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With Pinterest and Instagram just a click away, we are bombarded with images of perfectly styled couch pillows from distant lands. Ok, maybe not distant lands lol but they can definitely feel out of reach if we’re struggling in this area!
This post is for the beginner, the one who wants to up her pillow game but doesn’t know where to start. There’s no shame in being a beginner and bravo for wanting to make your home feel more like your own. *fist bump*
Pillow styling is as varied as the day is long and there are lots of opinions out there, I encourage you to take what you can use and lump the rest.
Here are my beginner styling tips in a nutshell:
TIP: Try using a 22″ pillow for the first (layer), an 18″ or a 20″ for the second (layer) pillows, depending on how different you want the sizes to be and a 16″x20″ for the third (layer) pillow.
The colors of your pillows should be the colors you have chosen for your home color story. So the color story of the top sofa is Navy blue, Kelly Green and Teal.
The color story for the home of the bottom sofa would be Orange and Gray.
TIP: It doesn’t matter what the color of your sofa is, it’s a neutral color and you’re not trying to match your sofa. Your pillows should be colors from your personal color story for your home.
Below is a photo of a pillow grouping from one of my couches. You can see that my pillows do not match or even coordinate with my couch. My couch is a neutral and is not something I even consider when choosing pillows. I’m looking for colors in my color story.
These pillows look well together because they ‘are speaking to each other.’ The middle pillow has both the ivory (on the left) and the blue (on the right) in it. It also has the charcoal gray from the curtains. If I took out the middle pillow, it might still look nice but it won’t look as well put together as when the pillows have a color in common.
(I made the two pillows on the right but you can find the textured ivory pillow here at WorldMarket.com.)
How many pillows you have on your sofa is entirely up to you. Some women like a lot and some only like one or two. As long as your pillows have a few colors in common with your curtains and rug etc. and all are from your color story, you’re good!
TIP: bringing in different textures like velvet, corduroy or fur will add dimension and fun to your sofa style! The same goes for patterns and prints that are outside your comfort zone.
As you begin to feel more confident in bringing your color story into your room with your pillows, you can branch out with different patterns and colors, and even venture into colors and styles that are are a little out of the box for you! gasp! lol
TIP: If you want to be able to ‘chop’ your pillows you need to purchase down / feather throw pillows. Pillows that are made with poly-fil are tough to fluff and can lose their shape over time. Down filled pillows can be fluffed whenever they need to be and are my personal preference.
If you currently have pillows on your couch but they’re not in your color story (maybe they came with your couch?) you can always buy new covers for them! They are just as many covers for pillows as there are pillows. Unless your pillow was handmade to a custom size, it likely fits within the standard sizes. Just check the tag for the size or measure your pillow from seam to seam and order the corresponding size cover.
Amazon.com has a big selection of throw pillow covers in all sizes, click here.
Tip: Quality down filled pillow inserts can get pricey if you’re needing a lot of pillows, I have purchased several of mine at estate sales. Now before you think- EWWWW, here are my tips: I never buy a pillow (or the insert) from a smokers house, or from a home that obviously had pets or strong animal smells. I ALWAYS do a smell test to check for ANY odors and I only purchase from super clean homes. When I get the pillow home, I check again for odors and stains, if by chance I do smell anything foul, I throw it out. Since I got it so cheap, this is a risk I can take. If all is well, I throw out the cover, replace it with one I made or bought and no one can tell the difference. The pillows (inserts) I buy from estate sales are so high quality I cannot tell them apart anymore from the new ones I purchase from a store.
If you’re looking for new down filled inserts try:
Amazon.com and Walmart.com amongst other sites.
Pillows are an easy and inexpensive way to bring new life into your living room, have fun with it! You are taking another step towards creating a home that you love to be in and that’s a good thing. Enjoy it!
As always, I’m here if you have any questions,
Blessings on your home,
Catrina
Love your blue/beige combo. Orange lovely, but no my choice of colors.
Thank you, Ann! Orange probably wouldn’t be my choice either but I know a lot of people love it!