Do you tend to struggle with how to pair and pick your sofa pillows? If so, I’m here to help!
I have a little bit of a formula when it comes to pillow patterns– I like to mix a solid, an organic (floral, ikat, etc.) and a small scale or geometric. It is also important to mix sizes and shapes as well. Here are a few steps to take when selecting your pillow combinations.
Step 1: Start with the correct size
You always want to start by selecting the right size of pillow! If you go too big it can make your sofa look small, and if you go too small it can look like it is floating. I like pillows on the bigger side so I’ll start with a standard size, a 22 or 24-inch pillow at the back. Then I will layer pillows that gradually get smaller as you go to the middle of the sofa. Generally you will want the larger pillows on the outside and then scale down as you build into the middle.
Step 2: Mix different patterns, textures, and scales
Gone are the days of matching your pillows! I like to use a mix of solid, organic patterns like forals, and straight-line graphic prints for dimension. The combination works really well. You will still want your pillows to blend in which you may match your pillows on both sides of the sofa. Another way to do this is to have the same print on different sized pillows. I like to mix up all different prints and even throw in some larger scaled patterns with smaller ones. The color tone can play an important role in unifying the look while being able to play with different patterns.
Step 3: Mix it up
As mentioned before, I like to start with a 24-inch pillow when styling pillows. Then layer in some 22-inch or 20-inch sizes and complete the combo with a lumbar. Also try starting with a color of pillow that will contrast with the sofa to create a break things up. Pay attention to contrasting shapes, lines, sizes, patterns, and textures!
Combos to avoid:
- All geometric patterns together
- All the same scale pattern
- All the same material (I like to mix velvet, linen, wovens, fur, etc. to create texture)
- Always get rid of the pillows that come with your sofa.