Alterme Home’s Cushion Size Guide for Sofas, Beds & Chairs: Our Founders Tips for Perfect Styling
A L T E R M E H O M E A N E C D O T E S -
I N S P I R A T I O N
Which Cushion Sizes Go Where? An Interior Styling Guide for Sofas, Beds, and Outdoor Spaces
A guide to choosing the right cushion sizes for every space—crafted by Alterme Home; luxury handmade linen cushions and soft furnishings.
At Alterme Home, each cushion is handcrafted with purpose—designed not only to be seen, but to be lived with. Selecting the right fabrics and palette is of course an important factor, but size and placement play just as vital a role in creating balance, comfort, and flow throughout the home.
Our founder Jasmine has put together this thoughtful guide to choosing cushion sizes that suit both the space and the way it’s used, helping you choose with confidence and curate the perfect balance of soft furnishings within each room of your home.
Our Monday Moodboard - Styling a living room;
Image credit; Darlings of Chelsea , Birdie Fortescue, Musee Home, Cotswold Co
Choosing The Right Size Cushions For Your Sofa
A well-dressed sofa balances softness and structure so I always recommend a layered approach, depending on shape and overall size.
Suggested arrangement:
2 x 50x50cm cushions for visual anchors
1–2 x 40x60cm lumbar rectangular cushions for added comfort and variation in height
For larger or deeper sofas, consider adding 55x55cm or 60x60cm cushions at the back. The scale brings a relaxed, inviting finish. If you have a corner and find them trickier to style we could suggest using 3 of our larger 50 or 60 squares paired with 2 of our 40x60 and a 50x30 to help bridge the tricky gap in the middle of the corner.
Choosing Which Size Cushions For Your Bedroom
Cushions on a bed should feel curated, not crowded. Think in layers, from largest at the back to smallest at the front for a more formal look, or for something less contrived and relaxed mix a large square (50 or 60) with a smaller square (45x45) and an oblong or bolster in front.
For king or double beds:
2–3 x 60x60cm (placed against the headboard)
2 x 50x50cm layered in front
1 x 40x60cm or a bolster /made to order longer rectangle cushion for the final detail
This arrangement works equally well styled daily or left naturally unstructured.
Choosing Which Size Cushions For Your Armchairs
For smaller seating, less is more. A single well-proportioned cushion creates comfort without clutter.
Best fit:
1 x 40x60cm lumbar for support or
1 x 45x45cm square for a softer, balanced touch
If you have a larger arm chair then choosing a 45x45 or 50x50 cushion with a smaller 50x30 rectangle in front or slightly off centre to fill the space on the seat a little better.
→ View chair cushions →
Try adding two small squares for larger arm chairs for a relaxed and comfortable look and feel.
Choosing Which Size Cushions Outdoor Benches & Garden Chairs
Comfort and durability matter equally in outdoor spaces. Our outdoor cushions are handmade using high-performance fabrics that resists fading, water, and stains—without sacrificing softness.
Recommended sizes:
2 x 50x50cm cushions for longer benches or sofas
1–2 x 40x60cm lumbar rectangle cushions for back support and visual variation
Jasmine’s Final Tips For Selecting The Right Size Cushions
Cushion sizing shapes how a room feels—whether structured and formal, or soft and lived-in. Begin with size and scale, then layer in colour, texture, and material to reflect your aesthetic.
If you’d like guidance choosing sizes for a specific space, or want to explore our sample service to view fabrics in person, then please let us know by getting in touch via email; info@alterme.co.uk and for more information on our fabrics you can visit our fabrics page or order fabric samples here.
We’ve even popped together a handy guide to reference back to when making your choices!
Save our handy size guide guide for when you need a little help choosing the right cushion sizes for your space.
Explore the Alterme Home collection to bring these elements to life.
I hope that this has provided lots of inspiration for your living space; and helped making those tricky choices on sizing!
If you enjoyed this and have taken any inspiration we would love it if you left any questions, or comments below!
Happy Shopping,
Jasmine xx