Your Guide to Choosing and Styling Throw Pillows (2024)

Adding throw pillows to your sofa is the perfect way to completely change the look of your family room or to give it just the right finishing touch! However, choosing and styling throw pillows can be a little overwhelming and confusing.

If you are unsure how to choose the best pillow fabrics, pillow sizes, and pillow inserts OR how to coordinate your pillows, this post is for you! Below is my easy guide to walk you through choosing the perfect throw pillows for your home!

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CHOOSING THROW PILLOW INSERTS

Many retailers sell pillow covers and inserts separately. Of course, you can buy some pillows with the insert included. Note:If you are purchasing pillows online, be sure to double check the description to determine if you are buying just a pillow cover OR a pillow cover with the insert included.

The most popular pillow insert fills are polyester, down, and down alternative. Polyester is a synthetic material that is thick, full and keeps its shape. It’s less expensive than down, but also doesn’t look nearly as lush as down. This is the foamy, unmalleable pillow insert you find in a Target or Homegoods pillow(or similar retailer).

Down is more expensive and much softer than polyester. However, it tends to flatten when laid on and some people are allergic to down feathers. Also, you might see(and feel) feathers poking through the fabric!

I prefer down alternative pillow inserts because they are softer and more luxurious than polyester but without the allergens of down. They aren’t stiff (like polyester) and they don’t fully flatten when laid on(like down). Not to mention you won’t have little feathers poking you in the head or back! Down alternative inserts are malleable enough to still do the ‘karate chop’(if you like this look)!

WHAT FABRIC IS BEST FOR THROW PILLOWS?

Pillow covers come in just about any fabric; however, the most popular and most durable pillow fabrics are cotton and linen. Common fabrics for accent pillowsinclude velvet, suede, wool,and faux fur.

When choosing pillows, really think about how you’ll use them. Will they be purely for decorative purposes or will your family snuggle with the pillows and lounge on them? The PURPOSE of your throw pillows will determine the fabric you should choose.

If you plan to lounge and lay on your pillows, I recommend cotton covers or another fabric that is easy to clean (make sure to check the label or online description for cleaning instructions). If the pillows will be used only for decorative purposes, you can choose just about any fabric!

CHOOSING THROW PILLOW SIZES FOR COUCH

If you prefer to change your pillows often, I recommend that you stick to choosing pillow covers in standard square sizes (16”, 18”, 20”, or 22”). This allows you to easily switch out pillow covers and place them on pillow inserts that you already own. This saves money because you don’t need to buy new inserts every time you replace your pillow covers.

Lumbar pillows (oblong, rectangular shape) are a little trickier to buy in a standard size. Retailers have various sizes of lumbar pillows, so there isn’t as much of a standard. However, some sizes can be found more often (e.g. 12” x 20” and 16” x 26”).

In general, just a few large pillows (18” – 22”) and a complimentary lumbar pillow looks cleaner and less cluttered than several small pillows on a couch.

HOW TO STYLE THROW PILLOWS ON YOUR COUCH

Your throw pillows don’t have to match! Pillows actually look more professional if they don’t match perfectly. They should, however, coordinate with other colors and patterns in your room (rugs, chair fabrics, window treatments, and other pillows).

You can coordinate throw pillows by sticking to a cohesive color palette both with your pillows and your room in general. This can be either the same shade of a color or complementary shades (e.g. sky blue, navy blue, gray-blue, etc.).

Learn more in4 EASY STEPS TO CREATE A COHESIVE COLOR SCHEME IN YOUR HOUSE .

My favorite way to style pillows is to anchor the look with one solid print (the largest pillow), followed by varying patterns and varying sizes. Choosing different patterns in different scales helps to keep patterns from competing with one another.

SHOP THESE PILLOWS

If you aren’t a fan of pattern and you prefer neutrals, you can coordinate various textures and embellishments (e.g. tassels). Textures are just as fun as patterns! I tend to stick more with neutral textures as opposed to bold patterns in my own home.

If you enjoy patterns, vary the scale among your pillow patterns; mix solid prints with large scale and small scale prints. Pair a busy pattern with a simple pattern … just make sure you have at least one common color family to create a cohesive flow among the pillows.

Learn more about coordinating pillows inHOW TO MIX AND MATCH THROW PILLOWS.

It’s really up to you if want to create a symmetrical look or an a-symmetrical look. Symmetrical would be matching pillows on either side of the couch, whereas a-symmetrical would be an odd number of pillows and varying patterns on opposite sides of the couch.

CONCLUSION

This guide to choosing and styling throw pillows included quite a bit of information. We covered how to choose pillow inserts, pillow fabrics, and pillow sizes; as well as how to coordinate pillows on your couch.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what to look for when you purchase throw pillows for your home. You can get started right now … I’ve rounded up several of my favorite throw pillows below! Many of these pillows are sold ascovers, but make sure to check the description to see if the insert is included :)!

SHOP THROW PILLOWS