Striped Cushions

Why a stripe works

A stripe is one of the oldest patterns in soft furnishings, and one of the easiest to live with. It gives a room a sense of order without the busyness of a large print, and it works in almost any style, from a seaside cottage to a city flat. A striped cushion also adds direction: laid one way it draws the eye along a sofa, and turned the other it adds height to a chair. Because a stripe is simple, it pairs readily with plain fabrics, florals and checks. Every cushion on this page has a striped front, and the product page shows the full design.

Cotton stripes

More than a third of our striped cushions are cotton. Cotton has a dry, matt handle and a relaxed character, which suits the looks a stripe is best known for, from a crisp kitchen bench to a breezy bedroom. It takes colour evenly, so the lines of a cotton stripe stay sharp where one colour meets the next. Cotton also softens with use, so a well-loved striped cushion often looks better after a few seasons than on the day it arrives, and it is a natural choice for a family sofa that is sat on every day.

Velvet and jacquard stripes

Around a quarter of our striped cushions are velvet. On velvet, a stripe can be woven into the pile itself, so the lines show as a change of sheen rather than a change of colour, and the cushion shifts as the light moves across it. A number of our striped cushions are jacquards, where the stripe is built into the weave on the loom instead of being added afterwards. Both give a stripe more depth than a flat pattern, and they suit a more formal room, a velvet sofa or a dark painted wall.

Blues, greens and pinks

Blue is the colour we offer most often in stripes, closely followed by green and pink. Blue is a classic colour for a stripe, with a fresh, coastal feel that suits a bedroom or a garden room. Green stripes bring a calm, natural note and sit well beside plants and wood. Pink stripes add warmth to a grey or cream sofa, from a soft, chalky shade to a brighter one. Cream and natural stripes are the quietest, adding texture without much colour at all. The Colour filter shows every shade we offer, side by side.

Which way should the stripes run?

How you place a striped cushion changes the look of the whole seat. Stripes running up and down make a cushion feel taller and more formal, which suits a high-backed chair or a neat row on a bed. Stripes running across feel wider and more relaxed, and they echo the long line of a sofa. A square cushion can be turned either way, so it is worth trying both before you settle. On a large sofa, a mix of directions keeps a group of striped cushions lively. On a bed, stripes that all run the same way give a calm, tailored finish.

Pairing stripes with other cushions

A stripe is a natural partner for a plain cushion in one of its colours: the plain one rests the eye, and the stripe gives the group structure. Stripes also sit well with florals, as long as the two share a colour, and a narrow stripe beside a broad one in the same shades adds interest without any clash. Try an odd number of cushions with the striped ones at the ends, and keep to a few colours across the group so the arrangement looks planned rather than crowded. If the sofa itself is patterned, a stripe in one of its colours is the gentlest way to add a second pattern.

Looking after striped cushions

Plump striped cushions often so the stripes stay straight, since a sagging cushion makes the lines look uneven. Always follow the care label on the product page, because cotton, velvet and polyester each need a different approach. A soft brush keeps a velvet pile smooth and even. If a cushion sits in strong sunlight, turn it from time to time so the colours fade at the same rate on every part of the cover. A stripe shows every crease, so plump and square each cushion after it has been leaned on.