How to use a throw

From rented pads and student digs to mansions, mobile homes and everything in between, no home is truly complete until it’s got a throw or two lurking about. They’re an adulting rite of passage.

But how to style this versatile rectangle of material? Welcome to the ultimate guide on how to style a throw blanket *drum roll please*. We’ll tell you how to throw it, where to throw it and everything in between. Buckle up!

What is a throw blanket?

A wrappable hug, a radiator alternative, a decorative hero, a sofa jazzer-upper (ok, we definitely just made that up). Shall we go on? We’re very passionate about our throws, in case you hadn’t noticed.

To put it bluntly, a throw is a smaller blanket. Where a blanket’s sole purpose is to provide extra bed warmth, a throw is a human-sized layer that’s typically used for styling up furniture and assisting those Sunday sofa naps. In short, throws are for covering your body, not your bed. From linen blends and lightweight cottons, to woven patterns and luxurious faux fur, the material options for throw blankets are endless and there’s a throw style for every home (and room).

Why every home needs a throw (or ten)…

- Throws help soften a space and break up harsh furniture
- Throws add texture and warmth
- Throws provide physical warmth in those chilly winter months
- Throws are a budget-friendly way of switching up the decor and colour scheme in your home
- Throws are multi-purpose and can be moved around and used from room to room
- Most are machine washable, making them easy to keep clean

How to style a throw for a sofa


The most natural and obvious place to incorporate a throw blanket is the heart of your living space — your sofa, obviously. Why? Apart from your bed, it’s the second most comfortable thing in your home and the place you hang out the most, so if you have the option to make it even cosier, why on earth wouldn’t you, eh? From the practical to the cosy, there’s endless ways to style a throw blanket on your sofa.

For cramped rooms, the back of the sofa drape serves as an eye-directer. For those with four legged friends, a strategically-placed throw blanket in their favourite spot will save your sofa from muddy paws and hair, and for movie buffs, a casual over the arm drape offers the perfect cosy companion, whilst doubling up as a decorative piece. Read on for more inspo and don’t say we don’t treat you!

  • The perfectly-placed seat throw

    If you’ve got a sectional, a neatly folded throw helps break up a large surface area and adds a layer of texture. For sofas with a chaise, fold a throw in half lengthways and place it at the end of the chaise to help tie the whole sofa together.

  • The-over-the-arm throw

    If the arm of your sofa is the first thing you see when you walk into the room, a throw helps draw the eye and break up harsh furniture. The over the arm throw is best placed on two seater sofas and helps add a pop of colour to your living space.

Psst! D’you know what goes hand in hand with a throw blanket? A cluster of cushions, of course. Soften up your sofa and add a pop of colour with a scatter cushion or two…

How to style a throw for a bed

A bed without a throw on it? Blasphemy. We spend a third of our lives in bed, so it’s pretty important that your bed is the comfiest, cosiest version of bed it can possibly be, and throw blankets play a pretty important part in that. Bringing texture, colour and warmth to your boudoir, just like those twenty cushions (hey, we don’t judge), throws are an integral part of bed styling and a budget-friendly way of switching up your bed without having to replace your bedding and cushions.

Now, when it comes to how to put a throw on a bed, there’s no one-size-fits-all rule. From folding them neatly to tossing them casually, it’s entirely dependent on your home style and seasonality. Right, enough chit-chat! Here’s a few ideas of how to put a throw on a bed…

The formal, folded throw

Symmetry’s your go-to decor style and you live for minimalism? Chances are you’ll be opting for the folded-with-military-precision bed throw style. To achieve this polished finish, neatly fold the throw in half and place it just before the end of your bed, ensuring the throw hangs evenly over both sides of the bed Psst! If you have a double or king, opt for a bed blanket as a traditionally sized throw will be too small to cover the entire bottom of your bed. Want to be really extra? Steam the blanket when you’re happy with the placement. It takes two minutes and leaves you with a hotel-style bed you’ll be desperate to climb into!

The casual, corner throw

Oh this strategically placed throw? It totally didn’t take ten attempts to get it to look this perfectly imperfect. To achieve this more “organic” and inviting look, loosely fold the throw in half lengthwise, pinch it at its centre and then drop it over the corner of your bed , ruffling it as many times as needed until you’re left with your desired end result. Now if that doesn’t scream cosy and warm then we don’t know what does to be honest.

On the topic of beds… make sure the bones of your bed are throw-worthy with our foolproof bedding guide

How to style a throw for chairs


So you’ve secured the chair of your dreams (hopefully from us hint hint) and now all that’s left to do is to pick the perfect throw blanket to complete your cosy nook. Just like with throws for a bed, there’s a multitude of ways to style throws for chairs and it’s entirely dependent on your decor style. For the minimalist, uniformed decorators amongst us, a neat fold is a non-negotiable, and for the laid-back home stylers, an effortless ruffle and drape is probably your go-to. In need of some inspo? Here’s a few ways you can style a throw on a chair.

  • The over-the-arm drape

    That chair looks pretty inviting, right? The “organic” drape of the throw over the chair arms oozes cosiness and is perfect for boucle-style chairs or chairs with low arms, giving it that boho, textured feel.

  • The half-and-half

    This style of chair throw is half uniform and half “organic”. Roughly fold it and drape it over the chair seat to add a layered pop of colour. This chair throw works best on chairs with no arms.

  • The uniform fold

    This clean-cut throw is the perfect way to add a sophisticated splash of colour to an otherwise uniform chair — making it all the more inviting. It’s the perfect cosy companion to a formal study or reading chair.