I grew up with throw accent pillows on the sofa in our family room so I followed my mom’s lead and have had my share of pillows adorning chairs and sofas.  Most of the time I love the added pop of color and the cozy feel they impart in a room, but I have noticed that guests often seem uncomfortable with too many.  They’ll carefully place them aside.  The fabulous styles and fabrics available today have me rethinking some of my existing pillows.

I have collected some examples of rooms that benefit from pillows.  Share with me your thoughts on the topic.

First I’ll share my pillows…the room below is our reading room.  This picture is older as we’ve changed out the rug.  The window seat seems a natural for pillows since very few people sit in the window.  The ladder back chair has a kidney pillow that I usually remove before sitting with my feet up.

Our love seat in that room has a couple of pillows and then Madison, who is convinced that this is her sofa.  This room receives little use, except by me when I want to read in relative quiet.

Lastly, this is our family room sofa, the pillows are a chennile fabric and down filled, so they are comfortable but most guests place them aside.  I confess, after a long day, this is where I relax in front of the television, head on pillow, prone position. 🙂

Pillows are definitely eye candy that add to a room, but maybe they do less for a comfortable sit than we like to think?

I love the symmetry of this room from the twin lanterns over the kitchen table to the matching pillows on the wonderful sofa.

I really like the pillow with a bit of vintage silk on it.  In fact the pillows that are made with vintage/antique tapestry and other fabrics always catch my eye.

I love the room below, wall gallery, side table accents and the day bed made useful by pillows.  We’re shopping for a day bed for Olivia [granddaughter] visits.  I will probably do something similar so that when she’s not visiting the day bed can look a little more like a sofa.  Does anyone truly sit on a day bed?  Without plenty of pillows the seating is usually too deep for me.  I end up looking like Lily Tomlin’s Edith Ann (does anyone out there remember her character on Laugh In—did I just date myself?)

{Charles Faudree}

This Nate Berkus room has a variety of pillows and an eclectic look…I really like the doors and giant mirrors.  I digress, the pillows on the sofa are all different, in this room that seems fitting.

{Nate Berkus}

This is my kind of comfort, earth tones, rich leather chairs and plenty of light.  Again, there are pillows in all but the wooden chair on the right.

{Photo by Roger Davies}

For the room below the accent pillows are the icing on the cake.  Visualize the room without the accent pillows…boring, right?

{http://billybesonco.com/portfolio/lakeside-living/ via http://www.talkofthehouse.com/for-the-love-of-red/}

I appreciate the simplicity of the blue and white—used in traditional stripes for the pillows.  It fits the location of the home (look through the French doors, a bay or shore line is the view {heaven}).

{Ferguson & Shamamian Architects}

This lovely living space is in the home of Jill of forever cottage.  If you’ve never visited her blog, prepare to be inspired.  I love her use of accent pillows, and pretty much everything about the room.

{Jill Hinson}

So, what do you think?  Are you a fan of accent pillows?  I sure am, even if they might be in the way occasionally.  

Enjoy the rest of your week.