11 Ways to Combine Throw Pillows on Your Couch

Blend together pillows of different sizes, shapes, patterns, and textures on your sofa with these simple steps

Co-authored by Devin McSween

Last Updated: March 29, 2023 References

You’ve got your living room painted, a rug hugging the floor, art adorning the walls, but your couch is still bare. Mixing and matching throw pillows is a great way to bring your room together, but where do you begin when there are so many shapes, patterns, and textures? Whether you’re moving into a new place or simply freshening up your living room, we’ve got all the styling tips you need to combine your pillows for a chic, cohesive look. Read on to get mixing and matching!

Things You Should Know

Choose 3 colors to use in your pillows that work together and are found throughout your space.
Mix together pillows with geometric, organic, and solid patterns. Vary the size of the patterns so some pillows have large, medium, or small and subtle prints.
Experiment with texture, combining shaggy, faux fur pillows with velvet, sequin, or woven pillows.
Play with the size and shape of your pillows, mixing large and small pillows in squares, rectangles, and circles.

1

Select a color story for your pillows.

Pull in 3 colors from your room to use as your pillow colors. The key to a cohesive pillow spread is to select 3 colors that work together and already exist in your room. Use your wall color, the designs on your rug, and the details in the artwork hung on your walls as inspiration. The colors you choose should be harmonious with each other and pair well with your couch color.^{[1]
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- If you’ve got a neutral vibe, go with cream, beige, and a pop of color like blue, green, or orange to look tasteful and clean.
- Colorful jewel tones like mustard yellow, eggplant purple, and emerald green give off a rich, luxurious aesthetic.
- If your room has a beachy, airy look, choose colors like navy blue, sage green, and blush pink.

2

Choose 3 different patterns for your pillows.

Add visual interest by combining geometric and organic patterns. It might not seem like it, but combining the harsh lines of geometric patterns with the curved, abstract lines of organic patterns balances out your pillow stack. The best way to combine these opposing patterns is to start with a bold print that incorporates your entire color story; it can be geometric or organic. Then, choose a different patterned pillow that contains 1 or 2 of your colors. Your last pillow should just have 1 of your colors.^{[2]
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- A tried and true pillow combination to start with is a multi-colored floral, a 2-toned stripe, and a solid.
- Generally, combine at least one geometric pattern, like stripe, check, circle, or chevron prints, with one organic pattern, like florals, paisleys, or abstract, rounded shapes.

3

Vary the pattern sizes on your pillows.

Unify your pillows by mixing large, medium, and small-sized prints. It’s important that your mix of patterns complement each other, rather than draw the focus away from each other. So, work with prints that are large and bold and small and subtle. Make the pillow that incorporates your entire color story your largest print. Then, choose a medium-patterned pillow using 1 or 2 of your colors. Your pillow that only uses 1 of your colors should then have a small, subtle pattern.^{[3]
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- For example, choose a pillow with a large, bold geometric print. Then, select a medium ditsy floral print in 2 of your colors. Set these patterns off with a pillow that has faint stripes.
- Choosing a pillow with a quote or phrase is a great way to add a subtle pattern to your pillow stack.

4

Work with different sized pillows.

Make your couch more inviting with large, medium, and small pillows. Start with a larger base pillow that fits the proportions of your couch. Place it at the edge of the sofa and select at least 1 other pillow that’s slightly smaller to nestle against it. If you have a larger couch, settle 1 or 2 small, decorative pillows next to the medium pillow. This creates a beautiful, cascading look that adds depth to your couch. ^{[4]
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- A huge pillow might overwhelm a small loveseat couch, while a sectional can handle the size. However, if you want your couch to be stuffed with pillows, go for it!

5

Play with pillow shapes.

Add dimension to your sofa with square, rectangle, and round pillows. Work with the shapes and styles that match your home's aesthetic. Two large square pillows and a smaller rectangle lumbar pillow give a more traditional, symmetrical look. Or, swap out the lumbar pillow for a small cylindrical pillow for a regal vibe. If you have a modern design going, adding a circular pillow can soften the hard edges of your furniture.^{[5]
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6

Bring in different pillow textures.

Up the coziness factor by combining fluffy, velvet, and sequin pillows. Besides creating an eye-catching look, different textured pillows give you a greater depth of feeling on your sofa. Play around with fabrics that compliment your vibe. If you’re going for a sophisticated, chic sofa, throw on fluffy and ruffled pillows. Or maybe you’ve got a glamorous, romantic vibe going on, so add velvet and sequin pillows to your couch.^{[6]
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- Choose accent pillows that have fun embellishments on them too, like tassels and pom-poms.

7

Create symmetry with a matching pillow set.

Anchor your sofa with matching pillows on either side. With all the different colors, patterns, sizes, and textures going on, add some symmetry back to your couch. Buy a double of one of your favorite pillows, such as your large base pillow, and place them at the opposite ends of your sofa. This balances out the look and feel of your couch.^{[7]
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- Of course, the amount you choose to match your pillows is entirely up to your taste. If you prefer to have all matching pillows on each side, do that. If you have more of an eclectic taste, feel free to have none of them match.

8

Place your pillows in odd numbers.

For a more modern look, add pillows on your couch in 3s and 5s. If you're going for an artsy, contemporary vibe with lots of visual interest, make your sofa asymmetrical. Stack your pillows 3 to a side, or better yet, place 3 on one side and 2 on the other. Combine the placement with varying shapes, patterns, and textures too.^{[8]
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- For example, add a large tufted square pillow with stripes and a small, shaggy rectangle pillow on one side. On the other, place a small woven circle pillow with pom-poms, a medium geometric patterned square pillow, and a large solid velvet square pillow.

9

Add pillows in even numbers.

Or, for a more traditional look, make your pillow placement symmetrical. If you prefer a clean, classic style, throw on pillows in 2s and 4s. Place 2 pillows on either side of your couch, or add more interest by nestling 2 in the middle and 1 on each side. An even number placement generally leaves your space with a more balanced, streamlined look.^{[9]
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- Play with the size, shape, pattern, and texture of your pillows too. Place 2 large matching striped pillows on either end of the couch, pairing 1 with a circular velvet pillow and the other with a tasseled rectangular pillow in a subtle paisley print.

10

Choose pillow fillings that match your style.

A down feather or synthetic foam filling can alter the look of pillows. A combination of squishy, down feather pillows and firm foam pillows that hold their shape helps bring balance and cohesion to your couch, too. Down pillows tend to give your sofa a cozy vibe, while foam pillows add structure and dimension.^{[10]
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11

Experiment with your pillow placement and styles.

Mix and match your pillows based on what looks good to you. There are no real rules when it comes to decorating your sofa with pillows. While the above tips are general guidelines and a great jumping-off point, what’s most important is that you like how your pillows tie your space together.^{[11]
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- If you think bolder is better, fill your couch with oversized pillows in bright colors and loud prints. Or, keep your space simple with a few pillows in the same size, shape, and pattern.