Historically, cushions were designed by the Romans to elevate their heads and maintain coiffed hairstyles.
However, cushions are not only made for comfort, but they are also the perfect way to add extra colour to your apartment.
Cushions add depth, texture, tone and softness to any space, and the thing that is loved most about them, is that they can be played around with in so many different ways.
Used for day-to-day styling in your bedroom or living area, you can rearrange cushions whenever you feel like it, adding a new look to that room. Mixing up the sizes, the shapes, the colours and the textures of the cushions, this will fully complete the look of a room.
Think carefully when choosing pillows and cushions for your furniture. Texture is very important, whether you have a leather sofa or linen bed.
Types of Cushions
The type of cushion you use is dependent on the size of the piece of furniture you’re working with and the fabric. The bigger the space, the more cushions you want, to avoid that bare and boring look.
“Throw Pillows” are a small decorator that are used to toss onto a chair or couch for that instant and easy splash of colour
“Box-Edged pillows” give that sense of depth and dimension to the furniture piece, usually for a living room
“Flange Pillows” have fabric that extends the seams for a softer and more innocent look to the room, usually placed on beds
“Piped pillows” have cord sewn into the seam as a decorative detail, usually placed as a statement pillow
“Embellished pillows” speak for themselves. They are fancy trims on the edges, whether it be beading, fringes, tassels, pom poms, buttons or embroidery, which can be strategically placed on hard surfaces such as window seats to soften the space
“Cylindrical Cushions” are tube-shaped to add length to furniture and shape to any grouping of pillows. This fun decorator looks great on a big bed or long couch among other cushions.
“Two-toned Cushions” add some colour without going too extreme. For those of you that prefer subtlety this is the type for you.
Positioning Your Cushions
One simple rule comes into play when situating your pillows: Biggest to Smallest. The way you place your cushions on the bed or the couch is important.
On couches, have variation. Multiple cushions create a great set for any couch. Different patterns and block colours work well together. Layer the patterns and prints against the neutral colour furniture/couch to provide a statement piece in the room, working the cushions from big to small across the couch.
On a single chair, one cushion can make a big difference. It can add softness and dimension, even with a blanket or rug draped over the top of it also. This centrepiece chair will look that much better with one single piece added to it.
On beds, against white linens, have decorative and colourful pillows to complete the look. Jazz it up with some colour or texture, such as velvet cushions to add interest and comfort to your bed. If velvet isn't your type of fabric, fur cushions on beds add comfort, chicness and style to your bed, and dimension. Start with the big European cushions at the back and work you way forward to the smallest cushions at the front.