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How To Choose & Style Cushions For Your Home
Cushions - in all their shapes, styles and sizes - are an ideal accessory for the home. They're a low fuss way to add style, impact and cosiness, and their affordability and versatility means they can be quickly and easily swapped to change the mood or design of a room.
It doesn't take too much planning to get started with cushions but here are a few factors you might like to consider when choosing the best ones to enhance your home styling. From decorative cushions to chair pads, floor cushions and outdoor cushions, we explore how to coordinate cushions with your decor and style them in your home.
Quick Links:
- Choosing & Styling Cushions: Video Guide
- Selecting Cushion Colours
- Patterned, Printed & Textured Cushions
- Cushion Size & Shape
- Comfort & Cushion Firmness
- How To Style & Arrange Cushions
Choosing & Styling Cushions: Video Guide
Get started with your cushion selection with our handy video guide on how to choose cushions for the home. We cover cushion shape, cushion size, cushion colour & texture, materials and more!
Selecting Cushion Colours
With a range of colours available, cushions are able to be easily incorporated into any space. From bold, vibrant colours to gentle neutral tones, cushions can elevate and enhance your home decor colour palette. Whether you're looking for floor cushions, sofa cushions or chair pads, the same guidelines for selecting colour and pattern apply. So how do you choose the best coloured cushions to suit your style?
Matching or Complementing?
Whatever approach you choose, make sure it matches the rest of your room. But, when we say 'matches', that doesn't mean you need to choose the same colours. In fact, mixing things up is the best way to inject creativity, fashion and fun into a space.
Matching is more about complementing the style of your room than anything else. For instance, a vibrant coloured cushion might be better for a casual living area, while neutral tones would suit a more traditional space like a formal dining room. Matching the colour palettes of your cushions to your decor is also a great option. Consider naturally hued cushions for a minimalist coloured decor scheme, rich tones for opulence or bright colours for a maximalist touch.
Bold & Vibrant Colours
Don't be afraid to make bold choices and pair different styles together, especially when you're in the store and have a wide array of cushions to test against each other. Playing it safe with only neutral colours can create a washed-out and dull effect, unless you're also selecting richly textured cushions to add visual interest to your space. Consider shopping for vibrant tones in a chosen highlight colour to bring a touch of energy to your space.
Highlight An Existing Colour
Draw on existing colours in your room that you love and want to highlight. Look at your current wall art, rugs, and window coverings like curtains and blinds.Choose cushions with colour tones featured in these decor pieces to establish a cohesive sense of interior styling. Avoid directly matching your cushions to the colour of the furniture they're resting on, as it can make the furniture fade into the background and feel lifeless.
Patterned, Printed & Textured Cushions
In styling your space, there's no need to shy away from patterns and textures. Decorative cushions are available in a wide range of styles and bring a sense of artistry to your space. Incorporating texture into your cushion arrangement brings about an artistic accent while also bringing a comfortable decorative piece that will have you relaxing in style.
Get Passionate About Patterns
Choose patterns that attract you, and that may connect with other elements in a particular room. For example, you might introduce a floral pattern into your cushions that already matches a floral aspect in your curtains, or even an artwork. Mixing up patterns is great - such as geometric shapes against a Persian-style design - but stay within your overall colour scheme. A useful tip is to break up solid colours by introducing decorative cushions with patterns for an artistic charm.
Celebrate Textures
Texture and the cushion fabrics are the final factors in your cushion equation. Unusual textures and fabrics help set a theme for your space. For a contemporary look, choose fabrics like woven cotton or linen cushions for a sleek, modern accent. For a luxurious look you can opt for velvet cushions, embroidered cushions and cushions with textured trims and tassels.
Cushion Size & Shape
Cushions come in many shapes and sizes, and a variety of cushion sizes can be a great way to add extra visual dimension to your home decor.
Play With Size & Scale
Just as with colour and pattern, you can be creative with cushion size. Not every cushion in a single arrangement needs to be the same size. In fact, mixing it up helps create character and a unique look that is distinct to your home. Try using a combination of differently sized cushions to add a sense of balance to your arrangements
Set The Tone With Different Cushion Shapes
Square cushions are the most common and look great in almost any context. They're perfect for mixing and matching, tend to offer the most support, and can be thrown across beds, couches and chairs to create a stylish splash.
Rectangle cushions are also popular, especially as an accent on a feature or signature chair, or to prop behind your back. Rectangle cushions, also known as lumbar cushions, bring shape and dimension to your furniture. Combining lumbar cushions with classic square cushions allows you to create a layered cushion arrangement that evokes a sense of cosiness in your space.
Finally, round cushions are a popular choice for adding a plush, traditional accent to your home interior. They're typically tufted in style and feature classic upholstery accents like piping and buttons for luxurious look and feel.
Comfort & Cushion Firmness
It's not just about style, it's also about substance. Cushions offer comfort and support for seating, whether they're tucked under the lower back or the neck while relaxing in front of the television or reading in bed. For an additional seating arrangement, you should consider incorporating floor cushions into your decor. Floor cushions are usually firmer than decorative cushions to offer support when seated on the floor.
Firmness & Material Choice
It's important to have cushions on hand that can prop you up when and where you need them most. You know better than anyone whether you like your cushions soft or firm but, if you're not sure, make sure your cushions a 'test-drive' in the store before you buy. Material matters.
Different fabrics are softer or gentler on the skin than others, so look for textures that make you feel comfy and cosy, and don't irritate when they're used to bolster your sitting or lying position. Most pre-filled cushions use polyester inserts that create a plump cushion that readily maintains its shape. If you prefer a softer cushion, choose styles that feature feather inserts, but keep in mind these will need regular "plumping" to help them stay looking their best. Alternatively you can explore individually sold cushion inserts and cushion covers to truly customise your comfort levels without compromising on style.
Know Your Allergies
When choosing feather inserts or feather filled cushions, make sure you check to see if anyone in the household has an allergy to the filler material before making your selection. Refresh your inserts periodically to keep your cushions looking shapely, and make sure you vacuum and launder your cushions on a regular basis to remove any other allergens like dust or pet hair.
How To Style & Arrange Cushions
Whether you're looking at arranging decorative cushions on your sofa or outdoor cushions on your patio furniture, many of the same rules apply. While there's no official rulebook for how to style cushions, designers suggest four to six cushions for most couches or beds because of the aesthetic effect it creates, although these cushions can then be grouped or presented in different ways.
2-1-2 RULE
A popular rule of thumb for medium to larger couches is the 2-1-2 arrangement:
- two larger solid-coloured cushions on either end of the couch
- two slightly smaller, patterned cushions (but with similar colours) in front
- one small rectangular cushion in the middle of the couch
You might choose two larger cushions and two smaller cushions, and then space them evenly or you might have something completely different in mind. The smaller the item of furniture, the fewer cushions you'll need. It is important to consider that your cushions should enhance your furniture, not overwhelm it. For feature armchairs, one decorative cushion is often enough but, if the chair is large enough, two can also work very well.
Make Your Own Rules!
Cushions are a creative delight with countless options you can play with, and can even be easily changed on a seasonal basis if your budget allows. Have fun and experiment until you find the right mix of style, size, arrangement and comfort that works best for you, your family and the rooms in your home.
Introduce Colour, Comfort & Style To Your Home With Cushions From Spotlight
With a massive variety of colours, textures, shapes and sizes to choose from, cushions are a wonderful finishing touch to your home decor. Cushions are not only decorative but comfortable, providing a place for you to rest, relax and unwind after a busy day. Inform your home decorating choices with our Decorate articles, and be sure to check out some of our other great home decor buying guides including:
Discover Spotlight's selection of cushions online, or head into your nearest Spotlight store to explore the range in person.
