Despite what a lot of people think, the task of choosing throw pillows for your home does not entail picking the ones that vaguely match your taste.

There are principles of design that go into picking throw pillows that suit the overall palette of the room perfectly. After all, having the right pillows can make or break your design. So, it stands to reason that you should know what goes into picking the perfect styles and even the perfect shapes!

Here, with some help from Libby Langdon, author and indoor/outdoor designer extraordinaire, we’ve compiled a few simple details to make choosing throw pillows all the easier!

Here’s What You Need to Know

Size and Shapes

In terms of aesthetic, each type of pillow has its own function:

• Square: Quite common in interior and exterior design, found in numerous small and large, the square pillow is often used in design, especially for patios can is the easiest shape to find covers and replacement covers for.
• Round: Less common than the square pillow but still popular the round pillow is meant to create balance between various shapes of pillows.
• Bolster: Long and cylindrical shaped, these types of pillows are usually commonly for beds and are meant to prop up your back or your arms against.
• Lumbar: Rectangular shaped and designed for back support, these oblong pillows are typically used for decorative purposes.

Fabric

Of course, given how popular pillows are, you’ll find them in almost any type of fabric you need such as linen, wool, fur, faux fur and velvet. But for outdoor pillows, we’d suggest that you go with a poly-blend, something that’s specifically designed for outdoor use. Waterproof and weatherproof, these pillows last a lot longer than your average pillow cover and can definitely be an investment for your patio design.

Buying Tips for Outdoor Accent Pillows

–         Do not stray from Your Chosen Color Palette

Contrasting colors in pillows do not work as well as you’d hope. Beautiful they may be, but with the outdoor patio look already so overwhelming, you want to create some balance in the overall design by choosing just one shade and having all your pillows be of the same color.

–         Make the Arrangement Symmetrical

Symmetry is important in life and in your choice of throw pillows! When layering different designs, things can end up looking messy. You want to get away from the chaotic look and make things more symmetrical, so they look polished. The eye should move from the biggest to the smallest pillow, with the smallest on the inside of the furniture, with the larger pillows framing the whole look.

–         Follow the Power of Three

The rule states: one solid print, one big and one small. The larger print can be on the largest pillow of the bunch, and shouldbe placed at the center, with the smaller prints on either side with the solid colors for support.

–         Go for Balance

Remember, while pillows are decorative, their primary function is to provide comfort, so try not to go overboard. You don’t want to add so many throw pillows to youroutdoor patio furniture that there’s not enough space to even sit.

Buy Outdoor Pillows Online

With these basic principles, you should have no trouble finding the best outdoor accent pillows to give your patio a gorgeous look. Buy from PatioHQ and ask us if you need any help!