Not a Scatter-Brain Approach
It is often true that some of the most organically styled spaces have actually been deeply considered to make them appear so effortless on the surface. A well-dressed sofa follows the same logic. You don't get there by merely throwing a few cushions on and calling it a day. There's method to the madness of a good scatter cushion look.
Scatter cushions are the last piece of the puzzle that can tie the whole space together. They are an easy element to swap out when you tire of them, or can be changed out in an instant when you want to give your room a refresh. Your cushions should be a complimentary addition to your space, an extension of your personality, and expression of your taste.
1. Considering Your Colours
The key piece advice you will hear from every interior designer is to work in layering. This means you should be introducing a mixture of colours, textures, patterns and materials. Scatter cushions are a very accessible way of achieving this, with so much variety on offer. At NiX we find our signature checks and stripes are a popular choice of fabric for scatter cushions, with the bold patterns creating an energetic and exciting interior.
"The more contrast you have, the more energy and dynamism you can create."
If your sofa is in a more subdued fabric colour, your cushions can be the colour splash that brings it to life. Plain upholstery is a canvas for going a little wilder with the cushions, and gives you the freedom to keep changing things up with the colours or patterns you pick.
If you are struggling to understand what colours will work in your space the best rule of thumb is to use the concept of referencing. If you've got a bit of one colour on a rug, on your drapery, the base of your accent lighting, or even the dominant colours in a piece of artwork, any of those colours can be referenced in your other decor and cushions to pull a scheme together. The colours you use don't need to be an exact match. Alternatively, you can compliment the dominant colours in your space e.g. mustard yellows work nicely with deep blues, or turquoises alongside burnt orange. If in doubt, a pale hue on a darker hue of the same colour is an easy and effective way to add in some tonal variation.
2. Selecting Your Sizes
Big is safe when it comes to scatter cushions. When a cushion is too small for a sofa it immediately looks out of place. Larger sofas need larger cushions to maintain a balanced sense of scale and visual weight. For a plumper more luxurious sofa, again, bigger cushions are best. Scatter cushions can be used to fill out the empty space of a sofa to create something inviting that you want to melt into when you sit down to decompress.
At this point it may sound like all you need are Goliath cushions, but as is true with all principles of interior design, having balance is vital. Set your largest cushions at the back of the sofa, and bring in the smaller cushions to the front. Asymmetry is your friend too. A mismatch of shapes as well as sizes helps to create a more organic and natural aesthetic when you are dressing your upholstery.
3. Knowing the Number
Finally, there is the matter of how many. It's hard to put a formula on this, and it's largely a matter of what feels right. When it's for your home, don't compromise on what is comfortable or convenient. Any more than two layers of cushions deep is probably overdoing it. Odd numbers will look more natural, even, more organised. At the end of the day the luxury with scatter cushions is that they are easy to change up, to add a few more, or take a few away.
In Summary...
It is often true that some of the most organically styled spaces have actually been deeply considered to make them appear so effortless on the surface.
- Don't feel you have to over think it.
- Don't paralyse yourself with choice - you can change things up whenever you want, your cushion arrangements are not set in stone
- And most importantly, at the end of the day, rules are made to be broken. Scatter cushions are a chance to have fun with your sofa, dress it up, experiment, and find a selection that works for you.
