White sofas are beautiful, yes. But in a statement piece of furniture—and in a piece of furniture that actually gets used day in and day out—it doesn’t quite make sense. Yet, we’re falling for it because of, well, aesthetics. However, designers are putting their foot down on this trend and calling them a thing of the past. We talked to some designers to find out why. Griffith argues that so many of us have pets, kids, or busy schedules. That means it just doesn’t make sense to have such an important (and well loved) item be white. “Most families need a low maintenance couch that is easy to clean, but at the same time, does not need to be frequently cleaned,” Griffith says, “Therefore a white sofa does not make sense as they show dirt, grime and hair more so than other color couches and need to be cleaned regularly.” In the past, the monochromatic was all the rage… and white was preferred because it blended into the background, creating a softer, crisper, and perhaps even cleaner look. Now, as design trends shift to more statement colors, a white-washed space is far less appealing. “White couches can wash out the color in a room if not decorated appropriately,” Griffith argues, “Darker color couches are more in style as they bring a luxurious feel to a living space and make it warm as opposed to the cold feeling of a bright sofa." When picking a couch, try to stick to a darker or a more neutral color palette," he suggests, “Use white as accents such as pillows or throws, as opposed to the main color.” Wood also cautions about dyes from clothing and how the dyes can transfer to the fabric even when you’re sitting. It’s best to opt for a slipcover for that reason—and then wash and dry clean the cover often to maintain the ‘crisp’ feel. Amira Johnson, Interior Designer at Emerald Doors, shares her insight. “If [the fabric of your couch is] stained, it can be extremely hard to remove from the sofa fabric and the sofa will never look as good as when you bought it,” she says. “You’ll also have to watch out for cracks,” she says. The more you have to wipe down or wash the surface, the more visible these cracks will be—and they’re already more noticeable on the lighter colors. A good rule of thumb that she suggests is to consider your couch like your denim. “If you are not comfortable purchasing and wearing white denim on a regular basis,” she says, “[Then] you should probably steer clear of purchasing a white sofa.”
