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By Rachel Fletcher
A naked sofa or armchair presents an opportunity. You’ve done the hard work sourcing the furniture—now it’s time to get creative with the best throw pillows and accent cushions money can buy. Whether you’re going monochrome or mixing and matching, there’s no shortage of retailers selling pillows that showcase serious design talent, and here we’ve rounded up 17 of our favorites. If you’re decorating on a tight budget, we’ve got options for you. Want sustainably made options? We’ve got you covered there too. And if you’re looking for pillows that reflect your personal taste, you can rest assured that this list has something for you.
Jungalow, founded by Justina Blakeney, is a hub for all things home decor—from ceramics to plant hangers, bedspreads to rugs. Their collection of boho accent pillows is incredibly vast and packed with personality. You’ll find delicate embroidery, a bright color palette, and all sorts of textures (think velvet, hook stitch, shag, and faux fur), as well as a selection of outdoor pillows and floor cushions. Turn to Jungalow if ever you’re in need of a soon-to-be-treasured statement piece and a pop of color. Also very much appreciated is that their price point tends to stay under $100.
A go-to for us when it comes to quality kitchenware, Food52 also carries several independent brands making great decorative pillows. The simple linen options pictured (available in 16 different colors) are by Hawkins New York. Pillows from Minna, Caroline Z. Hurley, and Farmhouse Pottery all make appearances on the site.
Designed by former architect Hana Getachew in Brooklyn, all of Bolé Road Textiles’ pillows are handmade in Ethiopia by artisans in collectives and small, female-owned businesses. Bolé Road’s offerings range from the bold and bright to more neutral colors and black and white, but each item represents the brand’s commitment to thoughtful manufacturing and natural materials.
It should come as no surprise that Etsy—a beacon for home decor obsessives—offers some of the best throw pillows you can find. Whether you’re looking for minimalist linen like the one here, bright velvet, or wildly patterned cushion covers, there is at least one seller on Etsy ready to provide a little well-designed comfort and satisfy your plush-loving imagination.
Made Trade is a hub for sustainably made, ethically sourced home goods—including, of course, gorgeous decorative throw pillows, like this white-and-navy cotton pom cushion made in India. The brand also focuses on curating products from artisans who are Fair Trade, BIPOC-owned, female-owned, or what they refer to as heritage brands, meaning they employ traditional techniques and practices that are in danger of being phased out by mass production and technology.
Brothers Byron and Dexter Peart launched Goodee around the idea of conscious consumerism. As a Certified B Corporation, their brand is committed to products that are sustainably made, engage in the circular economy, and are ethically produced. Their in-house line of throw pillows exemplifies that ethos. The pillows are made of fabrics from Burkina Faso and Mali, are sewn in fair-trade collectives in Kenya, and made in partnership with the Ethical Fashion Initiative, a project from the U.N. and WTO. The pillow fill is GOTS-certified organic cotton and muslin from CeCe’s Wool, a nonprofit that provides employment and services for people with developmental disabilities. And, with their rich color scheme and intentional design, these pillows are also gorgeous to look at!
Block Shop Textiles, founded by sisters Hopie and Lily Stockman in 2013, marries Bauhaus-inspired design, artisanal techniques, and transparent manufacturing practices at the heart of their operations in Jaipur, India. True to the Stockman sisters’ vision, this lumbar pillow with its distinctive geometric design is made of Belgian linen, filled with a down insert made in the U.S., and handsewn and hand-block-printed by a team of experts in Jaipur.
54Kibo, helmed by Nana Quagraine, is a gathering place for the best and brightest artisans across the African Diaspora. Whether you’re looking to decorate your living room, outfit a nursery, or give a stellar housewarming gift, you’ll find considered design objects for any decorating project. This collection of cotton pillows is made in Tunisia with a minimalist crosshatch pattern and subtle tassels that’ll work with countless home interior styles.
If you’ve ever decorated, well, anything, then you don’t need us to tell you about West Elm. Given their wide variety of throw pillow sets, covers, and inserts, chances are you’ll find everything you need. We particularly like the machine-washable cotton velvet covers below.
Another mega retailer that merchandises sustainable options at a very low price point is H&M Home. This 100% organic cotton cover is a step up from a neutral, and its classic colors and design can be used to stand out on your sofa, or blend in with a few mix-and-match options.
London-born, Stockholm-based textile artist Katherine Plumb has been a rising star on the home decor scene for the past few years. Her designs have frequently been seen in enviable homes on Instagram, and her credits include collaborations with vintage dealers Home Union and very hip stockists including Lisa Says Gah and Cool Machine. You can also buy her retro, vaguely psychedelic throw pillow covers directly from her site, as well as phone cases and art prints.
Brooklyn-based pillow cover treasure trove Coterie Brooklyn carries a deep inventory of original designs by Grace Harris of Stitched by Grace. Harris’s designs are clean and minimal, but use high-quality fabrics and thoughtful materials including distinguished faux-leather details. More than 150 of her designs, as well as corresponding inserts, can be found at Coterie at very reasonable prices (like, less than $50).
Always reliable for a little something special in any furniture or home decor category—macramé, tie-dye, tufted, you name it—Anthropologie offers a wide variety of pillow colors, shapes, sizes, fabrics, and textures.
If you’re looking for color, print, and luxury details (like hidden zippers, duck feather fill and velvet piping), U.K.-based Eva Sonaike has gorgeous options aplenty. She blends West African and European influences to create pillows, poufs, rugs, and lampshades like no other.
Sara Berks, via her Hudson, New York–based textile company Minna, works with artisans all over Latin America to create products that are made with traditional weaving techniques in ethical workshops. The brand takes great care to showcase the makers behind each product they bring to market. The Shadow Pillow, for example, is made in Momostenango, Guatemala, by artisans who use wool pedal looms and nontoxic dyes to achieve the thick, luxe finishing on the pillows, as well as area rugs in colorful abstract designs.
Known for their beachy, laid-back California style, Serena & Lily offers a seemingly endless array of pillow covers in their distinctive aesthetic. Shoppers who knows exactly what they’re looking for can sort by color, size, price, and indoor or outdoor use to efficiently find the perfect accents for their home.
Designer Chantal Bradley does beautiful pillows well, and she has since 2015. With a velvet pillow in nearly every striking color you can imagine, as well as some exceptional animal print, metallic, and Mongolian fur options, she makes it easy for you to accessorize any room or style.
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