How to Dress a Sofa with a Throw...
Placing a throw on a sofa sounds easy-peasy, but it just isn’t! It can make the room look a mess or just wrong if not styled carefully. The more casual it looks, the harder it is to place.
We are going to look at five successful ways to style your throw so that it looks incredible. From being neatly folded on the seat or arm of your couch, to the ultra casual draped over the back. There are several ways to dress your sofa using a throw. So take a look below as we step through how to get that perfect look.
All pictures shown below are solely for illustrative purposes.
Neat & Tidy
This is an understated look which gives a serene feel and is very easy to achieve. It is best to use a thinner fabric such as organic cotton or cashmere for a touch of luxury. Fold the throw into 3 vertically, then in half on the horizontal. Fold it over the back of the sofa and tuck it into the seat cushion. Make sure it is straight! It can be placed in the middle or offset. This works best with minimal or no cushions on the couch. Alternatively it can just be placed on the seat cushion, tucked in at the back and front depending on your type of sofa. If it has legs it looks good hanging over the edge.
Over the arm (1)
This works best with a smaller throw. The size will depend on how big your sofa arms are. Fold into 3 on the vertical and drape over the arm of the sofa, extending slightly over the seat cushion. If there is a fringe or tassels these should be displayed on the overhang. This looks effective with a contrasting cushion placed on top.
Over the arm (2)
This over the arm style is a more relaxed version of the one above. It looks great here using a contrasting color to the sofa and a mix of cushion tones and textures. Simply fold once on the horizontal, pinch the middle and drape over the arm. Tassels and fringes look particularly effective.
The Waterfall
This is similar to Neat and Tidy but the throw extends along the seat cushion. Fold into 3 vertically and simply drape your throw over the back, down the front of the back cushion, and down onto the seat. You can have it just sitting over the seat cushion edge or down to the floor (but not onto it). If you are going for contrasting colors this makes quite a statement and would suit a high drama palette.
The Flip & Toss
This is the look for ultimate comfort and is best dressed with lots of contrasting, textural cushions. Take a throw with a soft handle, faux fur, velvet or soft wool, fold in half vertically then hold it on the fold, in the middle. Toss it to the back corner of the sofa. The quicker the better and it should land beautifully draped. Place as many cushions as there is room for and you will never want to get up again!
Dressing a L-Shaped Sofa
A throw placed on the end of an L-shaped sofa, invites you to stretch out and watch that favorite film. It can be folded neatly in thirds then placed so that there are equal lengths on either side, or as shown here, a more relaxed look with the drape extending on to the floor.
How to Choose the Perfect Throw
With such a huge array of throws to choose from, it can be quite overwhelming to decide what to go for. What look do you wish to achieve? Cozy and warm, smart and sophisticated? Are you bold with color or prefer a muted palette?
If you feel unsure, begin by keeping the same color as the sofa but try a shade lighter or darker in a different material. If you have a linen sofa, try pure new wool with a relief pattern. If you have a velvet finish, go for a silk throw and cotton cushions in complementary shades.
The current trend for Organic Minimalism lends itself beautifully to dressing your sofa, and it is virtually foolproof. Here’s our two step guide:
- Take one or two neutral colors from a natural palette
- Mix up the textures.
Like we said, it truly is a foolproof process!
