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Creating a Focal Point: Using Art Prints in Home Decor
If you love art history, art prints or just enjoy spending time in art museums, you likely have a favorite artist or painting that inspires you. Be creative when decorating your home by using this passion for art as a theme for room décor. Don’t worry about breaking the bank to get a famous painter represented in your home, simply follow these ideas:
Create a Focal Point
If your piece of art is large, put it on display as the focal point of the room and decorate around it. Your favorite piece of art can be an original of a yet-to-be discovered artist to keep costs low. If it is a piece from Monet, you may want to opt for large art prints and splurge on an ornate frame. The focal point of the room doesn’t have to be a painting. You can find art on scarves or blankets that you can hung up as artwork as well.
Feeling creative? Paint your own replica of a masterpiece. Some famous painters’ work can be fun to mimic, such as Piet Mondrian’s Composition with Red, Yellow, and Blue. If creating art isn’t what you had in mind, don’t worry; it is easy to find art prints and art-inspired objects.
Art-Inspired Objects
Look around at stores and online, and you will find many items featuring famous artwork. Lampshades, curtains, towels, placemats, coasters, and pillows are all popular items decorated with famous art motifs.
Go Big with Art Prints
If you have the space and want to make a powerful statement about your favorite piece, consider reserving an entire wall to showcase your favorite artist. Buy a postcard of your favorite art and make many copies – enough to “wallpaper” your wall with the print. Another idea is to commission a local artist to paint a mural on the wall using your favorite painting style or movement.
Color Palette
After you have found your focal point and art-inspired objects to place in the room, keep the rest of the décor simple. Doing so will draw attention to the art prints and allow it to be the centerpiece regardless of its location or size. Pull colors from the piece of art to decorate the rest of the room. If the artwork contains many bright colors, choose only one to paint the walls or pick a lighter shade of the color to avoid overpowering the artwork. Save the stronger colors in the art for accent colors in the room.
Pillow Inspiration From Other Cultures
Cultures from all over the world use pillows for decorating and comfort. Some cultures, like the Japanese, prefer to use pillows as seating, while other cultures, like Moroccans, spend weeks weaving decorative pillows and blankets for their homes. Below, we analyze some interesting trends in other countries for your pillow inspiration.
Japan. Dakimakura is a word that comes from the words daki and makura, which mean “to hug or cling” and “pillow,” respectively. Essentially, this translates to hug pillow. These traditional items are very similar to body pillows in the United States. Over time the word began to evolve, slowly becoming to mean “love pillow,” something people held when they were lonely or their spouses were away for the night. Today, this word has merged in Japanese popular culture, and the dakimakura’s popularity has exploded. The meaning is a tad different now as characters from Japanese popular culture have their faces printed on the top.
The zabuton is another important Japanese tradition, where squat but sturdy square pillows are used for sitting instead of chairs. They gained immense popularity during the Kamakura Era of Japan – between 1185 – 1333 AD. The zabuton is occasionally paired with a wooden zaisu, or wooden support. This backing prevents the pillow from sliding around. It is important that the zaisu and zabuton match in both color and style.
Indonesia. A guling is a cylindrical pillow borne out of Indonesian culture. It is considered standard fare before going to sleep and is a very round body pillow. Incorrectly (or perhaps mischievously) translated to “Dutch wife” in English, it is also sometimes used for decoration or to hold a person’s place on a bench.
Philippines. From these tropical islands comes another body pillow called the abrazador, which translates to “embrace.” Not used for decoration, these decorative pieces were made by family members when a child left the house.
Morocco. In Morocco, wedding preparations takes weeks. The guests are invited into a drifting passage that opens into a courtyard, then into the dormiria, where the reception takes place. The family spends weeks painting furniture, sometimes homemade, weaving rugs, and making pillows as décor for the dormiria. In the past, it was considered tacky to not create the pillows and rugs by hand.
China. Many people in China and throughout Asia believed that soft pillows robbed the body of energy while you slept, so they perfected the creation of hard pillows. These were made of stone, wood, and at one point, ceramic. These pillows were engraved, painted, and filled with stories of their families’ past.
How Neutral Pillows Enhance Your Décor
Neutral colors are often forgotten or pushed aside, especially during spring and summer when homeowners like to decorate using bright, saturated colors. While colors are a must for any decorating project, neutrals help ground your ideas and give you focal points from which to begin. Today, we’ll focus on how neutrals, especially neutral pillows, can enhance your spring and summer decorating.
Versatility
One of the best things about neutrals is that they go with every color and theme imaginable. This is crucial if your spring or summer project revolves around a few large items or an eye-popping theme. For example, let’s say you want to re-cover the big couch in the center of your living room, and your living room’s theme is “sunset.” Upholster the couch in burnt orange, yellow, or soft pink. Then choose neutral pillows in beige or white to evoke clouds and calm. If you have a bedroom with a literary theme, stay away from pillows with big quotes on them. Instead, let the walls and main furniture pieces revolve around the theme. Use cream or chocolate-colored neutral pillows to ground the design and evoke a relaxing library.
Embellishment
Neutrals are often unfairly judged as boring. Yet neutrals are softer and less showy than other colors, so they’re easier to embellish. For instance, not many people know metallic colors are neutrals. If you want a truly eye-popping room, consider using pillows with hints of gold or silver sparkle to enhance existing neutrals. Purchase neutral pillows trimmed with fringe, lace, or embroidery to speak to a room’s theme – indigo trim for a celestial theme, perhaps. Finally, don’t forget the fabric. Neutral pillows can garner attention if they’re made from unique or luxurious fabrics like raw silk or Mongolian wool.
All There in Black and White
Using neutral pillows doesn’t mean sacrificing pattern and theme. In fact, black and white pillows are increasingly popular because their patterns are often more versatile than those in multicolored pillows. A black-and-white striped pillow could evoke your love of zebras and African safari trips – or it could be the backdrop for the multicolored quilt you received as a wedding gift. Black and white pillows with kaleidoscope designs can evoke everything from flowers to snowflakes to spider webs. Black and white pillows often have special quotes or postcard designs on them, so if you’d like to build a theme around a favorite travel destination, they’re a great choice.
Using Pillows to Create Thematic Rooms
Thematic rooms decorating is enjoying increased popularity, especially among millennials and young couples. Many people like to decorate rooms based on themes including favorite colors, books and movies, or travel destinations. Pillows are a great way to showcase these themes in a cost-effective way without taking up too much space. Today, we’ll show you how pillows can enhance a few popular decorating themes.
Nature Themes
As the world becomes more concerned with caring for the environment, people enjoy keeping in touch with nature even indoors. A nature-themed bedroom or sitting room is one way to do so. For this type of room, you can use classics, such as pillows with floral designs, but don’t be afraid to think beyond the usual. Seek out pillows made from natural fibers, or ones that evoke nature without using specific prints. For example, choose a blue-striped pillow for an ocean-themed sunporch or sitting room. Choose pillows in sunset colors – deep orange and purple or soft pink – for a relaxing bedroom.
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The Capri Turquoise Argyle Seahorse Throw Pillow is a part of Tracy Effinger’s Nautical Pillow Series based on her original large-scale paintings inspired by natural beauty of the sea and coastal regions.
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Beautifully handmade, the Infinite World Taupe Throw Pillow is a textural delight that could be used on a bed or sofa, or displayed creatively as textile art. This is an earth friendly product, made with 100% new materials from garment fabric overages that would otherwise have been discarded as factory waste
Old World Tradition
Many homeowners enjoy the exotic flair of themes based on travel destinations, specific time periods, or specific art styles. If this describes you, go for pillows with tapestry designs or ones that evoke your favorite styles. If you love Native American culture, choose tribal designs, or choose a pillow with a large sun design if you like early Mexican or Aztec art. For those who experiment with creating thematic rooms to showcase a specific country, a pillow with a flag design is a good choice, as is one decorated with particular symbols. For instance, French heritage can be alluded to with fleur de lis designs.
Single Color Sparkle
Favorite colors make any room feel like home, but be careful not to saturate any room with one color. Instead, build your décor around one or two favorite colors with accents such as pillows. Solid pillows are often the best choice for rooms dedicated to specific colors. These can be made from material infused with sparkle or fabrics, like imitation velvet, to give your room a heightened sense of luxury. Use neutrals in your walls and furniture to make colors pop. Consider using pillows and blankets in varying shades of your chosen colors.
Thematic Rooms: Vintage Options
Vintage is a popular décor choice among today’s homeowners because when done with a keen eye, it’s timeless. The “vintage vibe” covers everything from postcard-style pillows to pastel florals, from linen and lace to hand-stitched country designs. To achieve this look, search out pillows made with time-honored fabrics and simple trim, such as a bit of lace tatting or understated embroidery.
Light and airy floral pattern in pastel pinks and blues
Expert Advice: Home Redecorating Tips
For those with little experience and no training in interior design, making a foray into home redecorating can seem overwhelming. Fortunately, there are plenty of experts out there who are happy to help! As you prepare to redecorate a room, consider the following tips to ensure that the end results of your redecorating are both stylish and functional.
Pick Your Artwork First
Before considering colors, furniture, or accessories, think about what artwork you want in the room. By choosing a piece of art that you love to be the centerpiece of the room, you’re sure to love the rest of the room as well. A striking piece of art will influence the color scheme and design aesthetic of the room, so start with the art, and then begin to develop a plan for everything else.
Consider Color Theory as for Your Home Redecorating Palette
Once you’ve selected artwork for a room, begin to select a few colors to focus on. Edith Wharton recommended sticking to a simple color palette because it will ultimately create a more peaceful, relaxing environment. Too many different colors will make any room feel hectic and cluttered.
Another important aspect of color theory to consider is whether you want bright colors or muted tones. Warmer colors such as reds and oranges are often more effective in a busy space, such as a kitchen. On the other hand, cooler greens and blues will feel more soothing for a bedroom. In addition, it is useful to consider the psychological aspect of color as different colors evoke different moods and emotions.
Don’t Forget the Finishing Touches
A common rookie mistake in home decorating is to fail to include finishing touches, such as unique accessories. This is your chance to make a statement about something that you love, so don’t be afraid to select unusual, memorable pieces. If you are quite limited with space or simply would like to combine accessorizing with functionality, incorporating accent throw pillows is a smart solution. Fortunately, the vast selection of themes and styles allows anyone to find a favorite throw pillow. Love your desserts? Add some fun and colorful cupcakes to your room décor! Do you appreciate vintage items? Decorate your space with vintage inspired accent pillows! When it comes to accent pieces, your imagination is your limit.
Kingfisher Bird Pillow
Seltzer Black and White Vintage
Vintage Postage Stamp
Moving in Together? A Stylistic Guide to Survival
It’s a New Year, which for many of us means exciting changes. If you are changing your living situation and wondering about creating a harmonious living space when moving in together with another person, read on. Whether you are planning to have a roommate or that special somebody has finally voiced a desire to cohabitate, it is likely that the other member of the partnership will be bringing furniture with them. Instead of getting into a fight or throwing everything on the curb and starting over, here is a handy guide to making the material parts of your life fit together.
Moving in together means Mixing and Matching
When couples move in together, the process can definitely create obstacles. For example, when one person has a more classic furniture style and the other has largely modern pieces and accents, issues can arise. The first piece of advice is to simply lay everything out and see how it looks together. As with this example from Apartment Therapy, you may find that your styles can merge better than you imagined. Of course, it also helps to keep an open mind about what should stay and what should go in order to share the space and make sure that every party is satisfied.
Source: www.myhomerocks.com
Objects Make Harmony
When mixing and matching modern and vintage, found objects as accents can do wonders to make a seemingly mismatched room work together beautifully. Another idea is to blend multiple styles of antiques and other décor so that your home feels like its items have been collected over a period of time (rather than matched at random).
Find Colors in Common
When it comes to mixing and matching different styles, one of the main points of coordination is color. Even if different people do not necessarily agree on accent colors, neutrals like white can add a sense of harmony and togetherness to pull the whole feel of the room together.
Accessorize
As always, accessories are key. Objects like artwork, tableware, small decorative pieces and throw pillows can really make the whole room come together. When choosing your color scheme while having different stylistic preferences, consider off-white objects that are well designed. For a throw pillow, for example, the rustic Cacao Bean Throw Pillow, is an excellent choice that is simple yet original.
You don’t have to be a cacao bean merchant to appreciate the rustic charm of this large 24×24 inch square throw pillow. Made from a soft and sturdy broad weave fabric, this fun throw pillow will add comfort, charm and conversation to your home
Your Pillow Education: Different Sorts of Throw Pillows
While the phrase “throw pillow” might make you think of the typical square pillow, the truth is that your choices are much more varied! Learn more about the different kinds of throw pillows that you can use to accent any room.
Size and Style
Throw pillows can range from just a few inches or several feet wide in size. Sizes can also be mixed and matched for different pieces of furniture or floor space.
Bolster pillows, unlike the traditional rectangular or box pillow, are cylindrical in shape and are sturdier as well – an excellent option for leaning or propping up the head or legs.
Edges and Flanges for Pillows
There are a number of different shapes that the edges of a pillow can take. For instance, the most basic type of pillow that you will see is the rectangular knife edge pillow. This type of pillow consists very simply of two square or rectangular pieces of fabric sewn together around the edges, creating a seam.
There are more decorative styles of pillows, however, such as the flange pillow, which has a band of flat fabric around its edges. These are enormously versatile and customizable, as the flange can be a different pattern than the rest of the pillow – though it doesn’t have to be. A welted or corded pillow has a cord rather than a flange around the seam, which can also be comprised of the same fabric as the pillow, or a different fabric which coordinates.
Finally, the box pillow has raised, flat sides. This type of pillow is typical of the couch or seat cushion. The sides of the box can match or contrast the top and bottom of the pillow. Any pillow can come with tassels and other fun decorations, so don’t be afraid to look at several different styles and shapes.
Box Edge Royal Suede Pillow
Box Edge Royal Suede Rectangular Pillow
Box Edge Stripes Pillow
Types of Stuffing
There are just a couple of types of pillow stuffing, namely down and synthetic options. Down requires the owner to fluff the pillow regularly, which is why many pillows are made of a down/feather or down/synthetic blend to hold their shapes more readily. Synthetic fillings have actually improved enormously over the past couple of decades, which means they can be as comfortable as down, and are a great option for pillows that will see a lot of wear. For example, polyester Fiberfil is hypoallergenic, a great option for those who want the feel of down but suffer from allergic reactions.
Texture and Color
Colors and textures are the most obvious aspects of any pillow, so choose throws that you like the look and feel of. Don’t be afraid to go a little wild, either – like with this Snow Leopard Faux Fur Throw Pillow from Pillow Décor, which mixes a fun pat tern with a luxurious texture.
Soft and cosy Variegated Faux Fur Pillow
Mongolian Sheepskin Gray Pillow
Snow Leopard Faux Fur Throw Pillow
Decorating with Throw Pillows: DOs and DON’Ts
If you don’t want to paint an entire wall or commit to a trend that is going to soon die, it’s a great idea to use throw pillows to encompass fresh concepts on a budget. However, many people struggle with finding pillows that coordinate with one another. This interior decorating dilemma creates a pillow nightmare! (Pun intended). But don’t panic! By following certain guidelines, you can successfully transform the look and feel of your home by decorating with throw pillows only.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Decorating with Throw Pillows
People commonly (and correctly!) complain about the matching throw pillows that came with their sofa looking rather dull and unexciting. Don’t let those drab little guys ruin your living space! Here are some suggestions to help you use pillows to decorate with taste and purpose .
- Don’t: Purchase a random patterned pillow because it is cute. It is important that you coordinate the colors throughout your rooms, and if you are going to use a patterned cushion, make sure it picks up at least one color that is already in your space.
- Do: Look to see if there is a color in your room you want to pull together. If you have accents throughout your room in similar hues, incorporate a solid bold pillow to pull everything together. For example, if you have caramel tones throughout your house, find some striking orange pillows. Always search for complementary colors.
- Don’t: Mix random textures that are too different in styles. For example, textures that are better suited for a formal setting (damask, satin,velvet, etc.) might not coordinate well with less refined, rougher textures often used for earthy, casual interiors (tweed,canvas,leather,corduroy, etc.)
- Do: Break the rules and be creative! When done with taste and purpose, combining different styles, textures, colors and patterns can bring amazing results. This approach works especially well when you are going for an eclectic interior, full of personality.
Finally, it’s a great idea to take a fan deck of paint colors and select chips that match furniture already in your space. When you go out shopping for throw pillows, you can easily reference the chip to determine which option will best match your decor.
Bold Caravan Cotton Pillows in a range of solid colors are great for tying in decor accents
Hand woven raw silk pillows in a range of muted solid colors.
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