Days out in the sun and breathing fresh air are fantastic, especially for busybodies who spend most of their time indoors. One way to make these rare outdoor days better is by spending it lounging on comfortable furniture and plush pillows. The best outdoor throw pillows will keep you cozy and are great for sprucing up your design and making it more inviting. With so many pillow designs and styles to choose from, we wanted to help make your shopping easier with these outdoor pillow recommendations.
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Backyard Boss Top Five Best Outdoor Throw Pillows
| PRODUCT | FEATURES | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 | Sunnydaze Gray Geometric Pillows |
| Check The Price! |
 | Pillow Perfect Basalto Navy Lumbar Pillows |
| Check The Price! |
 | Fabritones Red Houndstooth Pillow |
| Check The Price! |
 | Boho Living Jada Decorative Pillows |
| Check The Price! |
 | Resort Home Spa Outdoor Bolster and Lumbar Pillows |
| Check The Price! |
Why You Can Trust Us
If you’re serious about finding the perfect outdoor throw pillows, you’ve come to the right place. Instead of combing through dozens of sites for the right pillow, we’ve done the hard work for you. For us to only recommend the best outdoor throw pillows to you, we followed a strict process.
It involved an extensive market analysis, feedback from various backgrounds and people, and careful firsthand trials of each pillow. As with any responsible purchase, it should be done fully informed. To help with that, we’ve also included a buying guide, design tips and have hyperlinked all our sources for full transparency.
Best Waterproof
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These modern square pillows are a great size for patio furniture and have a versatile design that fits every season.
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Why We Like It: These are weatherproof pillows designed to resist water and sun damage in every detail.
Its insert has a polypropylene fiberfill and a non-woven fabric casing to offer better water resistance. Moreover, the removable geometric print covers are made from 200 GSM fade-resistant polyester fabric. Its dimensions measure 17”x17” and come with a year-long manufacturer’s warranty to protect your money.
Who Should Buy It: This would be great for homeowners looking for all-weather and all-season type outdoor pillows.
Best Lumbar
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These pillows come in a luxury-style print that can dress up basic sofa designs.
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Why We Like It: These lumbar throw pillows are sold in a set of two and come in a navy and off-white pattern that looks lovely with neutral-colored furniture.
You can use them indoors and outdoors thanks to their soft water and fade-resistant polyester fabric cover. They’re also incredibly durable and have a 100% recycled polyester fill. To clean them, remove the covers and spot clean or hand wash with cold water.
Who Should Buy It: Those with a neutral-colored small outdoor sofa would find their much-needed pop of color in these.
Best Seasonal
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These pillows come in a lovely red print, great for subtly outfitting your outdoor spaces for the holiday season.
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Why We Like It: This outdoor pillow comes with a UV-protected and water-repellant pillow cover made of premium polyester and a 100% cotton insert, with standard 18”x18” dimensions.
It has a red houndstooth design that’s fantastic for subtly decorating for the holiday season without using stereotypical pieces. If this pattern doesn’t work for you, this also comes in several different pillow shapes and designs that might be what you’re looking for.
Who Should Buy It: These covers would be ideal for those who prefer a more understated approach to seasonal decor.
Best Boho Style
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This pillow is a wonderful textured boho accent that adds loads of character to an outdoor space.
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Why We Like It: These decorative pillows take boho to a new level with this cage-style jute and cotton cover.
It’s a unique take and adds a classy yet rustic touch to boho pieces. These can come with an off-white or dark gray base for the removable cover and a polyester insert, measuring in total at 20”x20” dimensions. There’s no doubt that these pillows offer a unique texture and design element to any space and would look fantastic on a shaded porch.
Who Should Buy It: People looking to add natural texture and tones to shaded porches and decks would love this.
Best Modern Style
Why We Like It: This is a great value for money since it’s sold as a set of four comfy indoor/outdoor pillows, with two 20”x12” lumbar pillows and two 20”x6” bolster pillows built for outdoor comfort.
These pillows have contemporary black and white striped removable covers that are weather and fade-resistant. They’re also easy to maintain with a simple sponge wash and air drying. Thanks to the simple yet eye-catching design, these can match and add dimension to most outdoor designs.
Who Should Buy It: This would be great for those looking for eye-catching accent pillows that compliment contemporary designs.
What to Keep In Mind Before Buying an Outdoor Throw Pillow
To help you decide better on a throw pillow for your yard, here are a few pillow details you should consider while you’re making a decision.
Size & Shape
Throw pillows have various shapes, but the most common are square-shaped pillows, measuring around 20”x20”. These dimensions match average sofa sizes and make great layers.
Other popular shapes are rectangular pillows, also known as lumbar pillows, that measure around 16”x20”, 14”x22”, and 12”x20”. Bolster pillows are another favorite, usually staying near the 7”x20” dimensions.
Both are great for back and neck support. Less common pillow shapes are round and novelty-shaped throw pillows that serve a more decorative purpose.
Fabric
Pillow fabrics can refer to both the pillow insert casing and the removable pillow cover. Either way, fabric production ensures they survive in all weather conditions.
It also involves waterproofing and UV protection and helps prevent intense color fading, water staining, and mold growth.
Inserts/ Fill
Similar to how outdoor fabrics are made, outdoor pillow filling minimizes water absorption and heat damage if weatherproof fabrics aren’t enough.
Most outdoor pillow inserts have a polyester fiberfill, but some great alternatives are compressed polyester and polyurethane foam.
Maintenance
Most outdoor pillows come with specific cleaning and storage instructions. Typically, pillow inserts are spot cleaned with water and soap, while pillow covers can be either machine-washed or hand-washed and air-dried.
If you want the color to last longer, store them in a dry area when you are not using them. Such as during the rainy season or winter. There are also deep cleaning tricks you can do if your pillow needs it.
Tips to Select the Best Outdoor Pillow
While we were decking out our porches and decks with cushions and pillows, these tips helped us and can help you too.
Led by colors
Design 101 will always teach you that a color palette guides the entire design process. Even if you’re unsure of your furniture and layout, building off of a color palette gets the ball rolling and makes it easier to find the pillows you need.
Know your weather
Having an understanding of your location’s weather patterns helps highlight the outdoor pillow features you need most. Those in rainy cities will benefit from waterproofing, while sunny towns might need more UV resistance.
Cleaning time
Always consider the time and resources needed to maintain, store, and clean your outdoor pillows properly since they’re exposed to the different elements of nature. Even the best pillows need a wash.
Placement is key
Plan where your pillows will sit. Whether they will stat on the sunny side of the porch, under a sappy tree, or beside a pool, these placements can help you prepare for the pillow that matches its vibe and needs best.
Sizing matters
You need to proportionately size your pillows according to the sofa, chair, or bench they will be on. If they’re too large or small, they will look odd and distracting.
Fun with layers
Don’t be afraid to layer your pillows. Mixing different pillow shapes and sizes is a simple styling hack that makes cushion arrangements look more sophisticated.
Playful patterns and textures
Fun patterns and textures can improve even the simplest designs. This pop of character and color can break the monotony of a space and make it more memorable.
Cushioned just right
If you’re unsure how many throw pillows you’ll need, a rule of thumb is to have an odd number, with at least one throw pillow for each seat. It means a four-seater sofa should have at least five pillows for a symmetrical cushion arrangement.
How We Picked
Our search started with market analysis and looking for products with fundamental qualities of the best outdoor throw pillows, such as weatherproof build, comfortable filling, stylish covers, and simple maintenance. We sought and collected feedback from experts and previous consumers of each item for products that fit the bill. They gave us valuable insight and helped us find the pillows with the most potential.
Our final step was to try and test each throw pillow. It was our most valuable step because it helped us to understand better their strengths and weaknesses. That strict process led us to five amazing outdoor throw pillows that we’re certain will be a valuable addition to countless outdoor living spaces.
Our Top Pick Of The Best Outdoor Throw Pillows
All products we mentioned stood out from the competition. However, our go-to would be the Sunnydaze Gray Geometric Pillows. This dual set of pillows comes with a chic and striking pattern that’s easy to incorporate in various outdoor designs.
They’re built with great weatherproofing features and are very comfortable to hold and sit on as well. That said, we understand that our favorite might not be what you need.
Don’t be discouraged. We provided you well to make the right decision for your next step. Regardless of what you need, we’re confident that your perfect outdoor throw pillows are on this list.
