It goes without saying that we all want our homes to feel cosy and look gorgeous. And the good news is, adding some blankets and throws to your sofa is a simple way to warm up your space in an instant. Here at The British Blanket Company, we love helping people find a wool blanket in the perfect colour, so it’s easier than you’d think to pick one that works in your room. Whether you like to decorate with bright colours, or prefer a more tonal style, we can help you choose a blanket that works perfectly.
Once you’ve picked out a new wool throw or blanket, your next choice will be how to style it in your home. Read on and we’ll guide you through our favourite ways to style throws for sofas and give your room a colourful and cosy touch.
Above: just a few of the colourful throws and blankets you'll find in The British Blanket Company's online shop
What’s the difference between a throw and a blanket?
Let’s start with the basics. What is a throw, and how is it different from a blanket? Well, traditionally a blanket was a more functional item, with its main purpose being to keep you warm in bed. Typically, a throw would be more decorative, perhaps laid over the duvet or for snuggling under on the sofa. Today, the terms ‘throw’ and ‘blanket’ tend to be used interchangeably, or even blended into the term ‘blanket throw’. Our British-made collection has wool options that are both warm and decorative, so we use both 'throw' and 'blanket' equally to describe them.
How style throws for sofas
Here are some of our favourite ways to style blankets and throws on the sofa and make your living room snuggly and inviting as the evening draws in.
1) Drape a wool throw over the front of the sofa
By softly draping a wool throw on your sofa you’ll make your room look comfortable and welcoming. Drape the blanket by holding one corner to give a casual effect. Then, arrange the blanket into soft ripples that show off its thickness and warmth.
2) Fold a wool throw over the back of the sofa
For a smart style, fold your throw or blanket and tuck over the back of the sofa. A crisply folded throw works especially well on sofas with an angular shape. A folded throw also looks great with colour block decor to add a pop of contrasting colour.
3) Store woollen blanket throws inside an ottoman
An ottoman or blanket box is a multi-purpose piece of living room storage furniture and can be used instead of a coffee table. Choose an ottoman with lots of room inside for folded blankets, board games, spare candles and anything else you want to tidy away. A simple grey throw blanket will always look timeless and elegant.
4) Style wool blankets in a basket
If you live in a home where every family member has their own sofa blanket for the evenings, this is the styling idea for you! Roll all the throws and blankets up at the end of the night and pop them into a rustic wicker basket beside the sofa. That way they’re neatly stored, but always to hand.
5) Fold a throw on top of a footstool
A buttoned footstool can help give your room that chic ‘interior designer' vibe. Fold a wool throw blanket on top of the footstool to create layered textures. Finally, add a tray to make the footstool more practical for mugs, plus a candle, and book or two. This cream throw complements a linen-covered footstool beautifully.
How to remove bobbles from a sofa throw
Bobbling (also called pilling) forms on wool fabrics because of friction, which makes the surface fibres to felt together into little balls. Wool throws used in high friction areas, such as the back or seat of a sofa will bobble more readily than blankets used in low friction areas, such as on a bed or over the arm of a chair.
Of course, you can still use a wool blanket as a sofa throw, you’ll just need to remove pilling time to time. It’s easy to do and should be a normal part of the care routine for wool blankets. We show you how to remove bobbles in this video – subscribe to The British Blanket Company’s YouTube channel for more wool care tips.
