Zooey Deschanel is the trailblazer of 2023's hottest sofa trend – design experts explain why it works

Zooey Deschanel and Johnathon Scott's home is a masterclass in this bright and stylish couch trend

zooey deschanel at the DGA theater
(Image credit: Getty Images - Rodin Eckenroth)

Zooey Deschanel is known for her clever sense of humor and twee sensibilities, and her home certainly reflects the 500 Days of Summer actress’s quirky nature. The New Girl star showed off the LA home she shares with property brother Johnathan Scott in a recent gag interview on Instagram reels. 

The goofy reel took us around Zooey Deschanel and Johnathan Scott’s Los Angeles house from room to room. Though the entire home is beautiful one detail stood out the most: the brightly colored sofas. At the beginning of the year, H&G experts predicted that brightly colored sofas would be one of the biggest sofa trends of 2023, and Zooey seems to be the queen of the look. The Elf alum has previously shown herself to be a fan of the colorful couch, featuring a sky blue sofa on her Instagram. With this latest video, Zooey debuts two new brightly colored couches, one in turquoise and one in olive green. 

Design experts love the way that Zooey Deschanel has brought this color trend into her home. ‘I love the use of a sofa as an explosion of color in a neutral living room’ says Jennifer Ebert, deputy editor and resident color expert at Homes & Gardens. ‘Bright, cool shades like Zooey’s aquamarine and yellowish green sofas are perfect for adding visual interest to a more simple space. They bring a stylish edge to the room without creating too stark of a contrast.’ Zooey’s bright couches fit into the style of the existing decor while adding design appeal.

Jen Ebert
Jennifer Ebert

Jen is the Deputy Editor (Digital) of Homes & Gardens online. Before starting this position, she had completed various interior design courses at KLC Design School, as well as working across Ideal Home, LivingEtc, 25 Beautiful Homes and Country Homes & Interiors as an interiors writer.

Carlin Van Noppen, head interior designer and founder of Fig Linens and Home adds ‘Colorful sofas are a great way to add some textural interest to a room. Choose a bright sofa in velvet or linen to add depth to your space. Finish the look with intentionally chosen throw pillows for an exceptionally elevated feel.’ 

Zooey’s tufted green sofa is an excellent example of this principle; by choosing a sofa with more styling, Zooey’s living room appears much bolder and more interesting with the addition of just one detail.

Carlin Van Noppen

Carlin Van Noppen is the CEO and head interior designer at Fig Linens and Home. She has over 20 years of experience providing design expertise for beautiful homes, hotels, yachts, and private planes and now manages a boutique that has been named the Best Linen Shop in Connecticut several years in a row.

Opting for a colorful sofa is a fun way to make your home more exciting without changing everything in the room. Here are a few of our top picks inspired by Zooey’s design.

Sophie Edwards
News Editor

I am a London-based News Editor at Homes & Gardens. My interests lie at the intersection of design and popular culture with a particular focus on trends and celebrity homes. Before joining Future, I worked as a Content Writer and Communications Lead for Fig Linens and Home, a luxury linens and home interiors brand based in Fairfield County, CT. I have a BA in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College in New York and an MSc from the Oxford University Department of Anthropology.