HKLIVING cushions are one of the easiest ways to bring the Dutch brand's eclectic, colourful look into a room without changing anything else. In this guide we walk through the cushion designs we stock, from striped velvets to Japanese-inspired prints and soft woven stripes, and share the styling rules we use ourselves when dressing a sofa or a bed.
Striped velvet: the statement makers
If you want a cushion that does the talking, start with the striped velvets. HKLIVING says they have "the power to stand out", and it's a fair description: the sumptuous texture and lively colour combinations catch the light in a way a flat cotton never quite does.
The Velvet Striped Sunkissed Cushion and the Velvet Striped Peach/Cream Cushion, made in cotton velvet, share the same striped design in different colour pairings. Both are made for mixing and matching, or for playing the single eye-catcher in an otherwise subdued scheme. On a plain grey or oatmeal sofa, one striped velvet at each end is often all you need to give the whole thing a lift.
Japanese-inspired prints
For pattern rather than stripe, look at HKLIVING's printed cushions inspired by Japanese influences. The Kyoto Printed Cushion is a clever one: it has a floral print on the front and an abstract print on the back, so you can turn it round when you fancy a change. It's finished with a brass zip and made from 100% recycled PET.
The Tokyo Printed Cushion comes from the same Japanese-inspired thinking, with a soft texture and colour combinations that make it easy to pair with plain velvets or woven pieces. Prints like these are especially good on a bed, where a plain duvet cover gives a busier pattern room to breathe.
Woven textures for a calmer look
Not every room wants bold colour. HKLIVING says that when it starts a collection, materials and textures are where everything begins, and the Woven Striped Blush Cushion shows that thinking well. It's a woven cushion with a soft vertical stripe in blush, designed as a gentle counterbalance to the natural tones of its collection.
A woven cushion adds depth to a pared-back scheme of pale wood, natural fibres and plenty of plants. It also makes a useful bridge between a patterned cushion and a plain sofa, softening the jump from one to the other so the arrangement doesn't look disjointed.
How to style HKLIVING cushions
A few simple rules make any mix look considered rather than random:
- Mix textures. Put velvet, print and weave in one arrangement. A striped velvet, a Japanese-inspired print and a woven stripe together give you three different surfaces, which reads as layered rather than cluttered.
- Vary sizes. Larger cushions go at the back and smaller square ones at the front, so each one is visible.
- Think in odd numbers. Groups of three or five look more relaxed than neat pairs, particularly on a corner sofa or a large bed.
- Repeat a colour. Pick one shade from a printed cushion and echo it in a velvet stripe or a throw, so the whole group hangs together.
- Keep one quiet piece. Every busy arrangement benefits from a calmer cushion to rest the eye, which is exactly where the woven designs earn their place.
Where to use them
Sofas are the obvious home, but cushions work just as hard on beds, armchairs and window seats. In a period property, a striped velvet adds a modern note against traditional features without fighting them. In a rented home where you can't paint or change the furniture, a set of cushions is one of the simplest ways to add personality, and it moves with you when you go.
It also pays to swap cushions with the seasons. Velvets feel right on cold evenings, while lighter prints and woven textures suit the brighter months. Keeping a few spare covers or cushions in a cupboard means a room can feel fresh without buying anything new.
Find your combination
Browse our full HKLIVING collection or the wider cushions and throws range to start building your mix. If you'd like a second opinion, visit us at the shop in Somerset or get in touch with the team, and we'll happily help you put together a combination that suits your sofa and your room.
