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Accent Pillows Add the Finishing Touch to Your Well-Appointed Home
Accent pillows are amongst the design details that give a beautifully designed room nuance and personality. Small in scale, and relatively inexpensive, modern throw pillows nevertheless have the power to create impact through shape, color, texture, and pattern. Buying designer pillows is also great fun, so it's easy to buy impulsively. But there's every reason to buy designer throw pillows thoughtfully and smartly. Consider the following questions when shopping for modern throw pillows.
How to Choose the Perfect Modern Throw Pillows?
When selecting the perfect modern throw or accent pillow for your home, there are several key factors to keep in mind.
Style
- Select a mid-century modern throw pillow to bring a pop of retro beauty to your sofa or bed. Play up textures, colors, or both for an eye-catching display.
- Opt for a farmhouse-inspired throw pillow for a hint of rustic sophistication, layer multiple options together for a cozy, welcoming space.
- Create a boho-chic space with colorful, patterned pillows complete with pom poms or tassels for a bold and creative space.
Color
- Perfect for a touch of contrast against a gray or white sofa, black throw pillows bring a handsome touch to an industrial living space.
- Crisp, clean and classic, a white throw pillow is incredibly versatile, finding a home in coastal, contemporary, and farmhouse spaces alike.
- A patterned or solid blue throw pillow is calming and energizing, perfect for layering in a coastal or boho-chic bedroom.
- For Scandinavian, farmhouse, or even mid-century modern living and sleep spaces, an earthy neutral like gray adds depth and warmth to a room.
Pattern
- Bold or subdued, a floral throw pillow can brighten up any bedroom or sofa for a fun seasonal or year-round pop of color.
- Great for mid-century modern, contemporary, or art deco rooms, geometric throw pillows add visual intrigue and playful dimension.
- A classic for a reason, striped accent pillows come in a variety of colors and layouts to accent virtually any space.
- Take a walk on the wild side with an oversized animal print perfect for tropical or Hollywood glamor-themed bedrooms.
Modern Pillow FAQs
- How Many Accent Pillows Do I Need?
- What's the Best Shape for Designer Throw Pillows?
- Does Size Matter with Modern Throw Pillows?
- How to Clean Throw Pillows?
The beauty of designer pillows is that you don't have to go overboard with them. A couch with two decorative modern pillows will look beautifully dressed, providing the pillows are carefully chosen to complement and contrast the other elements in the room. So, there's no reason to go crazy with the number you buy; rather, focus on the quality and visual impact of two to three with a maximum of six pillows for larger sofas and sectionals.
Square and oblong pillows are the most common throw pillow shape, but there's a whole range of shapes and sizes from which to choose, with no particular shape being better than another. The key is to focus on variety, both in terms of pattern and materials, but also in terms of shape and size. If you're creating a statement with two or more accent pillows, mix the shapes up to create interesting overlapping arrangements. Variation in the size creates visual interest and richness in the same way that any decorative objects or furniture are made more interesting by a combination of sizes and shapes. But remember to not go overboard. For a bed or sofa, six pillows, depending on size is a solid maximum to ensure there is still a comfortable amount of space to sit.
Yes, size and scale matters with pillows in the same way that it does with most other design elements in a room or space. The size of decorative pillows should be informed by the size of the couch, bed or chair against which your decorative throw pillows are arranged. Pillows that are too big or too small, no matter how beautiful, will lose some of their visual power when scale and context is not taken into consideration. When it comes to decorative throw pillows, size is relative and is totally up to you in order to gauge what works best for your space.
Depending on the throw pillow you choose it may come with instructions or have a tag on it that explains the best way to clean it, which varies based on the fabric and fill. However, a general cleaning process for most throw pillows is to machine wash in warm water using a front loading washer on the delicate cycle. Only use mild detergent, then and dry in a ventilated area until most of the way dry. You can fluff the pillows in a dryer with no heat, using a few dryer balls to reshape the pillows. If your throw pillow has a removable cover, go ahead and remove and clean that by itself.
