Design
Styling Struggles: Here Are 7 Ways To Style Pillows On A Corner Sectional (It’s Not As Straightforward As You Might Think)
Many of the posts on this blog are born from trying to find solutions to our own home conundrums. And when you move out of a place that was fairly dialed in and start almost completely over again with new pieces, design doubts and insecurities can quickly settle in. For me at the moment, I was struggling with how to arrange the pillows on my corner sectional.
Before acquiring my Sabai corner sectional, I had a chaise sectional, which, in my opinion, was fairly straightforward because you could pop the pillows on, similar to how you would a standard sofa. You had two corners, and that’s where the pillows went. But with a corner sectional, you have two normal sides where the sofa arms are, and then one extra deep, very sharp 90-degree corner in the center that’s tough to figure out. At least for me. Every night when we went to tidy up the couch, I struggled with how to place the pillows, never happy with where I landed. In all honesty, though, that frustration paralyzed me, and I didn’t do the very simple thing we recommend around these parts to all the readers: Style, play, every day.
I was afraid to play around with what I had. Try new combinations, take away, add in, move around. Was I scared to make something ugly? I already didn’t like what I had going, so who cares if it got worse? If it got better, then I succeeded.
Part of the problem is that all the pillow covers are old, and for a previous sofa in a completely different color (cobalt blue). I haven’t totally nailed down my palette, so I haven’t gotten any new pillows. The mustard, denim blue, and olive green on the sofa feel a bit lifeless to me (especially because of the muddy beige walls all throughout the house that we’re not changing), but that’ll eventually change. Another issue I find is fairly common beyond what we’re talking about today, is working through some styling choices when your room is far from finished. Everything feels kind of…womp womp, until it all comes together in the end. My rug is just a stand-in until I find the right style and size, the coffee table is new but hasn’t been decorated in any way, the back corner is a work in progress, and I have to add in lighting, more art, and a creating/crafty corner for my daughter. And yes, bookcases all along the back of my sofa are in the works.
All of that to say, it’s okay to not be 100% in love with your room while it’s in progress. And sometimes, that progress can take years. So I’m all about making little moments better, even with where you are and with what you have. Don’t wait for perfect, friends.
Okay, back to the matter at hand. Corner sofa styling. I considered making up diagrams like the ones below, but those are literally everywhere, all over Instagram and Pinterest, and I had not much else to add to that. So instead, I sussed out seven arrangements I wanted to try for myself, with some photos of my own living room trying things out. Style, play, every day, remember?!?
For some of these, I didn’t have enough pillows on hand to actually try (but that’s okay, because I knew in my gut they weren’t for me, anyway). And one I just had to see, so I worked some graphic design magic. All in all, something I realized is quite important for this type of sectional is the variety in size and shape of the pillows you use. Especially for that center corner. Bolsters, spheres, round profiles, and larger euro sizes work best. All 20″ by 20″ pillows are going to fall flat (trust me, it’s mostly what I was working with).
Corner Sectional Option #1: The All-In Approach
Far and away, the most popular way to tackle the corner sectional pillow situation is to just throw all your pillows at the problem. Pillows stacked in the corner, pillows stacked on the sides, heck, pillows stacked somewhere in the middle, too. I’m not sure why we feel the need to cover every crevice and corner seam with a throw pillow. What did that corner do to you, exactly?!? Let it live! Of course, it’s both for comfort and aesthetics, but aesthetics are subjective. Well, I guess so is comfort. Lounging in the corner nook of my sofa definitely needs some extra support, and if the pillows are already there, then even better.
As you can see, the “All-In” approach typically has 3 pillows in the nook: typically a mix of square sizes and then one smaller pillow, such as a lumbar. You want to make sure these pillows don’t shrink away into the depths of the sofa cushions, so be sure you’re picking something of at least 22 inches (24 inches is even better).
Though definitely cozy, you can see how bunched up three square pillows of around the same size can feel in there. If anything, spread them out just a touch. Trust me: It’s okay to see some of that corner. It’s not the enemy here.
For me, personally, I don’t love pillow clutter. I used to be a pillow maniac, but over the years, less is more for me. But I found myself drawn to the above photo from Mecox Gardens, and then I realized why it works: There’s a ton of cohesion between the pillow covers. There are really only two colors and three designs across eight pillows. That limits how much you have to visually take in, and it feels more considered than “I couldn’t decide at HomeGoods.”
Corner Sectional Option #2: The All-In, Light
I’m going to give you a spoiler alert: I think I like this one best for me. And I know it’ll be even better with the right pillow designs and colors. Before this, I had two pillows on each side and one leftover pillow for the center. It felt dinky and unfinished, but also kind of crowded on the edges. Moving two pillows inward away from the corners helped solve the overload I was feeling by each sofa arm.
Looking at it again, I could even see myself moving the lumbar pillow to one side, and then throwing a fun ball or funky shape in the mix at the center. It’s “All-In” but without going too maximalist (especially if I really home in on a palette).
Corner Sectional Option #3: Only the Corner
After collecting all of my inspiration, I was certain this was the variation I’d settle on. I loved the simplicity with just a touch of decor that can be seen in the designs below. And maybe playing around with my throws more and styling the coffee table would lead me back here eventually, but it felt a bit too empty in my home. I love it in these, though, and perhaps it would better match your aesthetic:
Neat, tidy, but still welcoming. Gorgeous. It doesn’t try too hard, it doesn’t scream “styling lesson,” it just exists and lives its life. Those are the best rooms, imho.
This one is a bit more heavy-handed, with four pillows shoved into the corner, but I still love it. The striped sofa is an ideal balance to the solid colored pillows (and the apple, clutch).
I aspire to this level of restraint.
And in my home…no. My pillows look quite diminutive, so larger sizes would definitely help here. And I shot it in a wider angle since I couldn’t back up too much and wanted to get all of the sofa in, which makes the center point look even smaller, but still. It’s not really working for me.
Corner Sectional Option #4: The “Ignore the Corner” Approach
On the complete opposite end of the pillow styling spectrum of the previous all-in-the-corner technique is to avoid putting anything there. Skip the corner pillows altogether. It’s not bad, honestly, but as much as I joked about my annoyance about the need to cover up that corner at all costs, I do get why someone might feel like it’s missing something.
Hmm, though the more I stare at this, the more…like it?!?
Corner Sectional Option #5: The “Ignore One Side” Method
I’m a gal who lives asymmetry. You couldn’t look at my home in its current state and sense that, but listen…I do. It creates tension, intrigue, and interest. So let’s see that applied to pillow styling.
Once I got over my jealousy of this adorable plaid fabric couch, I could appreciate the subtlety of two pillows in a corner nook, and one casual pillow of the same design at one arm. Nothing more, nothing less. Let’s try it:
In person, I liked this better than in photos. Maybe because of the angle I was standing at, or maybe because it looks a little too heavy on the left side and center. Stripping away two total pillows might help this. Or might not.
Corner Sectional Option #6: Skip All Corners, Focus on Centers
Struggling with corners? Just don’t focus on them at all! I saw this styling technique on a product image from Crate & Barrel (above) and thought it could be interesting.
It wasn’t. Not for me, at least. But it could work for someone out there, for sure! It’s at least something to play around with and test out, I think.
Corner Sectional Option #7: The Tidy Bolster Bash
And finally, let’s throw the baby out with the bath water here and do something totally different.
I swoon over this photo above from Lulu & Georgia. Those tiny little bolsters feel so posh, so delicate, so tidy. Like this house has never had a crumb on its kitchen floor. Oh, what aspirations.
This is…interesting. I popped a sphere into the corner because I couldn’t quite get the bolster to look good against the far cushion, but it’s definitely a look. I could already hear my husband, “How am I supposed to get comfortable with one of these bar things?” Fair point, of course. Maybe this vibe is better suited for a more formal seating area that no one uses, really, and can just be cool-looking instead.
Just because some of these didn’t work for me doesn’t mean they can’t work for you! Give them a try and see what you’re drawn to. It’s really the only way to find out what is ideal for your unique space and setup.
Let’s Go Shopping: “Special” Pillow Picks: Bolsters, Balls & Knots
Remember how I said earlier that the shaped pillow was important to making the corner sectional feel polished, not clunky? Well, I found some to share here in case yours was missing one, too.
1. Acton Pillow Midnight 15″ x 15″ | 2. Sphere Pillow – Finley | 3. Plaid Bolster Pillow | 4. Dewey Velvet Pillow | 5. Bettie Tapenade Yellow Velvet Round Throw Pillow 16″ | 6. Ted Baker Diamond Printed Velvet Bolster Pillow
7. Terre Olive Green Velvet Sphere Throw Pillow 12″ | 8. Emma Chamberlain Apple Pillow | 9. Viveka Round Pillow | 10. Plush Seashell Throw Pillow | 11. Nova 12×23 Demilune Velvet Pillow
13. Rydell Indoor / Outdoor Bolster Pillow | 14. Corindi Pillow | 15. Rosie Pillow Green 16″ x 16″ | 16. Pierce & Ward Round Stripe Pillow | 17. Green Velvet Pear Shaped Throw Pillow | 18. Damask Monkey Bolster Pillow
19. Velvet Clover Pillow | 20. Mini Florals – Pottery | 21. Round Blue and Green Tufted Bow Indoor Outdoor Throw Pillow | 22. Emma Chamberlain Corduroy Button Pillow | 23. Studio 773 Lifestyle Velvet Pyramid Decorative Pillow Cover & Insert | 24. Solid Throw Pillow
I’m seriously eyeing either the soft blue knot pillow or the sky blue sphere pillow, though the Emma Chamberlain button pillow is also tempting (it looks white here, but it’s a very light blue). Mixed in with some fresh pillow covers in a few sizes, and I think I’ll be in business.
Until next time, friends…
Opening Image Credits: Design & Styling by Brady Tolbert & Emily Henderson | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: A Modern and Organic Living Room Makeover + Get The Look
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