When the evenings draw in, nothing layers a room with warmth quite like a genuine sheepskin throw. Draped over a sofa or folded at the foot of a bed, it adds softness, texture, and a bit of natural luxury. Here is how to choose and use a sheepskin throw or blanket.
Throw, blanket, or rug?
The words get used loosely, so it helps to be clear. A sheepskin throw is usually a single or double pelt made for draping over furniture. A sheepskin blanket often has the hide on one side and a soft backing on the other, made to wrap up in or lay on a bed. A sheepskin rug is built for the floor. Any of them can cross over, but knowing the intended use points you to the right size and finish.
Where a sheepskin throw shines
- Over a sofa or armchair. A throw softens hard lines and gives you something warm to pull over your lap. It also protects the upholstery underneath.
- At the foot of the bed. A throw or blanket adds an extra layer of warmth and a hotel-suite finish.
- On a reading nook or bench. Instant comfort on a hard seat.
Why sheepskin works so well
Sheepskin is naturally temperature regulating. The dense hair traps warmth in winter but breathes in summer, so a throw never feels clammy the way synthetic fleece can. It also resists odour and moves moisture away, and a genuine hide keeps its loft for years instead of matting flat.
Choosing one
Think about size first, a single pelt for an armchair, a larger double or blanket for a bed or sofa. Then colour: natural ivory suits a light, calm scheme, while greys and browns sit well with darker furniture and hide everyday use. Look for dense hair and a soft, genuine leather backing, the same quality markers you would want in a rug.
Keeping it soft
Shake it out and give it a gentle brush now and then to keep it full. Curly skins are the exception; those only want shaking. Spot clean small marks with cool water and a mild liquid detergent, and air dry away from direct heat. Treated kindly, a sheepskin throw only gets more inviting with time.
See the full range of sheepskin throws and blankets and find the one that makes your favourite chair the best seat in the house.
