5 tips to style a sectional couch + update

Sectional couches are a great addition to your room, but they can be incredibly difficult to style. The size of the couch can swallow your pillows whole, and too many pillows is busy and hides your couch. Fortunately, we have a few tried and true tips at Hackner Home to help you style a sectional. If you need help picking out pillows for your sectional, we are happy to help you! Contact us here.

1. Use a 24×24 pillow in the corner.

That corner is deep, so this large pillow fills the space and makes it a more comfortable place to sit. This is the focal point of your couch and your design. This is a time when you want to use a pillow as big as possible for maximum impact.

This pillow takes up the entire corner, while still leaving room for other pillows. If you’re trying to cozy up in this corner, you will have room to sit without sinking in too far. (Maybe this is a short gal problem, but I always end up looking at the backs of everyone’s heads when I sit in a sectional corner at a party. A 24×24 pillow would fix this situation.)

2. Place pillows in every corner.

This tip really depends on the size of your sectional. Basically, every end or corner should have at least one pillow. This helps the couch be more comfortable wherever you choose to sit, and it also ties the look together. If your sectional has a chaise lounge section, you do not need to place pillows on the end of the chaise lounge.

The pillows on this sectional by @caitlinmariedesign on Instagram really make this look stand out. They bring color and depth to the room, and she uses a variety of styles to give the couch interest. Also notice the large pillow in the corner, which fills the space so well.

In this design, @thefontaineflat does not need pillows on the chaise lounge end. The pillows would not stand on their own. This is the one exception to this rule.

3. Mix and match pillow styles.

It really depends on your decor style and the size of your couch how many different pillow styles to use, but we don’t typically recommend more than 3-4. This keeps the look coherent across the couch. We recently worked with Mark from @collectivedigs to create a look for their new sectional.

This design has 4 different pillow covers that can be mixed and matched in different combinations on the couch. They all have a similar color scheme and design feel while all also looking nice with each other. We chose this really fun deer pillow cover to be the accent and only featured one. This makes that one pillow stand out more and draws attention to the wall decor.

We also used an assortment of sizes that work with each other and provide interest to the look. Besides the one deer pillow, we used 2 pillows of each style for a total of 7 pillows. This may seem like a lot, but they can create several different looks (and think about the size of the couch).

Mixing different styles keeps the look from being too matchy-matchy, while also creating a consistent look. We are always happy to help you find different pillow styles from our Hackner Home collections so you can create a beautiful look for your sectional.

4. Use a blanket to break up the couch.

An issue with sectionals is that they can come to dominate your living room. This can be a good thing if you want one piece of furniture to serve many purposes in the space, but it can also overwhelm any other decor you want to show off in the space. A blanket is the perfect solution to this problem.

You don’t have to use an Hermes blanket like @artofeverydayliving, but this design shows how to use a blanket to split up a sectional. It is an easy place to use when you want to be warm and cozy and it makes you see the couch on either side of the blanket as separate.

Alexis from @iris_inspiredinteriors placed 2 blankets on the end of the chaise lounge which makes that section look shorter, like a regular couch. By doing this, she can use smaller pillows on that end and still look balanced. These blankets also add different colors to the overall neutral room without taking away from the statement wall of art.

5. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Be creative.

Even in this article we showed you so many different examples of beautifully styled sectionals that show off the creativity of these designers. The most important thing is that you create a look you’re going to love and want to use every day. Pick colors and styles that work for you. If you want every single pillow to be different, do that. If you don’t want blankets on your couch, that’s fine too.

Here at Hackner Home, we love to help you style your space in a style that works for you. Contact us if you would like a custom pillow cover set for your sectional and check out our other styling guides for more pillow tips!

Coming soon: Hackner Home Design Book

We created an awesome design guide to help you style your home. This guide is full of our best tips and newest pillow covers. It contains pages like the one above with illustrations of ways to place pillows for different couches, chairs, and beds. Stay tuned for our design guide drop to snag one for yourself!

How to Pair Bold Pillows

Last week, we brought you a guide on how to style neutral pillows for a queen bed. Not everyone likes a neutral color palette for their homes, so we are going to show you how to pair bold pillows for a boho or traditional style. We have some beautiful bold and statement pillows that will look great in your home. 

@lousia_craven

This styling guide is going to show you how to style bold pillows for any room or furniture piece. The number of layers of pillows will depend on the furniture. You will use more pillows on a bed or couch than a chair, for example. This guide will help you pick coordinating colors and designs that complement each other. 

Step 1: Warm tones or cool tones?

First, you need to decide the general look you like. That will help you decide statement and background pillows for your design. It is easiest to choose between warm and cool tone colors first. Warm tone colors, like red, orange, or brown, look best with tans and beiges. Cool colors, like blues and purples, look best with grays, white, and black. Consider the rest of the room. Do you want more warm tones or cool tones? 

This room has warm tones with a bold style. Notice the orange pillows paired with a tan basket on the wall. It still looks nice with the black pillow because black is a basic color that goes with anything.
This room by @ourhomereimagined_ has cool tones with a bold style. Notice how this design uses a very similar pillow to the warm tone one. This design features whites and grays which also work with a black pillow. Even the art on the wall is muted rather than using bold, bright colors.

Once you know the color tones you like, you can select the statement pillow.  That is the next step in creating your design. 

Step 2: Pick a Statement Pillow

Pillows featured, beginning top left: Small Plaid – Brown, Rex Rectangles – Teal, Hello INDIGO, Moody Faded Blue Baroque (New!), (Sold Out – similar style linked) Boho Diamond, Crescent Moon, Geometric of Blue (Coming Soon), Textured Rust, Dark Blue

The statement pillow is the focal point of the design. Pick a style that matches the warm or cool tone look you want for the entire room. The statement pillow will help you pick other pillows to match, and you can also use it as inspiration for the rest of the room. The placement of this pillow will depend on your furniture and arrangement style, but every design should have a statement. 

Step 3: Pick your Background Pillows

Pillows featured: West Beach – Brown, Basketweave – Pink, Black Windowpane, Boho Woven Stripe – Navy, Jute Stripe, Mosaic Blue, Veiling – Brick (Restocking Soon), Red Stripe (Sold Out – Similar), Creamy Windowpane ( On Sale!)

In a bold design, the background pillows are still bold. They show off your bold and fun style while also complementing the statement pillow. This is a fun opportunity to play with color and texture. None of these pillows have a distinct pattern like the statement pillows because it is still important to show off the pattern or style of the statement pillow. Pick pillows that match the cool or warm tone style of your statement pillow. This will help you create a cohesive style. 

Lost? Check out some example pairings for inspiration

Pairing 1 (top left): Black Windowpane, Moody Faded Blue Baroque; Pairing 2 (top right): Creamy Windowpane, Hello INDIGO; Pairing 3 (bottom): Jute Stripe, West Beach – Brown, Boho Diamond. 

These example pairings show you both warm and cool tone styles and a combination of both. (You can do that, too!) In these designs, the statement pillow is in the front, but you can place it in the middle of a design with three or more layers. The pairings you choose also depend on your bedding or upholstery. 

These styled designs might help, too.

@brimoysa
@artofeverydayliving
@thehouseofrecords

Once you have your styles picked out, check out our styling guides for more help creating a design for your home. We will post more guides regularly as we prepare to release our design guide. 

Have a boho style? The pillow inserts may be different for a bohemian style than a traditional style. Check out our insert guide to make sure you buy the correct inserts for your pillow covers. 

How to Style Neutral Pillows for a Queen Bed

Picking out pillows can be daunting when shopping online. This guide is part of a series of guides from our upcoming design book, and it will help you style neutral pillows on a queen bed. A queen size is a popular bed size, so that’s where we are starting. 

Design by: Gabrielle Ehren @home_necessities_ on Instagram

This guide is divided into two parts: the placement guide and the color guide. You can combine the style you like in each part to create your design. It does not matter which section you use first. If you find a certain pillow cover you would like to be the center of the design, maybe pick out other styles that look nice with that one before arranging them. If you really like a certain arrangement, then pick out pillow cover styles that work in that arrangement. It is really up to you. 

Size and Placement Guide

Color Style Guide

The color guide is divided into two steps. First, select the background pillows. For a neutral design, we recommend choosing background pillows in interesting textures or simple patterns that draw the eye to a more bold style in the front. 

Pictured above: Weaving Gray, Brown Linen Stripe, Neutral Big Gingham, Linen Windowpane, Jacquard Angle, Woven Boho Stripe – Pale Blue, Hay Stack – Linen (currently sold out), Veiling – Cream, Stripes of Blue

If the arrangement you like has three rows of decorative pillows (plus the sham pillows), the background pillow and the front pillow can come from a selection like the one above of neutral colors. If you have two rows, this is the background pillow style. 

Pictured above: Dark Blue, Moody Faded Blue Baroque (coming soon), Black Windowpane, Moody Browns, Blue Woven, Stagnate

This selection of pillows is more bold than the previous one. In a neutral style, you still need something to stand out and grab your attention. Color is a great way to do this. 

Here are a couple of examples of different pillow styles that look nice together. Each set has a focal point and other pillows that highlight the focal point well. It is important to remember that the tips in this guide are only recommendations. You are welcome to style the pillows in any way you like. If you don’t want a bold pillow as the focal point, select all neutral styles. You may want to draw attention to a piece of art, an interesting bed frame, or a bold comforter instead of the pillow arrangement. 

The important part of your design is that it shows off your personal style. Ultimately, this design is going in your house and you are the one looking at it every day. It is most important that you are happy with your design and arrangement and you want to spend time in this space. 🙂

Inspiration

@thehumblehacienda
@peteandselena
@soilandsky

Interested in more content like this? Keep checking back and stay tuned for our upcoming design book. 

Interested in helping us create our design book? Email us with your Hackner Home designs and we can work with you to picture your designs for our book. 

How to measure your pillow for a pillow cover

If you already have a pillow that you would like to update with a new Hackner Home Pillow cover, you may realize it is difficult to measure something three-dimensional like a pillow. This article is going to teach you how to measure your pillow for a pillow cover so that you purchase the correct size pillow cover. (Be sure to also use this article to pick the correct size pillow cover for your desired look.)

Step 1: Find a flexible ruler or measuring tape.

Since a pillow is rounded and three-dimensional, you need a ruler that will bend with the curves of the pillow. We recommend a measuring tape rather than a retractable tape measure. The retractable tape measure will be more difficult to hold in place to measure your pillow. We recommend asking someone to help you measure if you use a tape measure.

Step 2: Find the correct direction for the pillow.

Pillows have a top and bottom. Did you know that? You might not notice the top or bottom when you are styling it on your couch or bed, but it is important for the size. It is easier to begin by finding the bottom. The bottom of your pillow has the closure of the pillow cover. On a removable pillow cover, this is something like a zipper or buttons. Other pillows are sewn into place, so the bottom has a seam that sticks out a little. A pillow with a detail around the outside will have an overlap or a seam for that detail.

Once you find the bottom, you know which side is the top, as well. Hackner Home Pillow covers are sized with the height and width. The first measurement is the height, or distance from top to bottom. The second measurement is the width, or distance from left to right.

Step 3: Measure the height.

Hold the measuring tape along the seam. Make sure 0 on the measuring tape lines up with the seam. Pillows and pillow covers measure seam to seam. Begin by measuring the height, or top to bottom measurement. This is the first number in the pillow cover measurements.

The height of the pillow is the number that lines up with the opposite seam. It may be slightly off, so round to the closest whole number to find your measurement. Be sure to write it down so that you remember once you finish measuring.

Step 4: Measure the width.

This is the measurement from left to right. You measure this direction in the same way you measured the height. The height is the second number in the pillow cover measurement on HacknerHome.com. Write your measurement on your piece of paper with the height number. It is important to write this down so you remember when you go to purchase your new Hackner Home pillow cover.

Step 5: Purchase your new Hackner Home pillow cover.

You may want to check out this article to help you choose the size pillow cover for your pillow based on the look you want. You will need the pillow size you currently have.

Head on over to HacknerHome.com to pick out your new favorite pillow cover! Once you select a style you like, you can select the size. Hackner Home offers most standard size decorative pillows. If you purchased your current pillow somewhere else, the sizes may be slightly different. That is fine, especially if you have a craft polyester pillow. These pillows can be stuffed a little into a new pillow cover.

Measuring your dog for a dog bed

Deciding on the right dog bed size for your dog can be tricky. It depends on the size of your dog and the way they sleep. This guide on measuring your dog for a dog bed will help you pick the best size for your new Plush Pup Inc dog bed.

Step 1: Bust out your ruler or tape measure.

Measuring your dog for a dog bed requires something to, you know, measure with. The best tool is a yardstick. You will not need to move the yardstick to measure. most dogs. A simple 12-inch ruler works fine, too, or a tape measure you have in your toolbox. A soft measuring tape works too, but it may be more difficult to use than something hard or stiff like a wooden or plastic ruler or a tape measure.

Step 2: Approach your sleeping dog.

Find your dog in their most natural sleeping position. Do they spread out or curl up? This is important for selecting the best dog bed size.

If your dog moves while sleeping, measure the most spread out position so the bed will be the most comfortable. You want to make sure your dog will have enough room to be comfortable in any sleeping position.

Step 3: Measure 6 inches around the outside of your dog.

Six inches on each size will help your dog have space to move around. In addition, the dog bed is not completely flat, so this will give your dog enough space to lay on the bed without hanging off the edge. This is the most comfortable size for most dogs. If you think your dog wants more space, measure up to 10 inches around your dog.

Calculating the best measurement will take a little bit of math. Begin 6 inches away from the farthest point of your dog. In the below image, this would be one of the 3 stretched feet, nose, back, or tail. Then, measure to the other end of the dog and add 6 inches to this measurement.

If you think this measurement is too small, try adding 1 inch to either side. Continue adding 1 inch at a time until you find the proper measurement. Try to be quiet so you don’t wake your sleeping dog!

Step 4: Pick out your Plush Pup Inc dog bed.

Plush Pup Inc is our Etsy shop where we sell high-quality designer dog beds, crate pads, and toys. You can choose from a selection of beautiful fabrics and designs to suit your dog and home style. Once you pick the dog bed design, you can select the size you need based on your measurement.

Check out our other pet and pillow guides to learn more about Plush Pup Inc dog bedding and Hackner Home pillows.

Pillow Insert Fit Guide

It can sometimes be tricky to find the perfect combination of pillow inserts and pillow covers that fit each other. The size pillow insert you need for your pillow cover depends on the fill material. There are many different types of pillow fill materials. We sell three different types: 10/90 down feather, 25/75 down feather, and craft polyester. To help you choose the best combination of pillow insert size and pillow cover size, we created these helpful charts in our Pillow Insert Fit Guide.

Down Feather Insert Guide

We sell two different types of down feather inserts. These different types will give you different looks. The 10/90 down feather insert is plumper and stiffer. This is the best type to choose if you want a fuller look without stressing the seams. The 25/75 down feather insert is softer, but still a good choice for a decorative pillow. These inserts look more relaxed and boho. Both types of down feather inserts look best with a pillow cover of the same size. 

This will help you find the pillow style you want while also protecting your pillow cover. You invested in this pillow cover! Using the best type of insert will help your pillow cover last for a long time.

We recommend down feather inserts for the combination of firmness, weight, body and support, softness, and comfort. 

Pillow insert fit guide for Hackner Home Pillow covers. A 20x20 10/90 down insert fits a 20x20 Hackner Home Pillow cover for a full look. A 20x20 25/75 down insert first a 20x20 Hackner Home Pillow cover for a relaxed boho look.

Craft Polyester Insert Guide

Polyester inserts are a good choice if you suffer from allergies or asthma. To achieve a full look, you will want to choose a cover that is 2 inches smaller than your insert. This will help give it the plump look of a 10/90 down feather insert. For a more bohemian relaxed look, choose a pillow cover that is the same size as the insert. 

You can stuff a larger insert into your pillow cover with craft polyester inserts because they are less full than down feather inserts. The same size insert and pillow cover naturally give you a relaxed boho look. You will have to use a different size if you want a plumper look.

We hope you find this guide useful. The right fit in your pillows will help elevate your pillow style to match the style of your room. Check out our other guides under the Pillow Guides tab.