Fear of Pillows

Say hello to one of my favorites decorators,

 Scot Meacham Wood,

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.