Throw Pillows & Throws

Pillows and throws are the fastest way to change how a room feels, and the easiest place for a room to look inexpensive. I choose natural fibers, generous inserts and quiet, considered pattern — pieces that finish a room instead of decorating it. Pillow sizes that look right. On a standard sofa, 22-inch square pillows read as generous and tailored; 20-inch suit smaller sofas and accent chairs. Deep sofas can take 24-inch pillows at the back with 20-inch or lumbar pillows layered in front. On a king bed, three 26-inch Euro shams behind standard pillows create a finished headboard line. Choosing the insert. A feather and down insert one to two inches larger than the cover gives a full, soft pillow that holds the classic chop. Down-alternative inserts suit allergy-sensitive households. A pillow that looks flat in photographs almost always has an insert the same size as its cover. Mixing pattern and texture. Combine one larger-scale pattern, one smaller pattern or stripe and one solid texture such as velvet, bouclé or linen. Repeat each color at least twice across the room. In quiet, neutral rooms, texture does the work pattern would do — wool, mohair and nubby linen add depth without noise. Throws for living and bedrooms. A throw should be large enough to actually use — roughly 50 by 60 inches or larger. Cashmere and merino are soft and warm; cotton and linen suit Charlotte's long warm season. Fold it loosely over a sofa arm or the foot of a bed rather than draping it perfectly.