Pillows

One can never have too many pillows!

– Linda Applewhite

Pillows are like actors. They each have their role to play in whatever ensemble they are part of, and their talents are endless! Color, pattern, shape and texture combine to offer something for every taste, whether you are looking for opulent sophistication, homespun earthiness, whimsical playfulness, exotic edginess, and everything in between. The sky’s the limit when it comes to adding these star players to your home production.

With a little choreography, pillows collaborate beautifully with other players on the stage of your choice – beds, sofas, loveseats, chairs, benches, lounges, and settees to name just a few. I’ve always relied on pillows to do everything from change the entire character of a room to add the finishing touch to a completed creation.

Pillows Provide Support  

And pillows are not just pretty faces in the room. They also provide comfort and support to your furniture or space where needed. In the image above, voluptuous 36” square pillows are functional as well as decorative, adding structure to the unusually low back of an antique sofa. Without them, it would be impossible to sit or recline in comfort.

Close up, the compatible plaid, polka dot and floral fabrics entice one to sink into the combination of furry dots coupled with straight and curved lines. The raspberry red and pale-yellow elements in the three fabrics work in concert to make the sofa inviting, despite its eccentric yet charming lines.

Kidney Pillows  

A mainstay in the world of pillows is the kidney pillow, which fills the empty space where seat and back cushions meet and support the lower back. The 14” x 18” pillow above adds design elements that harmonize with the trim secured with bronze nail heads on both arms and above the wooden base below.

Tight back chairs and sofas are particularly in need of kidney pillows to provide comfort without a back cushion to rest against. I like to construct relationships between chair and pillow fabrics that repeat one another in some way, which is soothing to the eye.

Contrasting Fabrics

Pillows also offer the opportunity to combine contrasting fabrics, such as this matte cotton linen stripe paired with a glossy gold polka dot. The tassels at the edges of the pillow add a luxurious touch to the country French fauteuil with its rustic walnut frame.

Pillows and Art

Our fluffy pillow friends can also make a strong design statement alongside artwork. The cerulean and lime green pillows with geometric zigzags, stripes and circles enhance this Spanish painting by Navarro Vives. A chorus of geometric shapes and similar colors make the pillows and artwork sing.

Pillows in Uneven Numbers

I’m a big believer in odd numbers when it comes to accessories. In my aesthetic, two pillows placed symmetrically at either end of a long sofa look contrived and uninspired. This ornate settee sports a collection of three pillows in concert through colors they share. Yet their designs of stripes, florals, toile, dots and checks make individual statements. All three reinforce the strength and drama of the black and white animal print.

Pillows Add Texture

Though small in size, pillows gift our senses and homes with infinite touches of sensual textures. These two pillows, piled over a rustic thickly woven textile covering this overstuffed chair, add harmony with their delicate terra cotta and gold embroidery. To further define the leaves and fronds in the fabric, a subtle creamy fringe lends substance to enhance the artful design. In addition, applied flanges, cording, ruffled and pleated fabrics, and ribbon complete these works of art.

Mass Produced and Custom Pillows

There are many sources out there of pillows for any budget. I have found good looking and reasonably priced pillows at many of the national home retail and discount stores. Always ask for the store’s return policy, so if the pillows don’t work when you get them home, you can return them for a refund or exchange.

If you are lucky and talented enough to know how to sew, or know someone who does, the world of pillows is at your feet. Fabric and craft stores offer fantastic varieties of fabrics, trims, button, ribbons, and all kinds of notions from which to create your own custom pillows. The pillows you design will express your unique eye for beauty and harmonize perfectly in your home. Get ready for a standing ovation!

For the love of pillows,