Accessorizing with throw pillows is one of the easiest ways to inject style into your living room, family room, or bedroom. And since there are so many affordable, beautiful scatter cushions available, it's a shame to play it safe with just two or three solid-coloured scatter cushions—or worse, to limit yourself to the set that came with your couch.

 

The first thing to remember is that your pillows don't have to match. In fact, you can achieve a more professional, stylish look if they don't. If you're not comfortable with your ability to choose scatter cushions, the following tips will help you mix and match fresh patterns and/or colours, allowing you to quickly refresh your room and your couch with a look that is coordinated but not matchy-matchy.

 

There are a lot of different ways to mix and match throw pillows, and it's true—sometimes it does take a practiced eye to do so successfully. It is possible, though, for room in which no two scatter cushions match another in colour, pattern or style to still look incredibly polished and modern.

 

If you don't have the time or inclination to experiment or shop that much, the rule of three is the perfect formula to guide your choices and simplify the process. The upside is that you are almost guaranteed to love the final look.

 

First, choose a "colour story or colour pallet" to follow for your scatter cushion selection. It's best to use three different colours pulled from other sources in your room, such as the wall colour, the rug, your bedding or the curtains. If you choose a variety of accent pillows in different patterns, the look will still be cohesive if they at least share the same colours.

 

A few examples of colour combinations that always look great together

 Dark blue + deep red + pink
Deep red + orange + deep green
Magenta + violet + mustard yellow
Dark green + gold + magenta
 

You can also mix and match three different patterns, as long as each pattern incorporates at least one of the colours in the three-color story you have chosen. It's often simpler to choose your "lead" pattern first, which is generally the largest pattern and the one that contains all three colours in your colour pallet. Then, the secondary patterns you select can contain just one or two of the colours. It's considerably more difficult to work backward, choosing a lead pattern by using scatter cushions you already have.

 

Here is one of our favourite combinations

 

One floral + one geometric + one solid colour
 

It's important to think of the scale of your patterns when following the Rule of Three because you don't want your patterns to compete with each other. Instead, choose patterns in three different scales, allowing one pattern to dominate.

 

Your lead pattern should be the largest pattern of the bunch, followed by a medium-sized print, such as a striped pattern. The third pattern, then, should be the most subtle, such as a solid colour in an interesting texture.

 

Now that you know the Rule of Three, we should also say that all rules are made to be broken—especially in design! If you start mixing and matching your selection of stunning throw pillows following the formula outlined here only to find that four colours work best for you, or that you like two large patterns instead of only one, that's okay. Ultimately, it's only important that you like what you see, so use this Rule of Three only as a point for guidance. You'll see stylish results if you follow the formula, but you need not be afraid to experiment until you find the combination that suits you, your style and your home interiors.

 

Once you master the Rule of Threes, also consider these other principles used by room designers:

 

Odd numbers look modern: When arranging your scatter cushions, keep in mind that for a modern look, odd numbers work best—think again of three, or five. In most design aesthetics, odd numbers always look more artful, and remember that a smaller number of larger pillows looks fresher than a jumble of smaller ones.

 

Even numbers look traditional: For a balanced look that features symmetry, especially on your bed or couch, an even number of similar pillows, such as two or four, looks clean and orderly.

 

Fill matters: When shopping for scatter cushions, consider the fill and how it will affect the appearance. All Leather Gallery scatter cushionsare handmade in South Africa and have been filled with premium quality feathers to ensure comfort and a fabulous look.

 

Mix textures, too: Pattern and colour mixing is important, but texture should not be overlooked. Play with the juxtaposition of smooth and rough, soft and fuzzy. Think about faux fur, and velvet, linen, knit wools, and tasselled accents. If you keep your colour and pattern theme in play, you can get creative with touch and feel.