They might seems like a small, insignificant detail, but sofa throw pillows are one of my favorite parts of any design project and can make a huge impact. You probably love the look of a well assembled grouping of throw pillows, but have struggled to bring the right elements together to create the look in your own home.
I’ve put together a few simple formulas to help you create beautiful combinations of throw pillows that will elevate your living room in a flash.
How to Arrange Your Sofa Throw Pillows #1 – Solid + Small Geometric + Floral Accent
This is a tried and true classic formula for creating a harmonious throw pillow arrangement on your sofa. I like to start at the back with a larger pillow (usually 24” square) in a solid accent color that is found in a few small places in the room. The color should also contrast a lot with the color of your sofa fabric.
Next, in front of the solid pillow, is a slightly smaller (about 2” – 4” smaller) pillow with a small scale geometric or organized pattern. The coloring in this pillow should contrast with the solid pillow behind it. Remember with every layer, you are looking for contrast.
And finally, I like to finish with a smaller rectangular (approximately 16” x 24”) accent pillow, in a more organic or floral pattern. I like for the pattern to be a larger scale, and for the coloring to incorporate several of the colors found in the room.
How to Arrange Your Sofa Throw Pillows #2 – Simple Long Lumbar with Pattern
For any of you that might struggle with understanding the purpose of a decorative throw pillow pile cluttering up your favorite TV watching spot, this tip is for you: use 1 single, long lumbar throw pillow for your sofa – and that’s it! How perfectly simple. If you choose a patterned fabric that has a lot of contrast from your sofa color, their will still be plenty of cozy interest. This is one of those cases where less can definitely be more!
How to Arrange Your Sofa Throw Pillows #3 – Bold Stripe + Floral/Organic
The final throw pillow arrangement is one of my favorites – it’s always fun and not so serious. You’ll start with a bold, graphic striped pillow at the back. In front of that, layer in a slightly smaller pillow that has a floral pattern that coordinates with the color of the striped pillow. Or, if floral is not your thing, try a more organic pattern that has some movement or whimsy. Basically, any kind of pattern that is not too structured.