How is it that you distinguish which are the best cushions to have in the home? Does filling matter most or fabric? Should they be patterned cushions or plain? Is it better to have them all of the same size and shape or does a mixture produce a more pleasing effect?
The answer, as with many conundrums in interior design, is to achieve considered, complementary variation. This round-up of nine of the best sofa cushions is a useful place to start your search.
Plain cushions are often the base, the background, the blank canvas for building a cushion scheme. To achieve cushion cohesion, select pillows that are of the same colour or the same fabric type so that there’s no risk of a clash on your sofa.
Starting with something soft in texture and seductive in tone, this velvet cushion from the LuxDeco collection is made all the more luxurious with its generous Oxford flange trim. Looking for something richer in hue? It also comes in aubergine.
Taking things down a much lighter route, this neutral square cushion by popular interior designer Laura Hammett is a classic with an utterly timeless appeal. Its neutral palette makes it the perfect option for any style of interior or sofa whether it's paired with pattern, colour or texture.
With a pure linen cushion cover and a goatskin suede trim, in a navy that is just a few shades darker for a quiet level of contrast, you can expect nothing but the most sublime materials with this accent cushion from the purveyors of luxury at de Le Cuona.
While you can dress a sofa, bed or window seat with one style of cushion alone, on the whole, the result will be far richer if you contrast plain cushions with those patterned.
To prevent your selection from becoming too chaotic, pick patterns with a common theme, such as geometrics or florals, or whose motifs are in the same colour.
A sizeable 50x50cm cushion for when you want comfort to be seen as much as felt, this transfixing jacquard cushion from the maximalist Greg Natale will inject geometric, monochromatic drama into wherever its laid to rest.
Make this plump pillow as classic as you like—the palette and central motif lends itself well to traditional surroundings—or position it next to cushions in mossy velvet or lustrous champagne and it’ll transform into something much more of-the-now.
Some cushions are designed to sit back in a scheme whereas others prefer to step forward and make themselves known. Such is the case with this ember-rich piece. The yarn has a light-reflecting sheen lending it an almost silken appearance and will look warm and comforting in autumn and terracotta-baked come summer.
While colour and pattern are providers of visual texture, introducing a select few tactile textured cushions promises more intrigue in a room. Consider not just the feel of the fabrics, but the effect of tassels, fringing, raised weaves and threads in opposing directions.
It’s also wise to choose textures that have some presence on your other cushion choices—creating links and features in common between pillows will help them to sit well with one another.
Plush is the perfect word to describe this scatter cushion. Made up of velvets in various densities of pile, its texture is rich and its palette pleasingly mottled which only emphasises its tactility.
Linen is known for its organic texture but in this de Le Cuona creation it’s not just the yarn that has something to offer but the style of webbed weave. In direct contrast is the smooth suede trim so you have both sides of the texture story satisfied.
Crafted from a luxuriously soft linen mix material, and filled with the cosiest feather, this cushion provides a delightful touch of comfort and style. Available in a refreshing white and natural colorway, it effortlessly enlivens any space with its sophisticated charm.
