A throw pillow, or toss pillow, is a small, decorative type of pillow

Pillow

A pillow is a large cushion support for the head, usually used while sleeping in a bed, or for the body as used on a couch or chair. There are also throw pillows , which are pillows that are purely decorative and not designed for support or comfort...

. Throw pillows are usually placed on sofa

Couch

A couch, also called a sofa, is an item of furniture designed to seat more than one person, and providing support for the back and arms. Typically, it will have an armrest on either side. In homes couches are normally found in the family room, living room, den or the lounge...

s or armchair

Armchair

An armchair is a chair with arm rests.Armchair may also refer to:*Armchair nanotube, a carbon nanotube with chiral symmetry*Armchair, a sitting sex position*Armchair , a bus operator in London...

s but are also frequently used on bed

Bed

A bed is a large piece of furniture used as a place to sleep, relax, or engage in sexual relations.Most modern beds consist of a mattress on a bed frame, with the mattress resting either on a solid base, often wooden slats, or a sprung base...

s and day beds. Throw pillows serve both an aesthetic and a functional purpose. Decorative pillows are commonly used to tie in color accents within a room, often drawing on the colors in drapes, walls or area rugs. From a functional perspective, throw pillows may provide back, neck and head support, although some throw pillows are very uncomfortable.

Throw pillows typically feature a removable cover with a feather pillow form stuffed inside and come in various sizes and shapes. The most common size throw pillow is 16 to 18 inch square. However, rectangular, circular and cylindrical throw pillows, called bolsters, are also popular. Outside the United States, throw pillows are more commonly referred to as cushions.

Throw pillow and decorative cushions are made from a wide range of textiles including silk

Silk

Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...

, leather

Leather

Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...

, microfibre or faux suede

Suede

Suede is a type of leather with a napped finish, commonly used for jackets, shoes, shirts, purses, furniture and other items. The term comes from the French "gants de Suède", which literally means "gloves of Sweden"....

, cotton, linen and hemp. In recent years, decorative pillows have been revived as an artistic medium. Fashion designers have become increasingly attracted to the lucrative home textiles or furnishings market and this has led to a wide range of more embellished looks and styles.

Company logos and photos are placed on pillows as well to give a personalized look.