Blue and white is a classic color combination that never goes out of style. This versatile combo, like clothing, can be dressed up or down, and is suitable for use in any room, setting or season.
Blue can signify accomplishment and self-assurance, while white represents simplicity and purity. In interior design, blue is the color of formality and balance. White creates a sense of space and highlights the other colors in the room. Together, they make a beautiful pair.
Blue and white is a perfect combination for pillows. Let us show you some of our favorite throw pillows and how you can use them to accessorize your home.
Why choose blue and white throw pillows?
Blue and white is a classic pair, commonly seen together in design around the world, from Chinese and French porcelain to nautical stripes. While so many colors go well with blue, none is as elegant as white to create a timeless color combination.
Blue and white throw pillows can work in any room in the house, including living and dining rooms, kitchen, bedroom, media room, or front porch. They lend themselves to both traditional and modern settings, and go equally well in an elegant penthouse or a modest country cottage.
A blue design on a white background looks fabulous in patterns of every kind, from florals and damasks to stripes and polka dots. Take a look at how these two colors complement each other on throw pillows that are inspired by designs from around the world.
Inspired by Williams Morris’s iconic Willow Bough print, our English Gardens blue and white throw pillow covers evoke the floral abundance of an English garden. Featuring foxgloves, primroses and bluebells, this pattern looks delightful in a blue and white palette. The lotuses in the Midnight Lotus throw pillow covers seem to be floating on a white background.
English Gardens (CP) ~ Decorative Throw
English Gardens ~ Decorative Throw
Midnight Lotus(CP)~ Asian Blue Floral Throw Pillow Cushion CoverYou’ll notice that all three of these blue and white throw pillows feature a blue design on a white background, which works particularly well with floral patterns. Read on to see examples of the opposite.
Throw pillows with a white pattern on a dark background
The contrast that a light pattern makes on a dark background can be uplifting and dynamic, accentuating the background color. Think of puffy white clouds floating in an azure sky, or twinkling stars against a midnight blue backdrop. This technique works for any kind of pattern, including floral, geometric and abstract.
Our Starry Nights batik print features delicate white stars twinkling on a deep indigo background, creating a dramatic effect. Here you see a vintage floral pattern with blue wildflowers and blossoms mixed with reds and yellows against a rich azure blue background. This blue and white throw pillow features beautiful conch patterns across a deep navy background, accentuating the shells and bringing them to life.
Enchanted - Blue ~ Throw Cushion Cover
Pacific Blue (CP) ~ Rustic Navy Blue Ocean Oriental Throw PillowWhat kinds of pillow patterns can you mix together?
Most interior designers will tell you that a collection of pillows on a bed or sofa works best in odd numbers, typically 3 to 5, for a modern look, and an even number, preferably 2 to 4, for a more traditional, balanced look. We would advise against using all identical pillows, because using unmatched pillows gives you the opportunity to create texture and visual interest.
Mixing patterns in your accessories will help pull your space together with a cohesive look. Your throw pillows, if done right, can transform your room. You don’t want to choose too many patterns because you run the risk of their not going well together. But you can choose up to three different patterns, particularly if they are in the same color scheme, in this case blue and white. A classic formula in interior design is to choose one with a solid color, one with a floral pattern and one with a geometric pattern.
Here are two examples. The first shows a pretty collage of pillows in solids colors along with a floral and geometric balance. You can see how they complement one-another. The second one shows a sofa with an array of pillows in a mix of pattern types, pattern sizes and pillow sizes.
Every pattern has a different size. Make sure that each of the three patterns you choose has a different scale, from small to large, so they contrast each other nicely without clashing. It’s really okay to throw together pillows that match, but we advise against putting them side by side. You also might try mixing the same blue and white pattern with pillows of different sizes.
Use blue and white throw pillows with different shapes and sizes
Now that you know how to mix blue and white throw pillows with different patterns, let’s explore how you can combine pillows of different shapes and sizes to create a lovely vignette. To create layers of texture and visual interest, combine square and rectangular pillows with circulars ones, or a lumbar pillow. But don’t get carried away! As with patterns, you want your pillows to complement, not compete with, each other.
Scatter blue and white throw pillows around the room
Your throw pillows should not be limited to just your sofa or bed. For a living room with a mix of sofas and chairs, interior designers often recommend odd numbers: 1 pillow on a chair, 3 on a loveseat or two-seater, and 5 on a large sofa. In the bedroom, it can be a number of different sized pillows on the bed, one for the desk chair, and 2 or 3 for the window bench.
What colors go with blue and white?
When asked what their favorite color is, most people will say blue. One great thing about blue is that its various shades can be easily combined with other colors. Blue can be paired with yellow, shades of pink and orange, and gold. A blue and white combination always looks great with coral.
According to Better Homes and Gardens, different shades of blue look best when paired with particular colors. Here are the combinations they recommend:
- Light blue with yellow and pink
- Royal blue with red, pale pink and yellow
- Baby blue with gray, peach, pink and dark blue
- Sky blue with jewel tones, cream and gold
Below are examples of some of our most popular blue and white throw pillows and shams in settings that artfully combine complementary colors:
The lovely pairing of blues, white and avocado green on a snowy white background seen on our Moroccan-inspired print looks gorgeous in contrast to a dark wood chair and side table, and light gray wall.
The exotic combination of cyan blue star burst motifs, set in pieces of chocolate tile, with accents of French blue, peacock green and apricot, evokes an intricate Moroccan tile print. You can see how beautiful it looks resting against white sheets.
You will notice ivory waves patterned rhythmically across a deep navy blue background. The setting shows how well the blue and white fabric of the pillow interacts with a light neutral headboard and neutral greige wall.
Casablanca Blues - White ~ Moroccan Quatrefoil Cushion Cover
Mosaique Bleue - Earth ~ Moroccan Tile Print Blue Euro Sham
Pacific Blue~Rustic Navy Blue Ocean Oriental Asian Throw PillowIf you love the combination of blue and white for your interior design scheme, you now have enough tips to know how to mix blue and white throw pillows with other pillows as well as your overall décor. Choose some of our throw pillows and let them be the anchor in putting together a color and pattern scheme you will enjoy for years to come. You can see our entire collection of decorative cushion covers (both throws and euros) by clicking the link below.
