For the record, in the US we call them pillows. Not that there’s anything wrong with cushions.

In fact, call them whatever you like. If they’re soft and cozy you have my attention; make them from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles (eco-fi felt), in cool and colorful designs and I’m sold.

These modern, graphic cushions, created by UK-based Annie Hart of Hartfelt Design, are anything but ordinary. The soft texture of the eco-fi felt makes them the perfect throw pillow.

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Tags: decor , eco-friendly fabric , felt , pillows

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The color purple ruled last fall and it’s still raining plums, eggplants and violets in the interior world. From chairs to carpets, pillows and bedding, the deep wine country shade is being harvested in cool pads everywhere.

Here are some ripe picks from the groovy grape file:

Fruitful Folds: Designer Dror Benshetrit should take pride in his Peacock chair exhibited at the recent ICFF 2009 in New York. Designed for Cappellini, no weaving, sewing or upholstery glue was applied to the comfortable lounge seat with a price tag too high …

Tags: bedding , chairs , cotton , decor , duvets , Fall color , felt , furniture , grape , organic , pillows , Purple , rugs , upcycle , wallpaper , wool

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If we can swap party dresses and soccer shoes, why not club chairs, throw pillows and framed art prints, too?

You can probably convince a designer friend to work for food, trading services for a veggie burger and a smile. Even IKEA organized a swap at its Amsterdam store in February, advertising the husselmarkt as a way to get customers to think like designers by exploring the rearranging of vignettes in their own homes. Up to 250 people were invited to bring in unwanted pieces to shuffle around and …

Tags: art , bby furniture , decor , dishes , electronics , Father's Day , hotel furniture , IKEA , make-overs , pillows , reuse , swaps , trading services , upholstery fabric

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They say the classics never go out of style but we were hit so hard with the return of Ikat, I feared overkill. But the exotic woven patterns have made their way into spring /summer decor – offering that hand-dyed, woven appeal to pillows, tablecloths, bedding and furniture. Can’t you just see yourself lounging on the Bali blue hammock, $92 (above) from World of Good? The same Ebay fair trade company also has this stunning handwoven ikat tablecloth from India, $58.

Whether …

Tags: hammocks , hand dyed , Ikat , ikat chairs , pillows , woven textiles

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Seems everyone is getting in shipshape for spring with crisp navy blues and whites – guided by map-themed pillows and illuminated by the glow of romantic hurricane lighting. I’ve always been a sucker for a sailor dress. So ship and flag wallpaper and blue-and-white striped rugs really float my boat!

Here’s what I roped in from some of the sea-worthy (and green) home decor sources:

From sea to shining sea, it’s better to shop with a reusable tote (too many consumers are still not following rank), like this nautical one made of …

Tags: bedding , fish vases , jute , Nautical , organic cotton , pillows , raffia , shell wreaths , sustainable design , vintage wallpaper , VivaTerra

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If it’s possible to lust after vintage linens, then I’m a lech! I have a closet in my dressing room specifically for storing my little secret. Included is an amazing collection of embroidered pillowcases and dishtowels my Grandma Zelda made back in the day at her lake house in Wisconsin. I also have various quilts and blankets amassed over the years, some I continue to use when forced to go downstairs to watch TV when I cannot sleep at night.

I’m always happy to stumble upon old cotton and linen treasures, either at secondhand …

Tags: bedding , blankets , pillows , quilts , UK , vintage , vintage scarves

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On Project Runway, overestimating fabric amounts can cost designers big time on those challenges requiring they apply every scrap. Who can forget those zany, over-padded handbags or useless belts eked out of the surplus? But in the world of interior design, we’re often left with bulk that is quite usable.

Why the extra? The usual motivation is that the pattern repeat is large and we need to match our cushions or chairs. Also, imperfections may exist in the weave that we have to cut around. I recently had …

Tags: aprons , fabric , fabric journals , fabric walls , pillows , reuse , sachets , textiles , window treatments

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Dots are my favorite movie candy (I know, the red ones are the only good ones) and I love the round shapes on fabric, a happy trend for spring design and a great way to perk up a tired chair or sofa or add some bounce to your bed.

Modern Fabrics has a fun grouping of …

Tags: Brave Space Design , decor , eco fabrics , organic bedding , pillows , polka dots , VivaTerra

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We have very specific needs when it comes to our sleeping pillows. My husband, for example, isn’t a happy camper unless he can mash his pair into pot stickers for supporting his sizable noggin (they don’t call his people the clan of the big heads for nothing). I rest easiest on a medium-fill, standard-size, hypo-allergenic pillow, containing enough loft to support my little grape head but not so dense as to require a neck brace upon rising.

All of these preferences seem crucial in attaining a …

Tags: Down Etc. , down feathers , hypo-allergenic , pillows , Rebecca Litwin , sleep disorders , synthetic pillows

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