Dreaming of June

I love decorative pillows! What’s not to love? They come in all shapes and sizes and can be used in a variety of ways. On sofas, on chairs, on your bed, the guest bed, your kid’s beds, on a banquette, a bench and even in a corner for a casual, cozy reading area.

No matter what your existing colour scheme is, decorative pillows add additional hues, with pattern and ornate detail. They are a perfect way to introduce trendy patterns like ikat, damask or honeycomb, or on trend colours like lemon yellow and dove-gray, without the full on commitment of upholstery or drapes.

Use throw pillows to add a jolt of colour to a muted space or layer tone on tone texture into a room with existing splashes of colour. For instance, a room with a strong oxblood red influence will do well with a collection of oatmeal coloured pillows. Choose one silk pillow with ruffles, one light champagne damask pillow and one linen pillow with a vein of red thread running through it. Mix and match and tie in secondary or tertiary colours found elsewhere in the room to complete the look.

And why not choose a feature pillow in a fun pattern like the ones shown above?

1. Pride and Prejudice Chapter One by Jane Austen- Pillow Bookends by Two Stray Cats.  These pillows are stuffed with rice but would look fabulous anywhere!

2. Morroccan Peacock by Organic Shine Society

3. Red Decorative Pillow by Cody and Cooper Designs

Decorative slip covers can be collected and changed with the season, or as you see fit. Dress up white winter months with rich jewel tones or botanical prints. Quirky ideas include animal prints like leopard or zebra and kitschy animal faces, which you can make with a photo of your pet, a blank pillow case and a printer. Don’t forget to include the odd solid coloured pillow to tie everything together. Once you have collected a series, you can mix and match to come up with different combinations.

For those of you so inclined to make your own slip covers, the sky is the limit! Combine your favourite fabrics with ribbon and trim details to create original pieces. Design Sponge has a lovely tutorial on how to sew your own zippered throw pillows, right here. Use rubber stamps to add detail to a plain fabric or to complete a theme in a bedroom.