Pillows To The Accent Power

If your living room looks less than lively or your bedroom appears boring, revive these spaces with new throw pillows. These inexpensive accents provide an easy and quick fix to your furnishings with a finishing touch that makes a statement and bids a warm and personal welcome to your abode.

Captivating Color

There are good reasons to maintain neutral colors on the walls. Light hues reflect light and give the illusion of a larger room, and neutral backgrounds can accommodate any shade when it comes to smaller decorative pieces. This makes it easy to change up focal pops of color in a room without breaking the bank and investing in an entire-room makeover. Toss pillows are an ideal choice for infusing new color to the scene. Even if your cream-colored sofa came with its own set of coordinating throw pillows, adding just one brightly-colored pillow to the neutral palette will catch your eye for visual appeal. Some ideas for your color selection process include the following:

• Choose a color that has been your lifelong favorite.
• Choose a bright and bold color that you love. A vivid turquoise toss pillow adds a captivating accent to a room that is predominantly decorated in white and black.
• Choose two or three pillows in monochromatic shades of one color. For example, if green is your preference, consider placing pillows in sage, emerald and mint greens on the beige or gray sofa.
• Choose a patterned toss pillow to coordinate with a solid-colored pillow. For example, pair a solid red pillow with a cream and red French toile-patterned pillow in one corner of your solid taupe sofa or recliner.
• If you display an object that you cherish, such as an inherited porcelain vase, choose a pillow color that matches the color of that object.

Don't be afraid of using two or three different colors together to make your statement. You should also keep in mind that color changes are just one way to use throw pillows to your decorating advantage.

Textural Attraction and Dimensional Focus

Toss pillows are available in an array of materials to add facets of texture to the look of your room. Some examples of fabrics to choose from include the following:

• Satin
• Silk
• Chenille
• Microfiber
• Velour
• Chintz
• Tapestry
• Corduroy
• Denim

Some toss pillows have fringes, tassels, ruffles, buttons, patches of faux leather, and other embellishments in their design for added textural appeal. In addition to the variety of materials, you'll also find that throw pillows are not restricted to universally-sized square shapes. Squares and rectangles in various sizes serve as building blocks for your furnishings. Multiple pillows that are strategically grouped together on a sofa or bed add more visual depth and dimension. Don't be afraid to mix two or three different materials in colors that match or complement one another. Keep the look of your room fresh and exciting by swapping out your decorative pillows frequently.

Celebrate the Seasons

Each season and holiday presents a new palette of colors, patterns, and textures for your decorating pleasure. By choosing new pillows that echo the joys of these seasons, you will keep the tone of the room upbeat. Consider the following examples for decorating by seasons:

• Autumnal hues, such as maroon, goldenrod, plum, or burnt orange, combined with patterns of leaves, are perfect for fall.
• If you celebrate Christmas, shades of red and green, combined with holiday patterns, infuse festive cheer.
• Consider a tropical pairing, such as turquoise and lime green, to celebrate summer. Alternately, you may opt for a seaside or nautical look with navy blue combined with oceanic patterns.
• Try combining blue denim with red microfiber and Americana patterns for the Fourth of the July.
• If you enjoy a winter wonderland, bring the look inside by choosing pillows of ice blue and silvery gray in shimmery fabrics.

By shopping the clearance bins after each season or holiday, you can find some bargains to contribute to your décor when the season rolls around again the next year. 

Pillow Talk

To make a personal statement with your décor, you may wish to add a pillow or two that display sayings or images that reflect your passions. There are toss pillows for everyone, from pet lovers, music lovers, and beach buffs, to Francophiles, wine aficionados, and gardeners. Choosing such pillows will add a personal touch that reveals something about you as well as serving as a conversation starter. 

When it comes to shopping for throw pillows, you are not limited to department stores or discount retailers; you can often find them in gift shops, at themed festival events, and online shopping sites. Some online photo sites include shopping options to have your favorite photographs screen-printed onto toss pillows. For a money-saving and storage solution option, you can purchase toss pillow covers, which exhibit the same colors, patterns, and textures as any toss pillows. These function like pillowcases that you use to cover a throw pillow-shaped insert. As you change out your décor, you can simply remove the cover and place a new one over the same pillow. From now on, whenever you're out on a shopping excursion, always take a few moments to browse the throw pillow display. Picking up a new pillow that strikes your fancy will add an instant and welcome change to your bedroom, living room, family room, window bench, hearth, outdoor patio, or any other cozy nook in your haven. For more information, contact companies like Mary Douglas Drysdale.