Sofa Trends: Sofa Styles That Are Set to Define 2022
Buying a sofa can become overwhelming with the number of different colours and styles out there! Trying to match ever-changing trends to existing interior design also adds to the pressure.
We wanted to find out what people were looking for when choosing a sofa, so we studied search data from Google and Pinterest on sofa colours, styles and materials. We looked at how demand has changed in the past year and which characteristics are likely to be a popular trend in 2022 based on this data.
Most in Demand Sofa Colours
In the last few years, coloured sofas have become a huge trend. Shades of pink, blue and green have been particularly popular. Search data tells us that the bold and bright trend is shifting slightly, but isn't going anywhere any time soon.
Neutral Sofas Still Top the Charts
Despite the growing trend of coloured sofas, grey was still the most searched for sofa colour in 2021 according to data, with a yearly average of 397,200 searches. However, the number of searches compared to 2020 has decreased by 18%, possibly showing that more people are stepping out of their neutral comfort zone.
‘Grey sofa’ also has the most hashtags on Instagram compared to other colours (47.8k) - this colour also had the highest number of searches on Pinterest at the start of 2021. This isn’t surprising as grey was a hugely popular colour in interior design and was also Pantone’s colour of the year in 2021. Interestingly, green became the most searched for colour by the end of the year, backing up the evidence that people are no longer shying away from bold colours.
Green & Pink Sofas are Still Popular
Green and pink sofas are still popular choices. According to Google data, 22% more people were looking for pink sofas in 2021 than in 2020. Pink was also one of the most searched colours on Pinterest throughout 2021, although search dropped by 4.7% by the end of the year. The ‘millennial pink’ trend became huge in 2017, particularly in interior design but the trend also crept into fashion and even food!
In 2021, a staggering 49.5% more people were looking for green sofas than the previous year. Pinterest data shows green sofas were also one of the most searched for colours on this platform in 2021 and had the highest number of searches of all colours by the end of the year. When it comes to this colour's popularity, it isn’t strictly on one shade as it is with millennial pink - sage, mint, forest greens are all as popular as one another.
The popularity of this colour may have been influenced by the pandemic. Green is a calming colour, which is definitely needed after a few whirlwind years - as well as this, green makes people feel more connected to nature, something we may have lacked over the years whilst being indoors.
Both of these colours were amongst the highest number of hashtags on Instagram, with #greensofa having a total of 33.1K and #pinksofa with 31.2k. Despite the continued popularity of these colours, data shows that search for these colours steadied towards the end of 2021 - whilst these may still be popular sofa options (green in particular), we don’t see them becoming the biggest sofa colours of 2022.
The Sofa Colour of 2022
When comparing Google data from the start and end of 2021, we notice that one colour, in particular, had a huge rise throughout 2021 when compared to 2020. According to our data, Orange sofas are set to be the next big sofa trend of 2022.
Google data shows that 50% more people are seeking orange sofas than they were in 2021. Searches for orange sofas increased by 85.2% from the start of 2021 to the end, suggesting this is a growing trend. There was also an increase of 31.8% in Pinterest searches from the start to the end of 2021.
Orange was a popular fashion trend in Summer 2021, with many influencers wearing the bright colour to show a more fun, creative side. Similarly to green, the pandemic may have influenced people to use orange more in the home as it brings positive, happy, social and fun feelings to a home.
Other colours which received an increase in search included yellow and black. Searches for both of these colours increased at the end of 2021, suggesting they may be a trend in 2022.
Most Popular Sofa Materials
Choosing the right material is an important factor when it comes to buying a sofa - choosing the best one will often depend on its practicality, ease of cleanliness and the buyer's lifestyle.
Velvet is on it's Way Out
Velvet sofas have been a huge trend in recent years, particularly in 2020. However, according to data, they are reducing in popularity. Pinterest searches for velvet sofas dropped by 40.6% from the start to the end of 2021. Also, yearly Google searches dropped by 18.5% in 2021 - there was a 33% decrease in velvet sofa searches from the start to the end of the year.
Despite the trend drop indicated by the decrease in search, this material is still very popular - it was the second most searched for material in 2021.
There are a range of reasons velvet sofas are so popular! Firstly, it’s seen as a luxurious fabric with its soft touch and indulgent feel and look, but it’s also an extremely versatile fabric which is easy to look after and clean - making it the perfect choice for all lifestyles.
Leather is Still a Favourite
It’s safe to say that leather sofas are classic, and despite trends coming and going, leather will always be a popular option. This material was the most searched for in 2020 and 2021.
Despite the high number of Google searches, it appears that leather sofas aren’t as ‘Pinterest worthy’ - they have the least amount of searches on the platform. However, they are definitely Insta worthy with a total of 158K hashtags on Instagram - the highest number of hashtags out of all the materials.
Leather is a timeless material and has been around for a long time. Ultimately, it is a more durable than fabric sofas which is why people may favour it for a long term investment, such as a sofa - it’s also much easier to clean!
Although this material is undeniably popular, we don’t see it being a major trend in 2022 as search volume at the end of 2021 dropped by 18.2% when compared to the start of the year.
The Sofa Material of 2022
The material with the biggest interest from the start to the end of 2021 is surprising…
PU sofas received a 33% increase in search across 2021 compared to 2020. Although the overall number of people searching was fairly low across the year, the number of people searching at the end of the year compared to the start increased by 150%, showing that people are increasingly intrigued by PU sofas.
So what is PU? PU is an alternative to leather made out of thermoplastic polymer and comes with many benefits. Firstly, PU is much cheaper than real leather. PU leather also doesn’t absorb water which makes it easier to clean. It’s vegan friendly and can be made in a range of colours and styles - all of these characteristics may be why PU sofas could be a 2022 trend.
Another material that we see trending in 2022 is wool. In 2021, we saw woollen sofas all over social media with many influencers and celebrities leading this trend. The average yearly search for woollen sofas went up by 23.8% in 2021, seeing a 52.4% increase from the start to the end of the year - this suggests the woollen sofa trend will continue.
The increase of woollen sofas may be due to people wanting to be more environmentally friendly - there has been an increase in people opting to use more natural, sustainable materials in their lifestyle, this is the case in fashion and interior design.
Most Popular Sofa Styles
There is a wide range of different sofa styles available on the market today - more than people might think. The style of sofa is arguably just as important as the colour. People decide on their style based on a range of reasons including practicality, aesthetics, size, and more.
The Classic Sofa Style
When thinking of the most classic sofa style, what comes to mind? For us, it’s definitely the Chesterfield sofa! This has been an extremely popular style for many years and judging by the search data, this isn’t changing any time soon.
The Chesterfield sofa was the most searched for sofa style in 2020 and 2021, with an average of 726,000 Google searches in 2021. This style also had one of the highest number of hashtags on Instagram with a total of 150K.
The Sofa Style of 2022
Based on the beginning vs. end of year search, we believe that sectionals will be a big trend in 2022 - the data revealed a 21% increase by the end of 2021. We have seen more sectional sofas lately on social media and in interior design - they are extremely practical, great for space-saving if needed, and look great.
There are many reasons why sectionals are popular - they’re versatile, create space, and can be set up in multiple ways. They have been out of style for a while, with smaller statement sofas taking over, however after families spending more time together in lockdown, a need for space may have become more apparent and important than an aesthetically pleasing statement sofa.
According to Pinterest data, curved sofas will be the next big thing in 2022. Search for curved sofas increased by 51.9% from the start to the end of 2021. L-Shaped sofas have been a big trend in recent years, however, Pinterest data shows that search for this style dropped by 70% across 2021 - this style was the most searched for at the start of the year, and one of the least searched by the end.
We have seen a rise in more ‘curves’ in general, with many designs used in art and fashion featuring curves. Using curved furniture in interior design brings a more relaxed look to a room. Curves are also important for feng shui as they balance out the flow of a room and bring positive energy. Celebrities also have a huge influence on interior design, and Kim Kardashian shared a sneak peak of her curved sofas on Instagram in 2021, potentially influencing the popularity of this style.
The ULTIMATE 2022 Sofa
So what happens if we take the above data and take the top trending result from each category to see what the ultimate trendy 2022 sofa would look like?
According to this data, the ultimate trendy sofa of 2022 could be orange, the material will be PU, linen or woollen, and will be a sectional or curved sofa. In the first instance, the orange paired with PU leather sounds questionable. However, we often see tan or burnt orange leather sofas which look great, so we feel this sofa could look good in the right home!
Judging by all of the above, we certainly think that we’ll continue to see bold, bright colours, more practical materials being chosen, and interesting styles featured in 2022.