Khanyi MlabaHow you combine and arrange scatter cushions can make or break an interior scheme. We asked Marc Shotland, sales and marketing director at Home Fabrics, for his advice.
Colourful minimalism
A good look for contemporary interiors is colour blocking. On a neutral sofa, introduce and arrange scatter cushions in plain bold colours. Here, green and blue velvet cushions look rich and vibrant, and the overall look is very slick and sophisticated. Depending on the size of your sofa, you can either balance the scatters with two on either side, or to create some interest, place two on one side and one on the other. Scatters in Luscious, Apple and Cobalt.
READ MORE: How to create a striking colour scheme
Clean cut
Pattern on pattern is very on-trend at the moment. The zigzag wallpaper here inspired the use of geometric patterns for the scatter cushions. Choosing the same pattern for all of them prevents the effect from being too busy. If the bed is quite wide, then instead of a square cushion in the middle, have one made in a rectangular shape, which will be more in proportion to the width. Scatters in Osborne & Little Cubiste Fantasque.
READ MORE: View a clean-lined home + house plan
Going glam
If it’s a glamorous look you’re after, black and gold is a classic combo. Here, scatter cushions in fabrics with a sheen were chosen to enhance this. Stripes and geometrics in a similar scale work well with the patterned wallpaper. The gold has been carried through to the ottoman and tabletop accessories. The yellow scatters are in Marshall Alchemillia, the charcoal scatter is in Frith Noir, and the pale scatter is in Ganton Alchemillia, all from Berwick Fabrics at Designers Guild.
READ MORE: Design a kitchen that suits your style
Monochrome magic
Make a monochromatic scheme more exciting with a mix of patterns. The bold stripe and chevron work well together as their designs are more or less the same size. They’re offset with a more subtle geometric. Fade- and UV-resistant fabrics are essential when decorating an outdoor living area. Scatters from left to right: Leisure Onyx, Interior Zebra and Resort Liquorice, all from the UV Pro Inside Out Collection.
Subtle interest
In a bedroom, a fun idea is to combine one in a ‘hero’ pattern with two plains in colours taken from the feature fabric. This arrangement doesn’t look too matchy and lends itself to a number of interesting configurations. In this bedroom, the wallpaper already provides a lot of detail so while the effect is decorative, it’s not too busy. Plain scatters in Velvet Punch Amigo, Petal and Aluminium, patterned scatter in Jardin Des Plantes Issoria Zinc, all from Designers Guild.
More is more
If you’re worried about mixing patterns, here’s proof that bold is better. With a vibrant striped wallpaper, you would think that plains would be the right choice but instead two bold designs hold their own against the striped wallpaper creating a very exciting effect. Rear scatter in Pellenport Montracy Rouge, front scatter in Pellenport Valetta Peacock, both by William Yeoward for Designers Guild.
CUSHION TIPS
Inners
The best effect is achieved with goose feather inners as they can be plumped up nicely and also give good support if used as a back cushion.
Sizes
For single chairs, 60 x 30cm cushions are ideal. Small and medium size sofas, try 50 x 50cm scatters. Large sofas and beds, 60 x 60cm is perfect.
Shapes
Scatter cushions don’t necessarily have to all be exactly the same shape and size. For most large sofas, you can apply the 2:1:2 rule. This is two square on the left, one small rectangular cushion in the centre and two squares on the right. To make a statement on a double bed, but without adding extra clutter, use a single large
120 x 60cm rectangular cushion in the centre in front of the pillows.
Placement
For a classic look, stick to symmetry with an even number of cushions on either side. For something more eclectic and relaxed, use an odd number in different shapes and sizes. Don’t be afraid to combine different patterns and textures as these can enhance the effect.
