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What scatter cushions to choose?

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Hi,

I'm looking for a few ideas for scatter cushions to put on my sofa and my two matching armchairs. I'm not sure whether to get cushions that match the armchairs or something entirely different eg floral etc. So any help will be much appreciated!

I have two x Ercol jubilee chairs with cushions in a blue check/plaid (Warwick Bainbridge indigo with a narrow green stripe), an olive green mid-century style sofa (same green as the stripe in the plaid). I also have a matching Ercol footstool covered in Designers Guild Hemsley Denim.

What scatter cushions would you recommend for the sofa and chairs - and what colour and style of table lamps?

Looking forward to hearing your ideas.

Many thanks.

PS I posted this on houzz.com but should have done it on this site so apologies if this comes up twice: I got told off about this last time in no uncertain terms but had no idea how to delete the old post. Oops!

This is the chair and footstool (ignore the rather old jaded green cushion)

The above is my living room albeit a while ago. Sofa is now on the opposite wall. I have different wall lights but very simple ones - still looking for new ones. The Persian rug is now in a different room and I still have the leather chair.

Sofa design (3 seater)

Ercol chair cushions material

Ercol chair (similar) but not the cushions

Footstool fabric

Featured Answer

minnie101

7 years ago

Hi. I like your sofa and the g plan table idea. I love greens with blues but might look at navy. I might look at jungle print cushions, these are from made.com but there are others around. You could also add some navy velvet cushions. I'd team it with some brass, maybe a pineapple lamp?! Do you still have the plant? If not would add another. I think I preferred your original layout, as the tv seemed to work with the shelf, would the rug fit under the dining table? If it was me I might add an inky blue feature wall..it would look great against the sofa but may make the room a little unbalanced so perhaps the opposite wall?

Comments (38)

bagpuss2
7 years ago
Is there any way you could get your sofa covered in the same fabric as the chairs? If so you could then pick out one colour and add this in either with plain tweed fabric or with Laura Ashley's velvet cushions.

If you are sticking with the furniture as it is, I'd still take a look at those velvet cushions but look for a tweed check for the sofa ones
K Tam thanked bagpuss2
PRO
Cotterell & Co
7 years ago
Hello

I like the mix and match idea, as your sofa is a plain colour you can go for bold pattern that wont look to cluttered with the chairs, There seems enough space between the items that your eye wont be drawn to the patterns at the same time. On the chairs a pale plain cushion or subtle patteren like this would look great

Bring the brown tone from the leather chair into the side tables or use silver, gold or mirrored.

If you have any questions please let me know

Kirsty

Cotterell & Co
K Tam thanked Cotterell & Co
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It seems like cushions will be more decorative than practical on your sofas so it is probably a good idea to keeps things very simple: one in each corner (4 in total) is more than enough. I would go for something that contrasts a lot with your sofas as after all they will be here for style, not for use. I am guessing that your sofas are a plain colour? In which case you could go for some simple patterns: And if after that you feel like it looks a bit bare you can perhaps add one rectangular cushion in the middle on each sofa which will add some interest too. If you're interested in any of these have a look at our whole range of cushions on Hutsly: https://www.hutsly.com/collections/cushions Hope that helps! Anthony.
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Joanna Biddolph
7 years ago
I love the colour of the sofa and disagree with the comment above. It sings and brings the room alive. I don't think there is much wrong with your cushions either though I wouldn't have three of a similar size on the sofa; I'd either have the two turquoise cushions or those two and two smaller ones, perhaps rectangles, resting against them. The middle one is redundant and confusing the coherence of the whole thing. Perhaps have a smaller one on the leather chair, rather than the big one. For me it's about arrangement rather than different.
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Hi everyone, thank you so much for your ideas. I'm afraid I can't afford to get the sofa recovered: I'll probably have to wait a couple of years before I buy a new one. I must admit, I do quite like the colour of the sofa. It's really the other bits I'm confused by. I can afford to get new dining room seats, cushions, lights and side tables. I like the idea of balancing the leather chair somehow and I also like the idea of different size cushions. By the way, here's the latest room layout (taken after a few friends had been around so sorry for the mess!) The furniture around the dining room table is all from former homes so I can easily get rid of them.
lkirk44
7 years ago
I love the sofa colour and actually the turquoise and green cushions seem to go with the blue, l feel the footstool material is the clash. Gold lamp bases with same green as sofa shades
K Tam thanked lkirk44
Joanna Biddolph
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
It's getting there and you will get it there in time. I remain of the view that the sofa is great; I love that colour. Have you tried the room with the two chairs opposite the sofa and the leather armchair at the side? I feel the balance of the single chair opposite the sofa is not the best. You could tie the table in by putting a cloth on it that goes with the colours of the room; the white seems a bit harsh. I can't see what the table and chairs are made of but perhaps you could paint the chairs? The wicker table seems out of character in the room, and in that spot; can it be squeezed into another room? Everyone has these rooms in transition - replacing bits from time to time - and you will get there without having to spend a lot of money.
PRO
Pat Oliver Interior Design
7 years ago
Love the combination of lime green with blues. The sofa and Ercol chairs work so well with each other. Look at Scion fabric to make scatter cushions that tie the blues and green together https://images.fashioninteriors.co.uk/images/nproducts/scion/fabrics/soul/diva/_optimized/120281acid-jasmine-kingfisher__800_800.jpg

The dining table and chairs don't seem to go well with the other elements in the room. Why not paint the contemporary chairs lime green, recover the seats with a leather similar to the easy chair. I'd replace the table with a used ash or oak table that's similar in style to the Ercol chairs.
K Tam thanked Pat Oliver Interior Design
Joanna Biddolph
7 years ago
Goodness, Pat Oliver Interior Design - I love that fabric! It would definitely tie it in altogether. And I'm glad someone else feels as I do about the dining table and chairs. The room is so nearly there; it's just tweaking now, isn't it.
K Tam thanked Joanna Biddolph
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
I like it too although I'm not usually a floral kind of gal. You're so right about the table. I might move it into the kitchen instead. I was thinking of getting a Gplan wooden oval extendable table, where the Gplan chairs slot in underneath. Do you think that might work? Ps Thank you so much for caring!
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
A table and chairs a bit like this although different coloured seat pads? What do you think ? https://goo.gl/images/mRfrzZ
Carolina
7 years ago
I like Minnie's idea of pillows. Also agree that the previous layout had a better spot for the TV. The inky blue wall idea is nice, but I would probably only do the bottom half of the wall that the sofa is against.
And then you could paint some or all of the dining chairs the same dark blue.

Nice room.
PRO
George Clarke + Partners
7 years ago
We agree with the colouring of the cushions in Minnie101's suggestion - we would go for inky blues, lime/yellows and maybe accents of tan, maybe for the piping on the cushions. You could even pick up the pale blue in the plaid for the cushions on the chairs, which will be soft, and then dark blues and yellows in the cushions on the sofa to enhance the green.

For table lamps, we would choose something with brass or coloured glass in the base to add highlight and texture against all the wood finishes.
K Tam thanked George Clarke + Partners
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Thank you everyone! I definitely prefer the idea of inky blue. The turqoise accessories were bought ages ago, prior to the chairs being recovered and I felt that the turquoise was a little too strong with the green which is why I went for a darker blue in the reupholstery. I like the idea of coloured glass base lights although no idea where I'd get those from! I swapped the sofa to the other side because it was in a draught (there's no door on the lounge, it opens straight onto the hallway so as you soon as you walk through the front door, you see the sofa and vice versa). I'd love to have a painted feature wall but was concerned it would dominate the room or was a bit of a dated effect.
Joanna Biddolph
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
I love that G-Plan table and chairs!
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Thanks Joanna! I saw a similar one at a friend's and thought it was lovely. Do you think covering the chairs with an inky blue pad would work Or Is that a little dull?
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
More piccies for you all. The wall on the other side of the piano is narrower (I was thinking of building bookshelves around the arch? ) Ignore the red&white tablecloth: recent Xmas lunch party! Ps Thank you so much for all your help, everyone. It saves making more expensive mistakes!
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
PRO
Pat Oliver Interior Design
7 years ago
The G plan dining table and chairs look great with your Ercol armchairs. I'd still balance the room with green seats on the dining chairs. It's all coming together.
Joanna Biddolph
7 years ago
I agree with Pat Oliver Interior Design - the dining room chair seats would be best in green and not only for balance; I think they will add lift and life. As for the bookshelves around the arch near the piano, I think they will make the room look busy and crammed. I also think books are often best in low level bookcases or shelves. I love books and their links with aspects of or events in my life but they can dominate, particularly in a sitting room. I'd keep them low. That would also give you a useful surface, the top shelf, on which to put lovely bits and pieces or flowers or to prop paintings/pictures so that it is not just a utilitarian piece of furniture. If you haven't got a wide hall or landing or similar where a wall of shelves might work, I'd keep them as unobtrusive as possible. You have some lovely furniture in great colours; let it be the focus.
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
Happy New Year everyone! While I recline on my sofa, recovering from a hectic time up North and a delightful cold caught down South, it means that I have time to bore others with my interior design dilemmas (yes, dilemmas!) I've spotted this lamp base online. What do you think? Too much? Do you think it would go with the Made.com cushions that minnie101 recommended above? Thanks. https://www.houzz.co.uk/products/travers-antiques-prvw-vr~11272364
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Or something like this, ideally transluscent (glass), with a green lampshade? [https://www.houzz.co.uk/products/mable-table-lamp-gold-prvw-vr~61665204[(https://www.houzz.co.uk/products/mable-table-lamp-gold-prvw-vr~61665204)
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
Or this? https://www.houseofhackney.com/palmeral-brass-pineapple-lamp-midnight-green.html
Joanna Biddolph
7 years ago
All three lamps are great but two of them made me worry about dusting them - I loathe dusting so the less fiddling the better and the fabulous French palm and gorgeous pineapple lamps fall into the too much trouble category from my perspective. They are fabulous, though, so if you don't mind either the accumulation of dust or the fiddling, buy! In terms of cushions, the less matchy-matchy the better - with each other and with lampshades, etc. Go for a mixed up eclectic selection.
K Tam thanked Joanna Biddolph
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
Hah! I hate dusting too so yep, very good point, thank you - and looking closely at the first photograph, there are lots of nooks and crannies where dust has already collected! Back to the drawing board....
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
This? https://www.conranshop.co.uk/furniture-and-lighting/lighting/table-and-desk-lamps/base-brass-table.html?
Joanna Biddolph
7 years ago
The round one would be ok! And I noticed this similar but differently shaped one: https://www.houzz.co.uk/products/croc-table-lamp-antique-gold-prvw-vr~61007513
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
That's nice! I like the shape of the base although not so keen on the brown shade.
Joanna Biddolph
7 years ago
The colour of the shade isn't brilliant but you could buy a different one.
Joanna Biddolph
7 years ago
With the Tom Dixon/Conran one, I think the black of the base is too harsh and its shape is wrong for the other things you have in the room. It's a great lamp - but the wrong room for it.
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
You're quite right, it's totally wrong! I think I have a tendency to buy things that I love and then try and make them fit. Far too impulsive for my own good - although fortunately, in the Conran case, the light was too expensive for an impulse buy!
Joanna Biddolph
7 years ago
It takes time to learn to carry the room and its contents with you in your mind and in your mind's eye so you can shop with the room in mind. It helps that you have a specific design - Ercol - to nudge your thinking and some strong colours to guide you.
K Tam thanked Joanna Biddolph
Lena
7 years ago
I really like the idea of G plan round table. I got one myself a few years ago, but paired it with ikea's take on Ghost chair for a more modern look
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/chairs-stools-benches/chairs/tobias-chair-transparent-chrome-plated-art-20115038/
Also I love mid century style, so keep buying Nordlux lamps, like
Nordlux Gu10 Bali Metal Dimmable Touch Control Plug In Wall Light, White https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005OJRJ9W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_iLRBybX82QS5T
K Tam
Original Author
7 years ago
I like both of those! My temporary wall lights were only £5 from Argos to replace some purple Regency-fringed ones belonging to the previous owner!
K Tam
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Hi everyone, update on my living room and more ideas needed please! I've got rid of the turquoise and, as advised by you lot, gone for inky blue. I've also got a new brass/antique coffee table, cushions and lamps. I'm now looking for ideas for side tables (ideally with storage), walk lights and dining room chairs. Here's a few piccies for you. Thank you!
K Tam
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Ps Plus a mirror or something above the little school filing cupboard in the corner and something to replace the white wall cupboard above the telly.
Carolina
6 years ago
It looks lovely!

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