"When you decorate with pillows, you can make or break the look of a room." Make or break. You can literally ruin a room with a single pillow. Know this.
That's according to Homesessive's Jaime Derringer anyway, who interviewed two leading experts in the US - interior designer Taniya Nayak and pillow designer Jeanine Hays - on the importance of decorating with pillows. And as both experts noted in eerie unison, the right contrast-coloured pillow can really complete the decor of your bedroom or living room.
As Taniya notes, pillows are a subtle way to add a pop of colour - as well as texture - to a room. "Changing up the sizes and fabrics as well as the prints can completely change the look of a room," says the expert. A grouping of pillows on a sofa, for example, is ideal.
And for those who want to introduce a little patterned fabric to their homes - a big trend for 2012 - pillows are an affordable way of doing just that without overwhelming. Taniya suggests pairing boldly textured or patterns pillows - from cords to polka dots - with neutral-coloured furniture in greys and taupes. "Decorate with pillows as a way to bring it to life," she says.
But it's in the bedroom that pillows can really make a difference. They are an affordable and portable way to brighten up a cheap rental room without resorting to painting the walls and, as Jeanine notes, the right fabric choice will mean they will last until you are ready to move into your first property. "The perfect pillow will have a fabric that is hard-wearing and easy to maintain," she says.
Obviously, it's not just pillows that make your bed so welcoming at the end of a long day, and lighting can really make a difference, too. Flush ceiling lights installed over the same part of your room the headboard rests in will give you clear illumination that is perfect to read the papers by of a gloomy Sunday morning or atmospherically light the room when you're ready to go to bed but not quite ready to go to sleep. Pair with a lamp - or better yet, some candles - for layered lighting for every mood.
