How to Mix & Match Pillows
Our go-to guide for to creating a pillow arrangement that’s curated, balanced, and reflective of your style.
Pile on the Pillows
Whether you’re updating your décor or starting anew, incorporating throw pillows is one of the easiest ways to refresh your space. The sofa and the coffee table are here to stay—the throw pillows can change when you want them to (especially because most times it’s about switching out the covers themselves, rather than buying entirely new pillows).
Curating your throw pillows is also a great way to express your style and create a dimensional, homey feel in your space.
style guidance
Start With a Palette
When working with multiple design elements, we always recommend starting with a color palette. The world of throw pillows is wide—a palette will help narrow things down and focus your search. If you need help getting started, look through some inspiration photos and note the ones that stand out to you. What colors are you drawn to? Are you leaning masculine or feminine, muted or bold tones, cool or warm? Get a feel for what you like and go from there.
Alternatively, you can single out one pillow you really like and build your palette and curation from there. The world is your pillow pile.
Play With Patterns & Textures
For added dimension and visual interest, play with patterns and texture. Some rules for pattern mixing, courtesy of Heidi Caillier: The key is creating a mix that's cohesive, but also a little bit “off”.
Add a floral in with a plaid or stripe, pair up something small-scale with something large-scale, match up something romantic with something geometric, and keep the colors varied so things don’t feel so matchy-matchy.
A Note on Inserts
Styling Tip
When selecting pillow inserts, consider the look you’d like to go for. For a full, luxe look, select a pillow insert that is two inches larger than your pillow cover (e.g. a 20”x20” cover will call for a 22”x22” insert). For a more relaxed look, match the insert size to the cover size. Not all pillow sizes have a 1:1 match when it comes to this trick, but most square pillows will.
POLY-FILL INSERTS
A poly-fill insert lends a structured look and feel
DOWN-FILL INSERTS
A down-fill insert offers a more relaxed alternative.
arranging your pillows
The Sofa
Lumbar Pillows
Pair up a duo of lumbar pillows towards the center of the sofa for a pared-down, elevated feel. Double them up for a fuller look.
Square Pillows
For every two-three seats on the sofa, arrange at least one square pillow or a duo of them on either end. Want a fuller look? Make it a trio on either end, or add a third individual pillow or arrangement to sit in the middle of the sofa.
Styling Tip
Don’t forget to play with scale and add in varying sizes (feel free to add in additional shapes, like a lumbar, round pillow, or bolster, too).
The Bed
There are three types of pillows to consider when curating your bed: bed pillows, shams, and throw pillows.
In order, from minimal to maximal, these are our recommended pillow arrangements for your bed (in addition to your bed pillows):
A single lumbar, bolster, or round pillow.
Two square pillows, plus a lumbar, bolster, or round pillow.
Two to three square pillows and two smaller squares placed in front, plus a lumbar, bolster, or round pillow.
Two Euro shams (three for a king bed) placed up against the headboard and two shams, plus a lumbar, bolster, or round pillow.
Odd numbers are your friend here and make the whole arrangement feel dimensional and balanced.
try this at home
Some Ideas to Get You Started
PAIRING UP DISSIMILAR PATTERNS
A classic preppy stripe—complete with a fanciful scalloped edge—meets a dynamic botanical print, creating an impactful, layered look.
Featured: Rita Pillow & Cosima Pillow
Mixing in shapes & texture
Florals, pleats, ruffles, velvet, stripes—this arrangement brings them all together into one cohesive vignette, unified by a tonal palette.
Featured: Rosie Pillow, Helly Pillow, Gil Pillow, & Candela Pillow
playing with contrast
Contrast draws the eye in and creates a dynamic, complementary feel. The play between deep earth tones and airy neutrals creates a striking effect here.
Featured: Angelita Pillow, Elspeth Pillow, Rowena Pillow, & Elsie Pillow