Bought a new sofa but not sure how to style it? Inherited an old bed and want to freshen things up? It's time to think about cushions. Yet, these seemingly simple additions can make or break a scheme, and can be surprisingly tricky to get right. There's the question of size: how big is too big? The question of number: how many is too many? There's also the question of how to create that effortlessly mismatched, neat yet unplanned look interiors designers are so skilled at.
If this is your dilemma, consider this article your cheat sheet. Below, you'll find five shoppable sets of cushions, from one off kantha creations to velvet numbers from the high street.
I have an olive green velvet sofa which I am starting to find a bit… aggressively green, so I am on the hunt for cushions which will tone it down a bit, preferably in an earthy palette that will feel understatedly chic. I'd start with these large and very affordable cushions from the charming Islington restaurant and homeware store Pophams (left), which have a pleasingly rustic feel, and then for a bit of warmth I'd add in a small-ish scale block print in terracotta and blue. Anboise has a great range of block printed cushions which feel grown-up. Despite the fact that my sofa isn't very big, I think I ought to have something unique and perhaps larger-scale in the middle. Susan Deliss is a brilliant source for one-off cushions in antique textiles, and this Japanese indigo design (right) is super smart.
I am currently quite obsessed with these cushions from Ceraudo, the London based sister-run studio selling rather smart homeware and furniture. Among the many choices, my favourites are these little dolce dots cushions, which have just enough pattern and frill to offset the stripes in the larger, slightly more robust one from Buchanan studio, which they would sit in front of (or near) on the sofa. While I am there I would struggle to resist buying the ‘reverse ticking rose’ cushion too, since it is just so pretty and looks worn enough that it could almost be vintage. This kind of look can also be achieved with a kantha cushion from Studio Ashby - the pink would be pretty lovely against the roses. I think the whole ensemble could probably use a grounding block colour to bring it all together - an olive could work. So far I’ve racked up quite a bill, which I will try to offset with this rich velvet one from John Lewis.
As we head into autumn, I'm embracing deep russet and ochre tones, rich velvets and crafty touches such as embroidered detailing and illustration. I've gone with a fairly affordable set of cushions (all but one are under £100), showing how easy an update it is to seasonally refresh your sofa. The designs span from the simple to the busy, creating a pleasing balance between them. I also think the pale linen one from Abask brings a nice lift to the selection alongside the heavier velvets. I could see the four square ones nestled together on the sofa, with the folky, embroidered M&S cushion and the charming sun face Tabby Booth cushion sitting towards the front. If you have a large sofa, the sweet patchwork velvet John Lewis cushion could join them, otherwise I would place this one on an armchair near to the sofa, to continue the scheme across the room.
A sofa is a big investment that you will keep for a long time, and if you have started to get bored of the sight of it, these cushions will give it a new visual identity. The neutral tones, combined with muted yellows, blues and reds, will pair nicely with all sorts of sofas, whether you have a white linen one, or a green velvet one.
My current sofa is a pale blue linen number, which looks lovely in the summer, but starts to feel a little cold and stark in the winter. To counter this, I'm looking to add some warm brown and burnt umber tones which will provide a pretty contrast to the cool blue background. I've long had my eye on The Trove's large oblong leopard cushion, which is made up of a Claremont fabric. This will form the centrepiece of my cushion selection. To the left of it, Village London's Guy Goodfellow's Olive Sacking cushion, to the right, Oka's Ocellus cushion. This combination should prevent things from feeling too matchy-matchy. To tie it all together, I'd buy a couple of Toast's velvet cushion covers in ‘Cassis’.
Over on my bed, I've opted for a similar palette, but with a slightly more crafted edge. The base of my set will be two of Village London's ‘Linen Frilly Monster’ cushions. These are designed to sit quite upright, against your headboard or bed frame, and in front of them I'll have two of Sézane's woven cushions. The crown jewel will be this Fine Cell Work cushion, designed by Neisha Crosland.
