Designer Tips: How to Layer Decorative Pillows

For interior designers, layering decorative pillows is more than styling, it’s one of the quickest ways to communicate mood, establish palette, and elevate a space without overwhelming it. Grand Rapids designer Ella Baker of Element Design Studio has refined this into an art form. Her approach combines intentional pattern mixing, a variety of shapes, meaningful textiles, and high-quality inserts that hold their structure.
Ella walks us through how she builds a layered space using Down Inc. decorative pillow inserts.

Start With a Neutral Pattern to Build Your Base

Ella often begins with a striped pillow, which she considers a “neutral pattern.” Stripes offer more interest than a solid but behave just as flexibly, making them a perfect base layer when you’re mixing decorative pillows on a sofa or sectional. This foundation sets the tone for everything that comes next and keeps the design from feeling too busy.

Use Shape Intentionally to Introduce Dimension

Ella really shines in her use of shape to break up geometry and add depth. In this project, she layers:

• A round olive green boucle pillow
• matching boucle ball pillow
• A velvet ochre bolster/neckroll with braided rope detail
• Multiple square pillows in varying sizes
• A long lumbar with a bold basket-weave pattern

Designers know that shape variation is often what takes a grouping from expected to editorial. Rounds soften architectural lines, bolsters add length and balance, and lumbar pillows create a strong horizontal anchor. This mix instantly communicates a professionally designed space.

Curate Patterns With a Story Behind Them

One standout piece in the layered pillow collection is a vintage blue toile pillow made from fabric she discovered in her grandparents’ home. She worked with a local seamstress to turn it into several pillow covers, adding a personal, collected feel to the space. This intentional mix of old and new is what gives many luxuriously designed interiors their warmth and character.

Use a Hero Print to Connect the Palette

Among all the pillows, the olive tree print functions as the unifying element. It bridges the cool blues, earthy greens, warm browns, and ochre tones used throughout the grouping. Designers looking to unify multi-tonal palettes often rely on one strategic print to carry the eye through the entire composition, which is exactly what’s happening here.

Why Designers Choose Down Inc. Inserts

Ella uses Down Inc. decorative pillow inserts for several reasons that matter specifically to interior designers:

• Natural cotton ticking that supports high-end textiles
• Premium down and feather fills that maintain loft, structure, and shape
• Custom sizing with no minimums, ideal for fully bespoke projects
• Local sourcing: Down Inc. is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where we manufacture and ship our products from, allowing for faster turnaround.

For designers, consistency matters. Inserts must perform, photograph well, and continue to look tailored long after installation. This is where Down Inc. stands out.