How to decorate a couch with throw pillows

Are you looking to get some tips on how to decorate a couch with throw pillows that look like all those Pinterest Pins you stumbled upon?

I got you covered…

To get that designer pro look with your throw pillows you can follow a few, but simple, rules or guides as I prefer calling them.

As always remember that, even if there are guides out there on how to decorate a couch with throw pillows, it is important to remember, this is your house – and therefore your rules. Explore your creative journey on your own and try things out. This is the best way to progress and discover your likes and dislikes.

Now let’s jump to the steps and ideas that you can take to get that sofa looking smashing good!

Credit: Alvhem

How to decorate your couch with throw pillows – Ideas

The main guiding rule of thumb is:

1. Select the pillow size before looking at pillow covers

Looking into what size of throw pillows you should be having instead of first picking the pillow covers will help you to get a much more thought-through look.

You would like to make sure that you take into account the size of your room and the size of your couch. Ideally, you do not want the throw pillows to be eaten up by the size of your couch nor do you want the pillows to be so big that they look unproportional out of place.

Credit: Alvhem

2. Add the right amount of throw pillows

For smaller to mid-size sofas, you will often see designers using the “odd rule” of having groups of two or three on either side of the sofa. This look will give it that interesting feel without looking like the sofa and its pillows just came straight out of a catalog as a set.

If you have a larger sofa, then having even numbers can also work out great as this way the long sofa will be balanced out by even number pillows. If you instead have a sectional sofa, then you can simply go for the odd number but at the same time add more pillows throughout the groupings.

Credit: Alvhem

3. Mix textures and pattern

Mix different textures and patterns to give the grouped throw pillows an interesting feel.

Credit: Alvhem

Credit: Stadshem

4. Keep all the same color

If you have a bright sofa or with deep color, and do not want to distract from its beauty nor cause more of a “heavy” feel for the eye, then opt to go for pillows that are in another shade of the sofa and that keeps the same color.

The same principle goes, even if your sofa is not of a bold color. Keeping the sofa and pillows in similar color will make the sofa area seem more seamless and less showy.

Credit: Stadshem

5. Buy a pillow case smaller than the size of the pillow

This is a new tip that I heard from a Youtube channel of House of Valentina, and I myself have yet to try out – but to avoid the pillowcase feeling “loose ” opt for the size down from the pillow size to get that more tailored look while keeping the pillow looking puffed up.

Credit: Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

6. Accent pillows

Go for a fun yet subtle look by having a few solid-colored cushions similar to your couch and even wall color, and then add accent pillows with your accent color of chosen or simply by breaking it up and adding some textured pillows with some subtle pattern on them, like these once. And if you feel even braver opt out for the more squarish or rectangle shaped pillows and opt for a pillow shape in the trendy more organic shapes.

decorate a long couch with throw pillows

Credit: Alvhem

decorate a couch with natural colored throw pillows

Credit: Alvhem

To summarize what you should think of when decorating your sofa is to first and foremost make it simple, and a creative journey where you purely decide; what pillow sizes fit your sofa, how many pillows you have depending on the size of your sofa as well as select 1-2 solid colored once and mix it up with a pattern and/or texture fabrics.

Lastly, don’t forget to live in your space as well. And to create a space that improves your well-being. While I love perfectly fluffed pillows, usually my situation looks like this – dogs, pillows scattered around…but that is the beauty of everyday life 😉