The right number of pillows can turn your sectional from a plain seating spot into the eye-seeking part of the room. These accessories can make any living space more comfortable and attractive overall.
So, how many throw pillows should you put on a sectional? The average number for most sectional sofas is from seven to nine. But the precise answer depends on many factors, like the size, pattern, or color of the pillows.
This helpful guide will provide valuable tips on mixing and matching cushions of various styles and sizes to make your seating area as comfortable and fashionable as possible. Scroll down to discover!
How to Choose Throw Pillows for a Sofa?
Before jumping into drawing up the best mix-and-match scheme for your sofa, please bear in mind that your cushions should complement and enhance the furniture instead of overwhelming it.
What Is The Average Size of a Throw Pillow for a Sectional?
Square is the most common shape for sofa throws.
You can find several shapes and sizes of cushions that apply to a sectional couch.
Homeowners commonly go for the four sizes and shapes below:
- Standard square: 16 x 16 to 20 x 20 inches.
- Large square: 20x 20 to 24 x 24 inches
- Round: 13 to 20 inches in diameter
- Lumbar: 12 x 20 inches.
Nevertheless, based on your couch design and size, you might want to be more thoughtful about choosing a size for your cushions. For instance, if the sofa is large, it’s a good idea to use large square cushions.
Uniform Size
Should uniform-sized pillows be to your liking, the best choice is to go for all large or medium square ones. Consider using square cushions of the same dimensions but different materials and textures to make the outlook a bit more unusual.
For instance, you can combine two leather, two floral prints, two single-colored, and two faux fur square pillows with the same dimensions and apply random placement. It’s sure to lend your living room an exciting appearance.
Mixing Sizes
Should all throw pillows be the same size? No. A tip to mix throw pillows of different sizes on your chaise lounge is to mix 2-3 of the largest-sized cushions, 2-3 of the medium-sized ones, and 2-3 of the smallest decorative or lumbar ones.
For each size, the number of pillows may differ as per your couch design and size. You can experiment with some combinations to figure out the best look.
How Many Pillows Do You Need for a Sectional?
Seven to nine is the most applicable number.
Generally, pillow combinations of all sizes can include 7-9 ones in one set. This rule applies to most couch sizes, even the largest ones.
Remember to fill all the corners and the empty spaces with 1-2 pillows. Yet, ensure that the cushions on the couch do not exceed their length.
If you have a pretty deep sectional, the good news is that you can put more accessories on it. It gives you more decorating freedom regarding pillow size and quantity.
So, can you place too many pillows on a couch? It’s a yes if you still ensure enough seating space for you and your guests.
We have seen many chaise lounges that are full of throw pillows and barely leave any space to sit down.
Should you have to shift a pile of cushions off your couch so that you and your visitors can sit down, that’s the sign you get too many.
Initially, whether you can add as many accessories as you want or not depends on the type of your chair. It’s ok to overload larger couches or sofas, but you might overwhelm smaller furniture like chairs doing so.
In particular, deeper sectionals with cushions extending 20 plus inches or more can nicely accommodate more throw pillows and some decorators. We even recommend using additional cushions for improved posture and comfort while sitting.
Apart from your furniture’s size, the accessories’ size also impacts the number of pillows you place on your chair.
Regular square-shaped cushions take up a space of 20 inches, whereas oversize ones, which provide a more relaxed, laid-back feel, are nearly 22 to 24 inches in space.
Meanwhile, undersize accessories take up around 18 inches and are favorite items for those into minimalism.
The chair’s depth is also a noteworthy factor to consider when determining how many cushions to put on it.
Should Throw Pillows Be Taller Than Couch?
For most cases, throws shouldn’t be higher than the sofa’s back.
An accessory that is too small or too large for the sectional will backfire.
Usually, you should not let your pillows stand taller than the chair’s back unless the loose pillows are your sofa’s back.
However, a brilliant mix of shapes (oblong, square, round) and sizes will add depth and interest. Various sizes can bring an interesting look if you place the shorter accessories in the front and taller ones in the back.
Where Do You Place Throw Pillows on a Sectional?
Concerning where to place decorative items on a sofa, there are two solid rules of artistic vision you need to note down:
Pay full attention to the corners
To conjure up a stunning, professional look, you need to ensure no corner on your chair is blank. Fill each with at least one pillow.
If you have a standard sofa, it means both of its ends should have one cushion at least. It’s possible to put two items of assorted sizes in each corner as long as you see fit.
Don’t leave the middle blank
For sofas of most sizes, putting something in the middle can add more flair and stylishness. But note that you need to steer clear of overcrowding your cushions.
How to Arrange The Pillows On Your Sectional?
Choosing 7-9 colorful pillows may seem easy until you get into looking through all choices and arranging them on your chair.
Narrowing down options sometimes is a real problem. To accomplish the arranging job, involve these factors during your process:
Create a Color Palette
Start by combining colors.
For most home decorators, one of the tricky parts of arranging and decorating is determining where to begin.
Even though we have years of experience in decorating, sometimes we still feel anxious when starting a brand-new project.
To help you deal with the confusion, here’s one thing to remember.
When starting a new styling project, don’t force yourself to be right from the first step. Styling is part art and part science.
You can start by playing around with those pillows. If you fail, start over again until you achieve the desired result.
We start by determining the color palette. It’s necessary to ensure the accessory color palette not only works with your chair but also blends well with the remaining furniture in the living room, adding both harmony and beauty. We prefer to play with two to three but never exceed five colors.
Create a Focal Point
Your sectional will usually be the dominant thing in the room like our item accounts for a large space in our room. Since a sectional will call for a lot of attention, it is imperative to style it with beautiful accessories.
Pillows can change the tone and define the theme of the room. They add drama, style, charm, cohesiveness, beauty, and so much more to your sunroom.
For a sectional, the bigger, the better. Small accessories may look too diminutive on them, even if yours is slimmed down. Go for large-sized models.
26-inch cushions may appear big, but we love how they state the sectional. You can also use them for your head when lying on the ground to watch television.
Another tip is to generate a focal point in your chair’s elbow. Some extra cushions and a lumbar are a good option.
Play with Patterns
Animal prints are many decorators’ favorite patterns.
When choosing patterns for your accessories, remember to opt for those complementing the sectional chair’s colors and applying them to the room.
The most favorite patterns among homeowners are animal prints, geometric prints, floral prints, and plaids. We advise you to decide the size of the patterned pillow first to help cut the search short.
It’s also possible to customize your accessories with names or wording. This way, you can add more personality to the overall living room.
If you’re into something more unusual and unique, consider well-known portrait prints, wildlife prints, like fish or birds, or seasonal prints so you can swap out throughout four seasons.
Another brilliant idea is to print pictures in the fabric cushion covers that cover the current pillows, for example, a happy family picture.
Texture Combos
One more thing to weigh up is the texture – an essential factor that adds interest and depth to any living space. The fabric’s texture is even more imperative regarding arranging sofa pillows.
Combine various textures to achieve the best result.
We’re fond of adding fun stitched edging in summer and spring or faux fur pillows in winter. Other recommended textures include fringe, poms, cable knit, tufted, and more. These textures are all versatile and fun.
Although texture combos are a bit less effective compared to contrasting colors (since contradicting colors can create more depth), they’re crucial if you’re a big fan of a monochromatic style.
Balance and Layer
Layering is a brilliant way to arrange them.
As discussed, we always suggest placing the larger pillows first in the back, medium-sized ones next in the middle, and the small-sized ones in the front.
This arrangement will layer the items and make each of them visible. The number of accessories to put on primarily depends on your seating area.
Typically, you should arrange your items in groups of 2-3 and a more semi-symmetrical style. That means loveseats will call for only three to four pillows, whereas a sectional can offer enough room for many more.
Coordinate Sizes
Correctly layering and sizing your accessories is among the foremost steps in making up a stunning couch pillow arrangement.
The best idea is to grab those of various sizes and place them in the mentioned order with the larger ones in the back.
Usually, the reasonable size for a base square pillow is anywhere between 20 and 24 inches, whereas the medium-sized items in the front should stand at 16-20 inches.
Particular accent cushions, also known as interest pillows, are almost the smallest-sized items and a fascinating option for the front view.
They come in plenty of shapes, like cylindrical, rectangular, circular, or other interesting shapes.
Shape
Most throw cushions are square, yet you can choose round, bolster, and rectangle shapes for a unique look. These accessories’ shapes also, in part, define how comfortable or formal your decoration is.
Rectangle and square items tend to look more comfortable, whereas round-end bolsters tend to appear a bit more formal.
Play around and mix shapes without worrying about messing up. Any shape will feature senses that can bend themselves with your decor.
We personally love to place square throws as the background and finish our styling with throws of different shapes in the front (often rectangle).
Conclusion
Since throw pillows are customizable and come in plentiful colors, textures, materials, it won’t be too difficult for you to choose and style them on your couch.
The rules to sofa pillow arrangements are also flexible, so you have the freedom to put your creativity into practice and add personality to the living space. They all boil down to your preference and how you’re going to use that space.
However, there are still essential boundaries that help you guarantee high-quality decoration. Keep them in mind, and go throw some favorite pillows on your furniture.
