Cushion Styling That Will Make Your House A Home

I am the first to admit that I have a cushion addiction – I can’t get enough. My favourite thing is cushion styling, adding a pop of colour or a texture here and there throughout the living room or on a well-made bed. It makes me so happy.

In this week’s blog post I share my recommendations for styling your home using cushions from how to make them look good, to how best to coordinate colours and patterns.

Cushions are one of the simplest ways to transform a room and inject it with a sense of personality and style because they come in different sizes, shapes, prints and colours.

How to style a room with cushions?

When choosing cushions for a living room I usually start by looking at the colour palette of the room. What artwork do you have, and what colour are the walls, light fittings, and furniture coverings?

If you’re going for a neutral colour to create a coastal vibe then typically your base colours will lean towards more natural tones. If the couch or sofa is white like our Crafted 3-seater sofas then you can have fun with the cushions you choose and add different textures, patterns, and warmer colour tones to bring to life the beachy theme.

For example, I’ve used the Ava Sofa in a customised fabric called Feather Grey and paired it with two Forest Song Sea Moss cushions from Pony Rider. I love to mix patterns making these reversible covers ideal. To add warmth and texture I’ve thrown in the Alby cushion in Eucalypt by L & M Home and the long Modern siesta sack cushion for juxtaposition. This results in a cool, serene coastal look. To complete this living room, I would choose the new Aland Stripe rug by Dash & Albert for cool coastal vibes.

Now compare the same Ava Sofa paired with Pony Rider’s Highlander Nutmeg and Lil Ancestors Way cushion covers as well as their long rectangular striped Little Safari cushion covers in golden tan, for a warmer vintage-inspired look. I would also add the Willow throw to top off this style.

Don’t forget to think about scale. If you have a large couch, then you need to make sure your cushions don’t get lost. Personally, I believe the larger cushions are better and have been known to add a European pillowcase-sized cushion in the mix. But remember, wherever you decide to put your cushions, make sure they are still functional and comfortable and that you can still sit down!!

How do you coordinate cushions?

When choosing how to coordinate your cushions I recommend looking for complementary colours and/or textures. If there’s embroidery in a particular colour then I might choose to highlight that colour in the second cushion. You can see this in the vintage-inspired mood board where the chocolate brown embroidery on the Lil Ancestors Way cushion is repeated in the rug and striped cushions.

Fabric choice comes into play here too. I like to pair lightweight cushion covers with heavy ones to add depth rather than having them all the same. You could try a textured boucle cover with light linen for example. Love.

Cushion arrangement is also crucial. Place the cushions, slightly tilted, on opposite ends of the couch. For an effective arrangement, use complementary colours as mentioned before, and remember to stay on theme with your living room and bedroom furniture.

How do I make my cushions look good?

My tip for making your cushions look good is to always choose good-quality inners.

While feather or down inners are super comfortable you might find yourself constantly needing to fluff your cushions back into shape.

Foam is probably the most popular and used for furniture because it is high density, making it comfortable and durable. The two most popular types are memory foam and the high-density polyurethane. Memory foam cushions are very comfortable and have so many health benefits, but they are not waterproof. High-density polyurethane is commonly used for indoor cushions and is super durable and resilient.

Hollow fibre cushion inners have an airy and springy feel making them very popular for bedding and cushions. Polyester is used most often but if you’re looking for better quality, opt for hollow fibre using cotton threads. Like feathers, hollow fibre cushions can lose their shape over time.

My choice is a down/foam blend when it comes to cushion styling as the feathers provide softness and comfort while the foam gives the cushion more firmness and structure.

Now, once you’ve chosen your inner and your cushion cover, a final recommendation for making your cushions part of your home is to make them look inviting. Use a 'karate chop' in the middle of the cushions to create a crease in them – this will make them seem more lived in and loved. This technique will also help to break up uniform shapes and unite cushions of different textures, colours, scales or families.

Our Cranmore Home & Co curated collection of designer homewares not only provides a comfortable and cosy feel to your living space but adds a final touch of class to make your house truly feel like a home. SHOP Designer Cushions in Australia here.