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.

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

Lindsey Isla's painted home — @lindsey_isla

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.

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!