It’s time for some more pillow talk, you guys! Last week I shared all about the sizes of pillows I use on my sectional, and today is all about the mixing and matching of pillows, and the way I go about it! Find my “rules” for how to choose throw pillows for your sectional below.

First of all, I’m going to start by saying that in my opinion, there are zero rules to choosing pillows for your couch. Have fun with it, and do what you like! It’s all about layering colors & sizes & patterns that you like together. That being said, the following are a few things I tend to do each time I create a new pillow combo for my couch.

p.s. I’m linking each pillow combo below the photo. If you are interested in the details of my sectional, you can find that here: Our Living Room Sectional (Pottery Barn Pearce Sectional) And lastly, if you have questions about where something else is from, you can shop my home here.

1. Pay attention to pillow sizes

There is a reason I wrote the blog post about pillow sizing before this one. And that’s because the layering of pillows using different sizes is so important! So, if you missed that blog post, you can find it here: What Are The Best Pillow Sizes For A Sectional?

2. Choose a color scheme

I really like an eclectic pillow look, so I usually use 4-5 different colors when I’m picking my sectional pillow combos. If you like a more traditional look, choose 3! For instance, if you are thinking blush & cream for summer, pick a 3rd color to go with the two. You could add blues or tans or even green, like I did above.

Keep your sectional color in mind when choosing your pillow colors! As you can see from above, and will see below as well, each of my combos coordinates really well with my cream-colored sectional.

2. Patterns

Choose varied types of patterns for your pillow combo. Think a mix of stripes, plaids, florals, geometrics & solids.

Below, I have a mix of florals (big & small scale,) geometric, stripe & solid.

3. Scale

You also want to pay attention to the scale of the patterns your are using. For example, if you have a large-scale floral, choose a smaller scale print to coordinate with it.

As you can see from the photo below, I have mixed 2 florals & 2 stripes together, and it works because the scale of the two stipes, as well as the two florals, are different. One is large, and one is smaller.

3. Texture

I like to mix different textures together when creating a pillow combo. Think linens, wool, leather, suede, fabric with fringe, boucle, etc. Above, I have mixed linen, cotton, fleece & suede.

And in the photo below, I have mixed linen, wool & a chunkier linen/cotton blend pillow together. In my opinion, the variant of textures adds even more interest to the combo.

Evenly distribute colors

Ensure you are spreading the colors out throughout your sectional. If you have 4 colors, like shown above, you don’t want 3 colors on one side, and just one on the other. You want them evenly distributed.

A few more notes:

• I always use this pillow insert. And I almost always size up. The exception is with a lumbar pillow where I use the actual size insert.
• If you are one who likes to play it safe (think a bit more traditional,) with your pillow mixing & matching, a good rule of thumb for a sectional is to choose 5 different pillows. Repeat the same pillows on the left & right, and then the 3 in the middle are different. So, it would look like this: (1,2) (3,4,5) (1,2) When doing this, keep in mind you will still want to vary colors, patterns & textures!

MORE INSPIRATION FROM THE SOMMER HOME:

The Pillows I’m Adding To My Cart For Summer

My New Spring Artwork Is Perfect For Any Room

What Are The Best Pillow Sizes For A Sectional?