If throw pillows could talk, can you imagine the stories they’d tell?! “Why do they let the big guy drool on me during his naps?” Or “Forever an outcast: I was born blue velvet, but they paired me with a family of fringed orange stripes.” And finally, “Why do they karate chop my head every time I manage to smooth out my indent?!” So… in the rare event of a paranormal pillow outbreak, we encourage you to acknowledge all of the ways that throw pillows help our spaces thrive. From achieving a sense of balance to creating cozy nooks for napping, decorating with throw pillows is an integral part of home design.
For your design education, entertainment and pillow-pleasing fun, we’ve put together some examples of smart and stylish ways to incorporate throw pillows into your home design.
How To Decorate With Throw Pillows
Patterns & Colors
If you’re thinkin’ like a pro, you’ll know that using the correct patterns and colors can make the difference between fabulous and tragic. A few tips:
- Go for prints that have neutral tones, especially when those prints are bold
- Mix patterns with confidence by making sure there’s at least one color in common
Style & Theme
Colorful faux fur pillows don’t work in every space, but they certainly do in this one. When thinking about how to incorporate unique pillows in your space, consider this:
- You can use silk, velvet and ornately decorated pillows in classic spaces
- Modern aesthetics benefit from a clean, limited palette with large geometric prints or no prints at all
- When decorating for an eclectic look, deciding on a common color theme will help you hit your design stride
Mix & Match
Get on now with your pillow-swingin’, color pickin’, pattern-mixin’ bad self! There’s nothing like a stylish mix of throw pillow patterns to make a room shine. But don’t forget:
- Vary the scale of your patterns to allow each pillow to stand out on its own
- Place two large, statement pillows at each end of large sofa, and then pair them each with a smaller patterned pillow in the center of the sofa
Keep It Simple
Keep your palette simple. That’s one rule that you really can’t go wrong with if you need to decorate with throw pillows. With that in mind, try to:
- Let your vibrant accents come to the forefront by supporting them with a simple and neutral base
- Use the symmetry of your throw pillows to achieve balance in your space
Pulling The Room Together
Patterns can pull a room together, but they can just as easily tear it apart. To keep your space stylish:
- Find pillows that compliment but don’t mimic – the patterned pillow and rug in this room are superb examples of this rule
- Be different – try using one solid pillow, one patterned and so on
Throw (a) Pillow Party
