Large or small, colorful or subtle, decorative pillows create a comfortable and inviting atmosphere in any room. As one of the easiest, quickest and least expensive home decorating solutions, throw pillows are a particularly easy way for parents to add a dash of style to busy family rooms without worry… if the pillows are chosen with kids in mind!
Choose Easy-Clean Pillows for Lasting Style
Who can resist the lure of stacks of pillows? Certainly not kids! And that can mean trouble for more delicate, highly embellished decorative pillows.
Parents looking to add a pop of color or texture to a busy family room should look for easy-clean fabrics with minimal embellishment, such as hard-wearing chenilles, denim, microfiber and ultrasuede. Decorative detailing that can hold up to busy kids include piping, self-ruffles, cording and well-secured tassels.
Better yet, look for pillows with removable covers to make cleaning a breeze. Many home decorating lines are adding machine-washable pillow covers to their collections, so finding great looks is easier than ever. But some pillow covers made of heavier textiles and faux fabrics still recommend dry cleaning (hint: try Dryel!).
Create a Your Own Pillow Covers with Fabric Paint
Painted pillow covers (like the pillow pictured) are a craft project even the most creatively challenged can do to add a decorative touch for minimal cost. Simply create stripes, swirls, dots or country-plaid patterns using fabric paints on basic cotton pillowcovers. For the creatively inclined, stencils, stamps and sponges offer limitless design possibilities. And best of all, the final look is long-wearing and family-friendly.