Mushroom colors — a beige-tinged off white — also include a less saturated mixture of brown and gray, sometimes with a slightly green cast. A universal color system used by some paint manufacturers depicts mushroom as a soft gray without much blue in it. As a classic color for leather and suede, this light hue creates a showcase couch. A mushroom-colored leather couch provides an elegant starting point when decorating a living room.
Set a Neutral Tone
Mushroom blends well with a sophisticated palette of textured neutrals. Create visual interest by surrounding the couch with a thick, plush ivory-colored rug, a glass coffee table and unstained wood bookcases or tables around the couch. Use the couch as a colored focal point in a room with marble or black-and-white tile, or make it the dramatic centerpiece of a room done in varying shades of white like eggshell and ecru.
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Nature\’s Colorway
Mushroom shades appear at the beach or in the woods; pale slate-blue walls or end tables painted olive create a faded seaside palette. Use more abstract room accessories — think driftwood sculptures or reclaimed wood chairs rather than seashells — to avoid a touristy, beach-condo feel. Or take a cue from the forest in a room with dark wood trim; accessorize with green curtains a few shades darker than the couch. Match a paint swatch to the couch as an easy visual aid when linen shopping.
Highlight the Goods
In a room decorated with deeper colors such as navy, charcoal or chocolate brown, a light-colored mushroom couch behaves like a highlight. Position the couch strategically with a bay of windows to let the light balance the room. Table lamps next to the couch showcase the exquisite texture of real leather.
Paths to Avoid
Avoid brights, particularly from the warm side of the color wheel. Because of the cooler undertones in mushroom, reds, yellows and oranges compete with and overpower the color's more subtle hue. A mushroom-colored leather couch can work in either a vintage or modern decorating scheme, but may look out of place with period furniture from before the 20th century.
