Cushions: Ancient Furniture to Modern Day Must-Have

Posted by John Wells on 3:15 pm. Filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

The cushion is probably one of the oldest pieces of furniture in the world. In ancient civilisations they were the only form of padding for beds made simply of marble slabs! Nowadays a bit of support in the small of the back is a welcome relief if you spend hours on the computer at work. Likewise, a large floor cushion makes a wonderful extra seat if you have more than a few friends over for an evening.

It stands to reason then that cushions have developed over time to become the must have item for the best interiors. Whatever your taste, cushions can enhance your design and give an added dimension of colour or contrast to any room. If you want a comfortable warm room, earth tones create just the right effect whereas a cooler look can be achieved by using blue, white or grey accent colours on your cushions.

By their nature cushions can accommodate any design or fabric you can think of. Velvets or heavyweight corduroys are wonderful for floor cushions and bolsters that get more wear. Also use offcuts from your curtain and soft furnishing fabrics for a coordinated long lasting look. For sophisticated schemes leather or suede are a good choice.

Any number of cotton chintzes, linens and other weaves, patchwork or embroideries can be used.  If you want you can use silks or lace especially in a bedroom design. These make a wonderful contrast with traditional bedroom furniture but remember that fragile silks and dressmaking materials may need strengthening and careful handling. Also, silks might fray if used in piping or given a fringe trim.

For lightweight fabrics use a lining to strengthen them. If you have a piece of embroidery that you wish to use, lightly dampen it (first making sure that your embroidery colours do not run) and tack it to a frame to gently stretch it. If you are buying a panel of needlework or crewelwork especially for a cushion it should already have been stretched. Then use a complimentary colour for the rest of the cushion cover: a velvet or heavy weave is an excellent option.

Whatever your design, cushions are an essential part of any room makeover. With the choice of styles, shapes and fabrics available, it’s safe to say that this once vital piece of old “furniture” is here to stay as the modern must-have room accessory.

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