Pillow Talk Design Strategies

 

Design Strategy On A Budget - Today's topic PILLOWS

Let's be honest, it's no fun to have little or no money.
A person get's hungry. :-)  So if the budget is limited, the last thing we consider a priority is new designs for the apartment or home.

Funny tho, the new designs may perk up your mind and heart just enough, that your inspired self finds the way to make more money appear.

PILLOWS to the Rescue!

My goal in this article is first to surprise you with the different tricks you can use with pillows - so lots of pictures, and then offer a few ways to get more pillows, or different pillows on a string budget.

Here we go!

Don't Buy The Pre-Determined Designer Lines of Linens

PLEASE!!!!!! Don't think this means going to your department store and finding the matching linens that the designer put together..that's ............ok.  But OK at best.
Instead, be on the lookout for totally UNRELATED materials that fit in the color theme you are looking for, and put them together.  That is design your way!  Look below the pics for ideas on how to find them.

Look what happens to just one chair in one corner of one room with thrift store find pillows...it's just one idea in different forms.  Think of all the fun you could have!

Pillow Talk

 First off, I just love this silly chair.  I love the lines.  I play with different looks on it almost every week. As you can see it's in the corner between two windows and is like a highlight spot for me.
So sometimes having font there is really nice...reminds me of things I want to remember.  Along with fonts, I love animal markings in decor. I find them organic and primal, which next to some of my other loves, it's a bit paradoxical.  PERFECT!  It's perfect because it's me.  And your voice will also find an ear when you give it a chance.
The trick is to play play play.
All kinds of factors will impact you - the weather, the season, your workload, your relationships even and especially your memories.  Let them all come shining through in your various design strategies.  Even with pillows.

In this case I just wanted you to see how completely different a different color scheme could shine.  I added the vase of flowers just so you could see what your eye would see if the flowers were in the room also.  Those flowers are real, but to save money, you could have fake ones in a corner even with other things in front of them, layered as it were

Black and white is always a favorite and can be mixed with various designs, sizes, textures.  I find I throw in black and white in almost every room somewhere - even if it's mixed with very different color schemes.  It brings a grounding to the whole scene.  A sense that all is right in the world.  I moved the chair..sorry for the indent in the pic...it was too late by then. :-)

I love this combo..black with various colour schemes and patterns...yum, all next to lines and basic ivory or cream sitting cushion.  Note to vary large design with the small design on the other pillow and then the calm below.

Here is a much more formal or traditional kind of mix.  Click on the pic and take a close up of that burgundy pillow.  That pattern is just awesome and for some reason it is organically very sound with the bamboo like look of the chair line.  The fun for me is the little pillow in front, which adds another layer of texture and size.  Again, not all pillows need to be anything like square.  Rectangular is awesome.

Pillows on a budget - Where to find them?

• THRIFT it!  Wow, Goodwill and Savers have amazing selections all the time.  Your area of the world will have it's own thrift stores to choose from.  I try to find the ones I can take apart so I can wash them when I get them home.  But if I only spent a dollar or 2, I throw the whole thing in and if it doesn't come out right...oh well.
• Don't think you need to keep them as they are either.  You can put one inside the other cover if you don't like the covering but the stuffing of the inside pillow is good. You can recover them with material you found at the thrift store.  Look in the sheets and curtain isles for material.
• You can buy fabric ends for cheap at your local fabric store and use them to cover old pillows you already have.  
• Consignment stores have cool pillows...but they can be pricier so not always appropriate.
• You can crochet a covering for a cheap thrift store pillow.  Buy a skein of wool at the thrift store or a garage sale..or even regular store.  You can get them for $3.
• Don't be in a hurry to buy them...Let them find you when you are out and about and they will. Watch for scarfs you like - they make a great pillow covering.  Maybe an old tee shirt?  Life will be full of possibilities once you start talking pillow talk!  

Come see us anytime at GG Art Studios - Affordable Original Art in Every Home!