gold and ivory backdrop is regal with a damask or brocade red couch. Red silk or linen upholstery sets a dramatic Asian theme in a room with charcoal or black lacquered walls.