Throw Pillow Covers
"“I am going to make everything around me beautiful - that will be my life.”-Elsie de Wolfe, "The Mother of Interior Decoration", (1859-1950)
Notes on Decorating with Throw Pillows
A couch full of "tasteful" and interesting decorative pillows is always a
discovery. Throw pillows are almost like having good books in a home.
When you "curl up" on the couch, or in bed, with a good book, it's the
couch pillows and sofa pillows you are curling up on. So why not make
your decorative pillows interesting too? Like book covers, throw pillow
covers tell a story. Let our decorative pillows transport and inspire
you just like a good book.
Elsie de Wolfe
The American decorator Elsie de Wolfe had a fun sensibility that
came out in her throw pillows! She loved decorative pillows that
had wimsy...De Wolfe's embroidered taffeta pillows bearing
mottos are a perfect example. Her living room sofa at
Villa Trianon at Versailles, an 18th century wreck she bought
and transformed into a home and party palace for her friends
who included, Coco Chanel, Noel Coward and Cecil Beaton is
shown below.
You can see her decorative pillows with sayings like,
"Never complain, never explain" and "I believe in optimism
and plenty of white paint”. Elsie de Wolfe's friend
Wallis Simpson was also known for pithy comments.
About Elsie she said, “She mixes people like a cocktail
— and the result is sheer genius.”
Elsie's decorating style helped her create plenty of beautiful
room decorations. Here is her garden room with some less
formal throw pillows and her living room with animal print
pillows and antique French furniture. Both shots are
from Villa Trianon. During WWII, General Eisenhower used the
Villa as his command post. After the war Elsie spent the last
four years of her life restoring the home.
Billy Baldwin decorates
Although he was known for his great clean looks, the great
American decorator Billy Baldwin liked to see "a room with
objects all over the place." In his book, Billy Baldwin decorates,
the decorator, described his approach to decorative accessories
like decorative pillows in a philosophical way. Baldwin admired
his clients who collected things over the years that were meaningful
to them: souvenirs from their travels, gifts from their friends,
paintings and other art from their favorite designers. He often
coordinated couch pillows with the art collection of his clients.
We like to think of decorative pillows as part of a home decor collection.
When you look at couch pillows and sofa pillows as decorative
accessories and accents, they are so much more than being a
soft place to rest your head. But of course we never want to forget
that one of the purposes of decorati pillows is to make us
comfortable and help us relax. The photo of Baldwin
is a good illustration (by Horst). It beautifully portrays relaxing in a
lovely setting with or without throw pillows!
Couch Pillow Philosophy
What Baldwin did not like was clients who went out and bought instant collections to fill a room. Take your time with choosing
decorative throw pillows for couch pillows, sofa pillows or bedroom pillows. These decorating choices are totally personal and
enjoyable to make. Pick a decorative pillows with your favorite kind of dog, one made of a special textile design, with colors
that you love, or with the flag of one of the countries you like to visit. Take a chance. If you make a mistake and don't like the
throw pillows you pick once you place them in your rooms, they are not so hard to change. You may buy decorative pillows
and find they work in multiple places in your living room or in a completely different room than you intended.
Decorative throw pillows can be a luxurious decorating touch. An easy way to add instant elegance to a living room, family
room or den is to add decorative pillows. When guests sit down on your couch, the first thing they may notice is your couch
pillows and couch cushions. We hope you will be inspired to mix and match varied, unique throw pillows and move them all
around the house. Accent pillows can be one of the spices of life, or at least decorating.
If your mother gives you a family heirloom couch, don't waste it! Give it new life with some fresh couch pillows. With a minimum
of effort you can update a sofa or couch with exceptional throw pillow covers or couch cushions and accent pillows. If you don't
get hand me downs, even an inexpensive sofa can become luxurious with the right throw pillows. Accent pillows can be fun!
Think of decorative throw pillows and couch cushions as the icing on the sofa, couch or bed. As a great decorator once said,
“when a person looks at a couch, the first place their eyes go is to the center”. Put unexpected decorative pillows front and
center on your couch. Reach for sofa pillows for a playful touch and an homage to some of the greatest decorators and artists
of all time.
Couch Pillows Have Personalities Too
Decorative throw pillows can be a reflection of your life.
For example, if you like animals, toss animal print
decorative throw pillows on your couch. If you're a sailor,
try some nautical pillows. Our Fornasetti inspired
sunshine print decorative pillows can lead you to the
history of the Italian designer Fornasetti.
Our horse pillows are sure to stimulate horse lovers
to tell their tales.
Then there's our Frida Kahlo Mexican decor
accent pillows. Almost every art lover has a
Frida story. Our Ikat pillows can motivate you
to read about Doris Duke and her fabulous
collection of suzani's and ikats at her
Hawaiian beach home, Shangri La.
Create your own Shangri La right on your sofa.