Envision the scene: the Christmas tree is fully trimmed. The mantle is decked with brightly light Christmas greenery, complete with twinkle lights, Christmas ribbon, and ornaments.
A wreath is on the wall above the fire, and around the room are scattered decorative elements including wall decor, resin Christmas figurines, and more.
The scene is perfect - almost.
Is the scene set with Christmas pillows and throws? If not, it’s time to get to work! Pillows (and throws) can make a scene feel (and actually be) cozier, and can also create a sense of harmonious alignment with the overall theme.
Here are our best suggestions for how to decorate with Christmas pillows with a bit of wit and wisdom thrown in! If you see a design that you absolutely LOVE but it’s out of stock, sign up for the restock notifications! We’ll be getting more product in a few weeks and you’ll absolutely want to be in the know when these incredibly popular products arrive!
How and Where Do I Arrange Christmas Pillows?
The obvious place to arrange Christmas pillows is on your home’s seating - your couches, sofas, loveseats, and recliners. Even a wooden chair or a rocker would look nice with a small accent pillow!
And, the best part is you have so much flexibility here with how you choose to arrange your Christmas pillows. There really are no wrong ways, and there are so many right ways.
If you’re only decorating with one throw pillow, put it in a prominent place. Either center it on a couch or right in the middle of a chair that serves as a focal point.
If you’re thinking about decorating with two or even more, you can get more creative with how you arrange them.
Christmas pillows look great when they are staggered in size. Too much symmetry can actually be jarring. Consider staggering Christmas pillows at the corners of sofas, with larger pillows in the back and smaller pillows nestled in front.
Another popular technique is to take three pillows - two of the same and one as a centerpiece; place the two corresponding pillows in the corners of a sofa with the smaller one in the middle.
While many of our pillows are designed to grace our other textiles on seating arrangements, you’re not limited by that. Consider our “North Pole” pillow, which can be used not only in seating but even placed above a mantle.
As in all areas of Christmas decorating, be sure to align the elements of your Christmas pillows in terms of color and decoration. You want your colors and your other accents, such as trim and metallic elements, to work together.
A Note on Harmony
When decorating with Christmas pillows, keep in mind that decoration does not need to be limited to pillows.
Two great ways to create a sense of balance are by decorating with Christmas throws and stockings that look great with your pillows.
While stockings conventionally look best over the mantle, you can use throws on your couches and sofas by draping them over ottomans, over the back of the couch, or even just by throwing them across the seat - that is where the name comes from, after all.
Decoration doesn’t need to be limited to textiles, either. There are a million and one ways to create a sense of thematic harmony with your pillows, throws, stockings, and other decorations.
How Many Christmas Pillows Should I Place on a Sofa?
How many Christmas pillows you will need on a sofa or couch really depends on the size of both.
It depends on what feels cozy to you. On a two-seater like a loveseat, anywhere from one to three pillows will usually work—one accent pillow and two neutral or patterned pillows.
On a three-seater, anywhere from two to five will work, depending on how you arrange them.
If you have an L-sectional, three to five usually also work well, but you can also usually get away with more if you like.
What Size Christmas Pillows Should I Use?
That also depends on the size and height of the couch. In general, though, both large and small Christmas pillows of nearly any size can work on any sofa if you stagger them.
As a general rule, though, it looks best when you put larger pillows behind smaller pillows or flank the ends of seating arrangements with larger pillows, nestling smaller accent pillows or pillow rolls in the middle.
The Power of Pillow Wraps
Got a bunch of pillows that are decidedly not Christmas-themed? You can convert them with tastefully chosen pillow wraps, then stash the wraps with the rest of your Christmas decorations at the end of the year!
To Chop or Not to Chop
If you’ve never practiced this before, it’s a great way to give pillows dimension and give them a “finished, lived around” look.
Basically, to chop a pillow, you fluff the whole pillow out and then give the middle section of the top edge a short, sharp “chop” to press it inward, resulting in a popped out midsection and two “horns.”
As stated, it completes the look of the setting and draws more focus to the pillows as decorative elements.
What Other Decorative Elements Should I Include in the Setting?
There are lots of decorative elements you can use to make your Christmas pillows pop, and which will work beautifully together. Some of the best of these are:
- Christmas ribbon patterned or colored similarly to your pillows, and incorporated in the tree or other Christmas greenery, will look wonderful.
- Christmas ornaments that reflect the predominant color and sheen of your pillows will also create a sense of balance and harmony.
- Resin figurines and wall art in similar colors and patterns to your pillows will add depth and dimension to any space, as well as a sense of cohesion.
- And naturally throws, blankets, and stockings that agree with your pillows will also look wonderful together.
- Your Christmas tree’s skirt is another element that will look so much better when aligned with the overall vision of your interior by meshing with your throws and pillows.
Creating Your Best (and Coziest) Christmas EVER with a Little Help from Decorator’s Warehouse
Once you’re done with the tree, garlands, wreaths, and lights, you can turn your attention to the rest of the room and round out the whole setting with some carefully chosen Christmas pillows - and Decorator’s Warehouse is here to help you do it.
Take a good look through our whole catalog of Christmas textiles and when your vision is complete, share it on your socials with #dwchristmas for a chance to be featured!