Cushions are the perfect way of giving a room an instant makeover, or acting as the final touch to your interior masterpiece. Here’s some top tips on how to achieve the wow factor with your new favourite accessory. 

1. Consider colour

Adding a few bright cushions is one easy way of quickly transforming a space, by splashing a pop of colour into a sea of white, cream or magnolia. Linking up with other accessories in the room, such as a pair of curtains or a piece of art, will pull the whole room together in harmony. Don’t forget that colours can dictate the mood of a room, so choose wisely - blues and greens are calming and relaxing, so perfect for bedrooms, while reds and oranges are lively and warm and therefore more suitable for social spaces such as the living room.  

2. Play with textures 

If your heart is set on sticking to cushions in exactly the same shade, it’s a good idea to use different textures to break up block colour. Mix ruffles, suede, sequins, fur, velvet and tassels – this isn’t just aesthetically pleasing but will also add a new dimension, make the eye dance and keep you out of the boring zone. 

3. Location, location, location 

There are a plethora of places to display cushions – sofas, chairs, beds, footstools, window seats, even on the floor. Fewer large cushions are suited to sofas or chairs, while several smaller cushions work well on beds. We think this chaise longue would look even more stunning with a couple of cushions. When it comes to arrangement, this says a lot about your personality; loosely scattered suggests an eclectic nature, while a perfectly poised line-up represents a more conservative approach. 

4. The clash

Your personal style will no doubt determine how brave you are when it comes to mixing patterns. Ease yourself in gently by using fairly similar colour palettes and limit yourself to two print schemes, for example polka dots and florals. If you’re feeling more rebellious, be bold and break all the rules by combining a whole array of colours and prints. Cushions with alternative prints on either side mean you can change things up depending on what mood you find yourself in too. 

5. Shape up 

A selection of different shaped cushions on your sofa can make it look less intimidating and regimented, and more inviting – less for show and more for snuggling up on with a cup of tea and your favourite hardback. Try teaming a rectangular, circle and a square cushion together for maximum shape shifting impact. 

If you’re coveting cushions at the moment, head to the iLiv Facebook page. There are weekly giveaways to win your cushion crush.