Blog: How to Style Bedroom Throw Pillows
Mix & Match
Making a bed was once a chore to be avoided at all costs, but, somewhere along the line, that changed entirely.
Who knows when it happened, but it felt like one day we woke up and realised that there is something undeniably satisfying about a freshly made and well-styled bed.
And we know we’re not alone in this! Beyond media and industry showing a distinct appreciation for how to style pillows in the bedroom (which we LOVE!) - you’re here too ;)
In this blog, we’ll share designer’s tips on perfectly styled bedroom throw pillows - from shapes to styles, colour schemes and textures. And If we have one guiding principle, it’s all about mixing & matching.
Before we dive head first into the decision-making on colours, patterns and textures - let’s start at the very beginning; dimension and quantity! We should preface, which goes with any of our blogs and guides on how to style - this ultimately is a question that comes down to personal preference. We don’t have time to answer the debate on ‘soft vs. firm’ - although we certainly have our preference (it’s neither - Semi-firm!). But here are our quick tips on how to first pick your perfect pillows based on size and quantity:
Queen Bed:
- 2 x Matching pillows sat at the back: either 24 x 24 or 26 x 26
- 1 x accent pillow (of your choice) in the front
- TIP: Smaller beds, meaning fewer pillows to work with, invite opportunities to play with a good mix of materials and patterns to show more dimension.
King Bed:
- 24 x 24 or 26 x 26 pillows layered along the back - filling up that gorgeous space!
- Add a smaller 20 x 20
- 2-3 x accent pillows in the front.
Establish your patterns and colour palette
When establishing which patterns and colours to use for your throw pillows, we suggest selecting a print you love. From here, you can build dimension by choosing a plain cushion in this same colour scheme. If you’re looking to add some bold textures into the mix - we suggest a lush velvet or textured boucle fabric. For subtle touches of texture - pillowcases and bolster cushions that feature frayed ortasselled edges, like our Linen Quilted Bolster Cushion, are a great way to add movement and depth to your bed linen’s arrangement.
The colour palette you decide on plays a significant role in the room's overall feel, so give it the thought it deserves. When choosing the colour palette for your bed throw pillows, a good place to start is to consider the entire room. This encompasses the colours of your walls, window dressings, and of course, your bed linen. These colours appeal to you, and you like how they feel in your space. However, interior decorating offers limitless possibilities when exploring colour schemes and patterns - from monochromatic, warm or cool palettes to high-contrast pops of colours.
Playing with scale.
Want to mix and match throw like a pro? Play. With. Scale. European cushions are always a great place to start - and have grown to become a staple of bedroom interior styling. Psst: you most likely have two lying around. Include your Europeans either behind or in front of your sleeping pillows. These can be plain or patterned. One of Dri-Glo’s hero products is our gorgeous Linen European Pillowcases- available in a range of stylish, seasonal colours. Our favourite way to style a European is to pair it with complimentary colours and patterns to create cohesion throughout your bed linen and broader space design. If your style suits that more ‘tailored’ vibe - incorporate two Europeans plus two sets of sleeping pillows stacked on each other, adding two decorative cushions to sit front and centre. A traditional, symmetrical style is timeless - and an easy way to create a visually cohesive styled bed.
So there you have it! Bedroom pillows might seem like a mindless add-on- but when you give it thought, you open up limitless possibilities across size, pattern, colour and scale. We hope that if you take anything away from this blog - it’s that mixing and matching as a principle for design, in this instance, is a pretty safe bet to achieve the look and feel you are after.