Throw pillows come in a variety of colors, sizes, shapes, and textures. The limitless options can be overwhelming if you’re not confident in home decor. Consider these three designer-approved tips before you shop.
To streamline your throw pillow search, consider following the Rule of Three. Start by looking at other colors in the room with your sofa—the walls, rugs, curtains, artwork—and choose three of these colors as your throw pillow color story.
Mixing and matching throw pillow patterns can be daunting, but there’s a Rule of Three for that, too. Designers suggest choosing three different patterns of varying sizes and making sure that each pattern has at least one of the colors in your throw pillow color story. To make this easy, choose a lead pattern, which has the largest design and all of the colors in the throw pillow color story. Then move on to the secondary pattern, which is a smaller design and might have only two of the colors. The third pattern is the most subtle throw pillow, usually in a solid color, and this is where designers tend to play with texture, like sequins, velvet, and faux fur.
A large sectional sofa probably calls for a few more throw pillows than a smaller loveseat. But the number of pillows is up to your discretion. Designers purport that odd numbers of objects—whether they’re paintings on a wall, decorative items on a coffee table, or throw pillows on a sofa—create a more modern aesthetic. Even numbers of objects create a balanced and more traditional aesthetic. So follow your own home style! Just remember that throw pillows should be durable and comfortable enough to remain on the sofa during use.
