Small touches can make a significant difference when styling your home. One of the simplest ways to do this is by refreshing the look of a room using throw pillows. However, the key to creating a chic transitional look is not just throwing random cushions on your couch. Thoughtfully selecting and co-matching pillow cases will elevate your room to give it a more designer feel instead of just being another cookie-cutter type of space.
Here are the five easy guidelines to let you effectively mix and match your pillows so they appear to be one cohesive element, while still creating a visually appealing end result.
1. Start with a Cohesive Color Story
Set a color palette prior to layering patterns/textures to provide a foundation for mixing colors that connect visually. Select several accent colors in 2-3 color families (2-3 primary colors and select 1-2 accent colors). You can even have both warm and cool family accents.
For example, if you have a neutral sofa and want to decorate with earthy colors (ranging from rust to olive and cream) or bold colors (i.e., navy and mustard), just ensure that your pillows coordinate, regardless of their style.
After you establish your color palette, it will be much easier for you to layer various styles of decorative pillow covers without overwhelming the space.
2. Mix Patterns with Purpose
Patterns add life and character to an interior, but having too many competing patterns can create chaos and disorder. The best way to avoid that is to use a balanced approach. Use the following guidelines to help keep you in balance:
- Consider a medium-sized graphic style pattern.
- One bold graphic style pattern
- One small graphic style pattern
These tips will help you create a space that’s visually interesting while maintaining harmony. Flowers, abstract prints, and geometric styles can all be placed together successfully if they share at least one colour in common.
If you would like to bring a little handcrafted object to your home, consider using hand-block printed pillow covers to add character to your decor. The imperfections and inconsistencies in these types of prints add warmth and authenticity to your overall look.
3. Vary Sizes and Shapes
Having all your pillows uniform in size and shape can be somewhat boring and predictable. Instead, get creative with how you use both different-sized and shaped pillows to bring an informal designer look to your pillow layout.
A good idea for layering pillows includes:
- Large (22-24″) pillows in the back row
- Medium (18-20″) pillows front row.
- Add lumbar/small accent pillows for visual contrast.
Layering your pillows in this way gives a three-dimensional feel and creates a more intentionally designed feel than staged.
4. Play with Textures
While many people do not pay attention to “texture,” or space, it is what will help create a feeling of richness and comfort. Adding different materials and combinations of textures creates a new dimension of touch while providing additional visual interest.
Some examples of texture combinations are:
- Soft velvet layered with woven fabric.
- Smooth cotton with linen.
- Lightweight airy texture with a heavier one.
Adding premium solid fabrics into your mix will also ground your look. It provides visual “breathers” to your arrangement so that the pattern on your pillows does not dominate the overall look.
5. Balance, Don’t Overcrowd
While adding additional pillows may seem appealing, it isn’t necessarily an advantage to have more. Too many pillows can lead to your sofa or bed looking a mess and impractical.
Aim for balance:
- For sofas (3–5 pillows, depending upon size)
- For beds (4–6 pillows for a well-styled look)
Take a step back and look. Your arrangement should be full while remaining functional. You would be able to sit easily on your sofa without having to move piles of cushions every time.
Quick Styling Tips Before You Finish
- Use an odd number of pillows to achieve a more designer yet natural style.
- Repeat at least one color across all cushions for a tied look.
- Utilize one eye-catching piece with 2 or more standard pieces. This promotes good balance and eliminates visual confusion.
- Consider the sofa/bed color when planning, so they complement your color choices.
- Change cushion covers with every season for simply changing up the whole room without having to redecorate again.
Essentially, small adjustments to your furniture will enhance the overall appearance of your place with little effort.
Bringing It All Together
The key to mixing different pillow case styles is not following strict guidelines or rules but rather creating an inviting and personalized environment. You can do so by using color harmony, thoughtfully matched patterns, layers of texture, and various sizes/positions. Achieving this polished look is achieved with little effort.
Working to put together a cohesive space could elevate your environment regardless of how simple your decor may be. Brands, like Thread to Form, support this notion by providing collections that allow you to easily assemble an aesthetically pleasing home.
