Your Ultimate Guide to Picking Pillow Sizes

If there’s any one thing you should know about us by now, it’s that we have a bit of an obsession with throw pillows. And with good reason - it’s the item that started it all here at Woven Nook! 

Our goal with each new pillow design is that you would find something you love to breathe new joy and life into your home decor. But we also know that one sure way to not love your new pillows is by choosing the wrong size for your space.

That’s why we put together this quick and dirty guide to help you pick the perfect pillow size every time.

Single Chair

For a standard sized armchair or accent chair, go for a smaller 20” lumbar or 20” to 22” square pillow. You don’t want to overpower the chair, and you want to leave room for someone to actually sit down without the pillow getting in the way.

Bench

Narrower seats, like benches, window seats and nooks lend themselves well to a set of pillows in the corner, either 22” or 24” in the back, with a 20” or 22” in front. Depending on the length of the bench you can add another set on the other side, or for really long benches add a single pillow in the middle.

Sofa

The best pillow sizes for your sofa will depend a little on the size of your sofa. A large, plush couch can pull off slightly bigger pillows than say a loveseat or modern, low-backed sofa. 

Start with a 22” or 24” pillow in the corner, and layer a 20”, 18” or lumbar in front. For the other corner you can go with a symmetrical look, or leave it at just one larger pillow.

P.S. for more on sofa pillows, check out these further tips for styling throw pillows on your sofa like a pro!

Beds

We’re going to try and keep this real simple. For a twin bed, use either a 22” at the back and a 12” lumbar in front, or just the lumbar.

On a full bed you can place two 24” pillows along the back with a longer lumbar, say 26”, in front, or again, go with just the lumbar. Or ditch the lumbar all together and stack a third 24” pillow in front instead.

Queen and King beds provide a little more room for options. Start in the back with 24” to 26” pillows, two for a queen and three for a king. From there you can layer two smaller 20” to 22” in front, and finish it off with a 12” or 20” lumbar. Or, just one 20” or 22” in front, with a long 40” lumbar across it all.

The Inserts

One thing to keep in mind - inserts matter. You may purchase the right sized pillow cover for your chair or sofa, but if you fill it with a too thin or too full insert it can still look off. You want something plump enough to fill the cover and hold it’s shape, without looking overly stuffed.

At Woven Nook, we make it easy. Our premium faux down inserts are designed to fit perfectly inside our pillow covers and are made to last season after season.

Perfect Pillows

The truth is, these sizes are a good standard guideline to get you started. However, what you like is ultimately up to you. If your heart wants more pillows, get more! If you hate lumbars, then don’t force it. The more comfortable you get with choosing pillows, the more room you have to play with your own style.

And for more pillow style inspiration, check out our instagram.