Throws

Weight is what you notice after a week. A light cotton or cotton-blend throw is comfortable year-round in a Melbourne climate and is the one that gets used on a mild evening or over a bed in spring. A heavier wool or wool-blend throw is genuinely warm and has enough body to hold a fold over the arm of a lounge without slithering onto the floor, which is why it also styles better. Knitted and chunky-weave throws bring the most visible texture and suit a plain lounge or a bed that needs some relief from flat linen, though an open knit is warm rather than windproof and catches on jewellery. Fine woven wool and mohair blends are the softest against skin and the right choice if wool feels scratchy to you. Pick one up, feel the drape over your forearm, and you will know immediately whether it is the throw you will actually reach for.

For draping over the arm of a lounge or wrapping around one person on the couch, roughly 130cm x 170cm is enough and stays manageable. To sit across the foot of a queen or king bed, look for 150cm x 200cm or larger so it hangs evenly on both sides rather than stopping short on one edge — a throw that is too narrow on a wide bed always looks like it has slipped. If you want a throw that covers two people on a modular lounge, or one that reads as a bed cover rather than an accent, go up again to around 180cm x 220cm. Consider who uses it: a throw for a tall adult on a deep three seater needs the extra length, while a smaller piece is easier for children to handle and keep off the floor.

The trick with a throw is restraint. Fold it in thirds lengthwise and lay it over one arm of the lounge, or drape it diagonally across one corner of the seat — never centred and symmetrical, which immediately reads as a display rather than a living room. On a bed, lay it across the lower third at a slight angle, with the fold facing the foot of the bed and a little more overhang on the side people walk past. One throw per lounge is plenty; two, on a large modular, should be different weights rather than a matching pair. Because a throw is the loosest element in a room, it is also the safest place to put a colour you would not commit to on a sofa — a deeper tone or a subtle stripe here lifts a neutral room and can be changed next winter for the cost of a throw rather than an upholstery decision.

Check the care label on the specific piece, because fibres vary widely across the range. Most woven cotton throws handle a cold gentle machine cycle. Wool prefers a wool cycle or hand wash with a wool-safe detergent, and should always be dried flat rather than tumbled or hung — hanging wet wool stretches it out of shape permanently. Mohair and finer blends are usually best dry cleaned. Between washes, an airing outside in the shade does more for a throw than laundering it does. Over summer, store it folded in a breathable cotton bag rather than sealed plastic, which traps moisture, and keep it out of direct sun where prolonged exposure fades the dyes. Ask us if a label is unclear and we will check the supplier's guidance for you.

Throws are out on the lounges and beds at Alphington, Preston, Essendon DFO, Springvale and Nunawading, which is the only way to judge weight and softness properly. In-stock pieces dispatch quickly, Melbourne metro delivery is handled by our own team, Australia-wide freight is available, and Zip Pay can be used in store and online. Styling a bedroom from scratch?see our bed framesand choose the bedding layers against the frame.