Are you a little intimidated by the pleated skirt? Do you associate them with visiting your grandmother’s house when you were younger? Do you crave contemporary style and, therefore, automatically discount the skirted sofa? Are you simply not sure what to think of this detail on what is likely the largest piece of furniture in your home?

If so, you’re not alone. But I’m here to make a case for the skirted sofa. These large pieces can be the make-or-break factor of a stylish space. They can be the star, and they can be the background, and they can be anywhere in between. Here are some ways the skirted sofa has been used effectively and, might I say, with stylish perfection:

Skirted sofas are a great way to balance out an otherwise “leggy” space, like in this room where the legs of surrounding chairs and tables are prominent.

In a neutral living space, a skirted sofa can play a supportive (and stylish) role to other stand-out components, such as punches of blue and leopard print ottomans.

To lend a touch of personality to your space, and to define where your furniture starts and stops, you might consider adding a fabulous trim to the hem of your skirted sofa. This pale Greek key trim resonates with the soothing wall color in this comfortably chic living space.

Skirted sofas can carry the stigma of being too traditional for a modern space, but it’s this juxtaposition of styles that creates such inspiring and personality-filled décor. A painted exposed brick wall, exposed concrete, and clean lines lean toward raw industrial style, and a skirted sofa keeps a great balance.

A traditional skirted sofa pairs beautifully and succinctly with modern velvet armchairs. The combination creates a living room that’s simultaneously, and graciously, luxurious and inviting.

When you’re looking for a statement sofa, such as this red velvet one that completely makes the room, opting for one with a skirt helps to provide more of the color saturation visually – a better bang for your pop-of-color buck, you might say.

Sometimes, certain pieces in a living room will be hard to see (for example: an acrylic or glass coffee table). By continuing its visual plane from cushions to floor, a skirted sofa provides an excellent backdrop that emphasizes these other pieces to their full potential.

To keep our eyes from being drawn downward, particularly in an already light and airy space where the absence of even white draws attention, a skirt on the sofa creates an unobtrusive and seamless transition from furniture to floor.