7 GREAT WAYS TO CHOOSE AND USE THE PERFECT CUSHIONS FOR YOUR FAMILY SOFA

A 2/1/2 cushion arrangement on your sofa gives a pleasing visual symmetry. Think a large cushion in each corner offset by a slightly smaller one next to them with the smallest in the centre. This has the added bonus of making your room feel pulled together, and depending on fabric and colour choices, can add a lot of interest.

This does, of course, depend on the size of your sofa. It also depend on the general theme of your room. If you’re a maximalist with a love of soft furnishings, there can never be too many scatter cushions. But if you like clean lines and a feeling of space, too many sofa cushions can make your room feel cluttered and overdone. At zofa, we think three for a three seater and around six for a corner sofa is just right.

If your sofa cushions are a bit too perfect it can make the living space feel sterile and formal. And, for most families, this isn’t particularly viable. Arranging cushions on one side of the sofa in a group gives a more casual vibe, as can grouping more on one side and one on the other. Play around with your sofa and style to find what works best. Sometimes it’s as simple as starting out with an odd number of cushions, rather than a formally laid out symmetry.

Whether your room is muted and restrained or a dance of colours, there will definitely be the right colour cushion for you. Adding a pop of colour against a room decorated in tones of grey or beige can be just the thing to liven up the space.

Cushions are the ideal way to change the look of your room without having to completely repaint or redecorate. You can rejuvenate your worn in sofa or add more interest to a new piece. Switch up your cushions as the seasons change and bring a different feel to the room all year round.

Again this is entirely subjective, but we think that complementary colours can make a beautiful difference to a room. Harmonising colours doesn’t mean sticking to the same colour, but sticking to the same palette. This gives a co-ordinated and purposeful feel to the room. Or, you could choose to match shapes and patterns rather than colours. If you want something that really pops and draws the eye, then try mixing and matching patterns and colours. Remember that you can always change them later on anyway, so do some experimentation.

Let’s say you’ve just bought a mustard yellow sofa for your living room. It’s stylish and a bit different and you need to choose some cushions. We’d suggest finding some purple tones and interesting fabrics to really provide a contrast. This works particularly well if you have muted décor throughout the rest of the room. If you’d rather match tonally, then go for interesting fabrics and shapes in colours like taupe, yellow or browns. This can bring a real 70s glow to your sofa, or a more sophisticated palette to the room.

If you’d rather match tonally, then go for interesting fabrics and shapes in colours like taupe, yellow or browns. This can bring a real 70s glow to your sofa, or a more sophisticated palette to the room.

Where a neutral-coloured sofa has been bought you can easily add striking blocks of colour with scatter cushions. The beauty of this is that it allows you to keep things fresh or in keeping with your seasonal preferences.

Sofas are not just for looking good, of course, and we are big believers in making yours as comfortable as possible. The right kind of cushions can be used for napping, snuggling or propping the elbow while you’re relaxing in front of the TV. Perhaps they might go on the floor for the kids to lie on, or even cushion the family dog’s head while he snoozes.

Unless you have a sofa that is rarely used, your cushion choices have to factor in the realities of your sofa’s daily life. For example, Satin may not be the best choice for bigger families where the risk of spills are a little higher. Cushions never have to be perfectly placed, nor do they need to be plumped. Arrange them haphazardly and feel free to select different colours, patterns and textures. Use them to add some fun to the living space, without too much commitment and, above all, make sure they’re comfortable.