Traditional-Size Sofas: Throw Pillow Sizing & Arrangement Guide

Traditional-size sofas generally range from 72 to 89 inches wide.

Square Throw Pillow Sizing Recommendations:

Lumbar Pillow Sizing Recommendations:

Statement Long Lumbar Pillow Sizing Recommendations:

The length of statement long lumbar pillows depends on how many square pillows are on the sofa and how wide the sofa is. For visual appeal and comfort, you might want to leave some sofa showing between the end pillows and the long lumbar.

Throw Pillow Quantity and Arrangement

The right pillow quantity is personal and varies greatly. Some people feel that less is more and prefer to have one square pillow at each end of the sofa. This is good if you prefer a simple, uncluttered look. However, you might find this is not as comfortable as two square pillows at each end of the sofa. Additional pillows provide comfort as well as the opportunity to bring in more colors, patterns, and textures.

Whether the addition of lumbar pillows works well for you really depends on how your sofa is used and how comfortable the lumbar pillows are. 

See our Throw Pillow Cover & Insert Sizing Recommendations, Pillow Insert Sizing Guide and Pillow Insert Type Guide to ensure all of your pillows are stuffed properly to provide the look you want as well as the comfort you crave. 

For more arrangement tips and helpful diagrams read our blog post: Traditional-Size Sofas: Pillow Arrangement.

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Tips for Throw Pillow Arrangement on Sofas of All Sizes

Pillows provide comfort as well as the opportunity to bring more colors, patterns, and textures into your space. When mixing patterns, remember to vary the scale of the pattern. Textures are a great way to add interest without overwhelming your space with too many patterns.

When you layer throw pillows, the largest pillows need to be in the back. However, you can layer pillows of the same size; they do not have to be stair-stacked. For example, a 20x20 inch pillow could have either a 20x20 inch or a 22x22 inch pillow behind it. We recommend a two-inch difference in pillow size when layering differently sized pillows.

Regardless of the size of the sofa, pillows smaller than 20x20 inches tend to look skimpy. If you choose to go smaller, 18x18 inches is as small as we recommend should go.

Lumbar pillows layer well with square pillows since they allow more of the pattern of square pillows to be seen. As with square pillows, you need to be careful on sizing lumber pillows. Lumbar pillows smaller than 12x20 inches tend to look insufficient and can be uncomfortable. 

Lumbar pillows are a cost-effective option when you want to use high-end designer fabrics because they typically require less yardage than square throw pillows. 

Our goal is for you to know how to mix and match couch pillows with ease—whether you're shopping our made-to-order designer throw pillow cover collection, having custom throw pillows made, or using what you already have to enhance the comfort and style of your home. 

Already have fabric you love? 
→ With our Custom Throw Pillows Made with Your Fabric or Ours service, we make throw pillows using your own fabric.

→ Learn about our Bring Your Own Fabric service where you can bring your own materials (fabric, trim, or pillows inserts) to have custom throw pillows made—known as Customer’s Own Materials (COM) in the design industry.

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Check out our blog for useful articles on decorative throw pillow arrangement, throw pillow sizing, and pillow insert selection or Get in Touch for personalized assistance.