What makes a throw a must-have is its wrapability. It shouldn’t be too weighty, and should have a soft, pliant feel. Today’s woolens and blends are very different from the scratchy, itchy, heavier versions of the past. And the new synthetics are a tactile wonderland of supple, velvety plushiness. In a great color that coordinates with your furniture, a snugly throw is a functional, stylish accessory.

Elaine Griffin, a contributing design editor to Better Homes & Gardens, encourages a little color play.

“Throws are guilt-free occasions to indulge in the season’s trendiest colors,” she says. If you can’t commit to a burgundy or citron wall, consider a throw in those hues.

At Overstock.com, vibrant blues, greens and oranges play up a boho floral/stripe cotton-blend print on the Bocasa Oleana throw Bocasa, $59.99.

The Associated Press