12 fixes to satisfy your pillow habit

Pottery Barn

Can I really have it all, or is that just something someone put on a pillow to get me to buy it? (Weak boho home decor addict that I am)

My husband, Chris, would say it’s the latter. He constantly teases me about how I’m always changing out the throw pillows, mostly in our great room. But, as I remind him, that’s waaaay cheaper than switching out sofas and chairs.

Truth is, I just plain love textiles—color, pattern and texture. And by the time UPS delivers my latest pillow crush, I’ve already found a half-dozen more to drool over. I resist more often than I cave; but admittedly, I cave more often than I should.

Seriously, what’s a girl to do? Last time I checked there was no 12-step program for pillow addicts, nor was there a support group for their spouses and family. So this one is on me: If I can’t quit, I have to find more ways to put those pillows to work. 

Here's what I came up with, my very own 12-step program...

Step 1:
After you’ve propped, don't forget to STACK. 

Jonas Berg

Those two stacked pillows on the backless part of this sectional look neat and tidy and do double-duty as punctuation. See how well the dark one on top balances the black light fixture on the right? It also leads the eye up toward the wall of art. See more of this home on Coco Lapine Design and on Stadshem.

Step 2:
Give into the ultra-casual, slouchy look. 

decor4all

This is how my arranged sofa looks after Chris sits there anyway. So why not add a few more pillows, really give him something to move around in, and leave the maintenance to chance?

Step 3:
Stack DEEPER. 

RP Miller Design/Belen Imaz Fotos

Now we know the REAL reason chesterfield sofas never go out of style: Look at all the pillows this one holds! I’m counting three layers, plus an afghan, and still room for a body to perch. See/read more about this New York apartment owned by Rodman Primack at New York Cottages & Gardens.

Step 4:
If your sofa is against a wall, use it. 

Ashley Capp/Covet Garden

I wonder how high pillows propped against a wall will stack? It’s time I found out.

Step 5:
Make sure every chair sports at least one. 

Rachel Denbow/A Beautiful Mess

Leave a few scattered artfully on the floor nearby to make swapping them out easier, or…

Step 6:
Go in for the floor-pillow aesthetic in a BIG way. 

Via Honestly WTF

Look closely at how layered this space is: bolster pillows at the base for stability, then pillows laid and overlapped like bricks. See/read more about the Mexico home of artist Aldo Chaparro at The Selby.

Step 7.
Stack in stylish, see-through containers for use as extra pet beds. 

Jessie Webster

Chris is particularly indulgent with our cat. Telling him I’m doing this for Maisie just might work. See/read more about this Los Angeles home on Design Sponge.

Step 8:
Swap out what’s inside display cupboards. 

Via decor4all

You never really use grandma’s dishes anyway, do you? Too fussy. Go for the pillows!

Step 9:
Look up and top off. 

Justina Blakeney

The pop of pattern at the top will pull the eye up and around your room. See/read more about the studio of Justina Blakeney, author of The New Bohemians: Cool and Collected Homes, at Design Sponge.

Step 10:
Don’t forget the bedroom, where there’s always room for another layer. 

Start with the guest room bed, where your partner is less likely to notice the swell. Guests are unlikely to complain (to you) about moving them at bedtime and more likely to arrange them carefully next morning in the spirit of being a good guest.

Step 11:
Add a banquette. 

Via Domaine Home

Whether dining or reading, banquettes REQUIRE lots and lots of pillows.

Step 12:
In short, scour your house for things to get rid of and replace with pillows. 

House of C

What good are all those old magazines, for instance? Two or three side-by-side stacks of pillows would be much more colorful--or perhaps a 3-2-1 triangle? See more photos from this home on House of C.

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