WELCOME TO KATE’S HOME DESIGN SERIES
PILLOW TALK: SOFA ARRANGEMENTS
Are you aware of the impact of sofa pillows? I bet you had no idea how much thought and detail goes into their arrangement. These design decisions can make or break your couch and room as a whole.
When decorating your sofa, the most important aspect is its size. By this I refer to overall length, depth and height. Your pillow choices should be dictated by these measurements.
Aside from dimensions of the sofa, there are 3 main considerations when choosing accent pillows: their size, scale and quantity.
Size. If the couch has low arms and shallow seating, choose a pillow that does not dominate the arm and look out of proportion. Typically, for low arms and a seating depth of 19”-22”, the end pillows should be 18” square. If your couch is deep and has a high back and tall arms, it can handle 20”-22” pillows.
Scale refers to the size of each item in relation to the others. Placing a 16” pillow in front of one that is 18” is a good choice and has an interesting layering effect.
I don’t advise having too much variety in sizes. This can look haphazard and out of balance. Be careful of placement and size of a lumbar pillow. I suggest the height of it should be around half the size of the pillow behind it. Smaller than that, it will look lost.
Quantity is as important as size and scale. Here I feel “less is more”. You will want to see and admire the sofa and have room to sit comfortably. With a typical size sofa (84” long), I recommend 3-4 pillows: Two on one side, 16” + 18” and one 18” on the other side, perhaps with a lumbar pillow in front of the single one.
The number you choose is subjective. If you like more than 3-4, go for it. If you want to spend half your life fixing/arranging pillows, your choice! If I come across a couch with excessive pillows, I think: “where will I sit?” and “how many do I have to move?”. For my money, less is more.
Caution: your selections should not be random, but proportionate in size, placement and color.
Other Considerations:Texture, Color, Style, Pattern.
Mixing Textures are a recommended design element: Velvet with Linen; Cotton with Chenille; Wool with Plush. Other texture choices: Waffle, Silk, Boucle, Faux Fur, Leather. Textures need to be carefully selected and correspond to the style of the furniture. Example: If your sofa is velvet, offset with linen, silk or cotton.
The Color (s) you choose should compliment the sofa and surrounding decor. If you are working with a neutral couch, go crazy with whatever pop of color suits your fancy, however, it should coordinate with a piece of art or area rug. Be aware of colors that clash or overwhelm the senses. It’s best to choose an “anchor” color to start with and build from there.
The Style you select needs to relate to your home as a whole and the room it inhabits. Most importantly, to the sofa. If it is mid-century modern, don’t select Waffle or Woven with fringes (these are more farmhouse style). Contemporary style/patterns also work with mid-century.
Of note: because you love Southwestern style, don’t just plop this pattern on your sofa randomly, it has to work on the couch, in the room and the home.
Be careful about mixing Patterns. I vote for pairing a patterned pillow with a solid, or another that has a small pop of color that matches the pattern. If you are going to mix patterns, be sure the colors compliment each other.
Happy hunting. Let me know how it goes.
Kate