The Best Throw Pillows Under Thirty Dollars

Throw pillows are the easiest and most affordable way to refresh a sofa, a bed, or a chair without buying any new furniture. They add color, texture, and personality. And you absolutely do not have to spend a lot of money on them to get ones that look great.

Here are my favorite picks under thirty dollars and the tips that make them look expensive.

Linen-Look Pillow Covers in Neutral Tones

A pillow cover in a natural linen or boucle texture in oatmeal, cream, or warm beige is one of those things that looks like it cost three times what it did. I layer two or three of these on my sofa as the base and they work with everything. Linen pillow covers on Amazon.

Textured Boucle or Waffle Weave

Texture is what makes a pillow arrangement look intentional. A boucle or waffle weave pillow alongside a smooth linen one creates the kind of layered look that designers use. And boucle in particular photographs beautifully. Boucle pillow covers on Amazon.

A Striped or Subtle Pattern Accent

Once you have your neutrals, add one pillow with a subtle pattern. A thin stripe, a simple geometric, a tonal print. It adds interest without competing with everything else. Keep the colors in the same family as your neutrals. Patterned pillow covers on Amazon.

Always Buy Covers, Not Filled Pillows

Buy pillow covers separately and stuff them with a good quality insert. The covers are much cheaper and you can switch them out seasonally. A down-alternative insert feels luxurious and plumps up any cover beautifully. Get inserts one to two inches larger than the cover for a full, designer look. Pillow inserts on Amazon.

The Right Number of Pillows

For a standard sofa: two larger square pillows on each end, one medium in the middle or a lumbar pillow across the front. That is five total and it looks full without being ridiculous. For a loveseat or chair, two pillows is usually right.

How to Chop Your Pillows

The karate-chop dent in the top of a pillow is not just for show, it actually helps the pillow stand up and keeps it from going flat. Hold the pillow on its side with both hands and give the top a firm chop down the center. Fluff and adjust. It takes two seconds and makes a huge difference in how pillows look.

You can completely transform your living room for under a hundred dollars just by swapping out pillow covers. Tell me in the comments what your sofa color is and I can suggest some pillow directions.

xo, Pam

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