“I am going to make everything around me beautiful - that will be my life.”-Elsie de Wolfe, "The Mother of Interior Decoration", (1859-1950)
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.
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 WW11, General Eisenhower used the Villa as his command post. After the war Elsie spent the last four years of her life restoring the home.
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 below is a good illustration (by Horst). It beautifully portrays relaxing in a lovely setting with or without throw pillows!
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.
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.
