Spring Refresh with Pillows

It’s that time of year; the sun is shining, the temperatures are warming, and the flowers and trees are in full-bloom. Spring is often associated with cleaning, but It also happens to be the perfect time to give your home a little refresh. While it’s not always feasible to do a comprehensive redesign, there are many ways to update your space, and add pops of color and interest. One if the easiest to accomplish is switching out your decorative pillows.

Decorative pillows can add a lot of interest to a space. Consider this neutral sofa:

Now add some pillows:

Or some other pillows:

Do you see how much they change the aesthetic of the space? Selecting pillows may sound easy, but there are many things to consider. Scale and proportion are critical. You don’t want to overwhelm your seating with too many pillows, or pillows that are too large. Conversely, small pillows, or pillows that don’t look plump and inviting can end up looking sad or skimpy. Most big box stores stock toss pillows. They’re available in standard sizes and select colors and patterns, and are designed to work with many interior styles. But to truly achieve a designer aesthetic, you should consider going custom.

There’s virtually no end to the customizable options for pillows. The most obvious, of course, is the fabric. We recommend mixing textiles. Pair a solid velvet, accented with a tape trim boarder, with a bold floral, or a neutral linen with a tonal raffia ball fringe, with a polka dot trimmed with a solid cord, or an animal print with an abstract, or… you get the idea!

When it comes to custom pillows, it’s all about the details. Take edge treatment for example: Most ready-made toss pillows are finished with a simple knife edge. Though we don’t dislike this option, it must be done properly. Pattern matching is crucial. And, if every pillow in the room is finished in this manner, your space may lack polish. There are thousands

Brush Fringe:

Pattern Matched Knife Edge:

Onion Trim (front) and Contrast Welt (back):

Self-Flange with Bead Detail (back) and Self Welt (front):

Box-Edge (Round) with Contrast Welt:

Another way your designer can help you create a unique and custom look is by mixing the size and shapes of your pillows. Consider the room below:

Margery designed this tea room for the Washington Design Center Show House, incorporating multi-sized square pillows, a ball pillow, and bolsters (the edge treatments include self-welt, onion trim, self-flange with beaded trim and brush trim). The variety creates a very custom, curated aesthetic you simply couldn’t find off the rack.

Once you’ve freshened up your pillows, consider other accessories in your room. Lampshades, vases, frames and throws to compliment your new palette will round out your new spring look.