Throw Pillows: The Ultimate Guide to Mixing, Matching & Arranging

posted on : February 7, 2019

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We may never fully understand why throw pillows are so darn yummy to look at. They are the ultimate eye-candy of decor. They are like shoes. You can never have too many, they can pull together an entire style and it is totally acceptable to use different ones every day. Throw pillows also happen to be a fairly easy and affordable way to add interest and texture to a space. A few well-curated throw pillows can easily transform the feeling of a room and are quick to rotate out when your taste changes.

But how do you choose when there are infinite options?

I’ve put together the ultimate guide to selecting, mixing, matching and arranging your throw pillows.

1 | Choosing Throw Pillow Colors

I don’t think you necessarily need to choose a specific color palette – I think this is too limiting. However, you should think about the general theme and feeling that you’re going for and how it fits in with your existing decor. In my home, I lean toward neutrals and muted earth tones, so I stick to that theme when shopping for pillows. I try not to get distracted by really bright or saturated colors no matter how pretty. In my space, they will probably look out of place. You’ll also want to consider the piece that your pillows will be sitting on because that counts as part of the overall theme as well.

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Neutral backgrounds, like the bed below, are a great foundation for just about any color theme. The linen of the bed has warm undertones, so I stuck with that when choosing pillows.

A neutral linen colored king bed topped with weathered indigo pillows next to a driftwood nightstand, light blue lamp and vintage beach painting — Blue Pillows // Lumbar Cover // Lumbar Insert // Quilt // Striped Bed Blanket // Nightstand // Lamp // Clock // Vase // Gallery Frame (Similar)
View the full tour of this room here!

2 | Choosing Throw Pillow Patterns

There are endless ways to mix pillows but here is an easy formula that always works:

Let’s see another example. This time, adjusting formula a bit.

3 | Choosing Throw Pillow Sizes

I tend to think that larger pillows look better in a space because they stand out more, their detail is more evident and they aren’t dwarfed by whatever they are styled on.

Have you ever noticed that Interior Designers often choose large-scale objects to fill a space? Photos with people in them always offer great perspective – look how large these pillows are in comparison!

*Photo Sourced* *here* *from* *Studio McGee*

To achieve this scale when styling a bed, I like using throw pillows that are 24″-26″ on a King, 24″ on a Queen and a single 22″ or 24″ on a Twin.

On a typical sofa, 20″-22″ should be big enough to make a visual impact. If the scale of your sofa can handle it, I would even go up to 24″ pillows. I also like to mix in smaller lumbars for height variation and visual interest.

Of course, pairing up multiple sizes in one arrangement is a great way to add visual flow and keep things interesting.