As soon as the clock strikes midnight on the New Year, I begin to think about how I can send out the old and bring in the new. Sometimes that means a metaphorical housecleaning that starts with a good soul searching for old habits that need to be replaced. For 2015, some of this actual old stuff has got to go –as in please, let’s toss out these pillows we’ve had for two decades and get something fresh.
The Great Decorating Purge of 2015 starts by getting rid of anything we don’t really love or anything that has been loved too much and is showing wear. I am starting the redecorating process in our living room, as that really is the heart of our home and the place where the few precious cozy and calm moments happen. This is where I drink my morning tea and grab a few more chapters in my favorite book. It’s where I snuggle with my kids under a giant quilt on a cold, winter day. More than any other room, I want this room to be filled with things that make me smile when I see them.
Cushion covers are a perfect and inexpensive way to switch up home décor from season to season or when redecorating. As soon as I saw these embroidered pillows from India, I knew they were exactly the warm touch I needed for my living area. A garden of rich red, green, and yellow geraniums is embroidered in a traditional aari chain onto a deep chocolate brown silk background. The cushion covers arrived ready to fill with stuffing or pillow forms, so I can choose to have overstuffed or softer pillows to my comfort. A zippered enclosure makes for easy re-stuffing when pillows need a refresher.
The colors of the flowers in these pillows are easy to design around, and actually inspired a fresh color palette in my living space. The rectangular size also makes them perfect to pair with another throw pillow with the option to change the colors to celebrate the changing season. My favorite part of the pillow, by far, is the stitching. I find myself running my fingers over the raised embroidery as I am reading and sipping those last few sips of tea before the day gets started. Tracing the stitches that were delicately applied by an artisan half way across the world has a calming effect for me, and as I hoped, I smile whenever I see my new embroidered pillows.
