How To Dress A Sofa With Throws And Cushions

Whether you’ve got a brand new sofa or just want to inject some new life into your living room, knowing how to dress a sofa with throws and cushions can make a world of difference. Soft furnishings can really affect the mood and character of your entire living room! Not to mention they’re much easier to replace and to clean! When it comes to dressing your sofa, the possibilities are endless.

The good thing is, current trends say there are no real rules for how to dress a sofa with throws and cushions. You can mix and match colours, fabrics and textures, and have as much or as little going on as you please. But, for some more specific and streamlined inspiration, check out our ideas below.

Dress a sofa with throws and cushions to match your home's personality

Calming and neutral, cosy, monotone, bold and bright? A bit artsy and boho? Do you want your sofa to look cosy and inviting, or structural and modern?

The way you dress a sofa with throws and cushions can be a chance for that to shine through. If you’re not sure, start with subtle and soft colours, as it’s easier to work up from there.

Use colour, pattern and texture to create interest and dimension

If you’ve got a neutral or plain sofa, you can really jazz it up with your choice of throws and cushions. Soft furnishings will all look like they belong if you stick to one colour family. Keep pastels with pastels, bolds with bolds and deep with deep etc. You could also go for all shades in one colour palette but in different fabrics.

You can create a harmonised style by picking colours that match the wall colour or curtains, for example.

Alternatively, if you’re the adventurous type, don’t be afraid of clashing entirely and making your sofa stand out from the rest of the room. Just remember if the rest of your room is pretty sedate, a Mad Hatter’s sofa area might not feel authentic and look a little out of place.

Notice how the shades of cushions in the top left image are all in the same colour family as the wall.

In the bottom left image, one throw matches the shade of the sofa, while the other is a blue-grey that matches tonally. These shades, plus elements from the artwork and other accessories, are then reflected in the cushions.

The cushions on the sofa in the bottom right image are all different patterns. They still feel like they belong because they share similar patterns and are all pastels in similar tones.

And lastly, the top right image shows you that you can really mix it up with colours, patterns and textures, while still creating something that sits together. Notice that similar colours are still grouped on either side of the sofa.

Dress a sofa with throws and cushions to soften or add structure

If you’ve got lots of straight lines and would like to soften the overall feel of your room, go for a big throw in a soft draping fabric. Plump cushions will also help create that sink-into, squishy vibe. Keep things straight and neatly folded if you’d like to keep a more structural look to your furnishings. A heavier (but less textured) throw will tend to stay folded easier than something more slippery or fluffy.

Note how the 2 images on the left use the throws and cushions to soften those straight lines. The bottom left image has fluffy cushions which really add some fuzzy texture, reflected in the rug and stool covers. The images on the right show how you can maintain or enhance your modern minimalist straight lines with your cushions and neatly folded throws. The bottom right image also shows a round bolster cushion, which adds some structural dimension to the sofa.

Top Tip: If you want to create plump-looking cushions, buy a cushion cover 1 – 2cm smaller than the cushion padding. The padding will still fit, but the cushion cover will make it look fuller.

Take inspiration from clothes!

It’s all about layers – the same way we layer up our favourite outfits, you can do the same when dressing your sofa.

The above examples show how darker shades at the bottom with lighter shades or patterns on the top create depth. Notice how the image on the left also matches cushion colours with elements in the wall art! You can also see how picking a focal fabric or texture and then adding complementary shades and less in-your-face textures around it can look really stylish.

Complementary fabrics

Wools, linens, fluffy faux-fur and cottons work nicely together to create a cosy, rustic feel. Leather, satins, velvets and silks also work well to create a more sumptuous and luxurious feel.

Complementary colours

Complementary colours are those that are opposite each other on the colour wheel, so you could go for a general palette and then throw in some bright pops of its complementary colour. Examples of complementary colour combinations are red and green; yellow and purple; orange and blue; green and magenta.

Dress a sofa in throws and cushions to match the season

Remember that the joy with throws and cushions is that you can swap them out to match the season. How about going for that pumpkin spice vibe in the autumn? A bit of tartan in the winter for Christmas? Some fresh spring easter egg shades, and then some silky greens for summer?

However you style your sofa, make it yours, not anyone else’s. Do what makes you happy, because if your heart’s in it, we guarantee, it’ll look amazing.

For more inspiration, see how our customers style their beds, benches, sofas and armchairs on our Insta feed, and check out our Pinterest for lots more interior ideas.

If you're looking for sofa's, we've got plenty of those, too! Modern, cosy, colourful - whatever you need, shop our full sofa range right here.