Get scattered in your design
SHOWCASE YOUR PERSONALITY: LIVEN UP YOUR HOME WITH WELL-PLACED CUSHIONS
Keep a neutral palette with the big stuff, like curtains and furniture, then start adding colour.
When decorating it’s always advisable to spend the bulk of your budget on quality items that last, such as the sofa and curtains, and to stick to neutral shades. Then bring in style and excitement with accessories.
This is where scatter cushions come in. They are one of the easiest ways to make a room look more inviting, introduce on-trend colour and most importantly, give it your personality.
Many of the décor chain stores offer reasonably priced scatter cushions and some give you the option of buying just the cover.
Unless you’re starting out, you don’t need to buy new inners (especially if you invest in good ones) every time you update them.
If you can’t find the design you’re looking for in stores, browse through fabric showrooms and have the covers custom-made.
SIZE MATTERS
Scatter cushions should be in proportion to the chair, sofa or bed they sit on.
For large, deep sofas, 60 x 60cm looks good.
On smaller, more upright sofas and chairs, 55 x 55cm or 50 x 50cm is a better option as they’ll give you space to sit.
For an extra-wide sofa, you could place two or three square cushions at either end with a rectangular 60 x 40cm scatter in the centre.
INNER BEAUTY
The secret to plump, luxurious-looking cushions is the inner. Here it’s worth investing in quality products. Cheap foam inners tend to look flat and sad very quickly.
Decorators usually prefer down inners. Although expensive, they are the only inners that can be given the stylish decorator “chop” at the top.
But you do have to plump them up regularly. If you prefer something that holds its shape, look for good quality synthetic inners.
PERFECT PLACEMENT
On sofas, an equal number of scatters on either side always looks good, but you could mix it up with two on one side and three on the other.
This is where you can have some fun. Experiment and trust your eye to tell you when the composition looks balanced and pleasing.
For beds with large, bold headboards, you’ll need two to three 60 x 60cm scatters to create a balanced composition.
Then, draw the eye with a contrasting, slightly smaller rectangular cushion in the centre.
PATTERN PLAY
Enhance the effect by combining scatter cushions in different patterns and textures. But keep to a theme or colour scheme.
When planning a grouping, keep in mind that if there are too many large patterns, they’ll end up “fighting” each other.
Offset a “hero” design, such as a large floral or bold geometric, with scatters in a subtle pattern or stripe.
FLIPPING EASY
There’s no rule that says you must use the same fabric on both sides of the cushion cover.
Get more for your money with, for instance, a floral on one side and a neutral stripe or plain on the other. This way you can splurge on an expensive import on one side and use a budget-friendly fabric on the other.
Where the two fabrics join, make sure the two halves complement each other.
If you stick to the same tones, use a cool-looking fabric on one side for summer and a warmer, richer fabric on the other for winter, so all a seasonal update requires is flipping it over.
PRACTICAL MATTERS
Don’t overdo it. There’s nothing worse than not having space to sit on an armchair or sofa.
In bedrooms, leave room in the cupboard so you can put them away when you go to bed or place an ottoman at the end of the bed.