home living room

How to mix and match cushions on a sofa

The sofa is often the focal point of your living space -- it ties together your interior vibe, reflecting your colour palette and drawing the eye. Styling your sofa may sound like a strange concept, but it's just like hanging pictures or arranging accessories -- those little styling touches make a big difference!

We gifted some of our favourite soft furnishings to our most-loved interiors Instagrammers to see what looks they could create with their own sofas -- the amazing results are below, but first here are some top tips on how to style your sofa at home.

How to dress a sofa

Dressing a sofa really means adding things to it -- throws, cushions, and blankets all create a layered effect that helps add texture and detail to your space.

Start with cushions -- the mix and match look is really hot right now, so look out for cushions with clashing patterns in shades that work with your overall colour palette. An ideal mix is 2 to 3 statement cushions balanced by 2 to 3 neutral cushions.

Think about sizes, too, and choose different heights to create a laidback look. And use the karate chop method -- pushing down the top of the cushion at the centre with the side of your hand in a 'chop' motion -- to get the shape just right.

For throws, think about placement first -- the arm of the sofa is a good option, or if you want to hide an outdated sofa style, you could fold a throw over the back or even tuck it across the seat cushions. The key here is to not let the edge of your throw extend beyond the bottom of your sofa -- it should always fall a few inches above.

If you want a more relaxed look, take the 'throw' more literally and drape it across the corner of your sofa, no folding required!

For light-colored sofas, think about sofa protectors to prevent marks and stains. If your sofa doesn't have washable covers, use an upholstery cleaner to keep it fresh.

Sofa styling inspiration from the experts

These interiors experts know just how to use home furnishings to style up a space. Check out how they dressed their sofas and get inspo for your own...

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This stunning neutral space is a great example of mix and matching soft furnishings. The different heights of the cushions on the sofa create depth and interest against the plain background, while the artfully draped throw adds that cosy texture.

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We love the colour contrast happening here -- the shades of pink against that gorgeous deep green sofa really pop! Using block colour neutral cushions alongside statement prints really works to keep the overall look balanced.

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To create an eclectic look without going too OTT, mix prints with a common theme in different shades -- the cushions and throw here all feature bold geometric lines, but the clashing colours give that effortlessly stylish finish.

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Small sofas can be styled, too! We love the cosy finish on this two-seater, showing that excess soft furnishings aren't just for big spaces. By keeping the colour palette neutral and adding detail with tassels, the effect is simple yet cosy.

Author Name
La Redoute,
26/11/2023