8x20 Throw Pillow
SY00067 - Throw Pillow
SY00068 - Throw Pillow
SY00004 - Throw Pillow
SY00006 - Throw Pillow
SY00008 - Throw Pillow
SY00010 - Throw Pillow
SY00011 - Throw Pillow
SY00012 - Throw Pillow
8x20 Throw Pillow
An 8x20 pillow is not really a square pillow's smaller cousin. It is a different shape entirely, long and narrow rather than a scaled-down version of anything else. This is the 8x20 lumbar size within our full throw pillows collection, cut from the same retired kilim and rug fragments as every other size and shape we carry. A strip of fabric this narrow often comes from a border section of a larger rug, the kind of piece that would otherwise go unused once the rest of the rug was too worn to sell whole.
Why 8x20 Is Considered the Standard Lumbar Pillow Size
Lumbar refers to the lower back, and a lumbar pillow is built to sit at that height rather than fill an entire chair back the way a square pillow does. 8x20 became something close to an industry standard for this shape because it is narrow enough to tuck behind a larger pillow without disappearing and long enough to support the lower back instead of just decorating the space in front of it. It is a size defined by a job, not by a round number that happened to look good.
Why an 8x20 Kilim Pillow Rarely Measures Exactly 8x20
A mass-produced lumbar cover is cut from a bolt of fabric to a precise, repeatable measurement. An 8x20 kilim pillow cover is cut from an existing strip of retired kilim or rug fabric, often a border or a narrow section between motifs, so the actual dimensions can run slightly narrower or wider than a true 8 by 20. Finding a usable piece this shape is genuinely harder than finding a square one, since a rug's border sections are a specific, limited part of the whole piece. That scarcity is part of why this size sees fewer new pieces added at any given time than the square sizes do.
Where Does an 8x20 Lumbar Pillow Belong on a Sofa or Bed?
Usually in front of, or layered against, a larger square pillow rather than standing alone. On a sofa, an 8x20 pillow tucked at the base of the seat back, in front of one or two 20x20 pillows, adds a horizontal line that breaks up an otherwise uniform stack of squares. On a bed, the same shape works well laid across the front of a pillow arrangement, closer to the edge than the headboard. It can also work alone on a bench or a narrow chair seat where a full square pillow would not fit the proportions of the furniture at all.
What Colors and Patterns Show Up in an 8x20 Kilim Pillow?
Mostly border patterns and repeating motifs, since a strip this narrow tends to come from the edge of a larger piece rather than its central field. A geometric border that ran along the side of a kilim, cut down to 20 inches, often reads as a clean, contained pattern on its own once it is off the original rug and on a pillow. This is a narrower selection than what shows up in a full square pillow, since fewer sections of a rug are shaped right for a strip this size. If you are hoping to match a specific rug closely, it is worth checking what is currently available in this size rather than assuming every color will show up eventually.
8x20 Pillow Cover or Filled Cushion: Which One Should You Choose?
We sell both, listed separately, the same as across the rest of our throw pillows collection. An 8x20 pillow cover is fabric only, meant to go over an insert you already own or buy separately. A filled 8x20 cushion includes the insert and is ready to use as soon as it arrives. Lumbar inserts are less standardized across retailers than square ones, so checking the listing's exact measurements matters a little more here than it does for a 16x16 or 20x20 pillow.
What Insert Size Fits an 8x20 Pillow Cover?
A standard 8x20 lumbar insert is the starting point, though the narrow shape means even a small mismatch shows more clearly than it would on a square pillow. An insert that runs slightly larger than the cover in both directions tends to fill the corners better than one cut to an exact match. Since the cover itself may run a little off from a true 8x20, as covered above, checking the specific listing's measurements before buying an insert separately is worth the extra step.
How Many 8x20 Lumbar Pillows Work on One Sofa?
One is usually enough, occasionally two on a longer sofa with pillows stacked at both ends. The lumbar shape is meant to accent a larger arrangement, not carry it, so a single 8x20 pillow layered against two or three square pillows tends to look more finished than several lumbar pillows spread across the same sofa. I would rather see one 8x20 kilim pillow doing a clear, specific job than a matched set trying to fill space on their own.
What We Check on Every 8x20 Pillow Before It Ships
Every fabric strip used for an 8x20 pillow cover is inspected by hand before it is sewn, checked along its full length for structural soundness, since a narrow piece can have a weak spot near a fold that would not show the same way on a square cut. Shipping is free everywhere we send an order, and for orders inside the United States, duties are already built into the price. Our shipping and returns page covers what happens if a cover or cushion does not look the way you expected once it arrives.
What does "lumbar" mean on an 8x20 pillow?
Lumbar refers to the lower back. An 8x20 lumbar pillow is shaped and sized to support that area or to sit at that height on a sofa or bed, rather than filling an entire chair back the way a square pillow does.
Where should an 8x20 lumbar pillow go on a sofa?
Usually at the base of the seat back, layered in front of one or two larger square pillows, where its horizontal shape adds contrast to the arrangement.
Does an 8x20 pillow cover come with an insert?
Not unless you order the filled cushion option specifically. An 8x20 pillow cover on its own is fabric only.
What insert size should I buy for an 8x20 pillow cover?
A standard 8x20 lumbar insert works, though slightly oversizing it tends to fill the corners better than an exact match on this narrow a shape.
Is an 8x20 kilim pillow exactly 8 inches by 20 inches?
Close, but not always exact. Since each cover is cut from an existing strip of fabric rather than a bolt cut to spec, the actual measurement can run slightly narrower or wider piece to piece.
Is every 8x20 lumbar pillow one of a kind?
Yes. Each cover comes from a specific, non-repeating strip of retired kilim or rug fabric, the same as every size in our throw pillows collection.
Can I mix an 8x20 pillow with a square pillow on the same sofa?
Yes, and that is how this shape is usually meant to be used. An 8x20 pillow layered in front of a 20x20 pillow or a 16x16 pillow tends to look more finished than a lumbar pillow used alone.
Will an 8x20 pillow's colors match my rug exactly?
Probably not exactly, and it does not need to. The goal is a piece in the same color family as the room rather than a precise match.
