Sofas - should they match or not?

[cherrybug]

We have a small living room with an old 3 seat futon and a 2 seat old sofa perpendicular to it. We have to keep this L shaped layout.

We are going to decorate and buy two new sofas. I like the idea of having two sofas that are not the same but complement each other but not sure whether this would work in a small room or whether matching would be better.

I've been looking at sofas online - a square-ish contemporary big sofa bed and a smaller retro looking sofa - but because I cant physically see them, have no idea whether they would work together.

Its a big outlay - I need to get it right! Any advice?

There are a few threads about this. I posted one as have a similar dilemma. Need 2 sofas, already have one that is dark brown. I think a different sofa would look good. Different shapes etc but somehow complimentary. I though muted brown tartan or checks with my other brown sofa....I was tempted to go for a completely different colour but was too scared!

So ended up buying another similar sofa, similar shape, similar colours. I will add interesting cushions to make it less boring.

I think complimentary not matching in a small room.

If you have, say two cream sofas, in a small room, they can overwhelm the background colour of the flooring and make the room look smaller still.

If you have a big room, matching can look right because you have large areas of floor and perhaps rugs and coffee tables dotted about (think a nice hotel lounge).

Sadly I've always had living rooms only suited to missmatchy cottage cosy.

I have non matching sofas. They're all from the same sofa range but upholstered in different coloured fabrics - large sofa is charcoal, small one oatmeal and foot stool rust colour. Looks great, or at least I think it does!

I've also seen very different contrasting styles and colours of sofas in the same room and it can look brilliant.

Mis match is nicer and would possibly look more spacious.
I don't like matching stuff- we have a sofa and 1 armchair in the same fabric and another armchair in a toning fabric- same colour range, different style chair and fabric.

looks at shabby chic chesterfield dog sofa

and beige sofa bed effort

and large brown leather chair

I'd say non matching :D