Best Throw Pillows 2009

Clockwise from uppper left: BluDot, Thomas Paul, Orla Kiely & Alexander Girard

During the Room for Color Contest (see all our entries here), many readers learn that one of the best ways to experiment and add color without painting or spending a lot money is to add throw pillows. Good throw pillows are hard to find, however, and it's nice to find ones that offer unique patterning, rich colors and something that you just won't see in any one else's home.

Ta da! I'm here to help, with my updated Best Of list complete with sources and picks in a range of prices and styles. Enjoy, pass it on, and if you've know of a great one I've missed, email me "PILLOWS" at maxwell@apartmenttherapy.com.

NEW ENTRIES
>> Marimekko Concept Store (Scandinavian)
>> Ferm Living Silk Pillows (directional)
>> Orla Kiely's Knit and Printed Pillows (modern)
>> BluDot Accent & Bolster Pillows (modern)
>> Orinomo Pillows at Anthropologie (world)
>> DWR Maharam Pillows (modern)
>> Alexander Girard Pillows @ Urban Outfitters (Mid-C Modern)
>> Sylvie Guyiesse (vintage)

Thomas Paul, Unison & Loolo

BIGGER NAMES
>> Judy Ross Pillows (contemporary)
>> John Robshaw Pillows (world)
>> Maharam Modern Classics Collection (eames, nelson....)
>> Madeline Weinrib Pillows (world)
>> Jonathan Adler (glam)
>> Thomas Paul (directional)
>> Dransfield and Ross (baroque)
>> Unison (clean modern)

John Robshaw

MEDIUM NAMES
>> Looolo Natural Textiles (green)
>> Amy Butler Pillows (floral)
>> Hable Construction (vintage relaxed)
>> Lauren Saunders (coastal)
>> Wallter Pillows (formerly Fold Bedding)
>> Michelle Varian (shiny)
>> Alpana Bawa (ethnic)

Amy Butler

SMALLER NAMES
>> Refinery silk covered buckwheat pillows
>> Japanese Orinomo Pillows
>> Log Pillow Roundup from Etsy
>> Architecture Pillows from Amy Rosko and Mike Estes
>> Modern Pillows from Meringue Designs

COLLECTIONS
>> Designers Guild
>> Imagine Throw Pillows
>> Pillow Throw Decor

DIY SOURCE
>> Ravelry.com

The pillows above are from Rob, who sent this in: "I spoke to my mom and told her about the amazing needle-point pillows that Jonathan Adler created. Knowing she was a needle-pointing maven in the 70's, I asked her if she could make some for my red leather couch. We decided on Andy Warhol icon's and we had an artist in Cincinnati paint the images for us onto a canvas. While each took months to complete, the pillows are the centerpiece of my apartment and speak for themselves. Thanks, MOM!!!"

MISCELLANEOUS
>> 25 Really Strange Pillows from Lise
>> Top 10 Pillows from 2006 with 22 comments

Comments (9)

Can I just say how sick I am of Orla Kiely. It's not that her stuff isn't cute. It is. It's just effing everywhere. That's the opposite of creative, unique, and interesting. Stop already Orla. Go on vacation. Leave your plastic-laden products by the wayside and go play tennis or something.

And also - you want a great way to "experiment and add color without painting or spending a lot money"? Go to a freaking fabric store, buy something cool from the 1/2 off section and make something RAD. You'll love it.

This is a recession, people. That throw pillow is 59 GBP. Do you have any clue what our exchange rate is??? What happened to all the great DIY writing on this blog?

On a positive note, yay for throw pillows. I just got a new Troy Sofa from Crate & Barrel in dark brown but I have no pillows! Dillema! D: This post will def help me find some! ^-^

Miss.lyndsey needs to go take a walk. I agree in the sense that I would never spend over $50 USD for a throw pillow (and it would have to blow me away for me to spend that $50). I'm sure others wouldn't mind spending more on something they get to cuddle up with on the couch.

Whoa - barf? Really? I LOVE that Thomas Paul pillow with the bird on it - and it would look great in my living room. In researching where to buy that pillow, I fell in love with another one of his - with a big blue crab on it. I think this post is a really great, useful list of sources for an item that is not always easy to find - I fail to see why it's offensive to some of you!

The writers or decorators who constantly use or reference Orla Kiely's designs perhaps could be criticized as lacking in originality, but the ubiquity of certain designs isn't meant to be "creative, unique, and interesting". It's a business decision.

And yes, I probably would never spend so much money on throw pillows either, but this is a home design blog and it features a variety of items, high- and low-end. AT is not primarily a DIY blog.

I look at all these sights for the explicit purpose of getting DIY ideas. If you don't agree with spending 50 on a pillow (and I agree!), you *could* do the same! Might turn out to be fun.

$59 is a lot for a pillow...however really think about it. These are textile designers, there is significant effort to coming up with the textile design, then the manufacturing, then the shipping, and fill, and marketing efforts. If you want a cheap pillow walk to a big box store and buy one. The fill will probably ball up and get lumpy, the stitches will stretch and the fabric will pill.

Good design is worth paying for! Especially Alexander Girard. I bought that pillow and it was worth every penny. It is a classic piece. I know I will be getting my money's worth when I reuse it multiple spaces.

pillows are VERY easy to make--even with no prior sewing experience. I could go to a fabric store and find similar designs to DIY for MUCH cheaper with pretty professional results. $60 for a pillow??? never.

there are some nice ones on etsy - maries cosy cushions, for example and these remind me of the orla kiely - but a pair is only 20. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34530755