Style your Couch Like a Pro

Want your living room to look like a designer curated it? Start with your throw pillows. Take an inventory of what you’re currently using and ask yourself; Have I added a lot of small pillows to fill space? Have my pillows flattened over time? Am I playing with different textures?

If you’re struggling with how to dress your couch, I’ve compiled some tips to help you get the biggest bang for your buck (and make your living room look like a million bucks in the process).

Anchor Pillows

The easiest place to start when selecting pillows for your couch is with anchor pillows. These will flank either side of your couch in order to “anchor” the other pillows you add. I recommend that they match, and that they’re larger than your other pillows. I use 24” pillow covers with 26” down-filled inserts.

Use Down-Filled Inserts

This is something I didn’t bother with for years, I’ll be honest - the idea of replacing a perfectly good pillow insert with another (that I had to buy) didn’t make much sense to me. Here is why I’ve realized it matters: I have gone through a ton of throw pillows in my time as a homeowner and I do not have any of the pillows I started with. Why? Because they all started looking really sad about a year in and there was no way to fluff them back up. Poly-filled inserts are cheap, but are not meant to last. The poly breaks down over time and you’ll eventually be left with sad pancake pillows. Down-filled pillows can be fluffed infinitely, which increases the longevity of your pillows.

I would also recommend using a pillow insert one size larger than your pillow cover. For instance, use a 26” insert for a 24” pillow. This makes your pillows look fluffy and expensive!

Buy Pillows with Zippers

This rule speaks to me both as a minimalist and as a mom. Instead of buying (usually cheaper) pillows that won’t last long because they can’t be washed or have the insert changed out, I have learned to either only buy pillows with zippers, or better yet, I buy pillow covers. Not only does this make my life easier when I need to wash a pillow or two because of the occasional kid spill, but when I choose to change pillows out seasonally, I only have to store the covers, not an entire pillow.

The Bigger, The Better

If I can make a potentially controversial statement, here it goes: I don’t like 12” throw pillows. There, I said it. Let me explain. One of my overall rules of design is that less is more, and that in most cases, bigger is always better. When I’m styling a shelf, it’s always better to go with fewer large pieces than it is to group a bunch of small things. It always ends up looking more polished, less cluttered, and allows the items you select to really shine. This is the same approach I take with throw pillows, so you can imagine why I’d suggest staying away from a bunch of small pillows in favor of fewer larger pillows.

Also, let’s be honest - would you rather snuggle up on the couch with a dinky little pillow or with a larger, more plush pillow? That’s what I thought.

Vary Sizes and Texture

Using only the same size pillows on a couch can look just fine. I have personally done this for years, and it looks good, but varying sizes makes it look PRO. I love the idea of using large anchor pillows at either end of your couch, smaller pillows (in varying textures, ideally), and then popping something like a lumbar pillow in there for some variation.

Did these tips help you, or are you mad at me for hating on 12” pillows? I’m sorry… but I said what I said.

Let me know if you make any of these changes in your own space! I’d love to hear about them.