Buying guide for Best Christmas throw pillow covers
Christmas throw pillow covers can add an extra dimension to your festive decoration. Why stick to decorating your tree and mantle when you can get your couch in on the action? With so many options available, finding the best festive throw pillow covers can be a challenge.
For most buyers, the design and background color or print are the main event, so these are features you should spend some time deciding on. However, you should also consider the size and shape of any throw pillow covers you're considering and how easy they are to wash and care for.
Once you know more about what to look for in a festive throw pillow and you've cast your eye on some recommended options, making your purchase will be much simpler. Soon you'll have your Christmas throw pillow covers sorted, and you can get on with enjoying the festive fun.
How to buy the best Christmas throw pillow covers
Festive designs
You can find all kinds of festive designs on Christmas throw pillow covers, so there's an option to suit most people's decorative tastes and preferences. There's everything from traditional Christmas scenes with vintage-style illustrations of Santa or snowy log cabins to highly contemporary designs that are sleek and stylized. If you're trying to bring some Christmas magic into your home for kids to enjoy, you might prefer more cartoonish designs, or you could forgo pictures or illustrations altogether with festive typographical designs. This comes down to personal preference, so you may need to browse for a while to find a design you love.
Expert tip
Store the pillow covers flat in a sturdy gift box. Add desiccant packets if possible to prevent stale odors in storage. If you're unable to store them flat, roll them around paper towel tubes to prevent creases.
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Background color
In addition to the design, consider the background color of the throw pillow cover. The color makes a huge difference in the overall appearance of the pillow, so pick carefully. You can choose to match or contrast your couch or to select a color that works with your other festive decorations. You may wish to buy a festive pillow in a traditionally Christmassy hue, such as red, green, or gold. In addition to solid colors, you can find some festive pillows with patterns or prints behind the main design, such as plaid or stripes.
Size
Think about what size pillows you'd prefer. If you have existing pillow inserts you want to use, this will dictate the size of Christmas throw pillow covers you should buy. Otherwise, go with your preference. The most common pillow size is 18 by 18 inches, so the vast majority of Christmas throw pillow covers come in this size. However, you can find some smaller and larger options if you shop around.
Shape
Most festive throw pillow covers come in a standard square shape. This is because buyers are more likely to already have square pillow inserts they can use. If you were to buy the whole pillow with the insert included, it would be easier to experiment with other shapes. That said, you can find some Christmas throw pillow covers in less common shapes, including rectangular cushions and round cushions. While you'll definitely need a rectangular pillow insert to fit in a rectangular pillow cover, you can often manage to squeeze a square cushion into a round pillow cover.
After eleven months of storage, pillow throw covers may become creased. To address this, we suggest looking for ironable Christmas throw pillow covers.
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What features do Christmas throw pillow covers have?
Closure
Throw pillow covers can have a range of closure types, including zipper closures, envelope closures, and drawstring closures. Zipper closures completely secure the insert inside the cover and are often hidden so they're not obvious and won't dig into you. However, since it takes time and effort to sew in a zipper, this can add a dollar or two onto the price. Envelope closures consist of two pieces of fabric on the back of the pillow that slightly overlap, so you can slip the insert inside. This type of closure is often found on cheap cushions but is less secure than a zipper closure. Some pillows have buttons or ties added to keep the pillow insert more secure. Drawstring closures aren't common on throw pillows, but they aren't unheard of. They feature a drawstring at one end to securely keep the insert in the cover, but they aren't the neatest of solutions.
Washability
Ideally, your chosen throw pillow covers should be machine washable. You won't be using your Christmas throw pillow covers for more than a month or two throughout the year, so they shouldn't get excessively dirty, but it's still nice if they're easy to wash. This will save you time and energy if something gets spilled on one of your pillow covers or if you want to wash them before storing them for next Christmas.
Embellishments
Some festive throw pillows have embellishments, such as sequins or pompoms. These can add to the appearance of a pillow but shouldn't make them less functional. For example, when a pillow is so covered in sequins that it's uncomfortable to lean on, it isn't much use as a pillow, even if it looks great.
DID YOU KNOW?
You can purchase personalized Christmas throw pillow covers embroidered with names, special dates, or anything else significant, but they can take a while to arrive, especially in the weeks prior to Christmas.
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How do you accessorize a Christmas throw pillow cover?
Pillow inserts
In an ideal world, you'd already have some throw pillows onto which you could temporarily place Christmas pillow covers. However, you might find you don't have enough, they're the wrong sizes, or they look excessively worn when you remove the covers. In this case, you'd need to find suitable pillow inserts. For the plumpest and most comfortable pillows, choose polyester hollow fill or faux down inserts that are a couple of inches bigger than the cover.
Festive throw blankets
If Christmas throw pillow covers aren't enough to complete the festive look on your couch, you could also get festive throw blankets. You might be able to find a throw blanket with a similar design or color scheme to your throw pillow.
How much do Christmas throw pillow covers cost?
Inexpensive
You can find inexpensive Christmas throw pillow covers for less than $5 each when you buy them in a set.
Mid-range
Mid-range Christmas pillow covers cost $5 to $15 each, depending on the quality and whether they're sold in sets or individually.
Expensive
The priciest festive throw pillow covers cost from $15 to $30 apiece. These are luxury pillow covers that are sold individually.
Expert tip
If the zipper on your throw pillow cover gets stuck, rub a little bar soap along the edge to help them glide better.
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Tips
- Choose a design you'll be happy to use year after year. To get your money's worth, you'll probably want to use your festive pillow covers for many Christmases to come. Therefore, choose a design that you'd be happy to use again and again. Avoid anything that's too on-trend that might go out of style in a year or two.
- Consider the color palette in your living room. Consider choosing Christmas throw pillow covers that match or complement the existing color palette in your living room, den, or wherever else you intend to put your pillows.
- Think about whether you want individual pillow covers or a set. You can buy Christmas throw pillow covers either individually or in sets. If you like the matching look, it's best to choose sets of pillows with designs that are slightly different but with the same color scheme. However, those who prefer a mismatched look may prefer individual throw pillow covers.
FAQ
Q. Do pillow covers need to be bigger than the pillow?
A. No, throw pillow covers don't need to be bigger than the pillow insert because pillows can be compressed into spaces smaller than their relaxed dimensions. In fact, we'd recommend choosing a pillow insert that's 2 inches larger than the pillow cover — a 20-inch insert for an 18-inch throw pillow cover, for example. This makes pillows look plump rather than disappointingly flat.
Expert tip
Consider getting a large plastic tote to keep all seasonal pillow covers in and collect them for all year long.
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Q. How do you dry throw pillow covers?
A. Check the label inside your chosen festive throw pillow covers to find the washing and drying instructions. In many cases, it's better to air dry them, but if you must tumble dry them, do so on low with the cover turned inside out so the design is on the inside. Make sure your pillow covers are completely dry before storing them for next Christmas. Otherwise, they may be musty or moldy by next December.
Q. Is it worth buying Christmas throw pillow covers?
A. You might be wondering if it's worth buying Christmas throw pillow covers if you'll only use them for a month or so each year. This comes down to personal preference, so there's no right or wrong answer. However, if you like the idea of festive throw pillows but want to get more use out of them, you could choose pillow covers with a subtle winter theme that you could use throughout the whole season. For instance, you could choose pillow covers with a snowflake design, red and black buffalo check, a stag print, or a snowy scene.
