These Throw Pillows Will Take Your Sofa From Fall To Winter
Is your house feeling a bit too chilly heading into the winter season this year? If so, you may need some cozy throw pillows to warm the place up. You can transition your sofa from fall to winter with confidence by decorating with a combination of wintry-inspired throw pillows we found just for you. We have put together our favorite plush accessories for you to spread across the sofa to add tons of character and plenty of warmth to your home during the colder months.
You can never have too many throw pillows, right? Every sofa, big and small, can benefit from having one, two, or a few. "Throw pillows are the perfect accessory to elevate your space. They can make your home look and feel comfier, and they help show off your personality," Tara Paquette, junior interior designer at Aspen & Ivy Interiors tells Real Simple. She also points out, "Although throw pillows are often used for aesthetics, their functionality and comfort [are] key."
Swapping out throw pillows when it's the cold season can be done on almost any budget and in any interior preference. Throw pillows in luxurious fabrics with textural elements can change the vibe in your winter living area, giving it a more snuggly feel all season long. Keep the chill outside and continue scrolling for the throw pillows your sofa is missing this winter.
Create contrast with a neutral-colored throw pillow base
Choosing throw pillows for your sofa can be a tough experience and perhaps not something you necessarily want to do with each new season. To minimize the strain on your wallet and prevent yourself from purchasing pillows every few months, select a base set of pillows that adheres to one color palette. To accomplish this, consider gathering pillows that follow a cohesive neutral color scheme. The limited color prevents the sofa from appearing overwhelmed and lends itself to staying styled all year long (via Joss & Main). If you're swapping out the fall throw pillows, don't say goodbye to all the autumn tones just yet. Some of the browns, taupes, whites, creams, beiges, and grays can stay — even for the winter.
Putting together a number of neutral color pillows is a key decorating aspect in order to transition any style sofa for a new look from fall to winter — and maybe even the entire year! According to Colin + Finn, an established base combination of neutral color throw pillows is the most versatile for a sofa as it's the easiest to blend with patterns, other accent colors, and textures. These muted tones lend themselves to be the easiest to mix and match with season after season. When creating a tonal palette of pillows for your sofa, keep the color of the upholstery in mind as you don't want the pillows to blend in so much that they're unnoticeable. For example, if you have a beige sofa try to avoid using all beige accent pillows. Instead, create a subtle contrast with pillows in hues of creamy white or a darker tan.
Add throw pillows with dimensional features
Now that you have established a neutral-colored throw pillow arrangement on the sofa, you're ready to add the next detail to make it winter chic. For this next throw pillow idea, let's have some fun with the design process and decorate with throw pillows that make you want to reach out and touch them! How exactly can you do that in your own home? Simply, by decorating with pillows that have dimensional and textural features on them. Include soft, dimensional finishes depending on your personal preferences to make these throw pillows stand out against the solid colors.
Invite moments of texture by playing with multiple tactile elements on the pillows, such as tassels, stitching, embroidery, and knitting. You can style your sofa with a chunky knit throw pillow similar to this one available at Walmart for bold visual texture against a smooth background. Throw pillows created with dimensional elements keep the sofa from looking flat and just as stark as winter. Don't hesitate to add several different variations of texture and pillow shapes. "Mixing in different textures is a good way to stick with a monochromatic or neutral palette, but still add some visual interest," Paula Gaull of New Leaf Redesign tells Mental Floss.
Purchase the Better Homes & Gardens Sweater Knit Decorative Square Pillow at Walmart for $15.48
Include lush velvet materials
As the weather cools outdoors, add plenty of soft textiles to make your indoors more welcoming. To prepare your couch for some chilly nights, it needs to have a few lush materials to keep you and your guests comfy and warm. There are not too many lux fabrics as iconic as velvet. Velvet is the very essence of cozy during the wintertime. When shopping for these plush accessories, the color obviously matters, but so does the material. There is more than one kind of velvet for you to choose from when decorating with throw pillows on the sofa at home.
According to The Kuotes, when picking a velvet material it comes down to the fabric style. Types could include crushed and embossed velvet that have the added details of a pattern. Velveteen and mohair options are both lower sheen options if you are looking for a matte look. And, if you'd really like to splurge, look into silk velvet or pile-on-pile velvet, two of the most luxurious types of the fabric.
Because throw pillows can add so much to a sofa, whether you prefer contemporary or vintage decor you should incorporate materials that enhance your interior design. Some pieces like this cotton velvet pillow cover available at Crate & Barrel can be a stylish and affordable choice to elevate the pillow display for the winter. Since it's just the cover, you can update the look by just covering an old insert for a fraction of the cost. Then, you can easily switch it out for a new cover in the spring. These covers take up much less storage space than traditional pillows, making them perfect options for seasonal rotations.
Purchase the Crate & Barrel Washed Cotton Velvet Throw Pillow Cover for $34.95
Include a bouclé fabric style
If you are not catching on yet by this point in the article, the popular trend this winter is texture. Here's another cushy material to consider for your seasonal winter sofa. If you really want to add a cozy feel, then you have to include a bouclé fabric pillow. While it can certainly stay out year-round, there is something about the fuzzy feeling that makes it extra special for winter. It's exactly the type of material that enhances the arrangement of throw pillows texturally and visually across the sofa.
Adding texture of various types is going to give your sofa an effortlessly styled appearance, especially if you stick with neutral hues. "Neutral, simple interiors require some diversity in textures," Gillian Segal, Canadian-based interior designer, tells Better Homes and Gardens. She points out, "Bouclé offers a range in texture while keeping in a neutral palette."
For added coziness include a bouclé-style throw pillow like this one available at Amazon to your assortment. This stylish accent material is one you can also have out on the sofa even before the temperatures begin to dip outside as it looks equally as cozy during autumn. Style your sofa with bouclé fabrics that make it easy for you to transition the decor from one season to the next.
Purchase the Domvitus Cream Bouclé Throw Pillow Cover for $16.99
Continue to layer in texture with a fur throw pillow
The texture you can actually see is just as important in a home as the actual texture you can feel. So this upcoming winter, add some visible texture to your pillow assortment on the sofa in your living room or den. Rather than stick to just one textural variety, try to add throw pillows of different fabric styles for a more personalized collection every winter. "One mistake I see frequently is going overboard on one trend," Lauren DeBello, interior designer and founder of Lauren DeBello Interiors, tells My Domaine. She suggests, "Make sure to bring in different textures and colors so that you don't overwhelm the space."
With a few tactile recommendations for the sofa already mentioned, you could consider adding a furry throw pillow to the lot for a little spice. Fur is not new to winter. People have been wearing fur accessories for a long time to stay warm during the cold months — so your sofa may as well too. For a lasting look, consider a two-toned faux fur pillow like this decorative one at Target to play off your other pillows. The furry throw pillow look can serve as a charming addition to any design theme from farmhouse to shabby chic, traditional, or ultra-modern.
Purchase the Threshold Oblong Ombre Faux Fur Decorative Throw Pillow for $20.00
Search for a decorative themed cushion
Go ahead and get into the season by letting your festive side unfold. Transition your sofa from fall to winter with seasonally-themed throw pillows. Find what part of the season you love most and adapt it to your home decor on the sofa in the living area to reflect it. Allow your personality to shine by selecting throw pillows that display a unifying motif. Consider iconic symbols like snowflakes, cardinals, snowmen, and foliage as stylish winter throw pillow themes.
Find pillows at your local stores or online retailers that fit any theme you're going for inside your space. Consider an untraditionally shaped pillow like this sherpa snowflake available from Pottery Barn for a unique representation and wintry touch. If the silhouette is too bold for your tastes, adapt the idea in a traditional way. You could add a set of snowflake embroidered pillows to the sofa that brings the beauty of winter right through your door. When you can't seem to locate what you're looking for, sew some pillow covers on your own with some festive-themed fabric. With the proper measurements, fabric, and sewing machine, you could be cheerfully crafting a pillow cover of your own (via The Make Your Own Zone). Decide which parts of the season you adore the most to include as a merry addition to the sofa.
Purchase the Sherpa Snowflake Shaped Pillow from Potter Barn for $69.50
Pillows with a basic plaid pattern
If the sofa in your living room area is still just missing something special, add a patterned pillow or two to it. You can warm up the sofa this winter with a traditional plaid-printed pillow and its close cousin, tartan. These fabrics are a staple in interiors, especially during the happiest time of year! You can add a criss-cross motif in any color variation you fancy to play off any furry, fuzzy, and velvety soft textures already there. These prints can totally set the mood on a long, cold night.
If you are thinking that plaid won't work in your space, think again. These classic prints can be styled on any sofa in all sorts of interior themes from the most traditional to the very eclectic. "The great thing about plaids is that you can combine them with any solid color to form a cohesive palette," says Lucy Akins, the blogger behind Craftberry Bush, tells Better Homes and Gardens.
Plaids are available in plenty of shades from deep hunter greens and bold reds, to neutral browns, tans, and creams. Get into the winter spirit with a plaid throw pillow like this one at World Market. Whether subtle or bold, plaid printed pillows can spruce up any sofa as you transition the decor from fall to winter.
Purchase the World Market Red and Ivory Faux Fur Throw Pillow for $34.99
Include pillows for lumbar support
One way to get your sofa ready for the colder months is by adding pillows that are made up of different shapes. Curate your sofa's aesthetic this winter by adding lumbar pillows into the mix. Most throw pillows are traditionally square, making the addition of a rectangular shape stimulating to the eye when used in combination across a couch. Lumbar pillows are for more than just looks too. They provide all the lower back support necessary while still maintaining style, and they are especially beneficial on deep sofas and sectionals.
You can style these uniquely-shaped throw pillows completely solo, by placing them in front of a few square ones, or with another lumbar pillow. One Affirmation suggests that if you do decide to decorate with more than one elongated-shaped pillow on the couch, be mindful of the pillow's size in order to achieve a proper visual. For a balanced pillow display, select lumbar pillows that are proportionate to your seating arrangement at home. They come in a selection of sizes to carry your sofa from fall to winter. A great option is this lumbar pillow by Studio McGee at Target for a seasonally festive feel with tassel details.
Purchase the Threshold designed with Studio McGee Embroidered Christmas Tree Lumbar Pillow for $30.00
A few bold pops of color
The winter months are typically dreary and bitter — your sofa shouldn't be! Even in the winter, a couch needs a little bit of color. When styling the sofa, try to include at least one cushion with a little flare. "If you have a neutral-colored sofa like gray or cream, it's super fun to get a few bold-colored throw pillows (or pillow covers) that you can rotate seasonally! A pop of purple, pomegranate, or teal? Why not," Joe Cangelosi of Joe Cangelosi Design tells The Zoe Report. He adds, "This allows you to change the feel of a room in seconds, and not break the budget! [An] 18 to 20-inch square is a good size. Have some fun mixing and matching. Maybe coordinate with a new comfy blanket?"
When the seasons start to change and temperatures outside begin to drop, it often means more folks are spending more of their downtime at home — right on the sofa. This season of the year is typically a good time to switch things up on the inside of your home for a whole new look and feel, so you're comfortable and cozy all winter long. Warm up the interior by transitioning your sofa's decor with throw pillows in new patterns, materials, shapes, and themes. With the inspirations you read right here in this article, you can confidently take any sofa in any house from fall to winter this year. Happy styling!