Piling on

Add style with throws, pillows and poufs

By Sarah Frink, Tribune Brand Publishing

If you wouldn't attend a black-tie benefit without wearing a few pieces of jewelry, don't give your room a makeover without incorporating decorative pillows.

"I explain to my clients, a pillow is really kind of like jewelry—and a room without pillows is like a woman going to a party wearing a black dress and black shoes but no make-up or jewelry," says Janet Graham, interior designer for Baer's Furniture's Naples location. Baer's is a collection of fine furniture stores with locations in Florida.

"A pillow is really the final element that makes your room look better," Graham says.

In choosing decorative pillows to help complete the room's overall look, one place to begin is color. You can pull colors from the fabrics belonging to the area rug or window treatments, Graham says.

But you can also use pillows to provide a pop of color in an otherwise monochromatic room, says Reginald Dunlap, principal interior designer for Miami-based Luxe Design and Finishing. For example, if you have a beige, contemporary-style room, you might consider using a brighter, louder type of pillow.

If you are trying to adhere to the overall style of the room, a few fundamental principles apply. A fringed pillow is a bit more traditional, while a cord-styled border falls somewhere between traditional and casual, Graham says. The most casual type of pillow wouldn't have a border at all, Graham says.

Pillows can also provide a bit of contrast to the existing d?cor, whether that's to add a "softening touch" or a "cutting touch," Graham says. To this end, today's decorative pillows feature many types of fabrics and adornments. Animal prints continue to be popular, and embellishments range from seashells to beads.

Graham also notes that pillows are especially helpful for spicing up a room filled with all leather furniture. Leather can obviously look a bit plain, but an interesting pillow can "warm up a leather sofa," Graham says.

As for how many pillows you need, it depends on the room. A living room sofa typically has two larger pillows on each side, and perhaps a Roman pillow—an elongated, thin pillow—placed in the center. Dunlap says that he doesn't necessarily adhere to the "one on each side" rule, as he'll put three pillows on a three-cushion sofa, one in the center of each cushion.

One of the biggest mistakes people make with their sofa is to choose throw pillows that are too small, Graham says. Ideally, a sofa pillow should be at least 19 inches, but "usually, 21 to 22 inches is better," Graham says. Local department stores usually offer 16x16 throw pillows, which are "just too small," Graham says. Dunlap also points out that oversized, 24-inch pillows are becoming increasingly popular.

When it comes to the bedroom, "the more decorative pillows you have, the better," Graham says, as pillows can "absolutely ‘make' your bedding." If your bedroom furniture includes accent chairs, you might match the colors of the pillows to the fabric on the chairs. Following the same principle with any other room, you would also want to coordinate pillow fabrics with drapery fabrics, Graham says.

Of course, pillows can range from economical to pricey, but you do not necessarily have to spend a lot in order to incorporate interesting fabrics and colors. Keep in mind that an existing pillow can find new life with a better insert, and a favorite piece of fabric can always be repurposed, Dunlap says.

You do have to consider the look you want to achieve, however. For example, if you want a more luxurious look such as the "karate chop" (pillows whose tops settle into a V-shape), you would probably need to upgrade to at least a down-blend fill, Graham says—a poly-foam fill wouldn't create that same look. Fills range from polyester at the lower price point to down feather blend at the high end.

But regardless of how much you want to spend—and, indeed, today's decorative pillows can range in price from $15 to $600—remember that pillows are "really an integral part of a room's design," Graham says.

"A room without pillows is a very boring room," Graham says.

Don’t let boring rooms take hold in your home. Head to the nearest Baer’s showroom, where you’ll find an exciting collection of decorative pillows and an expert team of designers who will be more than willing to help you create a little visual excitement in your home.