Pillows ·
Recast Your Stage with Accent Pillows
We all have a favorite room in our homes, right? Whether it’s your living room, bedroom, kitchen or study, it all comes down to your lifestyle. As for me, it was my living room aka bedroom. For a long time, I lived in a studio apartment in the heart of Tokyo, where my living room and bedroom was one space. Now, in my upgraded Istanbul apartment, my new favorite room is...my actual living room! In the time I spend in this space: I eat, work, create, read, think, exercise, nap, daydream, and relax. Since I spend so much time in the same space, I am constantly rearranging my room to reinvigorate my creativity while also keeping it as comfy and cozy as possible. I find there is so much you can do with the same set of furniture, unless you are willing to spend an extravagant amount of money.
I’m sure many of you are also looking for ways to refresh your living spaces, especially now that we have spent so much time in them. It could also be that you want to get your home ready in anticipation of welcoming long-awaited loved ones and guests and make steller impression. Whatever your reason, if you want to transform the vibe of your interior, one way to do this is by replacing cushions and pillows. Even small changes to colors and fabrics can evoke positive feelings in you. Minimal efforts leading to great results! But choosing the right pillows for your room is not as easy as it sounds. I have a long history with pillows myself and made many mistakes along the way...I will admit that I still struggle from time to time however, I have noted a few key things, in bold to keep in mind while you take your own personal pillow styling journey.
Reflect your personal style by choosing your favorite pillows. Do you like modern or classic designs? Are you looking for a specific color scheme, texture, or pattern? What sort of message do you want to send? Are you going for a classic and elegant style? Compliment your sofas with a floral pillow. Or Boho style? Bold, colorful, or even a vintage fabric helps you instantly change your room into a boho-chic sanctuary. Also, keep in mind how many people will be using the space. Make sure you choose a style that is comfortable for everyone and one that fits your lifestyle.
Do you have matching pillows all across your sofa? That will make your space...well, a little bit boring. My style is all about mixing and matching, from fashion to interior. But I find the interior mixing and matching more challenging than fashion as the canvas size is much bigger. I do encourage experimenting with different shapes, sizes and textures in pillows. Having said that, to create a cohesive style for your home, you have got to choose the pillows that sync with your interiors. I have a tendency to go crazy and overdo it by throwing all my favourite pillows on my sofa, resulting in a pillow styling disaster. Most of the pillows I create have the capacity to be the star of the show and when I throw them on my sofa, they compete with each other!
I think of pillow styling like a producer casts a play. If you need an ensemble cast for a sofa, you will need a lead and supporting actors. If you are casting for a one-man show, like an armchair, you will want a shining star. So don’t get fascinated with the variety, and if you are struggling with pillow styling like I do, you may want to embrace the idea of wabi-sabi in pillow styling. Wabi-sabi accepts beauty in oddities, for example you can consider using an odd number of pillows; such as three or five. You can also consider grouping in a symmetrical manner while varying the sizes and shapes. Use a center accent pillow to be the star of the show! I guess my only problem is which one will be the lead, and which ones will be the “extras” awaiting their turn in the spotlight.
Thanks for reading!
Mio