How to Match Cushions to Curtains (Without Being Too Matchy)
Curtains and cushions are the two biggest patches of pattern and colour in most living rooms and bedrooms. When they work together the room looks designed; when they clash, everything else struggles to look right.
The good news is that they do not have to match. In fact, exactly matching curtains and cushions can look dated. The aim is to coordinate. Here is how.
Match, Coordinate or Contrast?
- Matching means the same fabric at the window and on the sofa. It is neat but can feel flat, like a showroom set.
- Coordinating means different patterns that share colours. This is the look most designers aim for.
- Contrasting means cushions in a colour that is not in the curtains at all, used as a deliberate accent. It works best in small doses, such as one or two cushions.
Rule 1: Share at Least One Colour
Pick one colour from your curtains and make it the main or secondary colour of your cushions. That repeated colour is what links the window to the sofa across the room.
With multicoloured curtains, choosing a small accent colour for the cushions often looks cleverer than repeating the background. For example, with green botanical curtains that have touches of orange, try rust or burnt orange cushions.
Rule 2: Change the Scale
If your curtains have a large pattern, choose cushions with smaller patterns or plain colours. If your curtains are plain or have a small pattern, let a cushion carry the big, bold print.
| Your curtains | Try cushions that are |
|---|---|
| Large floral or botanical | Small geometric, stripe or plain in a shared colour |
| Bold geometric or retro | A floral or abstract in a shared colour, plus a plain |
| Minimalist or small repeat | A large, colourful floral or abstract as the star |
| Plain | Any pattern that includes the curtain colour |
Rule 3: Mix Pattern Families
Different types of pattern sit together more happily than two versions of the same thing. Florals pair with geometrics, abstracts with stripes, botanicals with simple shapes. Our guide to pairing florals and geometrics goes into more detail.
Rule 4: Use the 3-Cushion Formula
For a sofa, three cushion designs are usually enough:
- One lead cushion that picks up two or three colours from the curtains.
- One supporting pattern at a smaller scale, in one shared colour.
- One plain or near plain cushion to give the eye a rest.
See the 3-colour, 3-pattern rule for the full method.
Easy Combinations to Copy
- Retro: retro curtains in orange and green with abstract cushions in mustard and a plain olive cushion.
- Botanical: botanical curtains in deep green with floral cushions that pick up a flower colour, plus cream.
- Coastal: blue curtains with nautical cushions and white.
- Calm neutral: beige curtains with one bold patterned cushion and two soft, plain ones.
Don't Forget the Room's Other Colours
Look beyond the curtains and cushions. The sofa, rug, walls and wood tones all play a part. If your sofa is a strong colour, treat it as part of the scheme and make sure your cushions share a colour with both the sofa and the curtains. If you also have patterned wallpaper, see how to pair patterned curtains with patterned wallpaper.
Curtains and Cushions That Work Together
Retro 70s Geometric Curtains
Retro 70s Pattern Cushion Cover
Scandi Leaf Botanical Curtains
Scandi Floral Cushion Cover
Shop curtains and cushion covers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should cushions match curtains?
They should share at least one colour, but they do not need to be the same fabric. Coordinating usually looks more stylish than matching exactly.
What cushions go with patterned curtains?
Cushions with a smaller pattern or plain colours taken from the curtains. Avoid a cushion pattern of the same size and type as the curtains.
What cushions go with plain curtains?
Almost any pattern that includes the curtain colour. Plain curtains are a chance to use bold, colourful cushions.
How many cushion designs should I use?
Three is a good number for a sofa: a lead pattern, a smaller supporting pattern and a plain cushion.
Can cushions be a completely different colour from the curtains?
Yes, as a deliberate accent, but keep it to one or two cushions and repeat the accent elsewhere in the room, for example in a vase or throw.
Should the bedroom cushions match the curtains?
The same rules apply. Take one colour from the curtains for the cushions and keep the bedding mostly plain.
Do cushions and curtains need to be the same fabric?
No. Our curtains are printed polyester and our cushion covers are a soft polyester and cotton velvet; the difference in texture adds depth.
What size cushions should I buy?
For a sofa, 45 x 45 cm to 55 x 55 cm is typical. Our covers come in ten square sizes from 30 x 30 cm to 70 x 70 cm, plus rectangular sizes.