14 Sofa Colors Interior Designers Say Are Out In Ohio
When it comes to refreshing your living room, the sofa is often the centerpiece that sets the tone for your entire space. Ohio homeowners are particularly savvy about keeping up with interior design trends that work in our Midwestern climate and lifestyle.
I’ve asked top interior designers across Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland which sofa colors they’re seeing less of in stylish Ohio homes this year, and their answers might surprise you.
1. Burgundy Leather
Remember those deep red leather sofas that dominated the 1990s? Ohio designers are officially declaring them passé. The heavy, formal look feels dated in today’s more relaxed home environments.
Many clients are swapping these dark pieces for lighter, more versatile options. The rich burgundy tone that once signaled luxury now reads as stuffy and overwhelming in most spaces, especially with Ohio’s often overcast natural light.
2. Chocolate Brown Microfiber
Walking into a home with a chocolate brown microfiber sofa immediately transports me back to 2005. This once-popular choice has fallen from grace among Ohio’s design community for good reason.
The dark, heavy fabric tends to make rooms feel smaller and dated. Plus, the material shows wear patterns quickly, especially in high-traffic Ohio family homes where winter boots and wet clothes are frequent visitors.
3. Hunter Green
Hunter green had its heyday in the 1980s alongside country-style decor. Now it’s firmly on the out list for Ohio designers who find it reminiscent of outdated lodge aesthetics.
Green can certainly work in today’s interiors, but this specific deep forest shade feels particularly dated. Most clients who previously embraced this color are now gravitating toward softer sage or olive tones that better complement modern Ohio homes without the heaviness.
4. Bright Red
Bold statement pieces had their moment, but Ohio designers are seeing fewer requests for fire-engine red sofas these days. The eye-catching hue that once served as a conversation starter now feels jarring and difficult to design around.
Clients who once embraced this dramatic choice often report feeling limited in their overall decor options. For Ohio homes where comfort and versatility are increasingly important, this attention-demanding shade simply creates too much visual noise.
5. Matching Floral Prints
Grandma’s house called – it wants its floral sofa back! Those matching floral print sofas with coordinating curtains and pillows are decidedly out of favor among Ohio’s design professionals.
The busy patterns feel cluttered and overwhelming in today’s more streamlined interiors. Even clients with traditional tastes are opting for cleaner lines and more subtle patterns that don’t dominate the space so completely.
6. Butter Yellow
That soft butter yellow that was everywhere in early 2000s Midwestern homes has definitely lost its appeal. Cleveland designers particularly note that this color has fallen out of favor due to its tendency to look dingy over time.
The warm yellow tone often clashes with today’s cooler color schemes and shows every spill and stain. In Ohio’s variable climate, where mud season is definitely a thing, practicality eventually wins out over this impractical pale shade.
7. Teal Blue Velvet
Just a few years ago, teal blue velvet sofas were everywhere in Ohio design magazines. Now, designers are seeing a sharp decline in requests for this once-trendy option that peaked around 2018.
The jewel tone that seemed so fresh and exciting has quickly become a visual indicator of “trying too hard to be trendy.” Cincinnati designers note that clients who invested in these pieces are already looking for replacements as the color has become oversaturated in the market.
8. Black Leather
Black leather sofas are losing their appeal in Ohio homes according to designers in Columbus. Once considered sleek and modern, they’re now viewed as cold, uninviting bachelor pad leftovers.
The harsh contrast they create in a room often makes decorating around them challenging. During Ohio’s long winters, these dark pieces can make already gray days feel even more somber and unwelcoming instead of creating the cozy sanctuary most homeowners now crave.
9. Pastel Pink
The millennial pink trend has officially run its course in Ohio. What started as a fresh, Instagram-worthy choice has quickly become dated as the social media aesthetic evolves.
Toledo designers note that clients who jumped on this trend are already requesting replacements. The soft pink that seemed so versatile a few years ago now reads as trying too hard to appear youthful and trendy, without the staying power of more classic color choices.
10. Mustard Yellow
Mustard yellow sofas that dominated mid-century modern revivals are falling from favor across Ohio’s design scene. This once-hot color is now considered too specific to a trend moment that has largely passed.
Akron designers report clients finding these pieces increasingly difficult to work with as their overall decor evolves. The distinctive yellow tone that once felt fresh and retro now feels like a commitment to a very specific aesthetic that limits flexibility in the rest of the space.
11. Overstuffed Beige
Those enormous beige sofas that dominated suburban Ohio homes in the early 2000s have fallen firmly out of favor. The overstuffed, rounded-arm style often referred to as “traditional” now reads as bulky and outdated.
Dayton designers report clients are eager to replace these space-hogging pieces with more streamlined options. The neutral color that once seemed safe now feels like a non-choice – neither interesting enough to be intentional nor practical enough for real family living.
12. Mint Green
The mint green sofas that briefly trended around 2015 have quickly fallen from grace in Ohio homes. This candy-colored option that seemed fresh and different has failed to stand the test of time.
Youngstown designers note that the pastel shade tends to look juvenile and dated rather quickly. Unlike more sophisticated greens, this particular tone has become strongly associated with a specific trend moment, making it instantly recognizable as past its prime.
13. Primary Blue
Bright primary blue sofas are rapidly disappearing from stylish Ohio homes. This bold color choice that once felt playful and energetic now reads as childish and unsophisticated to many designers.
The crayon-box blue tone creates decorating challenges that most homeowners eventually tire of working around. Canton designers note that clients who chose these statement pieces often report color fatigue within just a few years, unlike more nuanced blue tones that have staying power.
14. Zebra Print
Animal prints have their place in interior design, but zebra print sofas are definitely on Ohio’s endangered species list. This bold pattern choice that once signaled edgy sophistication now reads as dated and trying too hard.
The high-contrast pattern that dominated early 2000s “glam” interiors creates visual chaos that most Ohio homeowners have moved beyond. Designers in Dublin and Powell report clients specifically requesting help replacing these statement pieces with more timeless options.
