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.
 

12 comments:

  1. i always wonder what people who have dozens of pillows on their beds do with them when they go to sleep. throw them on the floor?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, they do and if you get up in the middle of the night it is like a mine field and you better have your Life Alert alarm on...

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  2. The sofa that is the third one down looks like it has an uncomfortable back. I think that's why they have the five pillows on it. I would just sit there and sink back. ;-)

    And I love the uncomfortable chair with the one pillow. It's so handsome and so is the pillow. But you're right that it wouldn't be used. Still, I like some bits of furniture for show.

    Your pillows are divine by the way.

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  3. You are right...the sofa back looks flat and un=upholstered. I guess they had to put all those pillows on it. Maybe if they had some covered in the sofa fabric rather than all looking like accent pillows. Thanks anonymous for you compliment on my obsession...!

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  4. Lots of gorgeous pictures! I especially love the last one. Want me a black patent leather ottoman! Your points are very valid. Comfort and practicality should not take a back seat to "the look". No fear of pillows here!

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  5. Love the pic of SMW, he looks comfy not just with the pillow but with himself. To me the chair with the one pillow is a piece of art in the room. Kinda like my LV pillow:) I have way too many pillows on my bed but my dog, Kevin, loves them, he digs a spot and gets situated amongst them, eventually they do assume employment as a midnight land field! Cheers! Sarah

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  6. Thank you so much for this post. It needed to be said.

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  7. Raina, I am getting Social Security now so I figure...let it rip!

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  8. Hey Sarah, don't some dogs, like Jack Russells, like to dig? Have a good weekend...

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    Replies
    1. Kevin isn't a pedigree but he has terrier in him and he loves to dig, I think it is one of their "less desirable" traits now that they are cooped up in suburbia.

      Delete
  9. Jane wonderful pic of Scot PS I am doing a feature on him next up!
    At first I thought, what afraid of pillows? No one I know; then I saw your point completely!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  10. I thought that would get someone's attention!

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