The short answer: to dress the arm or back of the sofa, a throw of about 130 × 170 cm is enough. If you want to wrap up in it yourself, count on that size; if two of you want to share it, go up to about 230 × 260 cm. Choose the fabric by the feel you want (knit, chenille or recycled cotton), check the weight (400 GSM is a dense throw, 360 g/m² is plush) and spread the colour with the 60-30-10 rule: the throw is usually part of the 10 % accent.
Size: to decorate or to wrap up in
Before looking at colour, decide what you want it for. A decorative throw is folded over the arm of the sofa or left to fall over a corner of the back: at about 130 × 170 cm it covers without excess fabric. A throw for use, for watching a film, has to reach a person lying down, or two people sitting. For a three-seater sofa, about 200 to 220 cm wide, a large throw can be spread along the seat and still look good when it is folded away.
Practical rule: measure the seat of your sofa and compare it with the throw. If it is narrower than one seat of the sofa, it will read as a detail; if it is wider than the seat, it will cover it and fall over the sides.
Fabric and weight
The fabric decides how the throw feels and how it looks. Textured knit adds texture and visual warmth. Chenille is soft and looks plush. Recycled cotton looks more natural and relaxed, and fringes give it movement as it falls. According to Zaida, touch counts almost as much as colour: “touch is what turns a palette into an experience. A colour seen in velvet does not say the same as the same tone in raw linen; one invites ceremony, the other relaxation”.
Weight is measured in GSM (grams per square metre, the same as g/m²). The higher it is, the more fabric there is in each metre, and the heavier and warmer the throw. A 400 GSM one is dense; a 360 g/m² one is plush without being heavy. If the figure is not given, do not assume it: compare the fabric and the size.
Three throws from the shop, compared
| Throw | Fabric | Size | Weight | Colour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nara Throw | Recycled cotton with decorative fringes | 230 × 260 cm | Not stated on the product page | See product page |
| Siena Throw | Textured knit, polyester | See product page | 400 GSM | Dusty pink and grey |
| Aveline Throw | Chenille knit, textured with fringes | 130 × 170 cm | 360 g/m² | White and beige |
The Nara is the large throw, designed for the sofa and for sharing. The Aveline is the one for decorating and for wrapping up in on your own. The Siena is the densest of the three and the one that brings the most colour.
Colour: the throw as an accent
A throw is the cheapest way to change the colour of a living room. With the 60-30-10 rule, the sofa and walls carry the neutral base (60 %), wood and stone provide the 30 %, and the throw goes in the 10 %: a single accent colour, repeated in a cushion or a picture. If your sofa is already an intense colour, choose the throw in white or beige and let the sofa be the accent. If you are already thinking about the bedroom, there are more ideas in colours for a bedroom.
An example
A living room with ivory walls and a three-seater sofa in raw linen. On the arm, the Aveline Throw in beige, 130 × 170 cm, adds texture with its fringes without changing the tone. For film nights, the Nara Throw, 230 × 260 cm, spreads out for two people. And the Siena Throw in dusty pink sits at the foot of the bed in the bedroom or on an armchair as an occasional accent: it is the colour layer you can renew each season without touching the rest.
Limits
The sizes are a guide: a sofa with very wide arms or a chaise longue calls for more fabric. If you have pets or children, the fabric matters more than the colour; check the care instructions on each throw's product page. And if the room is already full of textures, a plain throw in a neutral colour helps rest the eye.
Next step
See all the throws and cushions in Textiles. If you would like us to choose the textiles for your living room with its light, its sofa and its measurements, write to our interior design studio.
Frequently asked questions
What size of throw is best for a sofa?
To decorate, around 130 × 170 cm; to wrap up in for two people, around 230 × 260 cm. It is a guide according to the size of the sofa.
Which throw for a 3-seater sofa?
A large throw, such as the Nara Throw at 230 × 260 cm, covers the whole seat. If you only want to decorate, one of 130 × 170 cm over the arm is enough.
What does GSM mean on a throw?
It is the grams of fabric per square metre. The higher it is, the denser and warmer the throw: 400 GSM is a dense throw.
What colour throw should I choose for a beige sofa?
For a beige sofa, the throw works as an accent: dusty pink, grey or a darker tone. If you prefer calm, another throw in white or beige adds only texture.
Related questions
By Zaida Muñoz, interior designer at Zach & Decor · Updated on 16/10/2026