Cushions and Soft Furnishings

Cushion size should relate to the depth and height of the seat. On a deep sofa, larger cushions fill the space and support the back; on a shallow one, large cushions push the sitter forward. A good arrangement usually layers two sizes, larger at the back and smaller in front, with perhaps a rectangular or lumbar cushion in the centre or on a chair.

Odd numbers and asymmetric arrangements look relaxed; matched pairs at each end look formal. Resist filling every inch: a sofa should still be comfortable to sit on without moving cushions to the floor. On a bed, a pair of European pillows, a pair of standard pillows and one bolster or cushion is usually enough.

The simplest way to make soft furnishings work is to draw their colours from something already in the room: the curtains, the rug, a painting. Pick one accent colour to repeat across two or three pieces, then vary scale and texture. A large pattern, a small pattern and a plain or textured weave in related colours sit together easily.

Texture matters as much as colour. Linen, velvet, woven cotton, a nubbly slub and a smooth sateen catch light differently, and a mix of them gives a room depth even in a narrow palette. Contrast piping or a flange in a second fabric is a quiet way to connect pieces. Using the curtain fabric for a cushion or two is the most direct link of all.

Cushions are the most exposed textiles in a room: handled daily, sat against with damp skin, often near windows. In the monsoon, feather fillings absorb moisture and can develop a musty smell, and cotton covers can spot with mildew if the room is closed. The fix is simple. Choose fibre or quality foam fillings in rooms that will be shut for the rains, and remove covers for washing and storage.

For houses closed through the monsoon, strip covers at take-down, wash and dry them fully, and store them flat or rolled in breathable bags. Keep inserts in a ventilated space, never sealed in plastic, where trapped moisture guarantees mould. When the house reopens, air inserts in the sun for a morning before refitting covers.

Well-made covers have zips concealed in a seam, usually at the bottom or back, so they can be removed without showing. Patterns are centred and matched on the front, and piping is cut on the bias so it follows curves without puckering. Corners are shaped to avoid the dog-eared points that make cushions look unfinished, and inserts are sized slightly larger than the cover so it is filled out.

For seat pads and window-seat cushions, the foam is cut to a template taken on site, wrapped in fibre to soften edges, and covered with a boxed edge. Ties, tabs or a non-slip base keep pads in place on cane or timber seats. All of this is standard in our workroom, and it is the difference between a cushion that looks finished for years and one that sags after weeks.

In a rental, soft furnishings carry the room's personality while the hard-wearing essentials stay neutral. White bedding with a coloured runner and cushions photographs well, and the colour pieces can change with the season without replacing anything else. Keep a full spare set of covers for each room, so housekeeping swaps rather than washes between guests.

Specify fibre inserts, which wash and recover well, and covers in fabrics that tolerate frequent laundering. Limit the number of scatter cushions per room: guests move them to chairs or floors, and fewer, larger pieces look tidier. Label covers by room so they return to the right place after laundering.