They are everywhere, they come in all sizes and in all materials. And yet, they always ask the same question: how much should you use? The experts have delivered their verdict.
Too many cushions on a sofa means you will have to push them every time you want to sit down. Not enough, and the warm effect collapses. Decorators may praise the mixtures of textures, shapes and colors, but they do not forget a basic rule: a particular number of cushions to respect.
What works for some doesn’t work for others. Indeed, it is important to take into account the size of the sofa, its depth, the room where it is located and even the use to which it is put. A corner sofa is not a straight sofa. A low model will not accommodate cushions in the same way as a high and generous back. A very deep sofa will need support. “If your sofa is very narrow, with a shallow seat, you will not have room to add as many cushions, as this will make the seat too narrow”explains Brooke Spreckman, designer in Los Angeles. “Don’t forget you’ll also need a place to sit.”
Interior design professionals have their tips. Some seek symmetry, others prefer free composition, as long as the whole remains readable. But everyone agrees on one thing: visual consistency is more important than quantity. Multiplying cushions is not enough. They still need to have a real function, a real role in the whole. “Style depends on the spatial environment, and the design of a sofa can often be the central element of a room”recalls Jess Onorato, designer at Habitat Home & Garden. “Nice sloping arms or a tufted sofa would be hidden by decorative pillows, so we consider using a textured or patterned throw to highlight the sofa design.”
As for the right number of cushions to have, it is not a fixed number, but a simple formula. “I usually use two or three, depending on size, per corner of each sofa or sectional,” explains Brooke Spreckman. This is where it all comes down to: the number of corners. A straight sofa, with two corners, will therefore have between four and six cushions. A corner sofa will accommodate six to nine. No more, no less.
And to know which ones to choose, Jess Onorato confides:“Incorporate different textures into your cushions”. She specifies: “Colors and patterns are also key elements for decorative cushions. Consider mixing linen, cotton, fabric and velvet.”
