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Wear Next.

15 Checkerboard Cushions to Spruce Up Any Home on Any Budget 

And how to style them.

Last Updated on July 20, 2022

Speaking as someone who loves checkerboard (I just had checkerboard vinyl tiles laid in half my house), I think it’s a really versatile print. 

For me, checkerboard is very nostalgic. My parents had a cafe with a black and white floor I always adored. 

READ MORE: I Painted my North Facing Living Room the Wrong Colour – This is What Happened

It takes me right back to my Saturdays as a schoolgirl, serving coffee and tea for pocket money. 

Other than this, what I really love about checkerboard is how easily it can be manipulated into any type of design – it’s like gingham’s older and cooler sister; the one who spends all her time listening to loud music through headphones and eyerolls a lot.   

It’s not out of place in a restored Victorian terrace, a bright Scandi apartment or a cute, country cottage with wisteria tangled across the doorframe. 

Matilda Goad, a designer I am quite literally obsessed with, used red and cream tiles in her kitchen on the chimney breast – it is to die for, I spend many nights lying awake thinking about this. Genius.  

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Will checkerboard go out of style? 

While it does feel very ‘trendy’ at the moment, checks actually date back to the Ancient Egyptians. 

While I can’t personally go back into the detailed history of it, the pattern has definitely stood the test of time. 

When I think about the 60s, I can’t help but think of a bold, black and white checkerboard design.

Of course, tiles and vinyl flooring are a very permanent feature but you can add the chequer pattern into your home in a more subtle way with some checkerboard cushions. 

Don’t be afraid to play around with the colours and textures to suit your home; this is how you’ll make the trend your own. 

READ MORE: The Best Staircase Paint To Inject Some Colour Into Your Home, By A Seasoned Expert

If you’re dressing a room for a cosier feel then you’ll want to think about the feeling of the fabric – go for something you really want to touch like a boucle, a faux fur or a velvet. 

Don’t be afraid to bring out your inner maximalist and sit the cushion next to a contrasting pattern; this can be the key to turning something good into something great. 

Again, you don’t have to keep it traditional, a distorted chequered pattern can be more playful and fun. It could be the missing piece in a teenager’s bedroom or a studio. 

Looking for something pretty and soft? Make sure the two colours on the design aren’t contrasting: think off white and beige or buttery yellow and cream. Heavenly. 

Okay, now you’re prepped and ready, below are some of my personal favourites from across the web – happy home styling! 

Shop checkerboard cushions

Black & White Checkerboard Tufted Cushion, £32, Urban Outfitters

POP CHECKERBOARD CUSHION Jonathan Adler

Pop Checkerboard Cushion, £74.99, Jonathan Adler

MACKENZIE-CHILDS

Courtly Check Cushion (50cm x 50cm)

Courtly Check Cushion, £279, MacKenzie-Childs

Checkered Plaid Cushion, Checkerboard Pillow, Sofa Cushion, Home Decor, Checkered Decor, Bedroom Pillow, Black & White Pillow

Checkered Plaid Cushion, £14.99, Etsy

Outdoor Cushion, £98, Jonathan Adler

Brody Checkerboard Black & White Bolster Pillow

Brody Checkerboard Black & White Bolster Pillow, £39, Urban Outfitters

Check II - Baby Blue Twist Throw Pillow

Baby Blue Twist Throw Pillow, £17.12, GalaxyEyes

Exclusive Patchwork Fringe Cushion Cover in Navy & Sky The Conran Shop

Exclusive Patchwork Fringe Cushion Cover in Navy & Sky, £130, The Conran Shop

KJP FIONA CUSHION COVER
BLACK

Fiona Cushion Cover, £59, END Clothing

In Casa by Paboy
check-print fringed cushion

Check-print fringed cushion, £72, In Casa by Paboy

Lilac Checkerboard Tufted Cushion Urban Outfitters

Lilac Checkerboard Tufted Cushion, £23, Urban Outfitters

Retro Blue Yellow Pastel Warped Checkerboard Cushion, £37, Zazzle

Retro Blue Yellow Pastel Warped Checkerboard Cushion, £37, Zazzle

Retro Pink Yellow Pastel Warped Chequerboard Lumbar Cushion

Retro Pink Yellow Pastel Warped Chequerboard Lumbar Cushion, £43.75, Zazzle

Forest Green Checkerboard Throw Pillow

Forest Green Checkerboard Throw Pillow, £17.12, JanuaryLemon

Checkerboard Check Checkered Pattern in Light Sage Green and Cream Throw Pillow

Checkerboard Check Checkered Pattern in Light Sage Green and Cream Throw Pillow, £25.70, Kierkegaard Design Studio

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