How to Style Throw Pillows: 5 Simple Interior Design Tips
Do you ever page through decor magazines or scroll your social media feed & ponder how pillows can look so perfect? The positioning, the fullness, the angle, the pop…how can a pillow be so engaging?! It’s the art of visual appeal. Because yes, a pillow CAN be engaging!
I’m here to ease your mind & help you navigate the endless styles and placement options, and to reassure you that a “staged” look is completely possible in a lived-in home.
To give you insight on how to place and “fluff” your pillows, here are a few examples:
1. Add Texture & Shape
Add interest to a neutral couch & background by placing two pillows, of the same size, with complementing patterns adjacent to one another. The placement of these functional accessories invites a hint of color & texture into the room. It’s also apparent that these pillows have a little bit of a “karate chop” in them, in general our team prefers the “throw” look of the “throw pillow” (as you’ll see in the rest of the images); however, this fondness is simply a personal preference, rather than a design rule. Both styles of pillow presenting are perfectly acceptable.
2. Embrace Neutrals & Depth
In the bedroom above, the pillows are all very neutral to ensure the star of the show (the 10′ headboard) receives the attention. The euro pillows (big squares) on the bed are the same color as the bedding; and, the pillows on both the sofa & chairs are in the same color family as the furniture on which they are sitting. Keeping the majority of the pillows neutral allows the headboard to shine in all its glory, while still adding visual depth to the bedroom.
3. Pop Colors & Patterns
Bringing pops of color to this dynamic living room, the various sizes of pillows combine to complement the vibe of the space. Two 20″ square pillows on the outsides, plus two 18″ square pillows just to the insides, and then an 18″ x 24″ rectangular pillow to fill in the middle and create a cozy oasis. The color & size combinations allow the eye to have a playful experience within the inviting space. Sometimes you can’t help filling up the couch with pillows, especially when you love ALL the patterns!
4. Coordinate & Play
To ease the stress of pillow placement, create a collection that compliments one another and the furniture on which they will be sitting. An example of what we mean is in the image above, where the pillows on the couch coordinate (but aren’t matchy-matchy) with the pillows on the chairs. Creating a curated collection is a bonus since the pillows can be all mixed up between your sofa & chairs without worrying about pillows being out of place.
5. Comfort & Creativity
In our opinion, comfort is key when it comes to the use of throw pillows; after all, spontaneous naps tend to occur on one’s couch…unless of course, you’re “just resting your eyes.” So when selecting your throw pillows, make sure they are something you’d like to lay your cheek on.
Above you’ll see another example of the “tossed” not “karate chopped” look with the pillows on the dining bench. By using throw pillows, instead of creating a custom cushion, the option to change the look & feel of the space as you wish is a simple decision.
What do you think? Are you a fan of a lot of pillows or just a few? Keeping it sleek or adding color pops? Karate chop? Or throw?
Want more information than just these interior design secrets? Ring us today for a complementary Design Discovery Call! 970.368.2817