Pillow Punching

Small Scale Room Refresher Part One: Pillow Punching

Many people don’t have the time or money for a full-scale reno. But these same people may be desperate to do something to make a room in their home more fresh, liveable, or stylish. Sometimes all that’s required for a room pick-me-up is a small change or addition. Let’s start with one simple tip to help you cope with the dwelling doldrums.

If you’re a fan of the monochromatic look (like beige on beige or white on white), you may have the desire to add some colour to your home. It is spring, after all. If you’re too shy or scared to paint (shame on you!), a punch of colour from somewhere else may be what you need to brighten a dull room.

One easy, inexpensive, and effective way to do this is to add a few toss pillows to sofas, chairs, or beds. For the timid home decorator, pillows are great for many reasons: 1) they can be thrown into nearly any space—and don’t require the trades for installation 2) they can add dramatic colour to a room 3) they can dress up old or outdated furniture 4) they can be changed constantly for a new look 5) they can be really inexpensive.

Some tips for pillow selection:
If you’re not ready to jump into the world of silk, studs, sequins, or heavily embroidered patterns, the safe route is to purchase a simple yet colourful microfibre cushion. PC Home (available at the Real Canadian Superstore and Extra Foods—although the former has better selection), JYSK and Costco usually sell them for anywhere from $8.99 to $24.99. These are good for high-traffic areas like family or media rooms because they’re washable.

My favourite place to buy toss cushions though, is HomeSense. Their selection is grand and of high quality, and the prices are good. You can get a great toss cushion for about $24.99, although the size and fabric contribute to the price. Be sure to check out their clearance section, because older stock goes on clearance for a discount after a certain amount of time on the floor.

Be selective about the fabric and colour. You may want to avoid pairing raw silk with microfibre, but don’t be afraid to mix stripes, solids, sequins, beads or embroidery. Combining colours to complement your walls is great, but don’t go overboard—too many hues will put your room off balance and force the eye to dart everywhere. Go for harmony.

Lastly, if you normally shy away from funkiness in your décor, this is your chance to dip into it on small scale. Go for that large, red embroidered cushion, or the green bolster pillow that has a beaded shamrock on it.

See you in the pillow aisle.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.