In previous articles I’ve talked a lot about arranging cushions in groups, and it’s time to change gears. This time I’m going to take a look at the ever popular “alternating cushions” approach to styling your sofa with cushions.
In its simplest form, this involves having 2 cushion fabrics, starting at one end of the sofa, and alternating the 2 cushions styles along the length of the sofa. Usually they’re at least a little overlapped along the way, and generally you end with the same type of cushion you started with.
Some popular cushion pairings are mixing a patterned cushion with a plain in a matching colour, two plain colours, or even alternating shapes or textures. It’s up to you which one appeals to you the most.
If you think this first option is a bit too regimented, that you can begin at both ends of the sofa, layering one cushion on top of the other as you move towards the centre of the sofa or creating small groups. With this style it’s common to have a single cushion in a 3rd colour, shape or size placed at the centre point.
If you want to take it up a notch, instead add a matching throw across the back of the sofa, draping down into the central point. This way you can add a burst of colour, or some extra height and interest if the overall effect is looking a bit stilted.
And if you really want to go crazy, you can use similar but not identical cushions in matching places of the design to stimulate interest. So get some cushions and start playing!