Saturday, June 15, 2013

A Whiter Shade of Pale

You just can't go wrong with
 white bed dressings.
Above average sheet thread count
and pillows that guarantee
sweet dreams.


















Saturday, June 8, 2013

Well Placed ...

Here are some examples of 
pillows that I think have been used
well not only for comfort, but 
as a perfect design detail.
Clean. 
You can tell this pillow is down filled
and would only add to your comfort 
in this setting.
 Where it is placed
makes you want to crawl into the 
corner of the sofa.
 Great mix.
In larger beds don't let the pillows
overwhelm.  
Perfect placement, 
perfect size, 
perfect colors.
Touch of Fortuny.
Great details and sublime
combination of fabrics here.
If you use a throw, don't 
throw it, (those always
look staged), fold it and place it
for color and comfort.
 Love bolsters, but they have to 
be the right size and shape
 for the sofa or chair.
This round, tailored one is perfect for the 
higher sofa arms.
(Matthew Patrick Smyth)
This pillow is the perfect scale 
and bold enough to handle the fringe
trim on the sofa.
(Matthew Patrick Smyth)
Dark pillows emphasize the ones placed in front 
and I love the tufted sofa along with 
the circular fabric on the 
accent pillows.
The added detail of the carpet square
pattern pulls this room all together.
(Matthew Patrick Smyth)
A bedroom sitting area that has so much
 going for it, but I love the fact that the window
 treatments are so fancy
and the pillows are perfectly restrained
 in contrast.

(Matthew Patrick Smyth)
Using a mitered cut on the front of the 
pillow in the corner 
of this banquet adds a great
detail to this setting.
Another perfect pillow placement
BBC "Couples" 
Joke About Pillows...very funny.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Fear of Pillows

Say hello to one of my favorites decorators,
head of the SMW Design firm in San Francisco.
I saw this photo taken of him at the High Point
show this year and thought...
"now that is how you use a pillow."
It tucks under our arm.
Provides support.
Doesn't take up the entire chair.
It does what a pillow is meant to do.
When I saw this photo last month of Lee Radziwill and
how her sofa was set up and the pillows placed
in front of a straight back I loved it.
Doesn't she looked
content and comfortable?
When you look at this sofa it lets you
know that three people can enjoy this space.
The same treatment here.
Pillows send out signals about how the piece
of furniture should be used.
Of course, also for decorative elements, but
that should be secondary to the 
element of comfort.
The sofa below says to me...
"I don't have room for you here,
 all the 
space is taken."
Guests are nervous about pillows.
Can they be moved?
Will I disrupt the order?
How many people can sit here? 
Is there room for me on that chair with
 that big pillow?
This sofa set up makes 
no sense to me.
This plays better, but I still think that it shouts,
"There is only room for one person here,
 and you must sit in the 
middle of the sofa."
This room says to me, 
"there is space for two people
 on the sofa." 
Not scary to a newcomer, 
yet screams good design.
This sofa is good looking and
 non threatening.  
Visitors see there is plenty of space,
the pillows are not too ridged
or fragile looking.
No one will ever really sit on this chair.
The depth left for sitting is minimal.
But I do appreciate the
 look of the chair and the beauty of the 
one of a kind pillow. 
Nice to look at, but not for sitting.
I know this is just for styling,
 but how crazy to have the pair of 
straw/raffia
pillows on the floor?
What would you ever use them for?
Lovely, but I would like to see the smaller pillows 
in front of the larger pair 
with the fringe.
A bit too severe in the karate chop look...
But, no trepidation here...well done.
Oh, the quandary of pillows!
They can provide comfort
 and
add a punch to your home.
 

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